Primrose Surprise

Chicagoland is in the throes of a “wintry mix” of weather . . .

but this basket full of springtime color reminds me that the gloom won’t last forever. My dear quilt friends brought me the primroses as a birthday gift. Aren’t the colors amazing? They just happen to match the quilt I planned to write about today.

This little signature quilt was stitched 15 years ago for a special group of friends who were turning forty. The bright colors were meant to boost our spirits as we began a new decade together.

Contrast is important when choosing fabrics for small quilts. If you look at this one in black and white, the design disappears because most of the fabrics are medium value rather than light and dark.


I created contrast instead, by setting warm colors (pink, orange, yellow) against cool colors (blue, green). You can see this best in the border where contrast creates a zigzag design. The cool colors recede into the background while the warm colors advance, creating an almost 3D effect.
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Lordy, Lordy, We're Turning Forty!

20" x 25"

1996