Quilting the Quilt: Quilts in motion

Imagine waking up one morning, opening your front door to greet the day, and finding that everything you see is at a perfect standstill. Not a single leaf is rustling on the trees, and your neighbor jogging past your house pauses in mid-step! As your eyes scan the scene in front of you, it doesn’t take long for you to lose interest. There is nothing to keep your attention other than the magic of the moment.

A quilt is much like a “snapshot” that captures a moment in time. It may be fabulously splashed with color or feature exquisite appliqué, but these are “static” images that focus attention on a specific element. Viewers must move their eyes around the quilt to capture the full effect of the piece.

To keep the viewer’s attention focused on your masterpiece longer, use one of the following techniques to add movement to your work. Color placement and value can imply movement. When fabric values range from dark to light, our eyes interpret the gradations in a way that implies depth of field. We see darker colors fading into the background and lighter colors move to the foreground.

Read the rest of the Quilting the Quilt article.