Mystery Quilts Anonymous

Dark or Light?

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by

debiloves2quilt
in

When you’re making a mystery quilt (any quilt really), do you prefer a lighter background or a darker one? I think I have this silly unwritten rule in my head that all backgrounds must be light. I really need to jump out of this silly box and shake it up!

For example, I had originally chosen a cream print to fill the background position with the three fabrics pictured here. I threw the black there by accident and thought WOW! that’s amazing. I just love how the black makes the print pop. I was using the green for the popping, but the black is so much better. Now I can’t wait to start cutting this project!

Help a girl out with your choices… print, tone on tone, solid, light, dark, directional…goodness look at all those new possibilities!!

Comments

18 responses to “Dark or Light?”

  1. Judy Stillwell Avatar
    Judy Stillwell

    I, too, thought a light background was the way to go. However, darks really make patterns POP. I find myself drawn specifically to black, although I don’t particularly like to sew on black—I’ve got old eyes. I love tone on tone, too, but will never use directional fabric for the background.
    Thank you, Debi, for the wonderful patterns. PARTY POPPERS was first MQA quilt and my adult granddaughter & I love it.

    Reply
    1. debiloves2quilt Avatar
      debiloves2quilt

      Thank you.

      Reply
  2. Ellen Upchurch Avatar
    Ellen Upchurch

    Tone on tone medium

    Reply
    1. debiloves2quilt Avatar
      debiloves2quilt

      Interesting! Now I’ll play even more!!!!!

      Reply
  3. dragontearsoflove Avatar
    dragontearsoflove

    I must admit. I change all “light” backgrounds to dark. I’m working on a guild mystery quilt…and my background is a green with dark green/black tonal blend. I rarely use light backgrounds, as I know my penchant for spilling and have two cats and two dogs. However, I’ve been kicking around if I should switch to lighter backgrounds…some of my paid murder mystery quilts go for it…but the latest is a bone and pine background tone… I think it’s interesting to see the quilts both ways.

    Reply
    1. debiloves2quilt Avatar
      debiloves2quilt

      I love that you normally go dark or different!

      Reply
  4. Victoria Lipp Avatar
    Victoria Lipp

    I actually like both! White or Cream for some quilts to make a “lighter” quilt. But “dark” like Black or Burgundy or Forrest Green would work for a masculine quilt or when I am in a deeper mood. Anything you come up with for our MYSTERY QUILTS will be perfect! You are one of the most creative persons I know (from a distance). Wish I could meet you in person.

    Reply
    1. debiloves2quilt Avatar
      debiloves2quilt

      Let’s meet!! We may be doing a trip later this year! I’m excited to meet everyone I know from a distance. And thank you so much for the sweet encouragement.

      Reply
  5. Jenny Wren Avatar
    Jenny Wren

    We are a dark background or at least try to be. A lot of mystery requires light background. Sometimes the mystery “sounds” like it needs to be light.

    When we tackle a mystery quilt fabric choices we listen to the designers story behind why the created the pattern. We also listen to the fabric as we choose the fabrics for the mystery.

    Sometimes stepping over the unknown line of “normal” in quilting is fun to do. Sometimes it can surprise you. 🤗❤️

    Reply
    1. debiloves2quilt Avatar
      debiloves2quilt

      It really surprises me! I love it though. Fabric speaks my language!

      Reply
  6. Mary Avatar
    Mary

    I like the black. I too make most of my quilts with a light background. Time to step out of the box.

    Reply
    1. debiloves2quilt Avatar
      debiloves2quilt

      Let’s step out of this light background box together!

      Reply
  7. susangetchell9099 Avatar
    susangetchell9099

    I really think it depends on what you’d like as the finished product. Dark backgrounds always seem to make the quilt much more dramatic and exciting, while light backgrounds seems a bit more conservative and quiet. Both have their places, but black is, to me, the one that makes people take a second look.

    then again, some people think baby quilts should be pastels. I’ve rarely made a pastel baby quilt, they’re generally always bright and different, sometimes you’d never even label it as ‘baby’. Different strokes —

    Reply
    1. debiloves2quilt Avatar
      debiloves2quilt

      I totally agree!!! I don’t use traditional blocks for baby quilts either! We can have so much fun outside the “normal” box!

      Reply
  8. Dee Barnes Avatar
    Dee Barnes

    I nearly always go wth black and if not black some kind of print, I seem to think like Susan (above) but I think black seems to make all the other colors pop but mostly just to be different from everyone else.

    Reply
    1. debiloves2quilt Avatar
      debiloves2quilt

      Darker backgrounds always seem to make gorgeous quilts! Great choice, even if to be different! Love that you like to be different.

      Reply
  9. Debbie Avatar
    Debbie

    I love a dark background. The last mystery I did with you I did a dark purple background. I love the way the dark makes the other colours pop so much.

    Reply
    1. debiloves2quilt Avatar
      debiloves2quilt

      I’m shaking it up with another one and loving it!! It’s amazing how much it makes the others pop!

      Reply

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