the blue blog archives: purple people

I sewed up these simple four-patches (there's 63 of them in total, for a 7 by 9 block quilt) in a couple of nights. I'm making a quick quilt for a friend of the family who likes purple. I didn't want it to scream purple - you know how it is when people figure out you like something and then every gift you get is about that and just because you like cats doesn't mean you want to have cat posters and cat mugs and cat brooches and cat plant holders... - so I chose these batiks in a variety of purpley tones. I love the splashes of orange and green in there too!

(Want to see some more purple fun? Check out this video wee one and I spotted on Jack's Big Music Show yesterday.)

posted by alison at 10:13 am | in caring quilts

Comments

I like it but for my personal liking I would choose darker oranges as a contrast :)

Posted by: Sibylle at January 13, 2009 10:31 AM

I'm a purple person, but I like the blue-purple rather than the red-purple. I like it, but if it were mine, I'd want more of the blue-purple spectrum in there...but the contrasting oranges look good (am surprised as I don't care for orange). I think you're good to go from a purple lover perspective. :D BTW, did you need my address to send the quilt to me? ;) Just kidding. :)

Posted by: Tammy at January 13, 2009 10:48 AM

I too am a purple fan, and love the way this is purple without screaming PURPLE! I think it will definitely be appreciated.

Posted by: Jennifer at January 13, 2009 10:56 AM

I'm a purple person, and those fabrics look great!

Posted by: TopHat at January 13, 2009 11:38 AM

I agree - you're good to go.

Posted by: Cara at January 13, 2009 11:42 AM

I love purple and I would totally love that! It's not like any other purple-colored that you can get.

Posted by: Amy at January 13, 2009 12:16 PM

I'm definitely a purple person and I think this looks fantastic. I love the really dark green as a contrast against the purple and the lighter colours.

Posted by: Liz T. at January 13, 2009 12:28 PM

I'm a purple person and this would be appreciated by my purple standards. You nailed it.

Posted by: Jenifer at January 13, 2009 12:35 PM

Oh hells yeah! Batiks can do no wrong, nor can any wrong be done to them!

Posted by: Caryn at January 13, 2009 12:42 PM

I am not a purple person but to me in this photo it looks pinkish.

Posted by: Karin at January 13, 2009 1:12 PM

Looks edible. Yummy!

Posted by: Sheila Z at January 13, 2009 1:30 PM

I'm a purple person and I would love to have a quilt with those blocks. Just enough purple, but enough contrast that it could still coordinate in a room that wasn't completely purple.

Posted by: Rebecca at January 13, 2009 2:09 PM

I am a purple person and to me the colors look great.

Posted by: JudithNYC at January 13, 2009 2:13 PM

Perfect for a purple person, says a purple person herself. :)

Posted by: Brandi at January 13, 2009 2:17 PM

I'm a purple person, and I think the combination is great!

Posted by: Pam at January 13, 2009 2:23 PM

I like reddish purples, and I think those are fantastic colors!

Posted by: Suzanne V. (Yarnhog) at January 13, 2009 2:38 PM

I am THE purple person, and I love what you have selected.

Posted by: Maureen at January 13, 2009 2:50 PM

I am a purple fan and I like your theory here. Plus, there are so many lovely shades of purple in there that it's sure to make the other purples just stand up and shout - Would you look at that!

Great work.

Posted by: Jennifer at January 13, 2009 2:52 PM

I think the fabric is lovely. Are you going to use sashing between the blocks, or add a border around the outside of the quilt? Both of those things can be used to simultaneously enhance and tone down the purple. Orange is often a good color to do that w/ purple--my sister made an orange and purple baby quilt for us, and it is so attractive (much more visually appealing than it sounds).

Posted by: jenn at January 13, 2009 3:46 PM

my favorite color is purple, and i love what you have picked out - great job - hope to see the finished project!

Posted by: chandra at January 13, 2009 3:47 PM

my MIL is a chicken/rooster person. She gets lots of rooster gifts (it was all roosters this year for christmas: towels, potholders, and placemats). she doesn't mind, however.

that being said, i don't think it's too badly purple. very nice indeed.

Posted by: minnie at January 13, 2009 3:55 PM

I love the bits of contrast that make the different purples stand out better.

And my mom is much the same as minnie's only regarding cow items.

Posted by: Seanna Lea at January 13, 2009 3:57 PM

Thanks everyone! I'm so glad to hear that you think the purples pass muster. This isn't the best picture of them. The lightest colors are a bit more lavender than in the picture, but I think you all are right that there's more of the pink-red-purple range here than the blue-purple range. There were some truer purples like that at the store, but these seemed to work better together. I'm relieved that it still reads on the purple side or is at least close enough that a purple person would like it.

Yes Jenn, I was planning to frame all the blocks wth some sashing. I'll have to try out several color options. I had planned on another purpley shade to bring all the others together, but I'll definitely think about a contrast color. I would definitely love that on a quilt for me, but for this person, I don't want to do anything daring, just something that would be generally pleasing. Wish me luck finding just the right thing in the store!

Posted by: ALISON at January 13, 2009 4:05 PM

I am an insanely purple person. Love it!! And if she doesn't like it, I can tell you someone in Texas to send it to ;-)

Posted by: Becky at January 13, 2009 4:30 PM

I love purple, and I think those colors look really nice, especially the deep plummy ones. I also think secondary colors(purple, orange, and green) work very well together.

Posted by: Shanon at January 13, 2009 5:09 PM

I am not a purple person. I like this because it is purple in a normal way, like seeing your favourite thing in the midst of a crowd.

Posted by: Angie at January 13, 2009 5:40 PM

I'm a purple person & I like it!!

Posted by: Donna S. at January 13, 2009 6:19 PM

Oooh, the quilt is pretty without screaming. I'm not particularly a purple person and I would love it.

I really had to stop by and say, I'm glad someone else watches Jack's big Music Show. Out of all the kids shows, it's my favorite (not my son's but too bad!!). I love the purple people eater episode.

Posted by: geekch1ck at January 13, 2009 6:29 PM

Yesssss! Wonderful!

Posted by: bird at January 13, 2009 6:47 PM

I love purple and I love the fabrics that you are using. I loved the little one's crown hat, too.

Posted by: Suzanne at January 13, 2009 6:57 PM

I'm a purple person and I think it's going to be gorgeous!

Posted by: Jenna at January 13, 2009 7:29 PM

I'm also pro-purple and I think the colors look really cool. It definitely does not scream PURPLE!!! yet has a wonderful familiarity to it. Would be awesome to see a finished pic of the quilt!

Posted by: Emily at January 13, 2009 8:34 PM

I love the purples, however, it could also be more purple. For the most part we are cool with having a lot of very purple stuff. The purple people are a different breed.

Posted by: Susan at January 13, 2009 9:11 PM

I think it's perfect! It's purple, but not so overwhelmingly purple that you have to worry about it clashing with other purple stuff. Great job!

Posted by: Dorothy at January 13, 2009 10:03 PM

I love that Susan! Secret info about purple people. Maybe I'll try out an even purpler purple for the sashing and border. Thanks for the inside scoop! :)

Posted by: ALISON at January 13, 2009 10:35 PM

As a purple person, I must say it's lovely!! :D

Posted by: Manda at January 13, 2009 11:13 PM

I'm into purple but don't like pink at all ; and all this is much more pink than purple for me. I'd go to bluer purples : lilac, lavender, plum, violet, amethyst, even faded indigoes. But then I don't necessarily have your friend's tastes, and then again I'm not really into patchwork, so what do i know?

Posted by: Flo at January 14, 2009 5:34 AM

As a purple person, I do really like it! I'm also a pink person, so I like that part too! =)

Posted by: Brandie at January 14, 2009 2:46 PM

I think your purple person will be thrilled.

I am a nanny, and we love Jack's Big Music Show. We missed the purple episode today because Curious George came to the library for story time and we had to eat oatmeal and hurry there.

Thanks for the video highlights.

Posted by: carol at January 14, 2009 6:11 PM

Purple has been my favorite color since I was little. And those blocks are fabulous! That quilt is going to be beautiful.

Posted by: Carrie at January 14, 2009 9:58 PM

well I honestly can't answer you because I'm not one of those people. but, I love the post, you are very funny.

Posted by: Orli at January 15, 2009 5:03 AM

I'm a purple person (you should see the purpleness of my yarn stash!) and love the combinations, as far as my wishy washy laptop monitor will reveal.

Posted by: Yve at January 15, 2009 7:08 AM

I love these colors and fabrics! You have inspired me to make my own quilt this year! ^_^

And so the fabric stashing will begin...

Posted by: Jolynn at January 15, 2009 9:29 PM

I love purple and I think the squares look great. I'm one of those people who can have trouble seeing the finished product so I'm eagerly awaiting the end result, I'm sure it will be even more beautiful than I can imagine!

Posted by: Melissa at January 15, 2009 10:25 PM

I'm a major purple person, but I don't think there's enough purple in there. I like darker, richer purples. I also loathe the color yellow, so that might be influencing my opinion. :)

Posted by: Kathy at January 16, 2009 12:31 AM

Exactly what Kathy said. I am purple all the way, but like darker purples, and don't like yellow. So I wouldn't like this combo. :( Sorry!!! But you asked for an honest opinion... :(

Posted by: Rina at January 16, 2009 8:24 AM