It is not very often, that I will make a quilt from a specific pattern, unless I’m taking a class/workshop.   I had seen this particular quilt, and was intrigued… I’m going to stop there, because I want to create a very big lead-up.  *giggle*

Well, of course I started with the pattern, but not wanting to give that away, lets jump to the fabric selection.

My hubby and I both like the colour blue.  When we are away for our Anniversary in November, I decided I was going to buy the fabric for this quilt.  This quilt will be for our bed.   The first big quilt, that I will actually be keeping.

I ended up getting the fabric from three different shops, which was okay.  One fabric (the light blue – Fusions by Robert Kaufman), I actually ordered an entire bolt, as one shop didn’t have enough yardage I required.   The dark blue (Dimples by Gail Kessler for Andover Fabrics) I picked up from two different shops.  The white (Cambridge Square #2192 by Ro Gregg for Northcott) I fell in love with the pattern.  I think (I hope) I bought more than I need, so I can use it for some Christmas projects.

So with all this fabric, today I started cutting the strips.  At first I contemplated how to use the fabrics, and then decided the colour layout.   I don’t like doing all the cutting, then all the piecing, although the directions are written in that way.  I like to cut some, stitch some, press some, and repeat.  It’s a good thing I follow this, as I found out I was using the wrong instructions, and cut 3 or 4 strips at 4½”, when it should have been 6″.   Not a complete loss, I cut the 4½” into 2 – 2″ strips… which I also need!  I lost 1/2″ but that’s okay… with the string quilt I’m working on, I can add some of this fabric into it as well!

And I noticed, that following the correct instructions… I may have waaaaaaaaaaay more fabric than what I need for this project.   Yeah!  Some more for the stash!

After cutting the strips, and stitching them together, it was time to cut them using the specialty ruler that came with the book.  Phew… I’m able to get the required 8 componets from each stitched strip!

Then it was time to piece the sections together, and wow, oh wow… I really like how this is coming together.

This will be my first monochromatic quilt.

Now that all that has been said, and done, the quilt comes from Eleanor Burns Quilt in a Day Series - Day & Night.  I”m not sure if it was the star design, or the black, white and red, but what ever it was, this quilt caught my attention and held on to it.  Be sure to visit Quilt In A day website, and read how they describe this quilt.

As for the string quilt, it is coming along.  I was working on it, getting more blocks completed, and realized I was not feeling the fabric therapy that working on quilts usually gives me.  I’ve decided I’m going to work on the quilt when I need something to fill in gaps.  The double diagonal pattern I chose does not lend itself to using the blocks as leader/enders. Check out Bonnie’s website.  She has a great method for using up scraps, and some interesting information on String quilts too!

The Quilt!

When you think about your first quilt… the very first quilt that you made, what emotion does it invoke?

After reading Theri’s post about her first quilt, it got me to thinking about proffering a challenge to our circle of quilting friends.

Post about your very first quilt, and all that you can recall about it.  Have a photo, of course you have to include it.  Tell us about the horror or the pleasure the quilt gave you, at the time, and how you feel about it now.

I have posted about my first quilt on my blog here.  This blog was a list of firsts that I had done with relation to quilting.  And of course, this is my oldest UFO!

The Recall!

I would have to say, that when I was 9 or 10, this quilt was a very big thing for me.  As I mention in the other post, it was put aside for a while.  I pulled it out, in my teens, could be when I took Home Ec in Grade 8, or TAC (Textiles Arts and Crafts) in Grade 10, but I did add a few more things to it.   I’m thinking it was Grade 10, so I would have been 15/16 at the time… I see a few pieces that I used for a couple of projects.   I don’t know why I never threw it out.  I still have not finished it, although I do intend to.  I have to mend a few places, and square it up.

The Photo!

It all began with this?

Now?

Now this quilt (top) brings me amusement and memories.  Some of the fabric pieces I recall fondly of childhood memories.  It has polyester, nylon, wool, acrylic, cotton, denim, terry towel, flannel, and a lot more.   Can you tell what era it’s from?  I shudder at the thought of even trying to machine quilt it… perhaps I will just tie it.   Some of you may recall this quilt, as I did post it on APQ, and I called it my “ugly” quilt.  Now before you all go and tell me it isn’t ugly, and that it is full of memories, you would be right about the full of memories… but IT IS UGLY!  and I am the first to admit it!  Hmm… I have an old blanket that was given to me by my Paternal Grandmother, which is orange (I really didn’t like it), about the time I added to it (way back when I was a teen), that maybe I’ll back it with that!  No need to put a batting in!  Or maybe the orange blanket could be the batting, and I’ll have to rummage around and find something for the backing!  Now wouldn’t that be a hoot!

The Challenge!

If you wish to accept is to find that deep down area in  your “gut”, and find the courage to write and post about your first quilt on your blog.

• What do you recall about making the quilt?  What you felt?  Who/what it was for?
• Post a photo (if you have one)
• Tell us about the quilt as it is today?  Where is it?  How do you feel about it today?
• And of course, anything else you would like to share!

I do hope you take up the challenge and post here that you have!

-Alice

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: You have to look back on your first quilt(s) and give them the credit where its due!   As we gain more experience and find new interests, our knowledge base grows exponentially.  We may try one technique and find that we don’t like it, but it leads us to another.  Or we may like the technique and find our own path.  I’ll be the first to admit, that some techniques perhaps some of the simpler (easier) techniques intimidate me.  Why?   I’ve been thinking about that a lot, and think perhaps it is because I have not found a need? an interest? or a true desire yet to try that technique.   And then there are other techniques, where I just jump in, despite not knowing how deep the water is, and have a blast!  I have one quilt that I am scared to finish piecing.    I have made 3 similar quilts, and because I have learned so much since I made the first 3, I know that I will see the “mistakes” and “imperfections” and will want to change it to make it better.   I am just going to have to “suck it up”, and one of these days, just jump in.

What a fun day, at the Saturday workshop our Guild held.  There were scrap strips flying and machines a whirring.  Several times, participants commented on how quiet it was (no murmurming, no chatting).

Our instructor displayed several design options for us.  They can be viewed at the guilds blog. So where does one begin? We were given a supply list, and were told to bring our strips.

After the presentation, and the wonderful variety of design options… how does one choose which way to go!  Squares?  Diagonals?  Double Diagonal (Split Diagonal)?  Rectangles?  Diagonal Rectangle (4 blocks make a diamond)? Spider Web?  X’s and O’s? Fans?  Equilateral Triangles?   I chose not to go the “easy” way.  If I had, maybe I would have left with more than four blocks done… but that’s okay.  I am sticking with my choice.  I chose the Double Diagonal.   If you select a design option that requires just straight stitching with all the strips going in the same direction, these options lend themselves to chain piecing, which will make things go a lot faster.

Now the next choice was colour.  Now, you don’t have to have a colour option in mind, as I soon found out, I didn’t have a lot of certain colours.   You could use all one colour, and select darks, lights and mediums.  Make one block all darks, one all lights, and alternate, and rotate to give a really neat basket weave effect.  The possibilities are endless!  Okay… back to what I decided to do.

I chose two colour options… blue and yellow.   I had brought all my strips with me… from 1″ right up to 6″.  I only used up to the 3″ strips.   (PAUSE:   My mind is wandering all over the place here, so bear with me, I’ll eventually get on track.  I’m getting excited about all the different options that are buzzing around in my head!  But first things first, I need to get back on track and tell and show you what I did).

I didn’t have any old sheets laying about, so I had picked up some very inexpensive muslin.  I first cut the muslin into squares of 9″.  I started with just 4.  To make things go smoother, I think I would have cut them all.  Working at home, I will definitely cut them all up, and then they are ready.  I prefer my cutting table, it does not cause any back pain, from being hunched over!

To begin the Double Diagonal, you need to draw a line from one corner to the other, and use this as a guide.  You then start adding your strips.  Strip 1 – wrong side to muslin.  Strip 2, right side to right side of Strip 1.  Stitch and finger press open.  Oh Yeah!  Remember I said no rules!  No pressing with a hot iron required!

Click on the photo to read the descriptors.

This is another block with three strips added.  You work from the centre… but not quite the centre, and move out towards one corner.  Then you continue in the other direction from the centre piece.  Over extend the end of your strips at least 1/4″ for when you add the second diagonal piecing.

I used the pencil line as a guide, but actually I ignored it.  Some of my blue pieces did not quite reach over, so I lined up the yellow, allowing at least 1/4″ or so to the blue ends.  Stitched.  Trimmed to at least 1/4″… some of those pieces were long!  Then pressed.  I have to confess, I did press the yellow strip with an iron.

And more yellow strips (strings) being added.

Yellow strip added, right sides together, just before being stitched

It was much easier chain piecing the yellow strips.  This part of the blocks went by much quicker.

You may recall, that I mentioned I cut the foundation fabric to be 9″.  This is NOT the unfinished block size.  Our Instructor suggested cutting the foundation piece a bit larger than your planned unfinished block size.  I then trimmed to 8 ½”.  What a difference trimming makes!

This is the four blocks completed, and laid out, with a yellow centre.  If you look closely, you’ll notice that some of the strings are a bit “wonky”.  You can precut your strips to be wedges, and stitched, or stitch them so they are a little off.

Isn’t it amazing how changing the orientation of the blocks, gives this quilt a different feel.    Warm colours have a tendency to advance, or come towards you, while cool colours will recede, or move away from you.

I haven’t decided if I’m going to make pillows, or make a quilt from them.  I do have 4 more blocks on the go, and will be using this quilt as a fill-in between finishing up some of my UFOs!  Photos of the other participants will be posted on the Guild blog within the next few days.  Be sure to check them out, for some other design and colour options!

And now for the remainder of my Saturday.   The Robbie Burns dinner was a very neat affair.  A beautiful Prime Rib dinner, with some haggis.  What a tradition.

The Head Table

The Noble Pudding

Piping it in, and presentation to the Head Table.  After this point there was the toast, and the subsequent cutting into the Haggis.

The evening would not be complete without some entertainment.

And that sums up my Saturday activities.  I did try the Haggis, and unfortunately, there wasn’t enough gravy.  I can’t say I liked it, but I can’t say I disliked it either.  I found there was way too much Sage.  But I’ll keep my options open.

OOOh… and today is Robbie Burn’s Birthday.   I just remembered that!

-Alice

Tomorrow (Saturday), I am embarking on another quilting adventure.  Our guild is providing a workshop on String Quilts.   And I was not originally scheduled to work the day, I took advantage of it, made myself unavailable for work and will be participating.

My friend Nina will be teaching the class.  She has posted some of the samples she has done for the class on her blog.  From what I’ve seen this is a great way to use some scraps up.  I had read somewhere about trimming off a little extra when you square up your yardage of fabric, instead of just trimming off the bare minimum.  This is so you can use the odd sized and shaped piece in things like string quilts or other types of scrap quilts where a “squared” piece of fabric is not required.   I had started doing that, except… I ended up putting the pieces in with all sorts of other odds and sods.  One of the things I’ve done over the last few days is trying to sort and find those strips!

I’m not sure when I’ll be posting photos from my progress, tomorrow evening we (my hubby and I), will be attending a Robbie Burns dinner.  This is my first time to this event, should be interesting!  I’m not so sure about the Haggis, but will keep an open mind!  I have never been fond of eating organs, but who knows if my taste buds have changed, and the childhood memories have been erased enough to give it a go.  My husband’s grandparents immigrated from Scotland via New Zealand to Canada.

-Alice

It has been several months since I presented the finished quilt to the recipient, and I thought that as my hours are dropping in the next few weeks, that I should write something more about the quilt, and show some more in progress photos, as well as one of the finished project.

It was bittersweet to present the quilt to our friend, I really liked it, and almost didn’t want to give it up.  In the previous blog Fabric Collage Revisited,  about this project, the last photos show my technique for working on the water.

Unfortunately, I didn’t take photos in progress of the land portion of the landscape.  The photo below (clicking on a photo will display a larger image to see the detail)  is the landscape portion finished, with a piece of black tulle laid over it.

The tulle helps hold all the little pieces, requiring less stitching to hold everything in place.  Black is best, as it does not really change the colour of the fabric.

The next section I worked on, was directly to the left of the collage section, and is the Ship’s Crest.  I used my artist’s prerogative, and decided to duplicate only the rook portion and the background to it.

I stitched the red and yellow pieces, and then cut them so they would be on the bias.  I appliqued the rook , and then thread painted it to give it, its dimension and colouring.

I added a border to the collage portion, then attached the Rook.  I added a blue piece on the top and bottom.  I used a font on my word processor, for the lettering, and printed it off, and then traced it onto the blue fabric.  I thread painted using a  Sulky variegated rayon thread.  I really liked the way this thread practically glowed on the fabric.  This was the first time I had used a rayon thread for quilting.  I was very impressed with the results.

This is the finished top, being sandwiched.  I was standing on a chair above the table to get the shot… didn’t think of hanging it first!

And this is the finished project.

And this is the recipient and I.

I presented the finished quilt to Pamela at the Change of Command Dinner, with Pamela stepping down in July 2008.  Pamela spent her first summer as a Cadet at the Summer Training Centre in the summer of 1980, and was the first female Commanding Officer of HMCS Quadra.

Hello everyone from APQ, and for those who have been following my rather neglected blog.

I don’t usually have New Year’s Resolutions, but I think I’ll change that, and try to be a bit more active on my blog.

For those of you hailing from APQ, please be sure to leave a comment.  I hope to be visiting your blog soon.

-Alice

You may remember my first foray into Fabric Collage/Landscape quilting.  I have realized that I never posted a finished photo.

Winter Sunrise of Bayne's Sound facing south from HMCS Quadra

I am now venturing again into this technique that will definitely get your creative juices flowing. And mine are certainly doing that. I’ve taken a break from the Anniversary Quilt, and decided to start working on “The Quadra Quilt”.

A little history. I am an Officer in the Canadian Navy, in the Cadet Instructors Cadre component. In a nut shell we are specifically trained to work with youth in the Canadian Cadet Program, in my case, the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets. One of the aspects of the Cadet experience is attending a Summer Training Centre. I was also a cadet in my youth, and attended HMCS Quadra. I also served for four summers aboard as an Officer.

Okay, now a little history on the making of this quilt. While attending my second or third summer, I wanted to make a quilt about the life at Quadra. I started putting my ideas down on paper, and even played a little with EQ5 (which is what I had at the time).

Quadra Memories Quilt Design in progress

Maybe I’ll go back and work on this project, but I feel my skills are not significant enough to tackle this project.

About a year ago, I started thinking of a quilt for a dear friend of my husband and I. I wanted to make her a quilt to commemorate her service at HMCS Quadra. She also started as a cadet, and served to become Commanding Officer. Her tenure as Commanding Officer is now over.

The design(s).

I originally thought that having T-shirts from the different Trades (courses) would be a very nifty quilt. Wasn’t sure what else I was going to do. I sat with a pad of paper and a pencil, and started to sketch. There were certain elements I knew I wanted:

• An aerial view of HMCS Quadra (fabric collage/landscape technique); one, two, three, four
• Years of service (1980 – 2008)
• The Ships Crest
• Trades (Two Week General Training, Boatswain, Music, Sail, Gunnery, Marine Engineering, Shipwright)
• Quotes/Sayings: “Good Morning, Quadra!”, “I pressed on taking fresh trouble for granted.”

But how to get it all together.

Design Sketch 1

Design Sketch 2

I eventually decided that I could make it “Quadra” like without duplicating (ship’s badge), or using items (trade badges, t-shirts) that are of Quadra. To be honest, I started to realize my skills were going to become a factor, so I started to employ the KISS principle, with the following sketch the final draft (maybe) of the project. There are elements missing, at this point, because one, I do not draw well, and two, they are not needed at this stage in the design.

Design Sketch 3 - possibly final

And now for the process.  I decided I was going to document the process of this quilt. It will incorporate several techniques I have not used, or at least I have very little experience in doing.

My supply/equipment list:

• Fabric – to represent landscape elements/colour
  

  Fabric colour palette to begin with

• Image/photo supplied by Google Earth

• 

  HMCS Quadra from Google Earth

• Ships Crest

HMCS Quadra Ship's Crest

• Glue stick – washable, non-acid
• Toothpicks
• Foundation fabric – muslin
• Scissors
• Damp cloth (for wiping off sticky fingers from the glue)

I cut the foundation piece a little larger than twice the size of the image I printed off. The idea behind fabric collage/landscape is a representation of a photo/image, not an accurate duplication. I found several photos of HMCS Quadra, which were not quite the angles I was looking for. The image I decided to use as a guide was actually from Google Earth. It is a neat application, as you can rotate your view, to get something close to what you want.  I chose to use the blue/green fabric for the water, using creative license… the “green” from the satellite image just does not work well for me.

Then its time to start placing the elements of the design. I started with a large size of fabric to represent the water, and then snipped around the edges so it would not be a straight edge. Then it was time to “shred” the fabric. It is difficult to describe this process… except just cutting the fabric in thin strips, which are angular, jagged. The strips do not have to be very long, somewhere between ½” – 2” is what I was using. We cannot blend fabric like we can with paint; smaller pieces work better to blend the colour of the fabric together.

Fabric before shredding

Shredded Fabric

The pieces are applied to using a bit of glue from the glue stick and the toothpick. To help with shading and blending, I have also used the “wrong” side of the fabric. I have added strips on the large piece of water fabric, to give the area dimension.

Beginning the process

To get a nice blend between the fabrics, I used a door peeper. If something didn’t look right, I’d add another piece, until it did.  At times the lighter blue/green/yellow fabric was just to glaring. When you look at paintings, you do not view it from a few inches away. A peeper allows you to be close to the project, but still view it from a distance.

Taking Shape

Closeup of process

As I progress with this project, I’ll explain the different processes I’ll be doing. I know you are going to ask… “How are you going to hold all those little bits of fabric down”? I’m sorry, but you’ll just have to wait until I get to that part to explain it.

I can’t describe the feelings I have about this project. I am so elated right now, I’ll admit. As I mentioned to the recipient’s husband, the feelings are from several aspects, the reason for the project, the recipient, the Quadra experience, and I think the ability to be creative, and just let it happen.

I’m very happy with my choices so far, and how this piece is coming along. I’ll be posting my progress, can’t promise how often that will be, but be sure to check back, and feel free to leave a comment.

How have you stretched your creative mind, and what was your result?

-Alice

I first introduced the Anniversary Quilt in my post on Colour Value.   I knew that this quilt would come together quickly.  And I knew the challenge for this quilt would be the pieced setting triangles.   With the help and advice of some of my quilting friends online and in person, I worked through the challenge.

The challenge was the bias edges that would be on the edges of the top.  Putting my design on point, caused the setting triangles to have the bias edges on the outside, instead of nicely stitched into the body of the quilt top.   I used foundation (paper) piecing, to piece all the triangles, and used my Easy Angle ruler to cut the angles as needed.  I had very little waste, which I am quite happy about.

As I was piecing the main units, I was starting to wonder if 50 units was going to be too many.  I laid out the blocks I had, on the bed on point.  I left to go get the camera, and was distracted for a moment or two, and when I came back… well this is what I found.

I realized that the blocks were going to be enough… and this is going to be a large quilt!  This past weekend, I was able to devote an entire day to stitching.  I’m scheduled to go back to work next week, and wasn’t sure, when I’d get time to work on it.  Sunday was a very productive day.

Half done!   You would think that I would bring the camera in with me, and take the photo.  I’m sure she knows when I’m taking photos.   Tuesday and Wednesday I was able to work on the other half.  It’s nice to have the time to work on it.  I really didn’t think I would get this much done in so few days.

I wanted to take a photo of the progress, and laid out both halves on the bed to take a photo.  Didn’t know if I’d get more done or not.  As it was, I did.  I really wasn’t sure about the orange/pink, and the background fabrics, but the more I work with this quilt, the more I’m liking it.   I am very fond of the burgundy and the pink (which will be in the second border).

I had to measure the quilt top, to add the first border, and laid it out on my bed to do so.  I also wanted to see how the small border would look.

And no, I didn’t have the camera before Tazzie checked the progress.  I actually went to get the camera and the green border fabric.   The hair on her leg (right hind quarter) is really starting to come back in.

I’m hoping to have the last green border pieces added tonight, then it is off to figure out the pieced border. I had a different experience when measuring the borders.  Typically I measure down the centre of the quilt, then cut the border to that length.  Find the centre of the quilt top, and the border strip, line them up, pin, pin the ends, and ease in as required.  As I was about to pin the border, I noticed there was an excess of 3″ on one end.  I double checked the centre.  Check.  Double checked the length of the border strip.  Check.  Double checked the quilt top. Check.  It just wasn’t matching up.  There was no way I could ease in 3″ of fabric on either end of the quilt.   So I measured the edge of the quilt top.  It is actually smaller than the centre.   I was so concerned with the bias stretching on the edges, and the paper piecing helped stabilize it, that there was some stretch in the centre of the quilt.  I’m hoping that the borders will help ease the fabric back into shape.

I really don’t know what I was thinking when I decided to add a pieced border.  Well, I did, but I’m questioning my motives now!  LOL.  To be honest this quilt did go together quite quickly, so I’m actually not grumbling about the pieced border.

The quilting on the other hand, although I know I’m a ways a way from that, will cause me some grumbling.

-Alice

For about a year now, I’ve been working on a quilt design for my Sister-in-law and her husband for their 25th Wedding Anniversary.  I wanted a design that would have something interlocking and that would evoke the images of longevity, union, joining together, bond, marriage.   None of those terms quite match what I have in my head, but I hope it conveys what I’m trying to envision.   I’m happy to say, I have a design.  That being said, I’m still tweaking it.  Changing colour arrangement and such.

Version I went shopping with.

Last week I was visiting an out-of-town Quilt Shop, looking for fabrics.  I knew I wanted a burgundy (dark red), a medium pink,  a light pink (dusty rose), and a light brown for the background.   I didn’t find anything that jumped out and said “I’m the one you want”.  I was getting rather discouraged, here I was thinking buying the fabric for this particular project would be easy, because I knew what I was looking for.   As I said, I was getting discouraged… their anniversary is 4 months away, and I need to get started on the quilt.

Version with the green added.

You may be thinking “gasp, only 4 months”.    And you will probably gasp again when I mention that it will be a queen size quilt.   Are you still with me?  Take a few deep breaths, you and I will both be okay.  The main design of the quilt top, is fairly easy to put together, and goes together quite quickly.   The borders on the other hand, may give me some headaches.  I’ve only just started piecing my borders, getting away from the “long” borders.

I have been using EQ6 to help with the design, although, when I originally designed the unit (four units required to make the block), I did use graph paper and pencil.    I need to use EQ6 more, so I will be more comfortable with it.  I find it odd, that a computer person such as myself, has not mastered this program yet, and I’ve had it for 2 years!

I had made a lap quilt from the design, and have yet to quilt it, but it worked out well.   I considered doing the same thing, but making a queen size quilt for my Sister-in-law.   But then an idea struck me (carried over from my Fast Scrappy Quilt), what if I put the blocks on point.  And I’m really liking the design now.

Okay, so where am I.  My brain is jumping to “right now”, when I really need to write about what led up to “right now.

Design – check

Fabric – check

Oh.  Okay, I know where I am now.  While getting discouraged about not finding the fabric I want, or at least in the colour way I want, I noticed the shop’s selection of batiks.  Hmmm… the Burgundy works.  Oh, a very pretty pink.   Now for a background… there isn’t anything in the light tan/beige variety, but there is a bolt with the burgundy and pink on it… and it has a bit of dark green, and the main colour of the background is a pale green.  Hmmm… I don’t know… I really want the tan/beige.  Oh, I found some dark green, that really goes with the burgundy and pink.    There isn’t anything else to use for the background.  *frown*.   Okay… if I had this bolt here, which has more orange in it, but it has the same colour as the other colour in the burgundy print.    Hey, I think I’m onto something here.  Not so sure about that background, but as other customers are walking by, they are all commenting on the fabulous colour choices I have.    The pink isn’t going with the background print… but the other two fabric choices are.    The green I’m definitely adding… it’s just adding that little extra zip I was looking for, but didn’t know how to fit in.  Do now, I’m happy to say!  I had mentioned to my daughter who was with me, I wish I had brought my camera, so I could take a black and white, to see if I have enough contrast.

This is my fabric choices.  Look pretty good don’t they?  The fabrics were washed, dried and pressed… ready to be cut.  I really wanted to use that pink, but something wasn’t quite right with it, and the background.  I decided to take some black and whites, and I started having a hunch on what was going on… or wasn’t.   I decided to rule it out, and make two test blocks.  One with the pink, and one with the orange.

Test Blocks - orange vs pink.

Doesn’t the pink and the burgundy blend nicely together.  And the orange and the burgundy.  But what is it with the block on the right?  A quick switch to black and white mode on the camera, and the answer becomes blazingly obvious.

Contrast is an issue here.

That is what my eye was seeing (or not).  The pink and the background fabrics have the same value.   Value can be defined as “in painting and drawing, the lightness or darkness of a colour”.   As much as I wanted to pair the pink and the burgundy, there was no fabric available that was lighter in value than the pink and the background fabric I chose.   When two fabrics have the same value, they can disappear into each other.  This could be the desired effect, but with my design, I need the contrast, to make the pattern evident.    Sometimes I forget to use value, but in some cases, you may not want a lot of contrast.   Just over a year ago, I attended a one-day workshop on colour, and I learned a lot, and I know I still have much to learn.  Our instructor was Ionne McCauley who co-authored the book “Color for the Terrified Quilter” with Sharon Pederson.   It’s a great reference book, it has lessons and projects if you wish to learn more about colour.

Don’t feel to badly for the pink, I have a plan for it… it will be used in the border.  And yes, since I have bought the fabric, I have recoloured the border, trying different colour layouts.

Now its time to start cutting the fabric.   The unit is 10″ finished, and it takes 4 to create the interlocking squares.  (I haven’t come up with a name for this design, so I revert back to what it looks like).  When I made the test blocks I cut all the strips at 2½”.   The unit uses squares and rectangles.  Remember when I mentioned, my mind was in the “right now”… this was the thought I had up there.  I think my design would lend itself quite nicely to those jelly rolls that are out there.  Perhaps have each interlocking square a different colour.   I think that would be a neat design to play with in EQ.  But not right now… I need to share more!

I started thinking, that if I cut all the strips at 2½” that I would need to cut extra strips so I would have an even number of pieces, and to have complete finished units, with out “extras”.  I decided that cutting the fabric to the rectangle length, and then when stitched, I would then cross-cut to the 2½”.  This worked very well with the strip piecing.  And the blocks came together quite quickly.  I was able to make 17 units from the width of fabric (WOF) strip.  My husband was so amazed that I had those units done so quickly.   I have 32 more to do, and then I need to tackle the corner and side triangles.   The nice thing about EQ, it gives cutting instructions, to help make it easier.  We’ll see how that goes!

Here are the 18 blocks I have thus far.

The first set of blocks

The background fabric is really growing on me… and I know that I’ll be using that very pretty pink in the borders.  And the green is just going to make everything pop!  My focus for the next several months will be this quilt.  I have no idea how I am going to quilt it… I’ll wait until the top is done.

I mentioned the workshop on Colour, it was that workshop that I truly learned the value of my camera.    When working on bargello quilts, where a colour way from light to dark is required, the black and white feature on your camera is invaluable.   My West Coast Sunset bargello, the value of my fabrics didn’t quite match the pattern, I changed two of them, and it worked out much better.  I’m glad I found that out, before I started cutting, I don’t think I would have been very happy.

On your next quilt project, if you really want the design to be noticed, check out the contrast between your fabrics.   Take a black and white of your fabrics.  Arrange the fabrics how they would be in your project.   I’m sure you’ll be amazed with your results.  I’d like to hear about your experiences using colour value in your projects.

-Alice

I was visiting one blog, which lead me to another, which lead me to another… don’t you love it when that happens.  You never know where you’ll end up, and there is so much inspiration, creativity and talent out there.

Well Thearica at PigTale & Quilts is having a Give-away.  Now this is the first time I have posted about another’s give-away… but I really like the reason behind hers.  Her daughter is celebrating her 30th birthday, and Thearica is giving away 30 FQs.   Check out her blog entry for all the details.

She has had lots of comments already, but you just never know… what would you do with 30 FQs?

-Alice