My self-imposed rule for using prints that show as solids is
becoming less defined. I have started adding fabrics that have more color mixed into them. A book called Colorific by Pam Goecke Dinndorf is the influence. Color seems to be the most interesting thing about quilts for me, but I have so much to learn. I keep turning to new resources to find out how ways to use it effectively. Even blending in tiny amounts of color that appear elsewhere in the quilt are helping to tie the palette together for my eye.
Above, the salmon has small yellow flowers, and below the grey is pulling in the teals and greens. If you squint hard, which we often do picking fabrics, it still shows as mainly a solid. Also, the above block is about 12", while the one below is only 6". Viewed from a distance, the 12" color will have more color impact to you.
The other thing repeating itself during construction, is how the Moda pattern suggests assembly. I think the instructions are rather typical. We tend to construct smaller blocks or units that can then be sewn all together without a Y seam. It made sense to me, but I kept seeing another way.
What I Was Seeing and Thinking
Can you visualized the 3 pieces on each corner made up of the navy square and 2 half-square triangles? They make a triangle unit. Sewn together by themselves, I have greater control over the precision. I sew non-bias edges to the square making a flying 'goose' only with a square. If I construct this way and sew it to the unit inside, my bias edges aren't as likely to distort.
This 6" was not a candidate to try it on as it only had 2 corners that could be broken down. I was not as pleased with the end result, but will blame it on my laziness with pressing.
The HST should have all been pressed open, but they were so little! I thought I could get away with a little cheating, and pressed to one side. I'm sorry, but it shows in the end result.
Look above at the smoothness of the 2 horizontal seams above. No puckering, and they lie flat. Now compare them to the vertical seams. See the puckering? Me, too. I am trying to decide if I should redo it, but I have definitely learned my lesson.
I picked a block I could experiment on. This will be a large corner block with many pieces. What I'm showing is just the interior of the block.
The sewing diagram showed sewing flying geese for the top and bottom HST. Then HST units at the corners would be sewn to the same flying geese units to make up right and left columns. Those columns are causing me the most problems as they are not coming out straight.
I did this instead.
I pressed everything open.
What an amazing difference in the trueness of the block!
I was astounded, and then perplexed.
Why?
My wall looks like this now.
And in my policy of full disclosure, I did a quick run to my LQS to buy a few more 'oddities'--colors I wouldn't normally keep in my stash, but needed to keep going. They aren't a mixture of color like I was trying above, but more of the one color only theme. I'm excited to use them today.
Can I leak a little of my secret to you?
I have tracking numbers now.
Linking up with~
Sew Can She
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I get excited about colorful+creative textiles, quilting & improvisational design. Making fabric is just as thrilling as using it! Join me in my studios, and on both blogs while I cut, stitch, dye, paint, and print my way through life. There's always something new to investigate here! Contact me at julie@pinkdoxies.com
