scrappy diamonds

This latest WiP on the design wall is everything I love about a quilt, it's bright, it's happy, and I love that I am constantly dipping into my stash, very satisfying. I'm using a lot of different AM Parry fabrics that I've collected over the past few years - leftovers, favourites, and not-so-favourites. Sorting them by - you guessed it - colour value to create a scrappy quilt with structure.

The most versatile block - it would have to be the HST surely? I'm using a pattern that I've wanted to try out for ages now, it's a free one #outbackvaluequilt by Blair @wisecrafthandmade.
I noted that the pattern is constructed row by row, but I'm piecing these a block at a time. I’ve always enjoyed the rhythm of making repeat blocks. Then, if I spot a colour or fabric that is working really well, I’ll cut a few more. And if a fabric doesn’t seem to be working, I don’t already have a gazillion units cut.

My default is mad, large floral prints. So, I'm using these bright prints and mixing them up with lighter, 'not quite' low volume prints, just to give the eye somewhere to rest.
I'm now about 1/2 way, and I'm starting to repeat combos that I really like, so there will be some semblance of continuity within the pattern. I'm also planning on sprinkling in a few more "blues" as blue has always been my go-to colour.

 

 

Until next time, Linda

a colourful weekend

Thanks to everyone who took the time to comment on my layout decision for this 'corn & beans' quilt project. I went with the 2nd option and added borders to make it rectangular. It's a riot of colour, all from my stash. A real chance to showcase lots of vibrant fabrics, with another opportunity to do the same in the borders.

I think I like colour. A. Lot

Linda 💜

corn & beans

These corn & beans blocks are made from HSTs,

using stashbasket fabrics in a combo of coloured scraps & light scraps.

Exploring a few setting options this week, which I figured many of you would like to see too ...

A

B

C

D

Chip in if you have any preferences 

Linda

something new on the design wall.

Some of you may remember when I started sewing a rainbow? (see back here for details). I spent heaps of time digging deep for fabrics that read as one colour. As I started sewing them all together, very roughly in ROYGBIV order, I just wasn't feeling the love :(

Everything went into the cupboard for a bit, and when I pulled out all the little piles of HSTs this week I decided I needed a change of direction. When I was making a couple of corn and bean blocks for my folk sampler I had wondered what a whole quilt of them would look like. Then I spotted Leah's latest colourful scrappy corn & beans over on insta, and that sealed the deal!

So now I'm making **corn and bean blocks, also known as the 'northwind' block. I made a test block, adjusted my measurements, trimmed my block to 12". 

There's lots of different layout possibilities, see above pic. As you can see though, my original collection of HSTs were all very definite light/dark & light/medium combos, all way, way too stark. (maybe that's why things didn't gel for me with my original plan?)

Following along with Leah's process, I'm playing with the values a bit more. It'll be controlled scrappy, using lots of different, unrelated fabrics & sewing them into colour value groups.

Hopefully that will create some kind of shifting value effect across the quilt top without the value contrast being too stark in any one block. 

Hmm-m-m- it's a bit of work admittedly. I'm keeping many of those early HST combos, but there has been some unpicking too! And a bit of questioning if a particular fabric is light, light medium or medium light?  I'm trying to make quick decisions, and I'm happy if there's some blurring of the lines a little. 

The jury's still out on my final layout, but here's a few design wall progress pics ... 

**I was keen to find out more about this block & it's various names,

and I found this comment from Jodi at tales of cloth

... I was amused this week to discover that 'Corn and Beans' can only be called Corn and Beans if it's made from yellow and green! The block was first published by the Ladies Art Company, who sold mail order patterns, somewhere between 1890 and 1906. Then along came Carrie Hall in the 1930s and claimed that if the colours weren't yellow and green, then the block was named Duck and Ducklings, or Hen and Chicks, or Shoo Fly, or Handy Andy. 

we've ended up back at the beginning

and one final pic as the sun went down ...

As a few have already commented, this quilt reminds me of the very 1st sampler I made way back when I first began my sewing journey. I hope maybe this one - with different weights of fabric & soft limited palette - will capture that intersection of traditional quilting with a modern twist quite nicely.

Thank you, Sara @farmandfolk for this great sewalong!

See my last post for details, or pop over #folksamplersewalong for more inspiration

happy weekending, Linda

which comes 1st - the fabric? or the pattern?

If you're stopping by for the 1st time, welcome! And here's a bit of background to this sampler quilt WiP.
Back in 2018 I randomly bought a curated selection of fabrics from @cottoneer with only a vague plan in mind. It featured a soft cotton merino green floral #outbackwifefabric along with a mix of linen, barkcloth, & woven checks and I fell in love. But then things stalled, and I did nothing with the fabric bundle.

Fast forward to now ... and after spotting the sewalong last month for the folk sampler quilt @farmandfolk, whom I have only recently discovered, I realised this was something I could use those fabrics for.  I added a couple more prints from my stash, focusing on softly blending pinks, peaches & green, a jazzy bit of plum, and muted browns.

Fingers crossed my bundle plus a *sampler will capture that intersection of traditional and modern sewing quite nicely, win/win. 

For my last few blocks, I checked out some more traditional blocks for inspiration, 

and ended up making a crystal star block, a drunkard's path variation block, a card trick block, 

and another Le Moyne star to help balance out my colours.

After making my 20 blocks I was ready to trial a few sashing ideas. I've opted for narrow sashing, a bit of trend just now, yes? I love how this Ruby Star Society 'maze in goldenrod' ties everything together subtly, just enough contrast without being overpowering. Jury's still out on if I should add cornerstones or not. 

Pop back after the weekend & I'll have a quilt top to share! Here's a peek meantime ...

I'm curious now, which comes first with you ... 

the fabric? or the *pattern? 

*Image found on Pinterest where it’s stated that this quilt is part of The International Quilt Museum collection in Lincoln Nebraska.

I'm in both teams really ... I usually do have a pattern in mind, before buying fabric. After buying the fabric though, I usually change my mind about the pattern, sound familiar (wink wink). 

Other times, I see an extra pretty fabric and it's simply a case of having to have a little bit of it! 

Until next time, Linda

pretty vs plain

If you've stopped by lately, you'll know I'm stitching along with Sara's #folksamplersewalong. I’m making a kind of fusion between my own "style" and Sara's very rustic & earthy feel @farmandfolk. 

With only a few more blocks to go, I’m now starting to choose fabrics with even more intention,

like in this extra corn & beans block ✅

and with my chain & bar block, 

my initial version was quite intense

so, I swopped out some of the peach on my flying geese for more cream ✅

Onto the new block this week - Block 12 Le Moyne star ✅. I’m also trying to use up some smaller bits & bobs thru'out this sewalong and, of course, I ran out of the light peach print. Still, it was fun substituting another pretty to fill in the star.

16 blocks ✅

Hm-m-m- there's a bit of a pretty vs plain vibe happening with this fabric mix, I think.

Here's where my thoughts are at the moment ... Using a carefully curated selection of fabrics from @cottoneer back in 2018, I added in a mix of linens & cottons while still trying to keep my colour palette simple. My main background colour is cream, in assorted subtle shades.  

The dominant colour started out as a soft green floral #outbackwifefabric, with complimentary prints in pink & peach, and a little plum print to jazz things up. I've added in solid fabrics in pink and two shades of green, and there's minimal use of soft brown and grey. The checks & stripes add a little fun visual element too. 

Some block combos delight me, and, on reflection, I do love how those plain blocks provide a nice calm contrast. 

The question now is - 

Do I stop at 16 blocks, make a sashing decision, & get a quilt top together? 

Or do I keep on keeping on, and make all the 20 blocks?

... Yep, lots to think about when making a sampler quilt!