It's hard to believe that it is May and this is the first quilt top I have completed this year. Never mind. Things can only get better!
Here is a progress picture of my central chunk of piecing with a couple of rounds of strips. The right-hand side was sewn on at this point but the bottom, top and left were still being tinkered with. I found I didn't much like it when two pieced sections sat next to each other. A small overlap was okay, but after that everything got rather busy and, because there are lots of mid-tones, tended to run to mush. So my strips are a mixture of small sections of piecing and bigger bits of single fabrics.
That's fine in principle but of course I was running out of big bits, so figuring this out using what I had took ages. The bit that caused me the most problems was the final strip I wanted to add at the top. I tried all sorts of variations, including the strip that is sitting at the bottom now and every random length of shirt I had left. I had a denim and the floral print, joined by a little cross and everything I tried to go above them worked with one half of that combination, or the other, but never both. I was starting to think I was going to be tinkering with this forever. Then serendipitously I was tidying up the bags with the octagons that I rejected a couple of months back and had an 'ah-ha' moment. They did just the job.
It has ended up being quite a big top, so it wasn't easy to photograph and you will see that the right-hand side is flapping a bit and I haven't got it flat, but that is about my hanging system rather than the quilt. Nevertheless, I think this is still a fair picture and I am definitely happy with it as a finish (for now).
Now that I have sneaked a few of the octagons into this top, I am motivated to get them out and have another play. Maybe this time I'll find a way forward that I like. Fingers crossed.
10 comments:
The octagons fit in perfectly! Love the top!
The octagons were a great solution and the quilt top is so much larger than I thought this one might finish! Congratulations on the finish. :)
Just love those little snowball pieces across the top--I really don't know how you can make all these lovely pieces come together so well...I really love this one...the sections that make you want to wander through them--just lovely work
Hugs, Julierose
What a sweet quilt and as Yvonne said above, it's bigger than I thought it was when hung by your cabinet/wardrobe. Glad you could find a solution for the top row.
Most excellent - those set aside octagons saved the day!
Congratulations on your quilt top progress. I like the cross and hourglass blocks tucked in here and there, adding balance and interest.
Oh yes! Those octagons totally did the trick! Love how simply your quilts can look when they quite obviously are NOT! Wonderful look to this one!
Loving this blue & dusky pink combo. The small scattered hourglass blocks break up the long-er irregular strips beautifully.
I love finding leftovers or previous rejects and fitting them in. Congratulations. Your mix of small blocks and long strips works so well. BTW, my completion rate is like a stone in a very, very deep well. Family first.
I am amazed at how everything manages to come together in the end and look cohesive. Your color sense and "movement management" are wonderful!
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