15 November 2012

Free and Precise

I finished piecing a new quilt top today.  The edges are a little raggedy. I plan to square it up after I quilt it, but for now it's about 80"x100".
I didn't have a plan at the start. I knew I wanted to do something with lavender diamonds. I started with the central star, piecing 2 1/2 inch strips.
Then I cut 2-1/2-inch diamond strips at a 60-degree angle. To address some waviness in the strip piecing, I aligned my ruler's 60-degree line with the center seam, and trued up the angle after every two diamond strips.
The colors are mostly pink and lavender. For punch I included some purple, magenta, blue and green.
I bordred the star with an improvised patchwork of dark blue solids highlighted with a pale green that picks up the green in the Tula Pink paisley and Kaffe Fassett water lily prints.
Next came a rotated hexagon in slightly lighter blues.
It's hard to see here, but there are at least a dozen blue solids in the first two borders. Some are very similar, but next to each other there is just enough contrast to create a sparkle effect, I hope. Then came two more rotated borders with another 10 solid shades, shown in the top photo.

The grain of the border solids was crucial in my vision of creating a sense of movement and rotation. For each facet in the second, third and fourth borders, the grain is perpendicular to the outer edge (the first border is a bit more complex).

As it happened my first try at the third border was a complete loss. I created a large piece of improvised patchwork fabric, then cut the facets, all of them, at the wrong angle. It cost me a full day of work, but worse two months passed before I could pick the project up again.

I did pick it up again last week and got the border right. I have to tell you it bugs me a little that there isn't greater contrast between the third and fourth border. Or maybe the contrast is too great between the second and third. I hope to be able to make some sense of it in the quilting.

27 comments:

  1. You have some serious vision, Dan. This is an extraordinary quilt! I am awestruck. period.

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  2. Браво! Мне очень понравилось одеяло. Цветовая гамма, исполнение - классно!!!!!

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  3. Extraordinarily marvellous. You are so creative.

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  4. wow!!!! Amazing, inspirational,visionary, beautiful!! Love it! x

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  5. Well, I am glad you picked it up again! Holy __tski! I saw the diamonds and facets before reading this, so it must be getting across, huh? In my humble opinion, I think the contrast Is right between the third and fourth borders. There is great contrast between the first and second, but maybe you can shimmer it up a wee bit with the quilting color, style, placement?
    Again, offered humbly, I am in awe of this divine quilt, and I sympsthize with your wanting to get it right.

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  6. Dan this is a beautiful quilt - your creativity here really shows - brilliant work ....

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  7. love the effect of the mix of blues in the borders. i do see the diamond facets in there. Lots of depth created there. I also like the positioning of the star/hexagon on the quilt top.

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  8. Oh my...I am in love with this - the borders are amazing but that center! wow

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  9. I too love this, I especially like how you have cut the improv piecing with precision. I would love to see it in person as I think that the slight colour changes must be lovely. I am certain you will quilt it in a manner which enhances the design and look forward to seeing it then.

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  10. May I join in singing your praise?
    Another amazing piece! From order, chaos -- or vice versa. I love the orderly pieced center surrounded by the improv piecing. And thanks for sharing your mistake. :-)

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  11. Very, very fun!! Love the movement in this one, and I'm super impressed with how flat it all lies!

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  12. Dan, this is fantastic. Love the improve border in blues, it really sets off the colours!

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  13. This is unbelievable. I love the depth that the various blues give to the composition. Can't wait to see how you finish the quilt!

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  14. Gorgeous! Reminds me of the HAIR song "Good Morning Starshine" I saw in San Francisco in about 1969. LUV your arrangement!

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  15. Beautiful.. Such a great piece..and great thoughts put into it..

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  16. Dan, this is gorgeous. A concept like 'lavender diamonds' in lesser hands would worry me but wow - it's lovely, and slightly cosmic...

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  17. Love it! And cutting something wrong and then putting a project away for a month....I know that feel!

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  18. Breathtaking! I love the way the different blues are whispering to each other in the improvised section -- what a triumph!

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  19. You are so amazing. This is a beauty, and I can't wait to see what you add to it with your quilting. I don't know how it can get better, but I know it will be.

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  20. just incredible. i put down and pick up, too. usually due to roadblocks. glad you pushed past yours, this turned out so fantactic and i enjoy reading about the process.

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  21. Talk about completely original. What a fantastic vision! It's not just beautiful, it's fun.

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  22. What a quilt! I hope you will be alright if I use this for inspiration some time!

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  23. Oh Dan! I think I just had a you-know-what looking at that. Intensely amazing.

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