Episode 114: In the Green

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I’ve got a few of Carolyn’s Green & White quilt blocks done and on the boards. Here’s what one block looks like:

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And here’s how they’re starting to come together:

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I just slapped these blocks up. Once I’ve got them all done, I’ll play around with color placement. It’s interesting to look at this picture and see how yellow that one print is. There’s actually not a lot of it, so it may work as a nice little accent once I have it dispersed throughout the whole quilt. I don’t like it all in one place the way it is now. What do you think about it? All wrong? Okay?

Here are my mosaic blocks up on the wall–all twenty-five of them. Only seventy-five more to go! Thanks to everyone who has sent fabric for this project:

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Here’s how they look spread out on the floor in rows of ten, which is how they’ll be in the actual quilt (only more thoughtfully arranged):

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That’s it for this week. Lots more to show you next week, I hope!

0 Replies to “Episode 114: In the Green”

  1. Your green blocks are amazing. Not only do they show how far you have come in quiltmaking, but the color choices add so much interest when the blocks are put together. GREAT work!

    Please try the triangle technique for half square triangles: http://artquiltmaker.com/blog/2011/09/jo-morton-triangle-technique/ . Do them in a leaders and enders manner and even if the quilt takes you a year to make the blocks, you will end up with a nice scrappy piece. Also, it is great to have a project to just work on when you don’t know what else to work on.

    1. I agree that your half square triangle quilt would be perfect for a leader-ender project. With a basket of the triangles or a little design board beside your machine, you could be feeding through bits of this quilt as you piece other projects. I’m working on a quilt using some waste triangles right now, and I’m always surprised at how quickly the blocks develop even though they’re never my primary task. Having units from a separate quilt in my chain actually helps me not to lose my place as I piece more complicated blocks in my main project.

      Thanks for an enjoyable podcast. I “discovered” you a few months ago, and I’m always happy to see a new episode posted.

  2. PS The yellow green is fine. Pay attention to how much you use of it. You don’t want it to dominate…probably. What you have is great. It helps make the eye move around.

  3. I agree with Jaye. The yellow green fabric is what will make this quilt move and also be the fabric that makes the quilt. It is like adding white here and there to a neutral quilt. It makes the quilt come alive. Very nice Miss Frances.

  4. Frances you crack me up. I have to say that because I find myself laughing with you all the time. Thank you for that.
    I have a couple of comments about your half square triangle quilt. First of all it is beyond beautiful. There are a couple of things you can do to make it go faster. Have you heard of triangle papers. There is more than one brand but I like Thangles the best. Trianges on a Roll is another brand. You cut strips of fabric to an exact width and put a light and a dark right sides together. Put the paper on top and sew on the sewing lines. Then cut on the cutting lines and you have a whole bunch that are exactly the right size. There is some time involved in taking the paper off but I do that in front of the TV or listening to you. I find it much faster with the same amount of accuracy. The other idea I have is to use an alternate block. This may not be the look you are going for though. If you use an alternate block it also gives you a place to quilt something pretty.
    As to making the quilt for your administrative assistant…It is my experience that muggles (I love that term here) think its faster to make a quilt than it actually takes not slower. If you are feeling like giving her a gift, what better gift than a quilt. I don’t think it would be weird. And if she is a nice as you say she will love it. I am glad you decided to do it.
    You are beginning to sound like a quilter after my own heart. Lots of irons in the fire.
    Quilt On.

  5. I really love the quilt you’re making for Prof Mcgonagall. I’m surprised that you were in the least bit shy of making it and giving it to her. She’ll love it!

    I have also recently joined in the Craftsy love. I guess your podcast (and Sandy’s (“Sandy with a “y”, Quiltz with a “z”)) have cast their spell.

  6. Kurt and I enjoyed listening to you yesterday. What kinds of scraps are you looking to use in the Mosaic Quilt? I’m sure I can contribute quite a few.

  7. Didn’t you pull the yellow green pieces out of another quilt you made last year? Maybe yellow green just isn’t your favorite color.

    But I think that color will look fine in your quilt. You don’t want everything to blend together. Instead of taking out that color, if it bugs you, add more different shades of green.

    I agree with the quilters who said to use triangle paper for your Mosaic Quilt. My favorite is actually called ‘Triangle Paper’. I am not a big fan of thangles, but I use them occasionally. Remember what Sandy says about slow quilting. Maybe this is your slow quilt. It will get done eventually.

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