Saturday, November 18, 2017

Wayward Transparency

I already knew it had been a while since I posted, but when I got a text from my daughter, Dayna, stating, "you don't blog anymore," I decided all right, sit your butt down at the laptop and write a post. There's no real reason for the 11 days' gap between posts; yes I've been sewing, bits and bats of various projects, nothing much (yet) to show. I've been reading too: some of it very heavy and oppressive, A Train in Winter by Caroline Moorehead, non-fiction about the women in the French Resistance during Nazi occupation in WWII, not as oppressive but not really uplifting, The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff, historical fiction, also about that same time period. Now I'm reading a fairly light fiction, Folly by Alan Titchmarsh. I'm part of two quilt alongs, the third, The Honeypot Bee, falling by the wayside but I do plan to pick and choose some of the blocks to at least have a wallhanging or small lap quilt.

I'm up to date with Step 2 of Wayward Transparency hosted by Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl. There are several layout possibilities with these four blocks.

Here are my four, taken this morning in the beginning rain. We are now under a heavy rainfall advisory over the next 24 hours, so this is as good as the photos will get! Sorry for them being a little skewed; it was, "Line 'em up, quick lift the phone in the air, check all four blocks are visible on the screen, lift a little higher, click! Rotate a couple blocks..." Repeat. No clue why the colour isn't consistent in all four photos, outside of the rain actually starting to fall by the last two arrangements!
The first is the original layout as in Yvonne's quilt. I like this one. The four corners are symmetrical. You barely notice that the centres of the four blocks... are not. I know I didn't until I started this second step! The eye sure can be fooled!

Oops cut a bit of the one corner off, but the rain was beginning, so good enough. Here I turned two opposing blocks outward. Ya, no. Not a fan.

I like this one too, because there is symmetry in the centre, and I love the radiating squares...until my eye finds the outer square isn't there, and that bugs me. I want four medium pink corners... So I am ix-naying this.

At this point, I had seen these three layouts on Tish's blog; I had only got half way through piecing the first two blocks. She actually has a fourth layout on her blog, two 'arrows' pointing in and two flowing through the quilt from bottom right to top left. Didn't feel that layout either. So #1 was going to be the one.

And then.

Yesterday she sent me another layout that she had played around with in EQ, and well, the sun shone and the choir sang. (too bad not in real life because the blocks were actually getting fairly wet; if you look closely, you'll see raindrops!

Yep, yep, this is it.

As for the transparency, I do think my medium and dark are spot on, but I think my light pink is too light. I mean, overall, it's great and I like it, but there's a bit of a jump between the light and the medium. I am very happy to say that I put my menopausal melon through a good math workout, both good old figuring and also geometry, and was able to get all the A (light) pieces out of the yardage I had with a mere 5" by not quite WOF to spare! I had to reinvent the cutting directions but it all worked out; I didn't even have to piece to get the long 24.5" pieces either, yay.

If you haven't joined in, it's not too late! Yvonne has all the directions under the Wayward Transparency link I provided, and the quilt stitches up really quickly. Each block is 24" square finished, so you have a 48" quilt with only four blocks, sweet!

I have a few posts percolating, so I might break my 'computer-free Sundays' rule and post again tomorrow. This quilt was stitched entirely on my 1947 Singer Featherweight with a brand new Little Foot, which I want to rave, er write about, along with the machine's story, long overdue. I picked it up on sale at Sewing Machines Plus (affiliate link) (just checked, it still is, only $19.99) because I was unhappy with the seam guide I had bought. More on that in the next post as well. I'm a new affiliate, though not a new customer, for Sewing Machines Plus, so clicking through on that link or the one on the sidebar will earn me a small commission on any sales. They sell a few brands of thread I really like, King Tut (LOVE) among them.
Thread...

Waaah, hope some of you got in on Connecting Threads (affiliate link) 50% off one day only threads sale yesterday, Friday.  If, like me, you didn't, at least they are still on for a decent deal, 30% off. This thread works wonderfully on my Avanté, minimal fuzz, straight line quilting or FMQ, it's terrific. I use it primarily with The Bottom Line in the bobbin. Anyhow, CT is having more of these one-day sale events this coming week, which are a surprise, so be sure you get their emails, and be sure (ask me how I know) to check your emails on a daily basis! The next flash sale is Nov. 20 and the one after that Nov. 22. They are having a week-long sale as well, (that affiliate link will take you to the correct page): 50% off on stash builders and pre-cuts fabric, to mention just one.

Thank you so very much for your support of this blog. 😘

Linking up
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Busy Hands Quilts

16 comments:

  1. Wow, Sandra! Love your fabrics and thanks for showing all the possibilities!

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  2. It can be so hard to keep the white balance (and therefore colors) the same when clouds are building and the level of ambient light is changing. That being said, it is so lovely to see your blocks and I agree that Tish found an amazing arrangement. I'm so glad you played and found the layout that makes your heart sing. :)

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  3. Your Wayward looks great! I really like the pinks in the gradient.

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  4. I haven't had a chance to sew up my blocks. There are so many layout options. It's going to be hard to choose.

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  5. It amazes me how turning the blocks can make it look like a whole new thing... a change from meh... to meh... to okay... to YES!

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  6. Oh yes to the last layout! I just didn't have the time to join in on this one, I like your pinks.

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  7. I never realized that the four blocks weren't identical, even though I've looked at Yvonne's quilt many times! Huh. The ol' brain just wants to see what it wants to see, doesn't it? Your blocks look great and I'm so glad you're happy with the final layout :)

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  8. The quilt looks beautiful and I like your happiness with layout #4. They all look so different don't they?

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    1. They are quite different, and I believe there are more renditions people have come up with!

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  9. It looks great! Layout four also gets my vote.

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  10. Love the deep intense pinks - they really grab your attention. Do I have to pick a favorite? Well, it is #2. I cannot believe how green is your grass (making the pink pop)at this time of the year. My yard looks like a dull mess. Thank you for writing slowly - it will be easy to catch up :-)

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  11. Your transparency blocks turned out beautifully. I don't think your background is too light, it really works. Your fourth layout really works well.

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  12. Your WTQ is coming along beautifully. Unlike mine which I have got myself seriously confused with by changing the instructions. I'm also doubting my transparency effect but yours looks like it works to me. Layout 1 or 4 for me too!

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  13. I love your fabric choice! The ideas of placement are interesting.

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