4-patch Round

Here it is:

I really really like the turquoise zinger I added just before the 4-patches.

I was once again reminded of the importance of value and the effect it has in quilt design.  My deep purple chain does not pop like I thought it should because the green triangles are the same value as the deep purple.  Instead, the pale pinks and mauves jump out.  Still, I'm happy with the border.  Ninety-two 4-patch units made up of 8 pieces each made for a lot of piecing.  That's just about 800 pieces, no? Egad.

One more shot:

It's getting quite large, measuring 70" square at this point.  The marks all over the patio are from the very lovely, very old, but very messy black walnut trees behind us.  The leaves drop early, and leave a mark where they lie on the cement (or on freshly washed sheets) as do the beloved-to-the-squirrels walnuts themselves.

I plan to add a 1" piece of the green around it before adding my final (can't believe I actually have got to the final round) border.  I didn't get it on because I spent a couple of hours searching through books, magazines and online for a trellis pattern.  I have it in my head, but don't want to draft it.  There is a ribbon, sort of trellis pattern in Martin & McCloskey's Pieced Borders book, but it isn't quite what I have in mind.

Downton Abbey saved the day!  Downloaded the pattern for the Trellis Quilt made with Lord and Lady fabric by Kathy Hall from Makower.  Gosh, I love the blue words fabric, "Downton Abbey"!!  I made a test trellis block and it went together beautifully.

Believe it or not, this baby will create a trellis effect

So now I 'only' have 52 trellis blocks to make!  As I inserted this photo, I see 3 squares, as opposed to 3 half-square triangles that compose the 3 squares, (a dark green, a light green and a cream)...wonder if I can make this block a little differently...that sounds confusing, but I know what I mean!  I think...

I snapped a couple of pictures of Bella with her new toy from Jennifer at The Cat Ball.

 

And of course, the classic Bella pose:

More Design Decisions

I wanted a trellis look for one of my last two borders.  I have to "add some 4-patches" for this next round, and while perusing my many books and magazines, as well as googling images of 4-patch borders for inspiration, I decided upon a similar border to that in Judy Martin and Marsha McCloskey's book, Pieced Borders: The Complete Resource.

I want a dark value for this next round, so I found quite a lot of a green batik I used in a 9-patch exchange quilt I made in 2001 or 2002.  Then I had to decide on the colours for the 4-patch.  I photocopied the line drawing from the book, got out my Crayola pencil crayons and coloured a few options.

Decided upon this:

However, I just don't think the chain of light purple pops enough.  I love the 3 colours together, but the green overpowers the mauves and pinks.

Sigh.

So, I thought well, I do have a fair amount of the two dark purples, one of which I used in the piano key border and the other for the purple zinger frame before that border... They were destined for a Karla Anderson Stack a New Deck quilt, but hey, I am making this work from my stash.  I've only bought one fabric, the ivory for the four quadrants of machine appliqué (wow, I barely shivered when I typed that word this time).

So.  Unpick all of these:

Cut a few strips of purple.  Resew the 1.5" squares onto the dark purples:

Gosh, doesn't that look like another f-word I might be saying?!  What were you thinking? I meant FUN!  Yep. Pinkie swear.

Press to the dark purple.  Cut 'em apart, and voilà!

Just look at all the French words oozing out of moi.  Mon dieu!  So, what do you think?  I think this is better, although it still doesn't 'pop' as much as I'd hoped, since the purple and green are the same value.  Yet, all in all, I am happy I am persevering with this PITA quilt.

Those of you more observant types will note that the piano keys wavy border grew a little.  Yep, I incorporated the two borders I had to recut because I'd done the wrong math and extended that border a bit as I plan to quilt feathers, maybe Angela Walters' new paisley feathers design, there.  I used every last bit of that gorgeous mauve, pink, blue, and green mottled fabric.  And it feels good!

Those of you more picky types (like myself) will note that this does not resemble a trellis.  I know.  Still pondering that design decision...

I have precious company arriving on Wednesday (a very à propos phrase from my friend Joanne, of Canuck Quilter) so I am probably not going to be very productive in the sewing or blogging parts of my life over the next week.  However, I will be VERY productive in the Nana department: Brady and Brianne arrive for 8 lovely, love-filled days on Sept. 3.

I am linking up with the lovely Marelize, who has no more dust in her clean, bright sewing room, of Stitch by Stitch for Anything Goes Mondays.