Hi everyone! How is your week going? I am happy to tell you that the noise from the cicadas is fading. It's fading because they're all done with their life cycle and are now dying in droves. The front walk looks like the site of a massacre. We keep using the leaf blower to clear it because the crunchiness when you go out to the mailbox is really disconcerting, and using a broom is just icky.
Other than that. . .well, I started another quilt, and it turned out to be another positivity quilt for Preeti's quilt along. I had some trouble with the first one, so it had to go into time out for a little bit while I figured out what to do with it, and in the mean time, I cut out another quilt. Here are the blocks for the second quilt:
Okay, that's only two, but I've now made 10 of the plusses and some of the alternate blocks, too. I wanted a very calm quilt, so I chose this piece of pale blue and paired it with some very old, but still pretty, beige. I think it's very serene and will be a nice, calming quilt for a palliative care patient.
Looking at it, I thought the blue with the beige would be a *lot* of beige, and the plusses would kind of get lost, so I decided to add an alternate block in a slightly different blue as well:
An alternate block was always my plan, and I chose this one just because it adds more color into the quilt but still keeps everything very calm, with nothing really jarring. When I look at the pictures, the alternate block looks much larger than the plus block, but that's some kind of photographic trick, because they are exactly the same size.
Fun fact: if you want to use an alternate block, you only need to make half the number of each block. If you check out my diagram, you'll see that I'm making 18 plus blocks and 17 alternate blocks. This fits my fabric really well, and I'll add borders to bring it up to the right size. Fun fact number 2: all of the blocks from the Squared Away sampler finish at 10 inches, the exact size needed for alternate blocks. Check them out!
As for the first quilt, I had to abandon the brown. I really liked how the blocks looked individually, but once I put them together with the alternate blocks, it was waaaay too dark. And somewhat depressing. A failed idea! The only thing to do was start over, but I really wanted to use the red fabric and others I chose, so out came the seam ripper. I'm ending up with these for the plus blocks:
Not sure what to do about the alternate blocks right now. I still want it to be "woodsy," but some of my original fabric won't work with the new background. So, the plus blocks are getting made, but the alternate blocks are still in time out. A little bit of a problem child, this one!
Hope you all are having a really good week and coming along on the quilt along, or your other projects. There are many other irons in the fire here, but for now I think I'll make some lunch and get back to stitching. I have a lot more blocks to make! And work to do, but that's a different story. . .
Sharing at Midweek Makers.
14 comments:
The fabric I had set aside for the backing on my blocks came up just short. I have a fix for it, but your idea of alternate blocks is a good one, so I'm going to ponder that a bit. I like your new version, and I agree that the colors are calming. Bummer about the first go, but I do like the red plus blocks! Crunchy circadas - ew,
Your idea of blue with a beige background is going to be perfect. It will be very nice for palliative care.
Sometimes a quilt needs a time out. I’ve got more than one in the time out closet. Enjoy your quieter day.
I really like that blue with Beige - I think it will be very soothing - and the alternate block is great!
It’s going to be bluetiful!
The light blue blocks really do have a lovely calm feeling about them. And I like how you changed up the others with a different background.
I'm hoping this week is finally the end of my academic career, as I'm down to one last student who requested an extension. Unfortunately she requested that extension 2 weeks ago, and hasn't logged in since. Her principal and I have been discussing the situation and I'll admit I'm out of patience.
We all need more positivity, Mari! Here's hoping you get your design all worked out.
I've just begun the Positivity QAL, too.
No cicadas here. (Whew.)
I love the idea of an alternate in-between block! Pretty colors, too!
I like your idea of a "time out". I never thot of that. Lol. I have a whole bunch on time outs. I really should check on them. I like the blue and beige colors-very attractive and alternate blocks give a quilt and its maker more interest. Don't mind all the same blocks but sometimes nice to sew up a change. The bugs would be gross-we don't get them like that. The blackflies seem to be gone. Now we have mosquitos, horse flies and deer flies which are basically just huge teeth with wings. Even the animals bleed when bitten. Could be worse I guess-at least we get the warm weather. :)
Like we discussed - so many possibilities. I love the soothing blues on beige blocks. They will make a beautiful quilt and with your unique layout, I am sure it will stand out too. I am looking forward to your next project and all those irons in the fire or is it balls in the air? Just don't be juggling with hot irons :-D
The blue and beige blocks are beautiful. I like the alternate block and the other Positivity blocks too.
The alternate block idea is fantastic. I think Preeti has really spurred a lot of creative thinking with this QAL. The red, woodsy, block is great. The cicadas.... eww. We don't really have those and I think I am glad we don't!!
Hi Mari! So glad the cicadas are diminishing for you. Ewww. Your new Positivity blocks have a very calming vibe. I'm sorry your first version had to into a time-out. What a fun idea to use an alternate block, and using a slightly lighter blue just adds to the calming influence. Carry on! ~smile~ Roseanne
I love your Positivity blocks!
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