Playing with Blocks

Wonky Friendship Star

A Friendship Star is built on a ninepatch grid with consistent dimensions.

What if I change the grid dimensions so that they are part of the Fibonacci sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5 ,8, 13, 21..?

I get this wonky Friendship Star.

Quilting

Nine Patch Quilt

Strictly speaking this isn't a Nine Patch quilt. The original design was based on a Nine Patch block, but I found the piecing was simpler if I ignored the Nine Patch block. (See 10 March 2010)

In any case I need to design some quilting.

How I Gave Birth to a Book

I am currently the guest blogger on quiltinggallery.com. The title of my blog is How I gave Birth to a Book.

Quilting Gallery links to over 4000 quilting bloggers in 69 countries. In addition, they have a quilter's forum, a quilt shop locator, free quilting projects, and, of course, guest bloggers. If you haven't already checked out this site, you should.

Tessellation

On 24 April 2010, using only these two blocks, I created this tessellated quilt pattern.

Now I'd like to play with it some more and see what else I can find.

Quilting

Shoo Fly Placemat

This placemat is made using 6 Shoo Fly blocks. I want to try quilting it.

From My Pieced Alphabet:

Pump House Script

I wondered, what if I try making a pieced alphabet that mimics handwriting?  My Pump House Script alphabet was the result.

Playing with Borders

Fibonacci Corners

This border and corner have a grid based on the Fibonacci series 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21.....

I want to use this grid to experiment with a variety of corner treatments.

Playing with Tessellation

I am going to start with these 2 simple blocks and see if I can produce a tessellation. (If you need a reminder, I explain tessellation in my 17 April 2010 post.)

Playing with Piecing

Toucan

I thought it might be fun to try piecing a Toucan. It has a very distinctive beak that is almost impossibly big. And it comes in wild tropical colors.

On Point

Hidden Star 

What if I use these on point Hidden Star blocks to design a quilt top?

Playing with Borders

Fibonacci Corners

This is a grid based on the numbers 2, 3, and 5, which are taken from the Fibonacci sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21.....

What if I place this grid in the corner of a quilt border and extend the grid lines out into the border itself?

I can try various cornestone/border combinations in this grid.

Playing with Tessellation

Today I would like to design a quilt pattern that tessellates. (If you need a reminder of what tessellation is see my 17 April 2010 post.)

What if I start with this simple block that I created using a nine-patch grid?

From My Pieced Alphabet:

Inglewood

A week ago, on 12 April 2010, I showed you an alphabet that had a shadow. Today I want to show you one that is only shadow.

Playing with Borders

Empire Star Transformed

I transformed an Empire Star block into a new block and designed this quilt top 13 April 2010.

It needs a border.

What is Tessellation?

The word tessellation may sound scholarly and forbidding. It's not. Tessellating is as simple as tiling a floor.

Square tiles repeated over and over will cover a floor without any gaps. 

This is a tessellation.

Piecing

Eastern Kingbird

I want to design an Eastern Kingbird block for two reasons.  Its simple black and white coloring should be easy to duplicate.  And its official name, Tyrannus tyrannus, is intriguing (I was going to say cool, but I don't know if cool is still cool.)

Playing with Borders

Wonky Shoo Fly Quilt

I borrowed this quilt top, based on a wonky Shoo Fly block, from my 10 April 2010 post. I changed the colors a little.

It's time to add a border.

On Point

Hidden Star

I think Hidden Star would be an interesting block to try on point.

What if I make 2 different Hidden Star blocks using various greens?

Playing with Blocks

Empire Star Transformed

On 31 March 2010 I split an Empire block into 4 pieces and then reassembled the pieces to make a new block.

What if I take that new block, drain the color out of it and then recolor it differently?

It has been transformed yet again.

From My Pieced Alphabet:

Connaught Heavy Shadow

This alphabet has a history. It's not a terribly exciting history.  But it's not a long one either. So bear with me. On 4 January 2010 I introduced you to my Patchwork alphabet. On 11 January I modified it and it became Connaught. On 18 January I modified Connaught and it became Beltline. I'm going to modify Connaught one more time; this time I'm going to add a shadow.

Playing with Colors

Wonky Shoo Fly Quilt

This oddly colored wonky Shoo Fly block wandered here from my 8 April 2010 post.

36 of them go together to make this quilt top.

These are not everybody's favorite colors. I don't mind them, but they're not my favorites either.

What if I try this using colors that are a little livelier?

Playing with Quilting

Drunkard's Path Placemat

Once upon a time, 11 March 2010, to be more precise, I created this design for a placemat using 12 Drunkard's Path blocks.

It's time I designed quilting for it as well.

Playing with Piecing

Octopus

I must admit I don't find octopi to be the cutest animals.  I thought it would be a challenge to make a quilt block featuring one.

Playing with Blocks

Wonky Shoo Fly

Change the grid dimensions on a regular Shoo Fly block and you get this wonky Shoo Fly block.  (See 4 March 2010)

What if I color the wonky Shoo Fly block, starting with dark green in one corner and shading to light green in the opposite corner?

Playing with Blocks

Empire Star

Yesterday I tried coloring an Empire Star block various ways. Most of the new blocks I found this way didn't seem to amount to much.

What if I take 4 Empire Star blocks, assemble them rotated to make a square, and then try my color variations from yesterday in this square?  Will it make a difference?

Playing with Colors

Empire Star

I've been playing with the Empire Star block and the basic unit it is made from. On 30 March 2010, by reflecting the basic unit different ways I found 3 new blocks. On 31 March 2010 I rotated the basic unit different ways and found 4 new blocks.


What if I try coloring Empire Star different ways? Can I find more new blocks?

Playing with Letters

From My Pieced Alphabet:

Spy Hill

Like my alphabet Crowchild (see 25 January 2010), Spy Hill is a stencil alphabet.  With Crowchild I tried a simplified modern look.  In the case of Spy Hill I want a more traditional look.

Playing with Fibonacci

Wonky Shoo Fly

I was reading virtualquilter.wordpress.com the other day. Judy was using Fibonacci series numbers to determine sizes for her quilt borders. I started wondering, what if Fibonacci numbers were used to determine block proportions? So today I am going to redesign a Shoo Fly block using Fibonacci proportions and see what turns up.

Playing with Borders

Empire Star

On 30 March 2010, Judy commented that these blocks might be useful for making borders but that the corners might present a problem.  Let's find out.

It Only Takes A Spark

If you do nothing else today, go to elsiequilts.blogspot.com and look at the design she has come up with for her next quilt.  I think it's wonderful.

Playing with Piecing

Tortoise

I drew this picture of a tortoise. To me he looks slow and none too bright.  He also looks like he should be easy to piece. Let's find out.

Playing with Quilting

Ohio Star Quilt

On 14 March 2010 I posted this as an intermediate step in exploring a quilt design idea.

Today I want to use it as the starting point for another exploration.