Recently, I talked about my adventures with hexagons. The adventures continue and a few people are joining in, something I didn’t know, or think, would happen. There seems to be something about hexagons that intrigues people.
Small Hexagon Test
The above photo shows what I did to test out my hexagon theories.
Much larger hexagon test piece
The test kind of grew.
Hexagon-not a test
Now I have to admit that this hexagon piece is no longer a test. This will be a real quilt at some point. At this point, I am just sewing hexagons to each other as a kind of treat for myself in between other ‘must finish’ projects. The hexagon piece really helped me get through the pillows. The colors are cheerful and fun. I am trying to keep it even on all sides, but the edges keep creeping out into long lines of hexagons. I don’t know how big it will be – perhaps as big as the amount of fabric I have?
It is good to look at the piece in a photo format, because it helps me see where I need to put the next colors.
Clearview Ruler
The ruler I used is a Clearview Ruler from Alicia’s Attic. They are a bit hard to find, but you can find them at the Granary. I am pretty sure that if you call them they will send you one. Why do you need this one? Because you need the tip. Any 60 degree ruler will work as long as the tip is not blunted.
Pyramid Ruler
I started out using my beloved Pyramid ruler from Fons & Porter and my hexagons came out kind of squashed looking. I love this ruler, but it doesn’t work for this quick cutting hexagon method. You MUST have the tip to use the quick cutting method described in the video by Kaye Wood, which is on Little Bluebell’s blog.
You can, of course, use a hexagon ruler. You don’t need to make hexagons using the quick cutting method described by Kaye Wood.
Hexagon Ruler
I bought the Fons & Porter hexagon ruler for the Spin Wheels project. I didn’t start out using it for the hexagon project, so I am not using it for that project. If you plan to do a scrappy hexagon, this ruler (or one like it) is the way to go. The Kaye Wood quick hexagon cutting method uses strips and if you aren’t using strips, there is no reason to use that method. I have an Easy Hexagon ruler by Sharon Hultgren, but it is too big for me and I am getting rid of it. Check Quilt Trader’s Newsletter.
I have 150 or so hexagons cut. I am sure I could figure out how big that would be, but where would be the fun in that? I just want to make sure it doesn’t get too big. 😉
Dear TFQ and Little Bluebell,
This is all your fault.
Jaye
_____________________________
Now that I have that out of the way, yes, I seem to be hooked on hexagons. The test piece is much larger. If you want to cut hexagons, like I am doing, check out Little Bluebell’s cutting directions.
Much larger hexagon test piece
I am also interested in the Spin Wheel design by Fons & Porter. I was watching, what I thought was a Kaleidoscope episode and it turned out to be the Spin Wheel episode. I took notes again so I could do a test block.
Spin Wheel drawingsSpin Wheel drawings 2
I went looking for examples people have made and only found a few. I found a tutorial, which is good since I don’t have the magazine. BeckyF also did the pattern in fun colors, which I found on Flickr. There is one on Webshots that is done more in the colors the Fons & Porter ladies like. I like this progression/gallery of photos making the Spin Wheel. Also, the blue and yellow are cheerful.
This has nothing to do with the Spin Wheel, but Daniel Rouse has put up a really cool hexagon quilt on his site. I like the small and large.
Test Pieces Arranged #2
I am also starting a scrap project using the Twirling Triangles pattern, which is, ultimately, a hexagon.
FOTY 2011 Triangles – 4/2011
Oh, of course, FOTY 2011, too. Yes, I have a thing going. Obsessed is probably a better word.
Except for one diamond, all of the diamonds for Fabric of the Year 2010 are cut, bar one. I am now in the stage where I have to make sure that I have enough border patches. I also needed to figure out what the arrangement of the diamonds would be.
Counting Diamonds
My first task was to count my diamonds. It was fun to go through the patches and see all of the fabrics I cut. I weeded out a few duplicates and came up with 330 diamonds.
Next, I needed to figure out the layout of the diamonds. I thought I could figure that puzzle out by doing some division, but, as it turns out, diamonds are whole different animal. The rows are not right next to each other. There are, as I see it two rows for each segment. The inside row (eg if you think of the bottom most row of the quilt, one row up is the inside row) is one diamond smaller than the bottom row and so it goes up the entire quilt. One row is, for example, 10 diamonds across. The next row up is 9 diamonds across. One row up from that is, again, 10 diamonds across and so it goes up the entire quilt. This means that you can’t just assume that to make a quilt of 330 diamonds could be designed by taking the square root of 330 (18×18=324), which you could do if the patches were square or rectangular.
When I realized this, I had to get my resident math genius involved. DH began working on the problem and realized the difficulty of the math.
Two Last Diamonds
DH ended up making a rectangle or square out of the diamonds (imagine a rectangle drawn around the two diamonds above) and worked out the problem that way. After a few hours, it occurred to me that EQ7 might have a solution. It has elaborate explanations on how they count diamonds.
Math & Diamonds
As DH came up with different arrangements, I tried them out in EQ7. We still had to count the two rows of diamonds and then multiply to be sure that we would use the most number of diamonds cut. There was no way, in EQ7, to put in the number of diamonds and then have the program determine the arrangement. That would be a great feature.
20x9 Diamonds
Eventually, we figured out the arrangement: 20 diamonds across by 9 diamonds down. The above is from EQ7 and the coloration was just a quick way of making the layout stand out a bit. It seems like a bit of an odd shape, but I have to remind myself that the diamonds are taller than they are wide and, thus, it appears that the arrangement will work.
My next step is to cut one last diamond, because for this arrangement I need 332 diamonds. I am planning to use the Metro coffee fabric from Monaluna. I did buy that fabric last year, so it fits with the theme. I am not sure what I was planning to make with this fabric, but after spending another 1.25 days making a back for a quilt I just finished (just the top and the back; I haven’t done the quilting), I am sick of pieced backs. I am still going to make them, because I see no point in not using fabric I already have, but it is so much easier to use larger pieces of fabric. To give myself a break, I am planning to use a large piece of the Monaluna fabric on the back of FOTY 2010, thus I want to include a diamond from that print. Before I cut the diamond, I decided to make a Jane Market tote from that fabric.
I cut a bunch of border triangles and I need to count those to see if I need to cut more. I need 38 top and bottom triangles total. I need 16 side triangles total. I am good on the corner triangles, though I did find them a little hard to cut. The Fast2Cut corner ruler did make it easier.
Diamond Test Piece
I still haven’t finished the test piece. I started it, but haven’t been using my sewing time well lately, so I am behind.
Finally, I will arrange the patches at the retreat.
Recently, I was thinking about scraps. Part of my thought process stemmed from a discussion I had with a New Zealand quilt friend, another part had to do with the completion of the Cheerful Baskets quilt and, finally, looking and thinking about some of TFQ’s quilts and process.
For me, a scrap quilt is a quilt made from many, many different fabrics. The fabrics do not have to all come from my scrap basket. Cheerful Baskets is a scrap quilt, because many fabrics were used. Most of the triangles are different. The triangles, for the most part, did come out of my scrap basket. The baskets did not, but are mostly different. We purchased a small piece of many of the yellows based on the exact shade of the yellow. There are many different prints used as the background.
Cheerful Baskets is a thoughtfully made quilt, not just in the piecing, but also in the color selection and placement. I do not think that any old scrap should be placed next to any other scrap. Scrap quilts, for me, are not a jumbled mess.
I don’t have a large scrap pile, because I either toss the scraps or use them up. I don’t like to waste, though, so periodically my scrap basket overflows.
Four patches
One thing that I do is plan a bit ahead for my projects. I have list of pieces I need to cut for scrap quilts. One shape I am cutting now is 2×2″ squares in turquoise and purple. I am making some four patches from these pieces. I put these through the machine in between other chain piecing, so they act as leaders and enders a la Bonnie Hunt (she mentions this technique in a recent post, but I think she goes into more detail in an older post). This type of in between piecing/leaders and enders also is great to warm up your sewing muscles when you start a sewing session.
Along these lines, I also cut squares of various sizes and keep them in a bag for when I need some squares. This is not a well thought out plan and I should probably cut squares all the same size and put them in bags according to their size. I haven’t gotten that far yet.
The idea is to cut regular sized pieces so that you have a selection to choose from when you need some shapes for a project. You can also cut different shapes such as triangles with an eye towards half square triangles, rectangles, etc. This is also a good task when you don’t know what else to do.
The Fabric of the Year (FOTY) quilts are, technically, scrap quilts. They are also charm quilts, but scrap quilts do not have to be charm quilts if you are working TJW. As you know, for the FOTY quilts, I cut a piece from each fabric I purchase or use throughout the year and then make a quilt top from those pieces in January. This concept can be used in general as I am with an upcoming pink quilt and an upcoming blue quilt. I am cutting 2.5×4.5″ rectangles of all of the pinks I come across, either newly purchased or from my stash. When I have enough I will arrange them on the wall and sew them together. I am doing the same for blues.
I don’t do this, but I think it would be useful to sort my scraps by color. I don’t think I have enough scraps to sort by color. I don’t want to devote fabric space to scraps, so I try and keep the scrap pile manageable.
Corner Store block and patches
I found a new source for scraps when I started the FOTY 2010 project. I use a ruler when I cut the diamonds and end up with two triangles. After seeing the Corner Store project in Pretty Little Mini Quilts, I decided I could do that with the triangles. The block is shown in the middle. The triangles are added to a square of Kona Snow and then trimmed to size. The triangles are all slightly different sizes and I am trying to take advantage of the wonkiness. The nice thing about this project is that the triangles never even go into my scrap basket. They go into a separate pile and are sewn on to the squares.
The Red Journal is also a scrap project. As longtime readers know, I have been sewing together little slivers of red fabric for awhile to make a new piece of fabric. The technique is called Mosaic quilting, a concept developed by Shannon Williams. It has all the qualities that work for me for scrap quilting. The maker sews random pieces of like colors together to make new fabric. I do this with red and want to do it with all of the colors, but haven’t gotten to it yet.
I think there are a lot of ways to think about scraps. Above are a few of the ways I think about and use scraps. Hope it is useful.
A discussion came up at the CQFA meeting on Saturday about Jelly Rolls. As you know, I used a Jelly Roll for the Zig Zaggy top, It’s a Merry & Bright Wrap and I am in the process of using one for the Frosted Stars. As I mentioned in a previous post, I had been hearing about Jelly Rolls and wanted to try one. Why not, right? It is always good to have an informed opinion.
One member had a few questions about them and so we started talking. Another member chimed in about how using someone else’s color choices took all the creativity out of making a quilt. She kind of went on and on for a bit about it. After she had finished I felt compelled to say that using someone else’s color choices might be a good way to learn to use colors that you wouldn’t normally choose. There is a gold in It’s a Merry & Bright Wrap that I wouldn’t ever pick myself, but works very well with the off shade of blue included in the Merry & Bright Jelly Roll by Sandy Gervais.
This conversation got me to thinking about color choices and how I work with color. I realized that I work in a couple of ways.
1. I choose colors in which I am interested in working. I see a color or a fabric and it gets me thinking about a quilt or a bag or a tote in those colors. At this moment, that means that I am collecting aqua and red fabrics and setting them aside in order to make a quilt in the future. I don’t know what quilt, though am leaning towards a basket quilt.
2. I also like working with whole lines of fabric. I like being part of a creative endeavor that someone else started. In a strange way, it is like a round robin. Like the It’s a Merry & Bright Wrap quilt, for which I made no decisions (pattern, whole line of fabric), I found solace in not making decisions. Also, if I am making a difficult quilt, like the Zig Zaggy quilt, which requires a lot of thought in construction, I find that putting the color choices aside allows me to focus on the sewing techniques and process.
2A. I am also enjoying the groups that Cynthia and her staff at Birch Fabrics/Fabric Worm put together. They are usually not a whole line of fabric from one designer , but fabrics that go together and have a variety of scales and designs. I haven’t actually made a quilt with one of her groups yet, but I am putting them together after washing and cutting patches in order to be ready to go when I start the next quilt. I am finding that I am also adding other fabrics in that I will go well.
Kirkham & La Playa houseKirkham & La Playa houseKirkham & La Playa house
3. Sometimes, I see something that inspires me.I have been driving by the house pictured for YEARS. In the last year or so, they painted it this rose and pumpkin color. I never have my camera with me when I go by, but today I was nearby and did have my camera so I swung by to snap some shots. I think I will make a quilt in these colors, but will add some violet as well. I think violet would look fabulous with the pumpkin and rose. There is an orange tending towards pumpkin dot (like the Ta Dots) that I have seen around. I haven’t had a chance to dig through my collection of dots to see if I have it, but it is on my list. Of course, I have to make visual decisions visually and will have to see.
4. Sometimes color doesn’t matter and I work with light and dark and a certain pattern. The Pineapple quilt is an example of this type of fabric selection. I am not sure if one would call this ‘color’ selection per se. Once inside such parameters, I do make rules for myself such as no like colors next to each other or only complementary colors next to each other etc. It usually depends on my mood.
5. Monochromatic color schemes, like the Blue Janus quilt are also intriguing me lately. I like the monochromatic color scheme, because it helps my eye discern the different types of blues, or reds or whatever color I have chosen for the color scheme. When you have 300 blues together they all look a bit different.
6. Rainbow/color wash type quilts have really been good exercises lately. The FOTY quilts have really been good for this. I have to admit that I am not liking the way I blended the colors in FOTY 2008. I don’t know what I was thinking. I do like the quilt, but in this color wash type of colorwork, the colors should blend more. It could be that my idea of this type of colorwork has evolved since FOTY 2008. I did a much better job on FOTY 2009. Maureen helped and I learned a lot from working with her on the colors. FOTY 2010 with the diamonds is next. We’ll see how that goes. In general, I like trying to blend the colors. I think the quilts are very attractive and they are an intellectual challenge to make.
This past weekend I mostly worked on the Blue Janus Quilt, which I called the Blue Quilt in a previous post. Those squares required a lot of chain piecing and I needed something to piece in between so that I wouldn’t have to cut threads each time I wanted to press as I moved farther along in the process.
I decided to start the Zig Zaggy quilt and use the pieces to help with my chain piecing.
Measuring
First, I looked at the Happy Zombie site again and confirmed the sizes. then I cut some samples. Happy Zombie used a special ruler and cut 5″ long wedges. Elizabeth Hartman from Oh Fransson! blog originally used templates and cut the wedges longer. I decided to use Happy Zombie’s method and trim later.
Zig Zaggy Sewn
I cut and sewed a few together, think I would do another colorwash look.
Blech!
I am not doing the colorwash. With just the purples it is too boring. the purples are all the same value and just don’t look like the colors are gradating. I am going to mix up the colors. I just didn’t get very far.
I love good interviews and this one gets to the heart of this designer. I love knowing how people work and a little about their process. Thanks to Denyse for being interviewed and design sponge for writing and posting the interview!
Denyse: I just got a new iMac. I use the computer a lot. I use Adobe Illustrator to draw my fabric designs, and to create my quilt designs to scale. I always start with pen and paper, and usuallyscan in my sketches as a template. I have to draw on blank paper- never lined or graph paper (I’ve always had an aversion to- and feel totally distracted by- lined paper. I’ve been using Muji sketch books for the last few years. They are affordable and I love the kraft paper cover.
Julie decided to have us use paper instead of fabric and I think that got us to be a little freer. Julie was a great teacher! She gave clear directions, kept us on track and guided us skillfully.
The first exercise (upper left) was composing with line (pg.26 in Ms. Masopust’s book). Julie had us cut lines and choose a design from the “Nine Patch of Compositions.”
The second exercise was to break up the negative space with diagonal lines (upper right).
The next exercise allowed us to use curves (lower left). This is a design that reminds me of a quilt I have had on my inspiration board that is made of large feathers. I’ll make it someday.
Finally, we were allowed to use any of our scraps to create a final composition (lower right). The great part of this workshop was to work with others people and to see what they were making. It is fine line between seeing what people are doing and being influenced by what they are doing. I don’t think I was and I really enjoyed working with everyone.
I just heard the announcement for the new version of the Electric Quilt software, EQ7. This is an update to Electric Quilt 6.
I have used EQ since the dark ages of EQ3? EQ4? I can’t even remember. There are a number of things I like about the product, but the most important one to me is their customer service. I deal with bad customer service all day every day at my job. The EQ folks respond INTELLIGENTLY and TIMELY to emails. They even call if the email string is getting to complicated. I love good customer service and theirs is awesome.
I use EQ for designing a number of different projects: Flowering Snowball, Sorbet, 2009 Teacher pillows, the Pineapple, etc. I am not a very advanced user and have always wanted to take a class. It is still on my to do list.
I have tried out pattern/color keys using EQ6 and have had some trouble with the size of the file. I was successful with a Sorbet Color Key and I never really followed up to figure out my problem.
EQ7 Upgrade
The other thing I like about the software is that there are marked improvements in the software with each new release. I buy some upgrades of other software and think “brother, what is so new and great about this release?” Not with The Electric Quilt. I often think I don’t need the new version and then when I see the list of features, I have to buy it.
I am pretty excited about the new version’s features, especially since my EQ6 copy is on my dead computer and I just haven’t wanted to deal with the activation process. There have been multiple times recently when I wanted to do something and have been disappointed not to have dealt with the reinstallation.
Quilts, Blocks and now PHOTOS!
Digital cameras will become a quilter’s best friend. EQ7 has dozens of ways to turn everyday photos into quilt art images. Or crop and edit scanned fabrics right in EQ7 in minutes. And that’s just the start!
New Activation Policy
You’ll never run out of EQ7 activations! Activation and deactivation is as easy as two clicks of the mouse. Install on as many computers as you like and quickly transfer activations from computer to computer. This new policy gives you complete freedom to manage your own activations — and no dongle to worry about!
Easier than ever for new users EQ7 is the most user-friendly full-featured quilting software yet.
Complete user manual
22 printable full-color PDF lessons (115 pages)
Point-and-read info on each tool – now linked directly to Help topics
10 videos targeted for beginners
67 “How do I?” topics: printable stepped-out instructions for doing everything from printing English paper-piecing templates to drawing a New York Beauty
Built-in Help buttons are everywhere, targeted to the task you’re doing
New block tools for creating original blocks instantly without drawing
Blocks size themselves – just drag and drop on the quilt
Users upgrading from EQ6 will feel right at home
Exactly the same friendly interface, plus loads of new user-requested features.
5000 copyright-free blocks
5000 new scanned fabrics, plus grayscale textures
120 new pre-designed quilt layouts
Snap blocks to a Quilt grid
Instant border blocks with greatly expanded Auto Borders
Print multiple photos on fabric
Create original fabric designs from photos, then print on fabric
Mirror and use myriad symmetries on photos
Use dozens of artistic effects, making everyday photos look like watercolors or Impressionist paintings
79 new features in all
Netbook compatible
Works on netbooks as well as laptops and desktop computers.
I am sure there are a dozen more cool features. I love the digital / scanning possibilities.
You can find out more information at the Electric Quilt website or by calling: (800) 356-4219. No, I am not being paid to write this. Yes, they sent me a press release.
When will The Electric Quilt Company begin shipping EQ7?
We will begin shipping June 7, 2010.
What are the EQ7 and EQ7 Upgrade system requirements? ELECTRIC QUILT 7 Minimum system requirements: Windows® XP, Windows® Vista, Windows® 7 (32 or 64 bit), Internet access, 750 MB of available hard-disk space, CD-ROM drive. Netbook compatible. Internet required for activation, deactivation, and periodic validations. Recommended: Monitor with screen resolution of 1024 x 768 or greater, Adobe® Reader®, sound card for demo videos. Activation: Internet access is required for activation and deactivation. Unlimited installations. Activations can be easily transferred between computers. Two (2) computers may be simultaneously active.
EQ7 UPGRADE Minimum system requirements: Windows® XP, Windows® Vista, Windows® 7 (32 or 64 bit), Internet access, 750 MB of available hard-disk space, CD-ROM drive. Netbook compatible. Internet required for activation, deactivation, and periodic validations. Recommended: Monitor with screen resolution of 1024 x 768 or greater, Adobe® Reader®, sound card for demo videos. Activation: Internet access is required for activation and deactivation. Unlimited installations. Activations can be easily transferred between computers. Two (2) computers may be simultaneously active.
UPGRADE VERSION of Electric Quilt 7 This upgrade version of Electric Quilt 7 will install only if you are a licensed user of Electric Quilt 6 (EQ6). Visit www.electricquilt.com for other upgrade requirements.
What is the activation policy?
EQ7 has a new activation policy, created as a result of user feedback.
Activation: Internet access is required for activation and deactivation. Unlimited installations.
Activations can be easily transferred between computers. Two (2) computers may be simultaneously active.
I have been thinking of row quilts on and off for a long time. I wrote about a row quilt idea back in April of 2007. I have seen a number of them that I really like. One I remember was from a Sue Nickels machine quilting class I took a number of years ago at an EBHQ workshop. The quilt was called Blue Tulips on Pink Skies and you can see it in her gallery. She is a great teacher, by the way. I would highly recommend one of her classes.
I haven’t actually made one as I have plenty of other UFOs! Still, I cannot help being inspired when I see patterns and motifs that might work.
As I was walking to the Courthouse from the parking lot on Tuesday for jury duty, I noticed that the walkway would make a great pattern for a row quilt, especially if you wanted a simple one.
I took this with my phone so there isn’t much that you can see. The basic idea of the paving was that they had laid three rows of 4patches (right of photo) by the width of the sidewalk. I was late so I didn’t count. Those four patches were interspersed with many, many (perhaps 20?) of rail fence blocks by the width of the sidewalk.
I would have to figure out how to make the proportions look like the sidewalk without making a quilt that was 1/8th of a mile long! Perhaps really small blocks? This particular idea might also be a good idea for a monochromatic quilt. Hhhhm lots of food for thought.
I have been thinking about fabric design a lot lately. I think it is something that I would love to do. Well, the finished product with my name on it would be great. After hearing Anna Maria Horner talk about the process, I am not sure if I am motivated enough to do all the work entailed for an actual fabric collection. If a fabric manufacturer came knocking, I would definitely find the motivation!!
One of the things I have been thinking about is must-have motifs in a collection. What parts of a collection do I always buy? Stripes and dots, definitely.
Eliza Stripe by Westminster
I like the above stripes, which I bought during my week away at Fabric Crush in Magnolia, because they are relatively bright and regularly spaced. I also like the ratio of white to color. In my regular fabric psychosis mind, I keep thinking “oh dear! I didn’t buy enough! I should have bought 2 yards!” despite the FACT that I haven’t used any of them and they were just washed over the weekend.
Ta Dot/Michael Miller & Emmalynn's Days of the Week
Above are a couple of the dot motifs that I like. Both are regularly spaced, but have slightly different sized dots. The Emmalynn’s Days of the Week by Susan Osborne are on the top and the Ta Dot is below. There are some scatter kind of dots that I like as well. I find myself gravitating towards the regularly spaced dots lately. I think I need something to count on in my life lately. 😉
Perhaps in my mythical fabric collection I would have a couple of regularly spaced dots (smaller and larger??) as well as some scatter dots or spots.
Barbara Brackman brought a new thought in this vein to mind in a post where she talked about how paisleys were must have motifs in a certain era (Civil War??) of fabric design. I haven’t noticed many paisley type prints lately so I don’t know if they are modern enough to go along with the popular prints today. I haven’t been looking, so they could be out there. I have bought a few paisleys in the past as I recall. I definitely won’t be a designing fabrics in Civil War era colors! Still paisleys are an interesting shape and have a lot of opportunity for designexploration. I’ll have to play around with some paisleys and see what I come up with.
I’ll have to think about what else I would include. I am not sure if I would want a focus fabric as I have no idea what I would design for a focus fabric. Flowers? Trees? Snowflakes? I don’t know. A collection without a focus fabric may be a total non-starter for the mythical fabric company that comes knocking on my door, so I’ll have to think about it.
I have always thought that ‘basics’ collections were very appealing. You can buy a lot of them in many colorways (regular stream of income for the company!) and they are useful for a variety of projects. They tend to stick around in terms of being able to buy them, which is an added bonus for those of us who don’t manage to finish projects very quickly. 😉
I would love to see basics types collections be expanded upon rather than just dropped because the Color Council issues new colors. I think Moda Marbles are an excellent example of a successful basics collection. Not only do they have their basic tone-on-tone version, but they expanded out to the Moda Marble Dots and the Moda Marble Stars. Very clever of Patrick Lose to expand in that way. How about Moda Marble Stripe, Patrick?
P&B New Basics was fabulous as well. I have linked to their current colors, which are very dark and not as interesting to me as the previously issued brighter colors.
So, I wonder if I should include some tone-on-tones in my fabric collection? It might be easier to coordinate them with the Moda Marbles or another basics type collection? Hhhmmm…
So, you can see what wanders around in my head as I navigate the rest of my non-quiltmaking life. What do you think your must haves are when you consider purchasing a whole fabric collection?
This is the piece of pie and whipped cream, which you have seen four dozen times. I am forced to continue to show it to you until you scream for mercy. Only because you asked for it. 😉
Okay! Okay! I am not so mean. This is actually a slightly larger drip than before. I took your advice and decided to make the drip a little larger. I don’t think it is large enough here. When I stand back, it still looks like a speck. I don’t want people to think I made a big boo-boo on the applique’.
Tarts, Big Drip
Here is the big drip. It looks like something! I used the same shape; just made it a bit bigger. I like it and it will probably be sewed down this weekend.
Sewing it down would be very nice, because then I can get it off of my design wall and put something else up.
Oh. The back. I still have to make the back. Sigh.
I know you thought I forgot about the Tarts. Or, perhaps, you thought I abandoned the piece for another 3 years?
Oh ye of little faith!
Non quilt parts of my life have been busier than usual. I have still taken the time to diligently test your ideas for the whipped cream on the second piece of pie after I posted some thoughts in a previous blog post. I thought it would be easy and fast. HA! When will I ever learn?
Another issue is that the 9K is back in the shop. It is fixed now, but I won’t be able to pick it up (80+ mile round trip) until Friday since I am going out of town on Tuesday and the shop is closed on Monday. I tested an approximation of a satin stitch on the Jem. The Jem is a great machine, but the satin stitch it makes doesn’t compare to the 9K’s satin stitch. I need to wait until the 9K returns from his/her vacation. I’ll get everything ready, however.
Below are the candidates:
Whipped Cream #3
I liked this one, but didn’t think it was enough. I thought it needed more of something. Someone mentioned a drip in a comment, so I started working on that.
Whipped Cream #4
The drip above is too small. I want it to stand out a bit more against the plate.
Whipped Cream Test #5
The one above is pretty good in terms of having more than just an element on the top. However, the indentation in the top of the dripped whipped cream on the plate looks strange. It may be realistic, but it doesn’t look fun or interesting.
Whipped Cream #6
The one above is the option I have decided to use. I like the more engaged shape of the drip. I don’t think that is how drips really look, but this quilt isn’t reality.
As you can see, I take Lorraine Torrence’s admonishment to “make visual decisions visually” to heart.
I’d like to baste the Tarts at the next CQFA meeting on Saturday. In order to accomplish that goal, I need to get the whipped cream on the pie. I made the pattern and have been auditioning it in slightly varied locations all over the pie.
Pie Cream #1
The above photo shows the crust stitching (see below), but I still don’t like the placement.
Pie Cream, in context
The above shows the whipped cream on the pie from a little further back, so it can be seen in context. It does look better from this distance.
Pie Cream #2
The above location does not work. I am rather proud of that crust and the location of the whipped cream covers up my lovely stitching.
I am thinking that the ultimate problem is that I made the pattern too big and it should be a smaller mound of whipped cream, like on the cupcake. I am also thinking about adding a cherry instead of whipped cream.
