Virtual Retreat 2016

[Geneva C.]

Really neat idea, Heather. Your problem with the green and blue (Although I really don't think it seems an issue - I like it that way) could be 'fixed' with a small sashing-type trim.binding around the sign. I'm thinking like outline it in black or other colour - kinda like in a colouring book. If that's not good for you, you could try to get the same effect with embroidery or some contrasting stitch-in-the-ditch later.

[Geneva C.]

Or - just leave it like it is. The more I think about it, I like the idea of the 'beginning and ending' - the blue into the green, the green into the blue etc. kinda of blending the infinity sign into the background. Just a thought. I think visually it could be interesting and 'modern' - like the sign 'grows out of the background.

[Geneva C.]

Heather,
To save yourself a heap of checking in on me time, subscribe to my blog by clicking the link at the top right hand side. You'll get the entire post in your inbox when I post one.
As for making a decision about your quilt colors, take the background fabric and lay it out on the floor then arrange your pieces on top. Your flooring could be giving you an altered view. Then if you have a smart phone, or iPad take pictures in color, b&w, monotone, and grey scale. i have found that sometimes I'm focusing on a specific color and not seeing the whole interaction of lights, darks, mediums. Just an idea.

[Geneva C.]

okay, played around in EQ7 and going to lay this out to check, but I think I like it.

Started in the middle with the center star (though I am hoping it "pops" a little more in real life, and will play with that till I get something pleasing) and worked from there. Realized I need both brights on the far side and working inward, and then as I colored, counting the triangles as I went (as I have a set number cut already...), it ended up making this arrow design which enhances the movement of the infinity symbol. Nice! I like that. The star gives the criss cross/scrappy/mixed feeling, and the arrows merge into each other.

I *think* this is it this time, for real. The son likes it, the colors are more balanced, and no jarring contrasts. Hopefully the actual fabrics play well -- this is just approximations using the base fabric library in EQ, I never upload actual fabrics, just use this as a guideline....




Thoughts?

I may still also outline the symbol when I get to quilting, we shall see. In the photo earlier, the darkest blue/green isn't touching any of the darkest dark blues, but one of the first layouts I did, had it that way, and it got lost. When we resorted the triangles to make this layout, some of the "greens" got into the "blue" pile, they really are that close.

Anyway, current plan...going to test it now, and if I like it for real, I will sew it up before I change my mind again!

[Geneva C.]

looks good. I didn't realize the whole picture with the horizon. I guess I missed that in the original pic you shared.

[Geneva C.]

I didn't lay out all of it originally, just described it...somewhere? I think? Yes, it's a horizon (it will actually be 1/3rd sky, 2/3rd water, but when I recolored it in EQ7 that way, I messed up the infinity sign, and when I recolored the infinity sign, I couldn't get it to line up properly. So I'm using 2 different EQ drawings as my guidelines....

There's a long, rambling story, but basically it all started as my oldest is graduating and I saw on Pinterest a graduation themed cake in a Toy Story "to Infinity & Beyond" theme, which nearly made me cry, which gave me an idea for a quilt, which morphed into this.....Water/sky because he likes to scuba dive, and Psalm 139, "if I go into the depths, even then You are there..." Graduation, infinite horizons awaiting him....all of these random thoughts merged and morphed and are becoming this quilt. Ahem. Such is the way my design process works.....which is now way more than you wanted to know, LOL!

Off to sew.....

[Geneva C.]

It's no worries, Luann, I have a little bookmark tab I check daily It's my coffee drinking time in the morning, so I don't mind.

I did lay out the sign with the background fabric around it, but that's a good idea to swap the photo to grayscale/black & white too, to see value. Will do that with this next trial. The background fabric is already cut/sewed into triangle pairs (those are all the little blue squares around in the 1st picture). But I like that idea for future...maybe I'll lay out the extras this time, too....much faster than laying out all the squares.

Thanks!

[Geneva C.]

Thanks for sharing your process, Heather. I love the art of quilting because there is always a story behind every quilt. I guess that's why we have 'Show and Tell' and not just "Show".
love it!

[Geneva C.]

So, here's the final version laid out -- when I showed my son this version, he couldn't hold back the involuntary smile, and said "Whoa....nice!" First version of this part that has had such a response from him, so that is a win! He's not a very demonstrative guy with his feelings, at all, so any show of emotion means he is *really* happy, sad, etc.





After snapping this photo, I promptly sewed the pairs of triangles, so now ALL the triangles for the quilt are sewn into pairs, making a grand total of 306 HST squares, waiting to be pressed and assembled into sections, and then into a quilt top. Whew. As there will then still be borders, and then the quilting......and May is coming up fast......eek. Hopefully I finish in time.

[Geneva C.]

Heather, this is awesome!

Geneva

[Geneva C.]

Heather,
It's going to be beautiful, or should I say 'handsome'.

[Catherine S.]

That is great Heather! He better give you a big hug when it is finished, or tell him your quilting friends will come get him. That should scare him. hmy: When he is out on his own, he will really appreciate all you have done for him, and won't have trouble letting you know. I really think the quilt is gorgeous. He is lucky young man!

[Catherine S.]

Heather..your quilt is awesome I love it, what a good idea!! and I love the story of the quilt

Dorothy

[wendy w.]

Agree Heather it's great

[Geneva C.]

It's only raining lightly here at the opposite end of the US from the snow storm. Still a perfect day to sew!

Thursday I made a small bag for myself! When we travel I have what I call the "Pary Muffin" bag. Pary Muffin is a family term for Mary Poppins. When my daughter was little she loved Mary Poppins, but called her Pary Muffin. However, I digress.... Remember in the movie when Pary unpacks her belongings from a magical bag that is endlessly deep and wide? It carries everything. That's pretty much my bag that I carry when we travel. It's literally been all over the world. (not everywhere, but lots of somewheres!) However, when I try to find my cords and plugs they are usually all tangled up with the lamp shade or kitchen sink (!!) and I usually pull out the wrong cord. So I made a little bag to put the cords in.



and the inside.




Yesterday I received in the mail the fabric for a duvet cover for our bed. So this weekend I will work on that.

Happy weekend everyone! geneva