Sunday, July 29, 2018

A Big Mess, A Terrific Result


When I went into the studio yesterday, I did not expect to make such a big mess.

I went into the studio because I wanted to do something easy. I decided to make some slabs, but as I sorted through the fabric in my little scrap bins I came across some of the leftover giant diamonds from the Diamond quilts I have been making. I have so many of them. I wondered if I could use them together, so I set my scrap slabs aside and gathered up the big diamonds and started arranging them on the design wall.

I wasn't quite sure, so I moved them around again.

Nothing about this layout appealed to me.

So I moved things around again.

After about four hours, I had this, and I was liking where this was heading. I had hoped to NOT cut new diamonds, but it quickly became apparent that wasn't going to happen, so I started digging through my stash for more large prints. (In the end I cut 27 more large diamonds. Each fabric is represented once.)

I worked all afternoon and into the evening. I knew I needed to resolve the top (it had to have a row of darker diamonds up there so the design didn't just float off the top edge).



Finally I got to the point where I couldn't see it any more and needed another set of eyes. I texted my pal Julie and we agreed to talk on the phone after we each had dinner.

Eight more changes later, we had this, and we are both happy. Julie suggested the name, Splendid, and I think it is.


So how long did this take from start to finish? I started at 12:10 in the afternoon, and we made the final change at 8:46 PM. In the meantime I made a batch of granola and made and ate my dinner.

I'll clean the studio tomorrow, then I'll start sewing the pieces together.


Remember you can click, then double click the photos again to enlarge the photos to see all the details.

8 comments:

Cherie in St Louis said...

And just like that, another diamond quilt is made...said using Forrest Gump's voice. It has a different feel from the other quilt tops since it's all big diamonds but it is, indeed, splendid!

Quiltdivajulie said...

I really, really like this one -- and not just because you asked me to get involved with the tweaking of the final arrangement part. I love it when you work this way!

Linda Swanekamp said...

Just love colorwashes! This is very different. Great result, worth the mess.

The Colorful Fabriholic said...

Splendid, indeed! Totally worth the mess. (It'll probably take longer to clean up the mess than it did to design this quilt, haha!)

Allison said...

Oh YESSSSS! Splendid splendid splendid!

Sewing Up A Storm said...

I wondered what would happen to all you rejects.....they look pretty awesome!

Lesley Gilbert said...

A Splendid colourwash - I'll be following your progress :)

Ann said...

It is a splendid color wash. Your large scale prints make this a fabulous work. Good job, you two.