More on Black Light

 

Turns out I had a black light. It was nowhere near as powerful as Randy's but. I bought it years ago when one of my cats (pre Millie) had issues with the litter box.)

Here are the WOWs I bought yesterday. Hard to tell what they look like, right?

My little black light only worked in complete darkness, and then not very well. However...

When I ran the photo through my photo editing software, add added a bit of light... I got this. I mean it isn't terrific, but you can see the patterns of the WOWs I bought.

I think it's pretty cool!

Randy is BRILLIANT!

 

While I was waiting for my sewing machine at the sewing machine spa (Aka Bittersweet Fabric Shop) I was browsing their fabrics. 

While I am trying to work my way through my stash, my collection of White On Whites is getting bit thin, so I decided I would get some. The WOWs at Bittersweet were on a shelf just above my eye level and I was having a hard time seeing what they looked like. When I mentioned it, Randy, the owner, said, "That's why we have a black light right there." So I took the light down and pointed it at a bolt of fabric. 

OH HOLY HELL!  Randy is BRILLIANT!

I had to share. I told Randy I was going to post it on my blog. "Oh right," he laughed, "now quilt shops everywhere will have to have black lights available for their customers. You'll start a trend."

Hell yeah!

Anyway, I bought 10.

Asterisks, Front and Back

I am sewing the asterisks together, and since they are arranged any which way, sewing them together is pretty interesting. I try to visualize how to sew them together without sewing into corners. First I trim the edges of the asterisks straight, and I usually add a chunk of background WOW fabric to one side, then put it up on the design wall to figure out where the next piece goes, and keep going from there. I don't usually end up with "exactly" what was on the design wall, but as long as I have a photo to guide me (hint hint: use your phone to take photos for reference) I'm in good shape.

 I'm not done. I still have to add one asterisk in the upper right hand corner, and I have to sew two more to the left side.

In these photos you can tell I use WOWs interchangeably. I like the variation they provide. I like the way the light hits them differently. Whenever I go fabric shopping I always buy about five or six WOWs in half yard pieces.

Here's what the panel looks like from the wrong side.

How do I get it to look this nice? I press the crap out of stuff, and I use steam. After I press, or before I sew one piece to another, I trim the edge to make sure it is straight. When I sew I pin the pieces together.

Julie watched me when she was here. "I pin stuff," I told her as I was getting ready to sew something together.

"You use a lot of pins," she said.

I shrugged. "Whatever. It works for me."

At any rate, the backs of each and every quilt I make look as nice as the back of the asterisks you see above.

B&W on WoW

This is what happens at my house when I buy fabric. 

Over the weekend I went up to Quilted Threads and bought several yards of WOW fabrics for the Digital Pinwheels quilt. After running it through the washer and the dryer, I dumped it on my work table, intending to iron it later.

Apparently I wasn't quick enough!

Old Box, New Box

Judy in Michigan wondered if the white inside of the box was a moire fabric.

Nope.

It's the same White on White as it was in the original box.

See?

Woo Hoo!

Now THIS is the effect I was looking for! Finally I know exactly how to get precisely the effect I was after. Oh boy, I am really going to have some fun with this technique.