Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Radiant Nine Patch Layout


Once I finished piecing the nine patch blocks I moved to the floor to lay it out. What I had on the design wall was short and fat, I needed to shift the light center in and down.



I tried to build out and around, but I got to my width sooner than the deep-dark blocks, so I changed the layout again, trying to make it longer.


The nine patches are 'X' and 'O' blocks with the seams pressed out and in respectively. As I laid out the blocks I had to alternate X and O in addition to color placement. I spent time positioning and repositioning the blocks. And being the multi-fabric quilter that I am... I don't like too many of the same fabrics close together; resulting in more positioning and repositioning...


It quickly became clear to me that the deep reds weren't going to work, too much *pop*. So I eliminated all but a few for sparkle. It might not look like it, but the final layout took four hours.


I stacked it sequentially in rows preparing to 'web the top' when I sewed it together. When I carried the board with all the stacks on it into the sewing room, I bumped the corner of the sewing table and the whole thing fell... I closed the door on it until tomorrow.

That was last week. I have laid it out again and it took another four hours, but I'm happy with it and look forward to sewing it together. For now, the cat is not allowed in the sewing room. I don't want to invite another disaster.

2 comments:

Rose Marie said...

That must have been frustrating for sure ... but at least you got it laid out again.

Vic in NH said...

Gosh, you must've been fit to be tied! The quilt is absolutely charming with it's subtle shadings and interplay of light and color. I get the sense that the original one was smaller and this is full sized? That change of scale must have presented extra challenges, but it is coming out fabulous!