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| Jackstones |
I have an ongoing love affair with Low Volume fabrics; my burgeoning collection was begging to be used, or at least some of it was, it's hard for me to cut it up. Anyway, after Bible Study on Monday Quiltkeemosabe sent me a link for website tutorial on "X" or Hummingbird blocks, thinking I might be able to use the technique on next month's block assignment. Well, as sometimes happens, I decided to experiment with a few larger blocks. The tutorial requires an EZ Dresden ruler to cut the wedge shapes, I didn't have one but I did have a 9 degree wedge and pulled out some brights to pair with the LVs, I had this pretty 10" block stitched up lickety-split. I really liked the effect. I decided to make a few more blocks (of course I did!) and stitch them together to get a good idea of how they would appear set block to block, they reminded me of playing jackstones on the concrete porch floor in the summer when I was a little girl.
One thing leads to another and I tried auditioning the reverse block on the outside as a possible border option. You see how these trains can become runaways in no time?
It was okay, but it wasn't as great as I had imagined.
I found the larger, brighter triangles to be too distracting.
I had some pale gray shot-cotton in the stash closet... "I wonder" I said out loud...and I set to cutting. Yes, that was exactly what I had in mind for this idea! I still have a LOT of planning to do: size being the main consideration; from there I will know how many pieces to cut. A plan is a wondrous thing! But, for now, this is but the seed for a larger quilt-to-be; one that harkens back to long, lazy summer days playing jackstones with a little red rubber ball on a smooth, cool concrete floor. Isn't that what summer is all about; taking the time to have some fun... playing a little? If the first thing you do doesn't excite you, feel free to scrap it and move on. In this case, I am SEW happy that I did just that! Don't worry about those border units I have removed, one can't ever have too many potholders, can they?
Life is Good!
