Monday, June 27, 2011

Crosses II - Playing with Value - Design Board Monday

Well, I made it through to my second in the Crosses series.  I checked and yes - 2 - does make a series!!  This has been a lot of fun studying value and shape this week.    My big sewing table is a mass of green, blue, yellows and now. . . a touch of orange.

For the second one I decided to play with a 4" block and keep the crosses to just the simple 2 line minimum.  I also decided to add another color - orange - as an accent.  This one seemed harder to layout.  I tried about 6 layouts till I decided on this one.. . .at least for now!!    Once I got it up - it seemed right - but just to make sure I did a black and white version of it.  You can see at once from the photo that the values are right.  Makes it much easier and I would highly suggest to do this to study the value of a quilt.  Remember, "Value does the work, while color takes the creditStill I might end up changing it - it seems a bit chaotic!

As an update on Cross I, I've decided to cut the edges off of it and make it into a rectangle.   While making the squares for the second quilt, I kept it up on the design board "cooking".  The more I looked at it, the more I felt that the uneven edges were a distraction and taking the eye away from the focal point.  Just to prove my hunch, I took flannel strips I keep on the edge of my design board and placed them around the quilt to "frame" it off.  Immediate improvement.  So I'm going to have to go back and finish it off before I layer it quilt.

Ohhhh speaking of quilting. . . .been steadily machine quilting the memorial quilt and will start quilting on Crosses I this week!

See more great design boards on Judy's Patchworks!

20 comments:

Joyce said...

I love the touch of orange on this one. Isn't it amazing what you can see when you convert to B&W! Your quote says it all.

Denise :) said...

This is a dynamic quilt. I'm really surprised by how light your orange appears in the B&W photo! I have to agree with Joyce here -- your quote does say it all! Happy Monday! :)

Kathie said...

Super cute. those crossed look really thin, were they hard to sew.

Vivian said...

You have been really busy. Love how the orange pops.

Kate said...

Very striking quilt! Love the colors.

Nina Marie said...

First of all, the quote about value was something that the teachers at quilting by the lake always say - so I can't take credit (grin).

Kathie - this is the easiest pieced quilt - all you do is cut a 5" square - cut it anywheres - sew in a strip - thin or think - then sew the other side of the square on - then cut down the square. So some come super thin because I try not to take in consideration the seam allowance. I like the serendipity of it all!

Jo said...

The splash of orange is really making it pop! It's a great looking quilt.

Quilter Kathy said...

What a great idea to work in a series. It is fun to read about your process...thanks for sharing.

Miri said...

This is just wonderful! My eye immediately went to this quilt when I looked at the links on Judy's blog.

Connie Kresin Campbell said...

I really like the colors you used in this design! It is a fun block to do isn't it?

Chris said...

The orange is a perfect touch. Really makes it all pop.

Judy D in AZ said...

I like Cross 2 just as it is. I think you are correct about the loose edges on Cross 1-they detract. Thanks for the black/white hint. I have a blue/yellow/green scrappy quilt that I am working on and I plan to try the black/white photo when I get to arranging the blocks.

kwiltnkats said...

Both of your Cross quilts are fabulous. I was quite successful using blue and orange years ago on a quilt that was made for my brother. Your extra fabric strips on your design wall is a good idea. Thanks for sharing it. Sandi

Sue Daurio said...

love the addition of orange!!

AnnieO said...

What a great bunch of crosses! These do a lively dance and adding that orange works wonderfully.

quilthexle said...

Woho - it looks wonderful! Ynd thanks for sharing the trick with the black-and-white picture ... I used to sneak into my studio at dawn for seing "just" the values, but taking a black-and-white picture would be a lot easier ;-)) So you are doing a third and a forth in this series?

Nina Marie said...

Thanks! and gosh - yes the whole b&W photo thing is easy to do - I used to change the setting on my camera - but now I just take one photo and change it in my photo editor. I was just emailing my teacher saying the next in the series is going to have a new palette and play with the scale of the blocks!

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

That is a cool quilt! And when you do the B/W photo - oh my - that is so cool to look at!

sophie said...

The quote about value and color is perfect.

mzjohansen said...

Now THIS is a quilt I love!