It's time for a road trip...

A virtual road trip that is, especially since I'm still under the weather.

This blog tour will take on a journey to view the blogs of some very inspired designers.  What am I talking about?

This is Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks - edition SIXTEEN.  And I was lucky enough to have a block chosen for the magazine. It's hard to believe that this is edition Sixteen.  I have coveted all the previous volumes as there are some amazing blocks.

While I'm sure that some of the other bloggers had their posts written weeks ago, I'm a bit of a last minute person. I'd invite you into my studio (or at least show you a picture), but it's still in a wee bit of disarray after a major sewing storm as I prepped for Quilt Market and Quilt Festival at the end of October. Come back over the next week as I plan to share all the goodies that I acquired over the two weeks. 

I guess I should show you my block. I'm number 1593 and the name of my block is Any Which Way.

Hopefully, you get the idea - this is a 12" block and definitely hard to see white block background on white computer screen background.  AHA - let's recolor the block to make it easier to see.

Now that has a bit more of a roadside sign feel.  You have to love the capabilities of EQ7 (and now EQ8) to make the life of a quilt designer a whole lot easier.

It's also a challenge sometimes even with computer software providing the cutting guidelines. I got my original block together and put it on the design wall and realized that those arrows were a bit out of whack. Now how did that happen?  I didn't snap a photo - who wants to air dirty laundry? 

So what can you do with this block? Patti from Patti's Patchwork beat me to the punch with blogging about the block.  Check out several versions of quilts that she designed using the block alone and in conjunction with other blocks. I have to say that I'm impressed - some very neat designs. Thanks Patti for playing with my block.

Here are a couple of versions that I came up with. I'm experimenting with a modern aesthetic in my quilts these days and somehow that translates into white backgrounds for me.  Have you ever worked with a white background?  It's hard!  Hard to keep clean and hard to keep the threads from showing through.  Note to self: you can go darker and still have a modern aesthetic!

Version one with negative space

 I used a number of greens from Northcott's Premium solid Collection called ColorWorks. I love the quality of the fabric and love the wide range of colors. In the photo above, the ends of one set of arrows runs into the other set (we'll talk about pressing in a minute) and I didn't worry that the ends and the beginnings were different colors, but you could plan it out so that ends and beginnings created a double pointed arrow in the same color. 


If you're into square quilts, you could place the blocks in this configuration where the pressing of the seams becomes a non-issue.

A square version using Any Which Way block

And the third version provides a bit of an optical illusion. That right-hand border looks like it's leaning, but it should be straight.  Perhaps it's my eyesight that is going.

Blocks on point with no sashing

Now let's chat about pressing. If you are making the first version, the rule that we've been taught is to always press to the dark side!  That sounds so ominous.  Now imagine if we would have done that in this case. I've used both colors just for the fun of it!  But you can see what would happen if you pressed those horizontal seams to the dark.  You would have a lot of bulk where the bodies of the arrow met.

My rule of thumb is to press the seams to eliminate bulk even it means pressing to the white. GASP!  Really?  You bet!  Think about it - there will be quilting on top of the fabric and you can use the quilting to help disguise the seam.   If the seams are pressed well, they will disappear as the surface of the quilt will be flatter, seams will line up more easily and a whole lot of other good things. 

Below is a photo of the back of two of my blocks. The other thing I should mention is that I'm always creating a pressing plan for my blocks. How will block A be positioned relative to Block B?  How will that affect the pressing?  There are times when I've had to reverse press some seams, but I'd rather have a smooth top than a lumpy one.

As you can see in the photo, I pressed all the seams in one direction. 

All seams pressed down

 When every second block gets rotated 180 degrees to be sewn to the next block, the seams are now going in the opposite direction and all the seams butted up nicely which makes for some smooth and matching intersections.

Alternating seams

And that makes me a happy quilter!

Now the best part - giveaways!!   I have three giveaways today and all you have to do is write a comment on the post.  Comments posted before midnight on Saturday, November 18 will be eligible to win.   I have one copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks - Volume 16.  And there are two Gradations Chip packs up for grabs from Northcott's latest colorway (Mystic) of Stonehenge Gradations.  That's three chances to win.

It's been great fun to be part of this blog hop and I hope to see you again real soon!

Have a super day!

Ciao!

And if you missed the blog tour earlier this week, you can check out the links at this web site.