Half Square Triangle Layouts

I've finally finished trimming my half square triangles (hst), so I'm ready to start sewing them together. Yay! I've spent most of this afternoon trying a few different layouts in my design space (aka the lounge floor). Each hst is made up of one 'dark' and one 'light' fabric, unfortunately I think my fabric choices were a bit too similar so it lacks a bit of contrast! When I started these blocks I had in mind that I'd do chevrons. First I tried keeping the chevrons the same fabric right across the quilt. It looks quite nice in this photo, but just didn't really work in real life. Too bold.

Then I tried pairing the 'dark' fabrics, so the blues together, the pinks together, the greens together. This didn't work as I didn't have a pair for all the fabrics. Hmm.

I then gave up on the hst idea and tried pinwheels. I wasn't happy with this either. It looks too confused, again because the contrast between the 'dark' and 'light' fabrics isn't bold enough.

 

I then had one more go with the chevrons, using a random layout of all the 'darks' and all the 'lights' for each chevron. I think I'm happiest with this pattern, what do you think?

 

 

I think I've learnt a lesson here from this quilt - contrast, contrast, contrast! I'm not giving up though, I will carefully choose a binding fabric and hopefully that will make the colours in the final quilt really pop.

 

 

Quilting Is Catching!

My younger sister (Minnie Loves...) asked that I show her how to quilt. We made a start this weekend. She has decided on a half square triangles (hst) pattern. I must say her cutting was not the most accurate I have ever seen. Somehow none of the pieces seemed to fit together! Here she is hard at work.

As she loves anything vintage she has been collecting old fabrics for a while. She has got some gorgeous, retro, 1970s prints. Yeah!

She decided to use plain white to contrast with the prints so each block will be half 70s print and half white. I think it's going to be lovely. Good Luck Anna!