Thursday, January 9, 2014

linear refraction


Guten Morgen ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for joining me today along the "Wake Up to Kona" Color Essentials blog hop presented by ! Sew We Quilt and sponsored by Amanda Murphy, Robert Kaufman and Aurifil. This is a very exciting day for me since this is my very FIRST patchwork challenge! Please don't forgot to stop by and explore what my fellow colleagues (for-the-day) have made. You will find a link to their sites at the bottom of my page, so please read on.

Right now, I am on a 60° triangle craze. I am always dreaming of different possibilities with what I can do with this shape. There are two typical quilts to make with 60 degree triangles - the 1000 Pyramids Quilt and a one patch triangle with varying hues, saturation and fabrics. I wondered what else could you make when you add a parallelogram to the design. What other designs and patterns show up?? That was my starting point.


I work a lot with EQ7 when I design quilts. You can see some of my creations at the EQ Gallery. I like to see how everything is going to look beforehand with maybe just a slight change or two. My first challenge was adding the parallelogram into a pattern. EQ7 has the option of making a one-block quilt, but I wanted triangles and parallelograms! How do I make the parallelograms? Duh...just make a one-block strip drawing exactly the shapes you want to include in the quilt. I drew seven different strips with the shapes I wanted. That simple! Here is a preview of the first strip:

I love to work with solids, but I never worked entirely with them, because I don't want my patchwork to look "Amishy". Today, bright and fresh fabric choices are readily available especially in solids. I am very excited when you tell me that you discover solids and are starting to use them in your own quilts. I love to use lots and lots of different fabrics or colors, but I limited myself with this design to just four colors and an anchor. My color choices usually reflect my mood, the weather or a new trendy fabric collection. And with this challenge, I decided to go with the weather. I had winter on my mind. I picked from Kona Chartreuse, Lagoon, Windsor and Crocus as well as Snow to anchor and put them all together.


Are you curious to see what I created? I think I am more excited to show you!

It was a little bit of a battle to get the measurements right, but if I had just printed out the rotary cutting instructions from EQ7 like I was used to, I could have saved myself a lot of seam ripping from the get-go. I did not have any major problems after that. As long as you sew the rows together in opposing directions, and let the seams nest, it will sew together in a snap. I actually spent more time quilting it than sewing it together.

Here it is without the binding:




I really wanted to make this patchwork come to life and designed it with a colored, alternating strip binding. I was almost in a pickle getting the fabric, because I ran out of the chartreuse green. It was on back order, so I ordered it at a second online shop - Quiltzauberei. Thank you for getting it to me so quickly! I applied the strip binding rotating the quilt always to the left for a really special effect. (It is not a continuous binding.)

When it came to quilting, I didn't want to over-do-it. I like the quilting to hold the patchwork in place but not overpower the design. There can always be a second design created when you quilt and I did want to achieve this as well. I quilted 3/8" (0,80cm) on the inside of the white/purple sections and I,5" on the insides of the colored triangles. It makes a secondary pattern in the quilt and turns a couple of triangles into diamonds. And yes, I actually used five different threads when quilting and tied the ends before I pulled them through - no backing stitching! And here she is all finished up:
 


The colors are gorgeous - much more vibrant than pictured here. I love the layout including just one entire row of triangles in the middle. My hubby asked me immediately who was going to receive this little beauty. I quickly replied and told him this was my show piece; it stays in the collection. And it will be staying on my wall for the duration of the winter. I like to think of the sun reflecting off solid ice in the middle of the day and in the evening when the light changes - linear refraction! How many different patterns can you see?

I really enjoyed planning and sewing this quilt - a wall hanging size of ~98 x 98 cm or 38.5 x 38.5 inches. It is a great little piece to show off what you can do. It isn't always easy to get those points lined up the way you want too.

If you would like to make this quilt, I have the free pattern here for download. (There is also an alternate fabric way if you prefer a warmer look.) Donations are welcome via PayPal to karen@easypatchwork.de but are not required.

Please don't forgot to stop by and explore what my fellow blog hop colleagues have made. We are counting on your support! Leave a little love or just a comment will do.There are so many great quilts, large and small, that you have to visit each and everyone's site. They will knock your socks off. When you finish with this little list, go back to ! sew we quilt and look at all of the particpants!!

Beaquilter

A big warm thanks to Carol at Just Let Me Quilt and Madame Samm at Sew We Quilt for organizing and cheering us on but most importantly, for inspiring us to inspire YOU!

 Thank you for dropping by. Karen

99 comments:

  1. That is an amazing and wonderful quilt. I would never have thought those colors could look so good together! I like how the binding does seem like those lights that move from one to another. Great job. I like what you said about the actual quilting, too. It resonates with me.

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  2. What a beautiful quilt...you did an amazing job with the fabrics and I have always thought less is more with the quilting! :)

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  3. Very pretty and very modern. I love the colors you used. Thanks you sew much for sharing your pattern ... :) Pat

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  4. Very nicely done - great choice of Kona colors to make the pattern really shine.

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  5. Very fun! Beauitful!! I have yet to try 60 degree triangles...

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  6. Great quilt. Love your color choices.

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  7. Great quilt and your color choices are wonderful! Thank you for sharing.

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  8. Your quilt is so pretty…love the colors!!! Thanks for sharing :)

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  9. Great design. I love your choice of colours, they really make it pop.

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  10. What a cute wall hanging, very pretty.

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  11. Wonderful job. The colors and the lines of this are beautiful.

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  12. Fabulous quilt - I love triangles!
    Thank you for the pattern!

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  13. this is stunning. Thanks so much for sharing the pattern.

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  14. What a lovely wall hanging. The colours are very pretty...blues and purples are my favourite!

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  15. Your wall quilt is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing your pattern. Have a great weekend

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  16. Wow, your quilt is stunning! I love the binding and the simple quilting.

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  17. Gorgeous quilt - thanks for the pattern.

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  18. Karen no worries this is not amishy as you say ….it is vibrant, it is classic, it is YOU..
    adorable..

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  19. Thank you so much for the pattern. This is a great looking quilt. As a new quilter, solids are less scary to use. I am loving this hop. Happy New Year from Oklahoma, USA. crystalbluern at onlineok dot com

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  20. Karen I love the combination of colors you chose...just beautiful! Blessings, Marlene

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  21. You did such a lovely job. What a great quilt.

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  22. Karen, I LOVE your color Combination!!!

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  23. The colors are great, the pattern is wonderful and the quilting and the binding are just perfect. I really love it. Thank you for the pattern.

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  24. A fabulous use of colour and a clever design. The quilting is perfect and really accentuates the design. Love the binding. Great job, Karen!

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  25. Really fabulous design and color choice!

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  26. This is very neat....something totally different..great color

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  27. I couldn't wait for your day and you certainly didn't disappoint!! You did a beautiful piece and how sweet of you to offer the pattern.

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  28. I love the design and the great use of Kona solids for this beautiful quilt! You did a great job on the pattern...love it! Thanks for hopping with us and sharing your pattern. :O)

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  29. I knew I would like what you did with those colors as soon as I saw them at the top of the posting. I like your fresh interpretation of the 60 degree triangle. It makes me want to go and sew but I have to hop the other stops first.

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  30. That is certainly a stunning quilt and definitely deserving of hanging in a prominent place on a wall! Thanks for the tutorial/pattern. svonfumetti at yahoo dot com

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  31. WOW ! Your awesome quilt is now on my to do list ! Thanks Karen !

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  32. The colours in your quilt are spectacular and the design is splendid!
    Thank you for sharing :)

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  33. Wow!! What a great choice you made with the colors! Love it!

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  34. That looks awesome. I love the colors.

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  35. OMG that is one awesome quilt! And thank you for the free pattern for it. I love doing charity quilts and working on some Neonatal ones right now!

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  36. I do love your quilt. So clean and refreshing.

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  37. This is so cool! I think the binding is my favorite part. :)

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  38. That's is very beautiful, I love how the purple just kinda makes an appearance, then goes on about it's day :) Thank you for sharing!
    ~Brandy

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  39. Love it!!! What a great design!!!! Love the binding too:)

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  40. Great design and great use of color! Love it!

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  41. Wow is that beautiful. I must admit, when I saw your math in the top photo, I knew I was done. Math has never been my stong suit! LOL! The results are nothing short of maganificient, and that binding is just perfect to finish it off!

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  42. Very interesting, love how it came together

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  43. wow this is gorgeous, you did a fabulous job putting colors together, thanks for sharing

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  44. Love your modern quilt and use of triangles!! i saved the pattern to add to the pile of things I would love to try!!

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  45. I love the colors you chooses. They may be Amish colors but you mixed them up, added some fun to them and it surly don't look Amish!

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  46. Beautiful quilt and a wonderful one to hang up during the winter.

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  47. This is very gorgeous -- great job!! :)

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  48. Oh my goodness! Thanks for making this available as a pattern because this is such a great quilt. It's right up the alley of what I like to make. I'm going to pin it to my quilt board on Pinterest right now.

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  49. I love your quilt! Everything from the pattern to the colors is just perfect. Thanks so much for sharing.

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  50. The colors are just perfect, thanks for the inspiration.

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  51. Stunning! That just about says it all. That quilt would brighten up anyone's winter day.

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  52. Love it. The colors you chose are perfect. The binding is spectacular!

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  53. love that pattern ... it really shows off those pretty kona colors! have saved the pattern, thank you, and will have to make it with some of my favorite kona solids.

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  54. Love your quilt - such a fresh design! Thank you for putting up the pdf of the pattern, that was very nice of you :)

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  55. This quilt is stunning and the colors and triangles really bring it to life. Thank you for hopping...

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  56. That is such an interesting quilt and the colors are perfect. It's like my eyes want to study it for a while.

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  57. That is so pretty! Thanks for sharing it and the pattern. vickise at gmail dot com

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  58. Great variation on the popular theme. Thanks for sharing the pattern.

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  59. your quilt is very striking! I really love those colors together- especially since after the "polar Vortex" it is foggy and pouring down rain here! the binding is amazing too

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  60. What a totally gorgeous quilt! Love the colors you used and your 'quilting' is perfect for the modern feel of it. The binding is perfect. You are a very creative quilter. Thanks for sharing.

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  61. This is a stunning quilt. The colors are perfect, and I love the binding. Such beautiful work! Thank you for sharing!

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  62. Oh your quilt turned out yummy. Love the patterns, and the colors and the quilting is lovely.

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  63. I love the color of the quilt and the pattern you used. Great work.

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  64. You are very talented. Your wallhanging is beautiful.

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  65. I like the limited colors you used. Makes for such a graphic look. Great design too.

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  66. Love the modern look of your wall hanging,the color choices really make it pop!

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  67. Very pretty and creative.
    cheers
    maggie

    maggiemine42@gmail.com

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  68. It's beautiful! I love the colors you chose!

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  69. I love it! The colors, the original design - just delightful.

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  70. You certainly have let your talent shine. This will definitely cheer up the cold winter months. I really like how you shared the process of designing it and why you quilted it as you did. The colour palette is sparkling. Thanks for sharing your quilt and the pattern to recreate our own version.

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  71. I love this pattern and will check out the download. Thanks for the link.
    I am partial to the colors you chose and like the idea of refraction. The pattern is neat.

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  72. Wow. What a great post. I loved reading how you designed the quilt and your approach. The quilt is beautiful. I really love the darker areas in the piece. Just awesome looking quilt and thank you for the instructions as well.

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  73. Wow, that is an awesome pattern! I love the way you can just keep looking and seeing new angles. You scared me a little with the math pic:)

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  74. I agree, the colors are gorgeous. I love this pattern!!

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  75. It's fantastic, Karen! I love the design and the quilting. Thanks for sharing it and the pattern, Karen!

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  76. Oh, that is really cool! I especially love how you quilted it. Great job!!

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  77. Linear Refraction is wonderful. The colors, pattern, quilting, and binding are all unique and pleasing. I love that you showed a little of your math. Thanks for sharing.

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  78. What a stunning quilt! It is beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

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  79. Karen! You have done it again! Very good work and so creative. I on a brief break in my triangle obsession to make some garments for my daughter and to take part in a couple of hops, so I understand the allure of the triangle! Very good work, I just love it!!*\0/* Shanna

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  80. What a gorgeous quilt, thanks for sharing.

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  81. Love the simple quilting, really makes the quilt shine! Have a great day!

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  82. Great job, I really like your colors, layout and quilting. Very pleasing and showy! Thanks for the instructions, Keep up the good work, K

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  83. Beautiful quilt! You are very generous to share the pattern. Thanks!

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  84. Thank you for the pattern. I love the layout and colors that you used.

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  85. Wonderful show piece quilt. Love the colors and the many different patterns made by the triangles as you work from the top to the bottom. Thank you for sharing and being generous to share your pattern.

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  86. Gorgeous colors and awesome pattern.

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  87. Very pretty. I love the colors.

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  88. Wow! You it the Modern Mark! Great job!

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  89. Great job!! Very different quilt..but stunning!

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  90. Lovely quilt! The colors go together really well.
    Its funny that I'm on a triangle pattern crazy too....this time I'm onto the Spider Web ruler. But also working on another quilt with 60degree triangle.

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  91. Wow - I really love your quilt and the quilting is great!
    xo jan

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  92. I love how you achieved a feeling of translucency with your color choices for this great graphic quilt. Brava!

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Thank you so much for dropping by and leaving comments! You really make my day! - Karen

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