joe'smom

That is very lovely. I think the distribution of the colors is especially nice.

Gemm

It really is a very pretty quilt - I like this one a lot, too. Glad I've been saving the instructions, even though it will probably just stay as a lovely picture in my mind for a long time. :-) Looking forward to all of your reveals!

CraftyBecksa

I’m in love with the reveal! So happy! I’ve finished up clue 1 & 4, and currently cutting out clue number 3 to use as leaders and Enders… I will have to do clue 2 next or else I’ll never do the borders because I like it without them and hate FG. But I do prefer the quilt with the FG border.

also I miss cut 1.5 inch strips earlier, and I’ll be able to
use up some of that in the quilt!

Iceblossom

OK, I think it is safe to use numbers now and talk other stuff. I'm working in groups of 5, and have been making 5 extra each step.

I thought the geese would be used as a wide sashing along with blue cornerstones. LOL, did not see/expect that border from the geese even though I know she has us do the border parts early in the process,

Yesterday I got my sashing and cornerstone fabrics cut and then started assembly of a set of Alternate blocks. Almost done, and then I will sort out the Lupine Star blocks, I'm keeping everything different among the fabrics. That is, for each step/sub unit the background is different from the next subunit.

I will have to look at the inner border a bit -- my initial idea is to use the Kaffe Fassett from Barb. I'm not really sure that is the best choice and with my fabrics maybe one of the other fabrics that just didn't make the project (too dark a gray for example) might be better suited.

Maybe I can get some pix today... should have something ready to show by tomorrow. This black background makes some of the design interplay in ways I didn't really see. Sometimes it is just the combination of fabrics and it will be fun to see it spread out a bit!

Iceblossom

I'm pretty happy with my Alternate blocks but am not liking how my corner squares (pink = my white) are working with the blue (my black and white) sashing in the Lupine Star blocks. I'm going to go ahead and keep on putting together the blocks and sashing but not finishing them with the center sashing unit.

I'm going to look at how the design pulls together and consider using a consistent square, possibly being the same as the inner border piece.

Decisions, decisions...

Quossum

While I was sad that I just wasn’t able to keep up with the clues, I’m still really pleased with the reveal and will keep churning forwards!

I’m hard at work on the step with all the HST—isn’t that step *gulp* THREE? Oh, well, as we know, it’s not a race, so I’ll keep on keeping on!

Iceblossom

Keep on keeping on Quossum!

Here's my first looks. Changing to monochrome is quite the adjustment, especially using the black as a background. I feel my Alternate blocks are pretty cool, nice 3D effect. The Stars of the Lupine Block get rather lost in comparison.

First picture shows the block as designed but with my color switches, that is a White (pink design) center. Some of my Black & White (blue design) do not have enough print and the centers get lost.

Second picture shows the same block but the center replaced by Gray (ok, is a black piece I turned inside out for comparison). I feel it helps bring in the Gray petals, swirling around the center instead of just being lost.

Third picture shows a random placement of blocks on top of the charcoal gray I am considering for the inner border and all the block centers. You can see it in the top row the center blocks and the edge.

joe'smom

That's looking fabulous, Iceblossom! Call me contrary, but I prefer the white cornerstone; if you look at your thumbnails above, I think the gray gets more lost than the white, whereas the white draws the eye to the center, and then you take in the whole block at once. With the gray, my eye is wandering around the thumbnail block trying to find a focal point. Your instincts were great for picking your substitute colors!

This is the first week I felt like ditching my Indigo Way and focusing on the mystery, but I'm telling myself that my way to the mystery units is through my UFOs. I've started on my bottom half of IW.

Iceblossom

Thanks for the input, Joe'smom. I still have plenty of the alternate blocks to make and can make the two sides of the Lupine Star blocks (I think of it as Cross and Crown, but it's not quite that either). Just keep the sashing together with it until I decide.

What I'm seeing from the distance shot is the really strong white crosses, and the stars are pretty much completely lost. Maybe that will be ok with more blocks. I can show some of the problem blocks, but in that first picture the bottom two show the white mattress pad and that gives sort of an idea.

A half yard will be enough to make the inner border and the center blocks. If I have a 2-yard piece, I can make the binding with it as well.

I'm thinking the charcoal is too dark, in natural light you can see it is indeed quite a bit lighter than the blacks, and much darker than the gray. I think I need a more medium color.

When my favorite fabric store was going out of business, they were selling the bolts at a set price (I'm forgetting -- like $10 for what was left on the bolt??). I got pretty much a full bolt of the piece shown in the first picture. I feel it is too dark and the scale is too large for the 1" finish sizes, but that it could be used for the little centers, the inner border, the binding -- and the back as well! Which is a compelling argument for use

The other picture I pulled back a bit from the charcoal so it could be seen more. I love how the gray and white brightens everything up -- but I'm going for the black background. Above is a 50/50 black gray where I have the two yards, but I think it is too dark as well.

Gemm

There are some really interesting secondary patterns coming up in your B&W version, Iceblossom - I'm really looking forward to seeing the finished quilt top!