More often than not, my Sunday sketches are based on standard quilt ‘units’ (squares, rectangles, half-square triangles, drunkard’s paths, etc.), so the designs would be (relatively) easy to make into actual quilts. Occasionally I’ll design something that would require templates and/or paper piecing to accomplish. This week’s sketch is definitely one of those rare occasions where I’m really not sure how I’d approach the construction. I know it would be possible, but I don’t necessarily think it would be easy.

This week’s sketch is another one that’s probably leaning more traditional/contemporary than modern. Or maybe modern traditional?

The design is block based, with the setting on point. I’ve alternated the colouring between adjacent blocks: acid lime on dark blue (which looks black here), or dark blue on acid lime. That lets the elements along the sides of the blocks merge into those of the adjacent blocks, so it’s less obvious where the edges of the blocks are.

Playing with the background colour reveals where the block’s edges are – you can see them more clearly in the blocks at the top and sides in these versions.

And although I really love the simplicity and Art Deco feel of this design, expanding the colour palette presents the opportunity to play with some of the shapes and introduce a bit more visual interest and movement.

So, back to the question of how to actually make this one. It’s all straight lines, which would lend itself to paper-piecing, but you’d need quite a few templates for each block (maybe 4?) and would then need to join them carefully to make sure the seams were lined up. Another option would be to create small templates and use English paper-piecing (which I’ve never tried; I don’t do hand-sewing). I guess it would be possible to just cut the pieces out using templates and use normal machine-sewing to piece them, but I feel like you’d have to be super-precise with cutting and piecing. I’m probably make it out to be more difficult than it actually would be. Now I’m thinking I should just try it and see?!