This week’s sketch reminds me of poinsettias, which are always popular around Christmas, so it seemed appropriate to post it today!

I started out with a simpler block, featuring all straight lines: a sort of a figure-8 shape spanning diagonally across the block, with extra squares in the opposite corners. Once I’d rotated and tiled the block, and added some thin sashing, I ended up with this grid-full design. Which is OK, but nothing earth-shattering.

That version reminded me a little of Sunday sketch #473, which used kite shapes instead of squares but had the same kind of arrangement. But in squares it’s not so interesting.

So next I decided to replace the straight lines with curves. You can see the original block below, plus the curvy version. OK, I’ve kept some of the straight lines, but replaced others with curves. (As I write this blog post, I’m wondering what it would’ve looked like if I’d changed all the straight lines to curves… I will try that and post that version soon!)

Tiling the new block – while keeping the same orientation and sashing – is suddenly much more interesting! I can see sawtooth star-like shapes emerging, and circles created by four adjacent blocks.

   

Some of the spaces between the blocks feel kinda empty though. Since there’s sashing, there are sashing cornerstones, so perhaps I could colour those little squares in? That gives the eye little jumping off points or places to rest for a bit.

   

Those part-circles around the outer edges aren’t doing anything for me, so I’ll remove them. That helps the sawtooth star shapes to shine a little more, I think.

   

I really like the two-colour version, but it works in three colours too. Here are all six versions in a three-colour palette (with this particular colour placement; obviously there are others!).

   

   

   

There are nine ‘main’ sawtooth star shapes, but another four hidden inside. They can be coloured another way to differentiate them. Here they are in the two-colour palette again…

…and then in the three-colour palette.

   

   

There aren’t that many discrete shapes to play with, but even so, there are lots of colouring options. Previously I left the centre square of the sawtooth star shapes ’empty’ (i.e. coloured using the background colour), with the inner circle in another colour. But here I’ve coloured in that square and left the inner circle ’empty’. Somehow that emphasises the larger squircle shapes that draw your eye around and around this design. I love this version!

   

This is one of these fairly simple designs that just delights me. Super-cute and fun! To make it into a quilt, you’d need big and small squares, quarter-circles, some skinny curves, and some rectangles. I’ve never pieced skinny curves like this, but I’m very tempted to try.

Anyway, if you’re celebrating Christmas this week, Merry Christmas!