More on the theme of overlapping octagons.

The colour combinations with designs like these are almost endless, and provide the perfect opportunity for creating transparency effects.

Even the simpler, more regular patterns create lots of interesting little secondary shapes. Squares within squares within squares.

As with my previous octagon-based designs, these ones could be made using mostly squares, half-square triangles and quarter-square triangles. Setting on-point might be easier, as it would require mostly squares, quarter-square triangles and rectangles.

Overlapping octagons make some lovely secondary shapes…

Three different shades highlight where the octagons overlap once, twice or three times.

This design could be made as-is using squares, rectangles and half-square triangles. Or you could turn it 90 degrees and make it on point using mostly squares and rectangles and a few quarter-square triangles. Following the shading shown here, you’d need only 4 colours.

This design would be perfect for playing with transparency – combining fabric and colours to create the effect of translucent layers. To see what I mean, check out my Pinterest board Quilts: Transparency.