Tagged: squares

Sunday sketch #375

The last version of last week’s sketch introduced curves to two of the four corners in each block, but I felt like the centre of the block was a bit empty. So I added a new black shape: it’s square at the ends, to match the 90-degree angles of the black shapes in two corners, and rounded on the sides, to match the curves of the other two corners.

Colouring the background the same as one of the block colours ends up leaving the black shapes from those blocks just floating within the design, which I really like.

I switched yellow to black in EQ8, which made those ’empty’ blocks disappear into the background.

Here’s the full design again. I like how the blocks now seem reversed, with the key shapes being those in colour rather than those in black. Those leaf shapes in the centre of the blocks are now balanced with the circles and squares that are formed by 4 adjacent blocks.

I tried rotating all the blocks, and quite liked this version in which all the leaf shapes are parallel….

…and then decided I wanted to see what those leaf shapes looked like running vertically rather than diagonally. Setting the blocks on point changes the feel not just of the design but also of the blocks themselves, I think – possibly because I’ve used more in this version, and made them smaller.

Here’s another vertical layout.

I can’t decide which is my favourite! I think maybe the version with the yellow background – I like the interplay of the black shapes and the few ’empty’ blocks where the wrapped-lolly shape in the centre becomes more obvious.

This week’s sketches could be made using quarter-circles (or drunkard’s path units), squares, rectangles, and sashing.

Sunday sketch #374

I don’t often use prints in my designs (or my quilts), but this week I picked out some basic blender prints in EQ8 to subtly differentiate between the blocks.

This week’s sketch is a bit like Sunday sketch #162, but there are four dark corners in each block instead of two, two corners of the block are curved instead of square, and the sashing between the blocks is thinner than the rectangular parts of the block (rather than being the same thickness).

Because of the four dark corners in this week’s sketch, the design works well for a bit of transparency. But also just a two-colour palette (three if you count the background).

A bigger palette works too.

I also tried colouring in the full blocks. I haven’t decided yet how I feel about this one! I like how it emphasises the dark squares and that effect of that white grid in the foreground. But I kinda feel like the black squares in each block make less ‘sense’ like this.

I tried switching some to curves, to create interstitial circle rather than squares.

This last version sent me in a whole new direction, which I’ll share next week.

This week’s sketch could be made using rectangles, squares and quarter-circle units (or drunkard’s paths), plus some sashing.

Update (28 Feb 2024): I’ve just discovered that these designs are very similar to a quilt pattern released by Lynne Goldsworthy (@lilysquilts) in (at least) 2015. I can’t find The Tube Quilt pattern anywhere online anymore, but it may still be out there?

Sunday sketch #371

I mentioned last week that I love sticking stuff in circles, so – surprise! – here’s the next iteration of that design. I’ve increased the size of the central crosses and sashing so that I can squeeze in some eight-pointed stars where the crosses were.

Also, I think this might be my new favourite two-colour palette. Electric Quilt 8 says it’s Kona Oyster and Kona Torch, although I’m not sure they’d look exactly the same in real life.

The interstitial stars – the ones between the circles – are made from the sashing between the blocks. So they can go around the edges of the design too, and the centre squares can be coloured the same as the star or different. Lots of options!

I quite like a limited palette for simple designs like this, and I always love that dirty yellow with an off-black.

Or this dusky raspberry with the charcoal black. Yum.

The arms of the stars are long and thin, so I’d probably use templates (or the forthcoming HuRTy 2 ruler from Latifah Saafir, which will do 1:3 and 2:3 half-rectangle triangles). I’m not sure how small I could make triangles like that (and still have them be nice and crisp and straight). I should try it and find out!

Otherwise, this week’s design would be as easy to make as last week’s: a bunch of quarter-circles (or drunkard’s path units), some squares (for the middle of the stars) and rectangles for the sashing. You just need to pick your colours! 🙂