Last January I took Rob Appell's Color Strata class with my guild. Then the project remained in its project box until I added it to my UFO Challenge sheet in position #6 and it was chosen for January for the APQ UFO Challenge. My strata were all pieced in class, using a Kona roll-up of Christa Watson's Designer Palette. This month I've taken it from six pieced panels to a finished (and basted) nearly twin sized quilt top. Quilting is underway, but I wanted to share my January progress. I'm thrilled with how far it's come. And I look forward to finishing it up and submitting it to my guild quilt show.
I cut my strata sections into 6 1/2" wide strips (I have a few leftover strips for some future project... it's like my UFO birthed another UFO). At this point I played with them on my design wall and ultimately decided to use two strips in each column, connecting the green ends.
The original strata (see top picture) is built with three different widths of pieces which leads to a variety of sizes in the finished panels. I used this in my design by building out from the longest section in the center.
I had originally purchased three yards of the blue fabric for the class. I wish I'd bought more, but I was wary of buying additional fabric from a different dye lot. In the end, the limited amount of blue added to my challenge. I drew out a sketch to scale and then calculated the yardage required for my design. I had to redesign slightly to get it under 3 yards. The redesign simply made the long skinny vertical pieces of blue narrower. The trickiest part of the project was cutting these 2 3/4" x 95" pieces of fabric!
As I worked on piecing my columns, I really liked this intermediate step where all the strata touched. It may inspire a new project to use my leftover bits.
The title, No Purple, came from my surprise at how many different colors are in this quilt, yet none of my favorite color. That sure doesn't happen very often. Here's the finished quilt top.
The backing is pieced and quilting is underway. I shopped my stash and found these two fabrics to use for the backing.
Thank you for visiting! I'm looking forward to seeing which UFO off my list I'll be working on in February.
I'm linking up to the January OMG Finish post.
Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
The way the colors move in the quilt top makes it have a vibrating, pulsing effect for me. I actually really want to show this to my husband and see if it interacts with his synesthesia in any particular way! Congratulations for meeting your goal; it sounds like it will be a finished quilt in the near future, too. :)
Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
So my husband just got home and he said, "It's an absorption spectrum!" :)
sarah
Post authorNeat! I'm glad you both enjoyed it! :-) For other readers, from dictionary.com
absorption spectrum
noun, Physics.
1. the spectrum formed by electromagnetic radiation that has passed through a medium in which radiation of certain frequencies is absorbed.
sarah
Post authorThank you, Yvonne. I'm glad you enjoyed it. :-)
Emily
Reminiscent of an equaliser on a stereo :)
sarah
Post authorI hadn't thought it that, but yes! Thank you for visiting, Emily.
Anja @ Anja Quilts
That's funny that's there no purple. But it makes for a great quilt name. LOL It looks amazing. As I've seen it progress, I couldn't picture how it was going to look in the end. Job well done.
sarah
Post authorThank you, Anja. I didn't really have a final vision until I cut it up this month. I knew I didn't want to do a whole bunch of smaller pieces. The 6" wide sections made the quilt top go together pretty quickly. Does it inspire you to make a quilt entitled "No Orange"? ;-)
Patty
This looks fabulous! Thanks for linking up with Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal and congrats on your finish!
sarah
Post authorThank you, Patty. Thanks for hosting!
tisha @ quiltytherapy
Lovely top. That blue contrast is perfect. Wonder what it would have looked like in purple. Ha! Great backing fabric too.
sarah
Post authorThanks Tisha. I'm glad I went super bold. ;-) Purple could have been fun, too.