Progress

It doesn't look significantly different, but the four columns on the left are now sewn together. I found a tutorial online that reminded me the easy way to sew hexagons together like this. You sew opposing triangles onto the hexagon to make a diamond, then sew the diamonds together on the diagonal. It actually goes together pretty quickly. I don't know what I am going to do about the border on the top and bottom yet, or what color I'm going to use there.

I'm having fun now that I finally figured out how to put it together so I like it.

No Really, This IS the Final Design (I think)

 I was mistaken, that previous post was not the final design. I think I like this one better. I finally realized today why it's called a design wall. Ha!

These are the same colored triangles as before, but with the black I think it makes a calmer design, and with the colors, more interesting. I'll have to recut the triangles, they're not big enough now with the black borders on all the hexagons, but I do like this one a lot, and as a bonus, I get more quilt from the same number of hexagons because they are now larger.

Decided on the Final Design

I decided that the color I wanted to use black for the sashing. I really like the way it makes the blocks look much less busy, and then it really makes the colors pop.

This is going to take me a while. Each block takes about five minutes per block, but I really do like it.

One or Two?

 Left or right? One or two?

Looking at the layout for a while I knew it was just TOO much.

So I removed the stars and I like it better already. Still very busy however.

Move the hexagons apart. I think I like that better still. I don't know if I want white between or not,but I definitely think it's better with more space between the hexagons.

Too Much?

Well, here is what I am working on now. I liked the diagram, but with the actual blocks, it may be too busy. I'm going to have to live with it for a bit before I decide if I am going to put it together or not.

I can't decide right now if it just too much. The colors certainly are bright though. Maybe if I use more pastel colors for the interspersed triangles like the pink and lavender on the left side.

Electric Seam Ripper

 How lazy can one be, you ask. Well, I saw one of these and thought it was so cool, but I just couldn't justify spending $20 or more. It just looked like a trimmer to me, and you know what, it is.

I kept looking until I found this. It came with a brush, blade protector, oil, and if you feel the need a couple of covers so you can trim you dog's or cat's (I'd love to see that) face or paw hair. The cost? $8.08 plus tax.

I could justify $8. I've spent $5 on not very good seam rippers before. I got one, I have already used it, and it works! Get yours today online from Wally World. If you want to see how to use one, just search on youtube, there are plenty of videos.

If I had only had this when I unstitched all the quilting I did in this quilt.

Oh, and lest I forget, what to do about all those little bits of thread. I've used tape before, or tape rollers, but the trouble I find with them is that they pull off edge threads. I don't like this. I was in a fabric store a while back and saw one of these. They work really well at picking up the threads. I have to tell you, I found the seam ripper itself not very good. In fact, I've glued mine closed. I just use it for the soft end. It works really well.

Stack n Whack parts

Here is the fabric I am using for the stack n whack blocks. I saw it a couple of years ago and had to have it. I thought it would make great blocks and it does.  It is a Laurel Burch fabric. If you look you'll see there really isn't a lot of variety in the fabric, but I think it will work out anyway.

The fabrics for the stars that surround the blocks was going to be purchased, but then I was looking for something else in the storage under my cutting table and saw the box of Kona fat quarters I got when I participated in a swap a while ago. Good thing I lost something. These are the colors I chose. I'm happy that I haven't purchased anything yet, all of this was from my stash...so far. I may need to buy fabric for the borders.

And here are the blocks I've made so far. I think they are fabulous. I love the variety, the bright colors, the swirling shapes. I just love stack n whack, what can I say. I'm a simple person.

Up Next-Stack n Whack

 So this is the design (sort of) for the next quilt. The hexagons are the kaleidoscope blocks below, and the colors will be taken from the fabric so they are harmonious. The stack n whack blocks are about 6.5 inches finished so the quilt will be about 67 x 52 (at the moment).

I love making these blocks, they are easy, and the blocks are each a surprise.

Whew! That was fun!

What a challenge! I like the design and how it turned out but I didn't think about how I was going to piece it when I designed it. I enjoyed the process though and I can now piece patterns with partial seams without blinking an eye...I did a lot of them.

I think I am going to add a border, but I don't know what yet. maybe a darker green, maybe a blue, maybe both.

The top is about 90 x 60 right now, which makes it an oversize twin. I have a queen bed for the guest room, maybe I'll enlarge it to fit that bed.

I ended up cutting the pieces to fill in the background all at once, and then having to recut them because I estimated wrong. Of course I had already partially sewn a number of them in before I realized. There is one background piece that still needs to be taken out an replaced (upper right). It's about 1/2 inch too short. I was tired so I'll do it later.

Travels-Ireland

I love stained glass, here is just a sample from St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin.

This is from the Museum of  Decorative Arts and History. I love the design for such a practical piece. This is used for toasting biscuits.

A stacked stone wall in Glendalough; patterns everywhere.

 I love windows and doors. This one is also in Glendalough.

This sculpture is in Dingle. I thought at first it was actually rope that had been coated or painted, but is is bronze. The texture is amazing.

I love the Dingle Peninsula. This was on the way around the peninsula, after Ballyferriter, or more correctly Baile an Fheirtéaraigh.

 The sky, the land, the stone walls.

A round tower seen from the grounds of the Irish National Museum of Country Life near Westport.

Through the window at the Gallarus Oratory.