Distortions do. Good Stitches Quilt {Bloggers Quilt Show}

It's time once again for the Blogger's Quilt Festival, where all of us who wish we were in Houston console ourselves with our own quilt show. Which is totally better that Houston anyway, right? Maybe ;)

Every year it seems I am liking up my latest do. Good Stitches quilt for the show, but they really are usually my favorites and the ones I am most proud of.  This year is no exception. I designed this block based on the Fibonacci Sequence and the final quilt is called "Distortions" after the illusion of curves it creates.  You can read my tutorial for the block with explanations of the sequence and its significance here.

I asked my group members for blocks made in solid, boy-friendly colors and they delivered handily.  I didn't want to detract from the illusion is a lot of quilting so instead I used an invisible thread to try to amplify the curves.

For the backing I used the thematically-appropriate IKEA Numbers fabrics and a couple of stray blocks.

The quilt has since been sent to "My Very Own Blanket" a charity that provides quilts for children in foster care. Thanks, as ever, to my wonderful do. Good Stitches Circle!

I am linking up this quilt in the "Modern" category. You can see my other entry in the "Large Quilt Category" here.

Stats:
Block designed by me, tutorial here
Pieced by the members of the NURTURE circle of do. Good Stitches
Quilted by me on my home machine
Dimensions 50"x60"

Distortions {July do. Good Stitches}

The July Nurture Circle do. Good Stitches quilt is done!  I designed the block for this quilt based on the Fibonacci Sequence, a really cool natural, mathematical phenomenon. You can read the original post and tutorial for the block here.

Block tutorial available here

After seeing how well the final illusion works I decided to name this quilt Distortions.  It's the ratios of the blocks, from the Fibonacci Sequence, that creates the curving effect.

For the quilt each circle member made (2) 10" finished blocks (and a few made extra) to give us a 50"x60" finished quilt. I broke my own cardinal rule of quilt bees with this one: never request a block that will rely on seams matching up. But the girls in my group are superstars and it worked out fine!

I quilted the top with my walking foot with lines that follow the design.  It's easiest to see from the back. Thread choice for quilting was an issue with so many different fabrics in the top, I was afraid that highly contrasting thread would be distracting and detract from the illusion.

 
After researching I decided to try invisible thread and bought Sulky's clear poly.  I had read before that some invisible threads have issues with heat from an iron or the dryer. Although I never iron my finished quilts I do dry them. However, the Sulky thread had good reviews and after a couple trips through the dryer seems none the worse for wear. I have even found a few stray thread tails on my ironing mat and they don't seem to be affected by the heat.

Aesthetically the invisible thread worked perfectly. It seems to take on the color of whichever fabric is passes over.

Backing is the IKEA numbers print again. I figured it was perfect for a math-centric quilt. I also included the 4 extra quilt blocks I had and pieced the label right in.

This quilt will soon by on its way to My Very Own Blanket, a charity that gives blankets to children in the foster system.  Thanks as always to the ladies of the Nurture Circle, this was a fun one!

Linking to Finish it Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.

WIP Wednesday

Here we are at another Wednesday.  I am in a season of finishing WIPs, and it feels so good!  The fireman quilt is done, so look for that post Friday.  The July do. Good Stitches quilt is off the wall and waiting to be basted.

Block tutorial here

And this stack of blocks, all 112 of them, is ready to be assembled into a top.  It will be based on the "Easy Going Modern" pattern from Felicity Quilts.

Here's to WIPs on their way to finishes!  Linking to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

Fibonacci and Firemen

Design wall Monday again. My design wall has been busy since the Texas quilt came down! First up is the Fibonacci quilt for do. Good Stitches. Link to my tutorial is here.

I broke my own cardinal rule of bees with this quilt: never ask for a block where it will be critical that seams line up in the end!  Sure enough, they were all different sizes, but with a little fiddling I made it work.  And after quilting the fiddling won't be noticeable.

After getting the Fibonacci top sewn together I had to quickly put together this one for a friend of a friend diagnosed with leukemia.  Seems like he went from fine to dangerously ill in just a day :( Scary stuff.

The pattern is The Anna Quilt by Jibberish Designs.  I put the whole thing together in about 4 hours! he cute fireman fabrics come from the line "All Fired Up" by Dan Morris for RJR Fabrics.  

Wilson says "Dignity is an illusion."

So that's what I've been up to. The fireman quilt is basted and I am hoping to get it quilted Tuesday.  Linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.

Fibonacci block {do. Good Stitches, July}

This nicely complex block is a WHOLE lot easier to make than it looks.

(Edited to add: See the finished quilt here!)

It's July, and I'm so excited that it's my turn to host again in the Nurture Circle of do. Good Stitches!  This month we are all going to be making blocks based on the Fibonacci sequence.  The Fibonacci sequence is a mathematical concept that was discovered around 200 BC.  In fact, it's been around even longer than Fibonacci, who it's named after, but he introduced it to the western world, so he got the credit.

The sequence is a series of numbers where each number is the sum of the two previous numbers.  Traditionally the sequence starts with 1, but the numbers themselves aren't actually what is important, but the ratios between them.  The cool thing about this is that this sequence of numbers, these ratios, show up all over the place. 

The Golden Spiral for instance is made from boxes whose sides lengthen following the sequence.  This spiral shows up a lot in nature.

But it's not just nature, it's architecture, art, even web design.  The golden spiral is very pleasing to our eye.

Many trees have branches in combinations of the Fibonacci numbers and even in the bumps in their bark. Sunflowers and some other flowers have petals according to these numbers. It is nature's numbering system, for reasons that we don't entirely understand, but it is without a doubt both aesthetically appealing and efficient.  

I have been fascinated by the Fibonacci Sequence even since I learned about it in high school.  You can see in the image above how the sequence is used in this month's block.  With nature itself on our side we can't help but make a beautiful quilt, so let's get started!  This technique makes 2 blocks at a time, which is all I am asking you for, but in order for the design to look right I really will need a 6x6 layout (36 blocks). I am planning to make the extras myself, but if anyone wants to send extra I would appreciate it!

For this quilt I am thinking of colors similar to this quilt we did before. You will each need to choose 2 complimentary solids with a decent amount of contrast between them. (No pinks or purples please, let's keep it boy friendly.) Cut a 14" square from each solid.

Slice each of the squares into strips, (2) 1" wide, (1) each of 1.5", 2", 3", & 4.5". (There will be a narrow strip leftover which you can toss into the trash or your scraps.)

Swap every other strip between the sets to make 2 complimentary, inverted strip sets. Be careful to keep the strips in the right order.

Sew the two strips sets together into 2 new blocks and press toward the darker fabric. It's easiest to press as you go along, after adding each strip. (Normally I am not a stickler about pressing but in this case it is important. If one of the fabrics isn't obviously darker, just pick one to press toward, but keep it the same for both blocks.)  You might check your measurement here. At this point the blocks should measure 10.5" in their shorter dimension.

Square up one end of the strip sets.

Then slice off strips going crossways in the same measurements as before: (2) 1" wide, (1) each of 1.5", 2", 3", & 4.5".  Again there will be a bit leftover, but probably not much.

Again, swap every other strip between the two sets to create 2 complimentary blocks.

See how the seams nest? (Yes, sorry, the fabrics changed colors.)

 Sew these together carefully.  The pressed seams should nest, allowing you to get really crisp intersections without pinning (but absolutely do pin if you need to!)  Be careful that the ends line up; this time we don't have any to spare.

You can press these seams all the same direction, to whichever side you want.  Please do run a line of stay stitching around the block about 1/8" from the edge to protect seams from splitting in shipping or assembly.  You blocks should measure 10.5" square, but trust me I know how hard it is to stay precise with this many seams. As long as you are within a 1/4" or so don't stress and send what you've got.

Thanks so much for being an awesome group, Nurture Circle! I look forward to our finished quilt!

(Edited to add: See the finished quilt here!)