With orange ending and pink beginning, I felt like trying a new block this week. I've seen it many times, but don't know the name, except that it is a star block. I like the version with a central focus fabric. I opened a brand new charm pack with lovely prints and found a floral in a peach tone. What better time to use it than as a bridge between orange and pink.
If anyone knows the name of the block, please let me know. I have made it 8.5 inches unfinished. That is one of my standardCynthia sizes so it can be combined with other blocks.
To finish my orange blocks I made my two Geese Migration pieces. I realized that what I've been doing with these every month is using the two blocks as a study in values. I'm not sure what had in mind when she first made these blocks, but they have turned out that way for me.
Here is the light orange block.
The first fabric I choose is the solid sky triangle solid color, this one in pale orange. Then I make the geese progressing from lightest to maximum dark. I do the same for the 2.5 inch squares in each row. You can see the value in tone, as well as I could make it. For the darker block I've tried to do the same thing.
This practice in tonal values is always a challenge. Adding prints into the mix makes it more complicated, but it's just a matter of trial and error until I step back and squint, which shows it up better. Give that a try on these two blocks side by side.
I hope it helps others who may have a hard time getting the concept to work in their projects.
This practice in tonal values is always a challenge. Adding prints into the mix makes it more complicated, but it's just a matter of trial and error until I step back and squint, which shows it up better. Give that a try on these two blocks side by side.
I hope it helps others who may have a hard time getting the concept to work in their projects.
I am linking up with
I think you have been doing a great job with the light and dark geese blocks. Orange is especially challenging with value, I think. So is red. Pink and peach always seem like a separate colors from orange and red to me?
ReplyDeleteYou made me positively giggle, stand back and squint indeed, it's the advice you gave me for my vision problems and it works great. I love your geese migration blocks in both tones, you seem to have a never ending supply of perfect fabrics, I would love to have a rummage in your stash, goodness knows what I would find.
ReplyDeleteYou've made a basic sawtooth star. I found the tonal value changes in Geese Migration challenging, as well, but I wasn't using prints; I was using Asian taupes that are a lot of the same value. Definitely stretched me.
ReplyDeleteVery cool Migration blocks! :D
ReplyDeleteGeese Migration is on my list of 'someday' quilts. I love your blocks, and I'm looking forward to playing with value.
ReplyDeleteYour star is usually called Sawtooth Star, but it's such an old pattern that it actually has a million names. It's one of my favorite stars to play with!
I love your orange geese blocks! That's going to be a spectacular quilt. That happy coral star at the top is a Sawtooth Star, one of the first blocks I ever made. My grandmother made them, so they've been around forever. Have a happy week!
ReplyDeleteYour geese blocks are wonderful, and a great value study. Mine, unfortunately, are dictated more by the scraps I have on hand. You go, girlfriend!
ReplyDeleteYour new star will be fun in lots of colors, Paula! I love the orange Geese Migration blocks, too - especially the way they move from lighter shades to darker. That is a very challenging thing to accomplish!
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ReplyDeleteYour blocks look great! (And I need to work on proofreading.)
ReplyDeleteYour sawtooth star is great. Two orange blocks both look so different. I never thought about light and dark orange before this month.
ReplyDeleteI love showcasing prints in sawtooth stars like you've done with yours. I admire the migrating geese blocks you've made too. What a great exercise in value.
ReplyDeleteI am really enjoying seeing your Geese Migration blocks. I took that class from Cynthia and so far have only made three blocks but I plan on making more someday. It's fun seeing other examples.
ReplyDeleteGreat Geese Migration blocks - you can definitely see the contrasts in color value - great use of prints, too!
ReplyDeleteI love these scrappy blocks, they are such a great combo of prints.
ReplyDeleteWhen I teach my Geese Migration quilt, I wait until the end of the class to point out that the block is really about colorwork. So many quilters don't have color confidence. You are sure making some beautiful blocks. Nice job!! Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea to try some traditional Sawtooth Stars and I keep thinking I'll have to try those Geese Migration blocks someday. Yours are sure fun with some of those prints.
ReplyDeleteI always forget what that star is called too... it is lovely and that centre fabric is the perfect mix of the two colours for the start of the new month.
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