WIP: "Sparkling Gemstones" part 3: finishing

time to add the border

I finally have all of my strips matched (at the seams) and sewn together. It took me longer than it should have because I did not cut carefully (I was anxious to get sewing and allowed myself to hurry), so I had to remove some seams, re-square my blocks, and start again.

I am thrilled with the result. Properly measured and squared blocks allow for much simpler seam matching.

I've been working in my partially finished studio, mostly to get a good sense of how I use the space and what storage and what surfaces I want where. The photo below is taken with the quilt top hanging on my quasi-design wall. I can see immediately (as can you) that I need to consider better lighting for taking photos.

I must consider different lighting

The next task is to square my quilt top, cut and add a border, and then consider the quilting. Right now, I'm considering hand quilting this one. I found the jelly rolls and background fabric at Jocelyn & Co. in Gimli. As usual, Jocelyn helped me to decide which colours to highlight. I love her sense of colour. Jocelyn also creates a lot of her own quilt patterns; some she packages and sells. I have at least two of her quilt designs and selected fabrics somewhere in my fabric storage. The pattern is Pam and Nicky Lintott's Sparkling Gemstones

My honey really likes this version of Sparkling Gems. It reminds him of the summers of his childhood: the blue of the lakes, the green of the vegetation, and the browns of the beaches.

I love the optical illusion quilts like this engender. I used to know what caused our brains to see movement and lines that are not straight, even though I know they are straight. A long time ago, I studied the "Psychology of Perception" at university. I loved the course and the professor was one of the best I had. I should do a little research and figure this out again. I digress.

choosing accents: add a strip of blue?

For the border, I was initially thinking of adding a narrow strip of blue next to the pieced top, then a narrow strip of bright green, and then the wider blue border.

thanks for the tip, Mom... no narrow blue accent

Through several texts and photo exchanges with Mom, I decided to ditch the narrow strip of blue and locate the bright green next to the pieced squares.

(Thanks Mom for suggesting that I try dark greens and off-whites for the border accent.) I am pleased.

Like a few other quilt tops, Sparkling Gemstones is "finished" for now. I must choose how it will be quilted and I have other projects with looming deadlines. Until then....

Projects awaiting a backing, batting, and a decision about stitching.


Posting to TN&TN's WIP Wednesday.