Trips Around the Block Finished

Although Trips Around the Block has been finished for a while, it's been almost impossible to photograph. It's too large for the design wall or the floor. I finally got this photo of the entire quilt at the guild meeting although it has serious issues. Even holding the quilt overhead, it drapes down the stairs and onto the lower floor for a slightly cockeyed view. Additionally, the top is overexposed by light from the windows while the bottom is in shadow. But this was my first view of the entire quilt full-on and it looks very different than the partial and low angle views I'd had before!

Trips Around the Blocks

It fits our current bed with room to tuck the pillows under the quilt. Hopefully this will keep dust and pollen off the pillows. I started this quilt in August 2013 and finished in June 2014 - much too long. But what did I do when I finished? Yes. I started another. So time is not relevant.

Trips Around the Block

The center is a two-block variation of Trip Around the World: one block is a Mini Trip and the alternate is an X-block.

I invented five rules for this quilt.

1. Use darkish blues and greens for the main Xs. 
2. Use more lights. 
3. Include 60 degree angles on the border.
4. Make the border lighter in value.
5. The Xs are the darkest values in the quilt.

What happened? I was 'Seduced by the Dark Side.' I used four black patches in one block. That was all. Then I thought they looked lonesome. The plan flew out the window. I still like the occasional black near the center of the Trips but don't like it competing with the blues near the Xs. I wish I'd consistently used lights on each side of the X because it has a more delicate feel.

Trips Around the Block - Detail

I downloaded isometric graph paper here that I used to design the border. Such fun! Try it yourself sometime.

Trips Around the Block - detail of corner

Leftover ribbon fabric makes a wide stripe on the back. I quilted on my home Bernina with 50/2 Aurifil in grey, black, white and pink. The center is a simple grid using a walking foot but the border has several different free motion quilting designs. The orange peel in the white background needed registration markings that took quite a while. I think it was worth the effort although there were many heavy sighs during the process.

Trips Around the Block - back view

Here's a list of my multitudinous postings for more information.

Trips Around the Block
More Trips
Progressing
The X-Blocks
Border Ideas
Tutorial
Working on the Border
Finished Border

Let me know if you have another question.

Enjoy the day, Ann