Saturday, January 28, 2017

Adding a Second Sawtooth Border to the Spiderweb

Thanks for all the helpful comments. Your new ideas helped me clarify my thoughts. Being able to articulate them advances my understanding. Some suggestions might have worked better but I'm constrained by the fabric on hand. Running out of yellows {in addition to all the previous background fabrics.}

Several changes make me happier with this quilt. First, pulling some of the wider small triangles creates a more uniform narrow strip. Now it doesn't look so chaotic. More may come out. {There are probably enough leftovers for a new quilt. Sigh.}

I rotated the sawtooth borders so the yellow was on the outside. While it may look better against the toile, it's too dark against the applique vine. At least, it is for me.

Spiderweb quilt with Sawtooth border, yellow to outside.

I tried, without luck, to find something on hand for another narrow border. All the colors that might work are very short, not enough to go around. That worked for the vine border but I'm not ready to to carry it another round.

So I forged ahead with a second sawtooth border. This one is composed of 5" by 7.5" triangles cut casually around thirty degrees. The background fabrics are light greens this time. Even in this poor lighting, the color change emphasizes the yellows in the narrow sawtooth border while the size change balances the borders. And I like busy.

Spiderweb quilt with possible sawtooth borders pinned

Everything is still in rectangles but I feel more confident about sewing the borders. I'm more secure that I don't want another floater border. It would divide these into discrete rows which might make their improvisational character a distraction instead of a feature. Does that make sense? If everything was neat and tidy then floaters would highlight that aspect. Although scrappy, the spiderwebs are neat and regular. The color changes make your eyes move; the floater stops them.

The quilt fills the entire wall but the room is too small to take a full photo.


#AHIQChineseCoins

As soon as this is sewn I plan to pull fabric for #AHIQChineseCoins. I notice Julie's well into construction. What about you?

I've been looking over my Chinese Coins Pinterest board for a month now {Yeah, I started before everyone else} and several groupings come to mind. First is a "boxing" effect caused by using sashing fabric as some of the coins. Look at these examples.

Oldest is this 1930s Pennsylvania Amish quilt on this page. (The first link goes to a photo but the second goes to the site where it is published. The quilt is almost at the bottom but the entire article is enlightening.) She only used two fabrics. I see hints of both old Venetian blinds in an abandoned room and conversely, exotically folded fabrics such as Rami Kim creates.

Another 1930s example is this homespun Chinese Coins collected by Roberta Horton. (Again, first link = photo, second link = website.) The sashings are tan plaids. I'm not sure that any were used as coins but somehow there's a hint of "boxing" to me. And I admire the way the coins are all cut from plaids on the diagonal.

By using bright red sashing and a triple border, Jane Weston created a boxed feeling without using any of the sashing fabric as coins. The few, deliberately softer reds she chose as coins contribute to the "boxing" but I think the border is the biggest factor. Try covering up the border yourself to see what a difference it makes.

Finally, Summer Reading by Timna Tarr. By merely rotating her design ninety degrees she made the boxing effect into beautiful bookcases. {I love her color sense, too.}

Enjoy the day, Ann

26 comments:

Ariane said...

I love it! It's looking great with that extra border.

Quiltdivajulie said...

Thanks for the additional Coins references, Ann -- And yes, I'm happily stitching segments for the first of what may be several AHIQ coins quilts. (Liking the way you're going with your spiderweb quilt)

Angie in SoCal said...

I'm learning a lot from your progress and designing posts. Thanks! Love how this is turning out.

Nifty Quilts said...

This quilt looks great! The change in border direction was a good one.

Mystic Quilter said...

I love how this looks now with the two triangle borders and both facing outwards. Thanks for more Chinese Coins inspiration.

Ann said...

Thanks, Ariane. I think the combined border is more proportional to the rest of the quilt.

Ann said...

Wow, Julie, several. I hope people are inspired by some aspect of these variations. And I'm so excited to see what everyone comes up with.

Ann said...

How kind of you to write, Angie. I'm glad it's helping you. I gain by taking the time to write out my issues, read suggestions, and order my thoughts better. I usually just barrel ahead.

Ann said...

Thanks, LeeAnn. I'm much happier with it today than last week.

Ann said...

I'm glad you agree with me, Maureen. That second triangle border did the trick.
I hope people like the CC inspirations. Just trying to think about aspects that might inspire people to try their own variation of Coins.

Kaja said...

Yes, that works for me!

Kate @ Smiles From Kate said...

It's coming together great, I love reading your thought processes. Love your Chinese Coins Pinterest Board, and you so tempt me............

Ann said...

I'm glad, Kaja. Your quilts inspire me to improv.

Ann said...

Thank you for telling me you find these ponderings helpful. Slowing down and writing about stages is helping me try new stuff.
The board will be there whenever you want. This is just a way to encourage people to put a toe into the water of improv. It seemed easy for beginners with room for advanced quilters to grow, too. I'm not much on group projects myself so wasn't sure how much interest others would have.

Monica said...

I like the two sizes of triangles, and the green backgrounds. And I think that once you clean up the edges and sew it all together, the floaters may have been superfluous anyway. Almost there? I'm excited to see the finish!

Ann said...

Thanks, Monica. More often than not it's a lucky break to run out of fabric. That's how the green ended up in the outer border. Now I just need to sew the borders on.

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

It's looking good, love the extra border! Off now to catchup on more 'chinese coin' inspiration, thanx for links.

Mel Beach said...

Adding the second border adds so much sparkle!! Yes! Yes! Yes!

Ann said...

Thanks, Linda. I'm surprised how much better this looks with another border. I hope you enjoy looking at the coin quilts

Ann said...

It did, didn't it Mel. I was surprised... and relieved. I've used so much fabric.

Sujata Shah said...

Ann,

I am enjoying your thoughts on process. This quilt is certainly shaping into newer form as you go along. Busy is fun and I like it too!

patty a. said...

I do like the second smaller triangle border! I haven't started sewing together my Chinese coin yet. I needed a break from white, grey, and black and I am mulling around designs it in my head right now.

Ann said...

How kind of you to write, Sujata. This year I choose to slow down and write more about my thoughts. I'm glad others enjoy reading them. I certainly enjoy understanding how and why people made their decisions. After all, we are MAKERS, not just viewers.
You and I do like busy, don't we?
Safe travels.

Ann said...

I'm considering making a housewarming present of the Coins. They are not my colors, so consequently I, too, am mulling deeply. Thanks for letting me know you like the additional triangle borders.

Stephie said...

I love the sawtooth borders Ann, and two are definitely more effective than one. I like the way they add solidity back to the design and you chose the right way for them to face I think. They point inwards drawing your eye to what's going on inside the frame, rather than pulling your eye away. I look forward to seeing how they look when they're stitched together :)

Ann said...

Thanks for your insights, Stephie. I hadn't looked at it quite that way but two are more effective. And your other notes make me feel better about my choices because you've verbalized them. Perhaps we'll both have our quilts ready next month.