Saturday, July 29, 2017

CCII Outer Border

CCII

Driving myself crazy with the outer border. The first triangles were cut from scraps but then... I automatically cut WOFs and ended up with too much red. The border looks charming and lively but it simply doesn't go with the center.

Outer border on CCII: Stacked Bricks

What if I turned the border the other way? That doesn't excite me.

Outer border with light triangles to inside

So I added the blues I discussed last time.

Adding a few blue triangles to the outer border

What about more blue and green fabrics? What about replacing the yellow with purple. Colorful but quieter. I also inserted a narrow section of yellow and red to see if an inner border might help as Angie suggested.

CCII with more blue and purple in outer border

Working with freehand cut triangles is quite different. Since the widths vary, it's impossible to fit the border exactly. After I pressed the strips, they needed a few adjustments to straighten the rows. If these rows were being used to make Endless Mountains, straightening wouldn't be necessary.

I'm going to let this sit on the design wall for a while. Is it too restrained? Should the yellow reappear in pennants or as an inner border or not at all? Mary at Fleur de Lis Quilts suggested small clusters of color groups and that may be what's needed here.

The corners will be the next issue. Some of my previous ideas probably won't work with this border.


Yosemite

We took a quick trip to Yosemite earlier this month stopping to enjoy this iconic view of El Capitan on the left, Clouds Rest {love that name} and Half Dome in the distance, and Bridalveil Falls in front of Cathedral Rocks on the right. This view has been painted and sketched since the 1850s.

Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View

Due to the record snowfalls last winter, all the falls were still running. All but Bridalveil are seasonal and usually dry up before mid-July.

After touring the valley floor, we took a bus to Glacier Point. Every view is awe-inspiringly scenic.  Overhanging Rock is the site of another famous photo. Two waitresses danced on it in 1900. This image is still sold as postcards today. As you can imagine, the outcrop is fenced off from the public now. Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls pours down across the valley.

Overhanging Rock and Yosemite Falls
from Glacier Point

Turning slightly we looked up Tenaya Creek with Royal Arches on the left and Half Dome on the right. It's the opposite view from Olmstead Point. As a geologist that view excites me even more. I feel like the glacier starting to carve the valley.

Royal Arches and Half Dome from Glacier Point

We visited before the fire started. The smoke now masks views of Half Dome in the valley. And that's the least of the problem.

Enjoy the day, Ann

28 comments:

Barb said...

Great quilt - love that border.
Wonderful photos of Yosemite! the link to the dancing girls was great.

liniecat said...

Hadn't known about where the dancing girls had been but know the picture well.
Wonderful scenery and what force it took to cave such impressive structures, remarkable.
Love the quilt, maybe your too close to it now to see it's character and are too immersed in balancing colours lol
I'd cheat and applique larger stars in a brighter colour over the red ones to balance it out if I could be bothered.
But actually, I reckon it's a dream cover just as it is, but then I don't do regulated symmetry and find the spontaneous irregular rather wonderful!
It's fabulous :)

Monica said...

Great photos! Half Dome looks higher than I remember from that angle. The first time I saw the Dancing Girls photo was right there at the site. That's when you get the full impact! I like heights but I remember that my friend couldn't even look long at the photo. LOL, still laughing at that!

On the quilt, I like the balance of yellows in the first photo, and the addition of blues. It's looking great, Ann!

LA Paylor said...

Off the wow meter! The quilt is TERRIFIC as is, but I always think that til you add the next important border. Yosemite! I've never been. If we complete this move to Colorado we'll be within distance to one day go there!

Angie in SoCal said...

Would inner border work to tame the fit of those pennants? Your photos are worthy of a National Geographic cover. Thanks for sharing,

Glen QuiltSwissy said...

I have those same photos from two or three visits to Yosemite over the years. I never get enough of it. I empathise with that border problem. Looks like you are working it out. I really like what is happening to the piece.

Mel Beach said...

I remember thinking more red triangles...but agree that they overpower the stars in the body of the quilt. More colors add sparkle. I am a firm believing in giving quilts time to allow design ideas to percolate...unless of course there is a looming deadline, in which case--make it work!!

Ann said...

I've always been amused by the dancers but didn't know who they were until I went to Yosemite.

Ann said...

Yosemite is a geologists dream. In fact, all of California is. Wyoming's another favorite state.
Yes, I am too close to this and have a great tendency to fret. Hence the name of my blog. Ha.
I hadn't thought of appliqueing stars over the reds. I had thought about adding red circles to the light triangles. Thanks.

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

Your quilt is looking good, and I like it with more blues too! I wasn't sure, but are you free hand cutting those penant triangles? And just reading back thru' the comments, still a few more ideas to explore!

Quiltdivajulie said...

What if you try a narrow border of the lime-ish green you used for sashing on the interior of the quilt before you start the border (which I much prefer with more blue and purple rather than red and yellow). And somehow the pennants themselves bother me - perhaps they are too tall in relation to the rest of the quilt? Can you tuck them further under the quilt to see how they look if they're shorter? Definitely time to let things marinate for a few days. I love this project and I know you'll finish it out magnificently!!

Ann said...

The view was amazingly high at Glacier Point. I love the comparison of this with the view from Olmstead Point. The slick rock is similar but you're looking from near the glacier's head to the deepest coverage in Yosemite Valley. Oddly, the glaciers didn't cover Glacier Point or Half Dome.
I've got myself thoroughly wound up about this quilt. I could spend days sewing/unsewing/moving pennants. Time to give it a rest. I like the bit of yellow, too. But also like the additional blues.

Ann said...

There are so many wonderful sites in Colorado or nearby: Dinosaur, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon, Estes Park, Garden of the Gods, etc. Bent's Fort is interesting but terribly hot in summer. It takes a couple of days to drive to CA but again, many fabulous sites on the way. The Great Basin is such a unique area, in part because the water doesn't drain anywhere. Alkali flats, salt. What a great time you will have.

Ann said...

Since the width of each pennant is slightly different, each side would need a different adjustment. I may use the corners to adjust the fit. We'll see. Thanks for the ideas. Everyone has their own viewpoint and it helps to hear ideas I hadn't considered.

Ann said...

It is amusing that I was taking photos with my phone next to people with all sorts of specialized cameras. And they look like amateurs compared to some of the equipment I've seen. And, as you noted, we all end up with similar results. Those views don't change much from year to year. Sometimes I think I should never take photos again, just purchase from the experts. I did put the camera away and just took in the views with my eyes. So moving.

Ann said...

We are on the same wavelength. I like the red triangles but am happier when they are gone. Ah, well. They will fit somewhere else. This quilt definitely needs some time... or I do. I've got myself all twisted around. No deadline here, unlike you!

Ann said...

Yes, the pennants are free-hand cut. These isosceles triangles have much more variability than the half rectangles I made for the spiderweb quilt. It is time to take a short break and let these sit for a while.

Ann said...

I haven't tried that because the inner border has light green on the outside. Not sure how that will work but you're correct. I should try it. I deliberately made cut the pennants twice the width of the inner border. It will be smaller with a trim. I want both the dark and light sides to overlap rather than gap. We'll see. Thanks for the suggestions.

Audrey said...

Now that you have more border pieces I can see why you're going light on the outside. It's really starting to glow esp in the last picture where the you took out the yellow. Love how it looks sweeter somehow probably because it's more mellow.😊 I'm sure you'll find the perfect solution, you always do! I've never been to Yosemite, looks like a magnificent place!

Momma Lynne said...

Love the inner borders. Love the pennant pointing outwards. There are so many great ideas in your quilt. You have become an inspiration for those of us who have not tried this style before.

Juliana said...

Your quilt is beautiful, but I wanted to comment on your photos and commentary on Yosemite. Thank you for including all of that in this post. I appreciated your juxtaposing your new photos with some history (both natural and human) of each shot. I'm not sure I've ever seen Half Dome in exactly that way before. So often the photo or painting emphasizes the formation from its flat side. Your photo made me understand for the first time what 'half dome' really means, and I loved how you showed the valley with it.

Ann said...

I'm in "light outer border" mode these days. I think you're right; the last version looks more mellow. When I look back at the photos it is quieter but cohesive. The first version is very happy but doesn't go with the center as well.

Ann said...

Thanks, Lynne. I like the pennants pointing out, too. The inner border is from Sujata Shah's book, Cultural Fusion Quilts. Lots of fun to work with her ideas. I like reading how and why others make their decisions so I try to include similar information.

Ann said...

Yosemite is a rare treat. I think everyone's photos look fabulous there. Oddly enough one of the rangers told us Half Dome is about 80%. You can certainly see it in this view. There's an amazing difference in the alley depth at Olmstead Point and here that shows quickly glacial ice built up as it traveled down from the peaks.

Kaja said...

Yosemite looks awesome! I like where your border is heading, the last version you show is maybe a bit quieter than the earlier ones but the centre part of the quilt really seems to be glowing. Nearly there, I think.

Mystic Quilter said...

The idea of adding a narrow border sounds and looks interesting. The narrow strip you have tried on the RH side just gives that little break before the triangles. I also like that you have the blues in there.

Ann said...

I think that's what I've been working towards. I thought a colorful border would work but it takes all the attention. The quieter border helps the center glow.
We so enjoyed Yosemite. Next time we want to travel a bit further south and see Sequoia.

Ann said...

I can't quite make up my mind about the narrow border. While I like it in theory, I don't want it to steal attention from the center. Good thing I'm waiting a while.