On the plus side +

I'm enjoying being on the plus side at the moment.
 

No not figure wise (having not lost the maternity weight and baby is 16months!) but a simple pieced pattern of pluses with low volume fabrics.
 

Lots of fun auditioning combo's until my 16month old decided they were fun to pull off the design wall and with his interest in posting all things in the rubbish bin - meant this had to return to being two rows at a high level at a time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A friend was inspired by some plus quilts  she had seen but made a simpler and fatter plus block. Yep for once I think fatter was better. The block is cut as:

•  Four 5" corner blocks in low volume fabrics
• Four 2 and 3/4" square low volume squares.
• Pluses are: Two 2and 3/4 squares, and a 7 and 1/4 long by 2 and 3/4" rectangle in a feature fabric.

 

(Thanks Rachel!) 
CHECK out her fab finished quilt...lovely modern fabrics, super long arm quilting....plus block quilt envy! http://www.flickr.com/photos/wooden_spoon/8965458502/
 

I could not resist playing with a few cut fabrics on the design wall to see what the finished block could look like!

 

 

 

Low volume is a trend in quilting at the moment.....lots of  lights for backgrounds profiling modern catchy  patterns and prints in other parts of quilt blocks.
 

I like this pattern as it quick and easy, and a great way to highlight some stunning and favourite fabrics in my stash. Low volume stuff is easy to come by with some fabulous modern quilting fabrics, and I've supplemented with the odd recycled item or what seemed old and boring stuff in my stash. Having a range of colours in low volume adds warmth.

There are a few remnants (vintage and plain old domestic stuff) from op shops in my blocks making up my low volume fabrics too.
 

 

My PLUS patterns will feature blacks, greens and reds with some other bright colours thrown in...all with some significance. I love the outdoors, tramping, sewing etc...so there is grass, some of Carolyn Frielander's Architexture fabrics (the topo stuff is a fav), and the odd crossword...which I never have time to do! Its a great way to cut into those lovely fabrics you are waiting to do justice to....its only a small 2 and 3/4" strip!

 

I've come back armed from Symposium with a number of novelty fat eighths and quarters to make some friends a wedding anniversary quilt.

Each plus will feature something relevant to their lives, favourite colour.

I was thinking this pattern could make a great memory or celebration quilt if the middle long section of the plus was 3 squares with the middle one being a receptacle for a photo transfer, OR
maybe those low volume squares ( large or small, replaced with sepia or black and white photo transfers), OR
on the back of the quilt those pluses could be stitch in the ditched so that the middle section of the plus is highlighted on the back, and then the photo transfer popped into that blank square on the reverse. Very Modern!.. which can't be said for my pressing skills :-)