Wednesday, March 23, 2016

WIP Wednesday - Back Assward Daylilies

Daylily Daze as left me a little dazed. What else can explain doing a WIP post about a quilt that has already been finished? But seriously, where this one lived in the QPP (Quilting Protection Program) for so long, I really couldn't share much about it in progress.

Where to begin? I wish I could remember just how the idea to make this quilt came to me, but alas, I can't. Daylilies + Kona. That's likely where it started. If you're not familiar with daylilies, you're missing out. There are thousands upon thousands of varieties, each one seemingly more beautiful that the last. So many colour palettes to choose from!


Are you in love yet? You should be. But I digress. Back to the quilting part. After taking/finding pics, the next step was to run some of these blooms through the amazing Palette Builder @ Play Crafts.
Instead of just letting the Kona colour card chips fall where they may, I shifted the colour sample points to only appear on the blooms. I also made palettes with eight colours instead of the default six.
I also made sure that each colour sample point gave me a unique Kona. I didn't want any repetition in the block. As I created each palette, I saved it to my computer with a number. Then I opened a Word file and printed them.

There was a lot of note taking and highlighting as I worked on this one.
 So much Kona... ♥♥♥
I laid the cut squares on top of the daylily pics and used the list of Konas as a checklist.
When all the squares were cut (i.e. all the colours checked off), I popped them in a labeled mini ziptop bag.
 
When a block was sewn, I pulled the label off the bag and transferred it to the block.
Let's not pretend that all 103 colours I used were in my stash. There was at least one trip to the LQS (and some mooching from my pal Anja @ Anja Quilts!). As you can see, my trusty notebook went with me!



I played with the layout... first putting them in numerical order (1 to 30), then creating other number patterns. Finally I moved them about to give better colour distribution. 
 If you're looking for it, the Zissertwin block is centre stage on the bottom row! ☺
Time for some sashing! For the sashing, I knew I wanted greens, so off I went to the Palette Builder again. This time I shifted the colour sample points onto the foliage.
 Most were in my stash (yay for stashes!), but I did have to pop to my LQS for a few. 
 I cut all those lovely greens into 2½ inch strips, then subcut them into 10½, 8½, and 6½ inch segments. Then I used my skills from making Endless Strip quilts and sewed them into one long piece.
I sewed the vertical sashing first, chain piecing the blocks to the endless green strip. Then I cut the blocks and sashing apart and sewed each row to the strip. It's this technique that makes the sashing look woven in places.
  The same endless green strip was used for borders (it really was endless!)
But it needed more weight. Enter a second border! Then layering, quilting in wavy lines, and binding. Nothing too revolutionary about that...
Phew! That was a lot of WIP for one post. Are you feeling like you want to make one of these? It doesn't have to be dayliles. It could be anything. The possibilities are endless. I'm thinking of my Hawaii vacation pics next. Please leave me a comment telling me what collection of pics you'd give the Palette Builder treatment to!

I'm linking up with Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts and (retro-actively) with Tips and Tutorials Tuesdays @ Late Night Quilter This may not be a full on tutorial, but I feel like you'd have a great start if you wanted to make one of your own! (And I hope you'll link up with me or drop me an e-mail if you do!)

J

26 comments:

  1. Those day lillies really are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing the whole process, even if it was 'after the fact'!

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  2. Lovely quilt! Thanks for the explanation of how it came about and how you developed the palette using palette-builder and Konas.

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  3. I have been inspired with a fabric pull based on wildflowers blooming along the pacific coast. I started cutting and sewing yesterday! :)

    I think your method is really awesome - I do love good organization - and the endless chain of sashing really made the woven look work out.

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  4. Now I want to see the list of all the Konas used in this project. :) It is so special. Awesome.

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    1. The list took three pages of my WIP notebook, so I didn't include it in my Finish post. That said, it is now reflected in my Kona Love page.

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  5. This is such a fun project! It's great to see more about your process. Isn't making a secret quilt the most difficult thing in the world (aside from parenting, of course)?! I just finished a secret quilt but since I have yet to wash it, dry it, and mail it, I cannot show.... YET. All in time, all in time....

    But Daylillies!! Very fun! I have this odd inkling to making a quilt like this from baby photos palettes. I love the idea of tropical vacation quilt... or maybe "Maine Throughout the Year".... There would be a good amount of white in there! Very fun idea and gorgeous finish!

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  6. Jenn this was sooooo cool to read about your process! Now wonder Daylily Days looks so right on! What a brilliant idea to use the Palette Builder the way you did! Thanks for the behind the scenes story!

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  7. Thank you for sharing your process!! :D And I love the way you used palette builder, what a ton of fun! The quilt does a great job of capturing day lilies and the different shades of foliage as well. Love love love this!

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  8. OMG, all the work you put into planning this quilt. I really enjoyed seeing all that you did to create this masterpiece. The daylilies are gorgeous.

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  9. Jenn - That was a great idea to use the colors in the photos of the day lillies. More like, "brilliant"

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  10. Fascinating to hear about your process. Thanks.

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  11. It is fun to hear about the process that goes into creating a quilt.

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  12. That palette builder is such a cool tool! I've been using it to help plan my own secret Kona project and it has been a HUGE help in matching Kona's to a picture. I love how you did the sashing! I never would have thought to make it one continuous piece like that, such a clever idea. And doing a double border was just the right touch for the edges. :)

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  13. So. Freaking. Cool.
    Great post about a great project, you Bad Ass, you.

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  14. It was my pleasure to allow you to "mooch." That's a great amount of Kona to cross off the list.

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  15. You've captured the essence of daylilies beautifully!! Isn't Palette Builder addictive? I've used it to figure out the colors from a photo of a pillow that I used as the basis for a quilt that I've been working on for the last year and to determine colors for water in quilts using photos of Lake Michigan. Sometimes I also use it to match colors to paint chips. Lucky you that you can find so many Kona colors at your local quilt shop. Shops near me tend to stock only the basics so I end up having to order online.

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  16. How exciting to see how this quilt came to be! The care you used in the color points on Palette Builder really paid off in spades! And it really helps explain how those greens REALLY look like you're in the garden of lilies!!! I don't take many "series" of photos...but I like the "challenge" and will give it some thought...hmmm :)

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  17. I really enjoyed reading the behind the scenes of this quilt and everything that went into it. And how you used the palette builder and built each daylily block from it.

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  18. So glad you shared your entire process for this beautiful quilt. The total effect is almost a pixelated garden. My aunt grew day lilies and propigated new varieties and was president of her local hemrocallis society. Your quilt reminds me of her summer garden.
    The possibilities for additional floral inspiration are endless... iris, orchids, spring bulbs... then there are birds, and cats, and dogs... buildings... so much Kona, so little time...

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  19. You found some absolutely gorgeous images of Daylilies! What a wonderful idea. Thank you for sharing this quilt and process.

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  20. Beyond fabulous! What an amazingly thoughtful gift for your parents. A treasure for sure. You rock!

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  21. Thank you for sharing your process. I especially like the idea of using the palette builder tool. I find myself gravitating to the same colors over and over, but a tool like that might help me to step "outside the box." It's a gorgeous quilt, lovingly made.

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  22. Great to see how it all came together! Beautiful! I may have to try out the palette builder one of these days....after I check a few more quilts off my list!

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  23. Amazing post and gorgeous quilt! Thank you so much for taking the time to write about your process. Very inspiring!

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  24. Choosing colours from the flowers was obviously an inspired idea. It has turned out beautifully.
    I cannot imagine what photos I would use. How could anything beat the lovely colours of these flowers? Yes, maybe beach photos would work, for a more muted effect of whites and blues.

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  25. I enjoyed reading about your process. The photos and palettes are quite nice and the final quilt is lovely. Makes me anxious for spring and summer flowers.

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