WOW with Esther Aliu Small 9 patch squares found in a Op Shop 9th Mar 2016

What happens when colour value and contrast are not there?

What I’m up to this Wednesday.

Some times new quilters are so disappointed with their first attempt at cutting up fabric and resewing it as they have not been shown colour values and contrast and after cutting up lots of fabric and resewing it it looks just a mess or like one piece of fabric from a distance? I brought 13 tiny 5inch 9 patch blocks in an op shop that had this happen to them, I bought them as the most of the fabrics used were special and such lovely wee pieces.

These are the little 9 patch blocks all different sizes and wonky as seams are from 16th to 1/2 an inch.

close up of two tiny blocks.

I have just placed 4 tiny pieces of fabric over 4 dark pieces of the patches to show contrast, I would not choose these fabric if I was sewing them from start just showing contrast.

I sat and unpicked all the little blocks last night took me roughly 2 hrs while I watched a DVD

Now if I lay those black tiny fabrics on a strong contrast you can see the design is a 9 patch and each little piece of black fabric stands on its own.

This morning I started to play some more with these tiny pieces of fabric.

Dawn breaking this morning.

These colours that I finally arrange please my eye much more than the original but it does not mean it is right, others will be happy how they were, but I just have to change them to make them work for me.

Using the same pieces of dark fabric with 3 different colours neutral fabrics.

Same dark pieces but I ahve added some more little pieces from the same patches but we now have contrast and better value so we can really see those 9 patches now.

Same dark pieces but I have added some more little pieces from the same original 13 wee blocks, we now have contrast and better value so we can really see those 9 patches now. I will play around to day with them and may be start hand sewing them back in to 9 patches and add some more of my own fabric to make up around 20 then make a tiny doll quilt for my DGD for a Xmas present.

Finished sewing on my leaves on the 1st border panel of my PNG quilt, I added a few berries to for a shot of yellow!!! have added a stem and pinned the leaves to number 2 ready to be appliquéd this week hopefully, to day I have finished basting my zig zags to one border, now I have removed all the pins I don’t have to worry about them going rusty in the silk.

In the garden this morning it is full of colour.