Thanks craftybear.

Here are photographs of the beautiful fabrics I have just received today and I am toying with the idea of doing something on the back of this quilt with them. Probably with the Hydraenga fabric to make one block wonders on top of the lovely Navy trellis fabric with a border of the pale blue.

the other fabric is just being looked at at the moment.

Elle :-D

Any other suggestions very welcome

Wow, you should enter that in your local quilt show. Its a winner!

Thanks wildyard(Linda), will do, still playing around at the moment.

Absolutely 'wow'!

Elle....you have the bestest taste in fabs!!! I love all of those. My fingers are itching to play with those big hydrangas as OBW's...!

Beautiful, both times... Your hard work is showing tremendously, it is amazing...

Thanks for the compliment Patti
Have you ever been afraid of cutting a fabric, because I am totally freaked out at cutting into that Hydranga fabric as I have never made an OBW before. I know the basics of how its done, but heck will it look okay. I am having second thoughts and may end up cutting the plate fabric by fussy cutting it and using that instead. Decisions, decision.
I am going to have a look on the board to see if anyone has posted a tute on OBW´s

Elle

Thanks to everyone who has viewed the fabrics and commented.

Elle

Wow Elle that turned out OK didn't it??? :-D :-D :-D

Beautful, fantastic muy bella!!!

Re the OBW issue, I really think it's worth your while to get the book One Block Wonders, Maxine Rosenthal. The tute on here was more of a support group for ppl working from the book rather than actual instructions. :-D I got mine from The Book Depository, shipping is free and they're really quick.

BTW your plans for the back are so wonderful, I think they should be a whole new quilt on their own - or it could be one reversible one! :D :-D

Thanks Kathryn, I am thinking its going to be a double sided quilt. It has to be ready for October so must get my skates on if this idea is going to work.

They have said that I can show the quilt even if its unfinished but you know me I just have to have it complete.

Elle

Elle....yes, I was terrified to cut into some fabric when I first tried the OBW technique. Kathyrn helped me get over the fear...I can' wait to try another one! The book really is worth it if you can get it quickly.

Hi Elle, those fabrics are beautiful. Do do an OBW with the flowers - I did my first one (Kathryn persuaded me!), it was easy from the book. And it was a big flowered Asian fabric too
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-24480-1.htm
The book should come with a health warning though cos they are very addictive! I've now done 8, with 9 and 10 on the wall, and fabrics for 3 more in the queue....
You said about putting the OBWs "on top" of the navy trellis - you wont need to do that as the triangles for the hexagons are joined together in strips. Would be lovely as the border though.

Thanks Katrine, Just folded the fabric, I think that was the hardest part, I hope so. I haven´t got that much fabric only got 1 yd so can´t make a full quilt with it so thought I would put them on a big square of fabric just dotted around.

I am excited to know what they are going to look like.

Elle

I know!!! - the nerve wracking sensation of cutting into anything! They are sure to look lovely though because it is such beautiful fabric. "Bon courage!", as we say here! I'm sure it will be lovely though..

Elle...it will be lovely!!! I think just dotting them around will look great!

I am busy dotting them around Patti. Some I really like, but some are just not right, so going to choose the best ones tomorrow and go from there

Well here a selection of what happened when I made my OBW´s. Personally I am not happy with them, think the pattern is too large for this type of project. So think they are going on the back burner to be made in to Totes or something like that. Maybe I am being too critical.

Have another idea for the back of the quilt now. OMG decisions decisions.

Elle

All I can say is WOW!!! Absolutely gorgeous!

Can I ask are you saying WOW to the quilt or to the OBW´s I just made, interested because I am so uncertain about the OBWs

Elle, I think you had some stacking issues. Each of the triangles should be absolutely identical and they're not. That's why I think you're not happy with them. Possibly because you only had a metre of the fabric, you couldn't get the 6 repeats exactly the same? I'm so sorry it didn't work out. :-( Could you get more of the fabric and try again? I know it's not easy for a Brit in exile! LOL You really need 6 identical repeats which for a fabric with a 12" repeat, would mean at least 2 metres.

is there a tutorial on the japanese fan or the blocks above. i think
I am ready to have a go after seeing your fantastic quilts.
How will you put the hexagon shapes onto fabric please?

Elle, dont be unhappy with them, but K3n is on the button because they do need to be absolutely identical. I usually get 6 x the pattern repeat plus half a metre (just for when I cut one wrong!) - and I like to have the extra bit so I can show people what I started with. The pattern is not too large though - I like to use a 24" repeat for the best effect.
But using them on totes is a good idea if you dont use them on the back of the quilt. The front of that quilt is stunning, so dont fret about doing these on the back.

I have been looking closely at your OBWs and I think part of your problem is that you have mixed up some of the triangles into the wrong groups. I can see where some that don't match all the way around have other pieces that DO match, placed in other sets. Try looking carefully at each one and finding the triangles that match perfectly from among the others. Some of your units are half one pattern and half another. Before going further, I'd match as many as possible into identical triangles.
I think you will be happier with those results alone. When I cut one of these OBWs, I pin each stack together before I start looking at them, then I only have one stack at a time open and spread out. That way I can keep them seperate until I have sewed them.
Good luck, hugs and smiles... it will be wonderful anyway, so don't fret over things too much.

Love it love it love it.

Kathryn, you are right I didn´t have enough fabric so I went with what I had, to my cost now I realise. However all is not lost, I won´t use them on the back of this quilt but for another project. I won´t waste that lovely fabric anyway.

Dottymo the Japanese fan quilt is a pattern by Judy Neimeyer look on her site called Quiltworx.com it is all paper pieced hence the lovely points. The other one was a try out on One block wonders which didn´t work to my satisfaction.

Elle

Katrine, thanks for your kind words. I do think I stacked them wrong but heh it was a learning curve and we can all get things wrong from time to time.

I will show what I have planned soon for the back, this one is foolproof LOL Elle

Wildyard, you are absolutely correct I did mix them because some looked really horrid. I did keep them all together and pinned them all that way but when I opened them they were not right so I started mixing to get some decent designs. Not to worry I have learned a bunch from this. You have to make mistakes to learn sometimes and boy do I learn the hard way LOL

Elle

Hey Elle, onwards and upwards, that's the spirit! Really I think the fans are so beautiful that all they need is a single piece back but I'm sure whatever you've got up your sleeve will be wonderful. And had you thought that when you stitch in the ditch round the fans, like you said, this pattern will show on the back? I'm sure you had thought of that! Just was wondering if it might interfere with a block design on the back as well. Ignore me if I'm being stoopid!!!

No you are not being stoopid LOL I did think of that. What I am going to do is quilt it without the back on AH HA and then put on the back and just hand stitch the back in place in different places. Well thats the thought anyway, don´t suppose anyone has ever done it that way, but what the heck if it works does it matter, never one for convention me

:-D :-D :-D Elle

Oh you clever clogs you!!!

don´t suppose anyone has ever done it that way, but what the heck if it works does it matter, never one for convention me

:-D :-D :-D Elle[/quote]

YOU GO GIRL!! Your spirit and attitude is awesome and I feel the same way. If you have ever noticed, my motto beneath my name on here is, "Improvise, adapt, adjust, overcome." You are being a perfect example of what I mean there.

Yes know that too LOL LOL I have it written on the wall LOL Believe that and you are stoopid

Elle

YOU GO GIRL!! Your spirit and attitude is awesome and I feel the same way. If you have ever noticed, my motto beneath my name on here is, "Improvise, adapt, adjust, overcome." You are being a perfect example of what I mean there.[/quote]

I did read it, I like to read all the litte sayings at the end of peoples posts. My Mum used to always say, If at first you don´t suceed, try try again. Think its imprinted in my brain LOL

WOW!

Elle...I agree with the others about your OBW's...not a loss though and they are pretty. Will make some wonderful totes, etc.

So, you are planning to quilt this one like Lesley did the Jane, just not by hand?? Hmmm....cool idea! I can't wait to see what you are coming up with for the back...your ideas are always so creative!

Unless ofcourse they go belly up like the OBW´s LOL

Elle, we all have to make some mistakes, just to keep the scrap boxes to the brim!

So very true, however this is a bloomer I won´t forget in a hurry