Modify Tradition

I've started following a new quilting blog called Modify Tradition, which is attempting to create a modern looking sampler quilt using traditional blocks. They're talking a lot about different elements that often appear in modern quilts, most of which has been pretty interesting.

In any case, below the cut will be close-ups of each of the blocks and a little blurb about each.

So first up is a traditional nine-patch block. I played around with different layouts, but in the end I went with a pretty traditional approach - all my darks in the corners and centre, with my light fabric in the remaining four spaces. I'd planned originally to put the darks into a kind of "cross" or plus sign, with the light on the corners, but at the last second I went back to the traditional layout. I wish I hadn't.

The second block was for a skewed version of a nine-patch, which had a longer skinnier centre, but I didn't really like the idea for myself (though I've thought about doing all this in a second colour-way, for which it would work as one of the fabrics has a very large print), so this became my version.

I really don't know how I feel about the gold in this block.

And finally, a pinwheel block. I always have complaints about the things I make, but I have no complaints about this. I really like how it came out.

I suppose it's the one where the fabrics most feel like they have something in common and most make sense.

I actually really like all five of my fabrics together, but I feel quite meh about them in these blocks. I think it's just that I need blocks where I can use more than three fabrics so that I can use the two I intend to use in each block - the print and the pale yellow - plus get another two in so that all of them will tie back together the way they did when I had all the fabric in my hands at the store. Right now they all feel quite disconnected. I hope that changes, but if not, well, it was something to try.