I am out of hand work – oh no! I don't have a new pattern drawn but I have plans to work on a book on color so I let the fabric talk to me for this project. This is where I started, and this is the direction the background will take.
I added more fabric…
and then I added more fabric…
The original fabric is less prominent in this photo but I knew at this point that the other fabrics would be used in small doses. My thought was that the browns would be prominently used in the applique.
Then I started constructing the blocks. I am using the same technique that we wrote about in Applique Outside the Lines. I cut with a rotary cutter but I didn't touch a ruler. The clock fabric is the dominant fabric – as was my plan – no matter if it is used in large or small amounts in each block.
A few hours later I had several blocks in progress, on my design wall…
At this point I had to decide how big this quilt might be, and what sort of shape it will be — square? rectangle? Did I want it to be lighter or darker overall? Notice that where the fabric shapes are bigger, the blocks are easier to look at. As pieced areas get smaller and denser it has an effect on the look of all the blocks.
I made backgrounds for 9 blocks but I can't show them all online because of that whole 'it might be in a book thing'. But I do plan to put together a tutorial on how to do this sort of piecing that should be helpful if you haven't done this before. I hope to have it up next week, it might be the one after that. I should be able to share smaller areas of this quilt as I work on it.
PS – How many of you would buy that fabric with the big clocks? I'll bet not many because quilters tend to shy away from big prints. I've said it before and I'll say it again – you really need some of these amazing prints in your stash. They will surprise you!
Piece O Cake Blog 
I would totally buy the clock fabric. I often use large scale prints in my quilts, I like the way they look when they are cut up and used against smaller scale prints and solids. And you are right, they do surprise you. This combination of fabrics is looking really fun already.
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FYI – The clock fabric is a linen – heavier than a typical cotton. It has a lovely texture! It is by Melody Miller, Ruby Star Rising, for Kokka.
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I have the typewriter fabric…very similar. I love using big prints…every time you cut them up you come up with a new bit of the design to show off.
Toni
http://www.lifeinapinkbunnysuit.com
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I love the clock fabric and would certainly buy it!!!
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Have you finished the”door” quilt? Iloved the pieces I saw.
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I love all the new fabrics but the reality is that I have a very limited budget for buying more & I have so much old stuff to use up. Really I have enough to keep me going for several years
Are these fat quarters or fat eights??
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What I used in these backgrounds was what I had in my stash. Mostly I worked from fat quarters, there may have been a half yard in there somewhere. The linen clock fabric is wider, 50 or more, so I had a bit more of it to work with.
Even when Im not on a fabric buying budget, I still work mostly from my stash. Its perfectly fine to work with what you have. Another thing you can consider, if you are on a budget, is working from clothing bought at Goodwill or a similar place. I havent done that much in the past, but Im thinking I may do more of that myself in the future. There are some interesting colors and textures in garments.
Hope this helps!
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I’m sorry to disagree… and it’s not because of the size of the print, that’s totally fine… but I find this color combination pretty awful. 🙂 Chartruse, grey and brown? It’s not ringing my bell. I wouldn’t buy it because I just don’t like it! Also the combos of so many prints seems over-busy to my eye. There’s no rest in there!
BUT that’s what makes the world go ’round… our differences!
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