I feel like a dog with a big ol' bone after doing the block this week. For the past three days I have been gnawing and gnawing on that bone and I'm not really sure it is done yet but I'm ready to let another dog have a try at it!
The general consensus on the Flickr site is that the blog this week was challenging. So many decisions needed to be made before any fabric was cut. At first I wanted to make the breeches floral to show that this was a feminine issue. But then I thought I might like the challenge of using a striped fabric - huh! After cutting several pieces incorrectly I then moved onto thinking that spots would be just fine.
So I made this one on Saturday:
H'mm, am I happy with how that center looks? There's a touch of green in the corner that sort of bleeds into the breeches. Maybe I'll have another try.
Those striped fabrics were still calling to me and I could not choose which one so I used both. But now, I'm not really sure this one is an improvment on the first one. So I'll see who comments and what they say. I'm wondering if the issue with this block is that I used color as a decider when I should have used value. Maybe if the skinny purple triangles were a much darker purple it might have improved the look.
For the spotted breeches block I was sewing with my friends at the library. My friends are rapidly being divided into two groups - those who are in the Grandmother's Choice group and those who cannot understand why I am so fixated on getting the blocks just right each Saturday. But pinkdeenster and I were gnashing our teeth together on Saturday and encouraging each other along as we got to a "I give up" point. She got her two versions made by the end of Saturday night I see.
A comment I got via email on Sunday "
I cannot believe that you are
considering making another of yesterday's blocks after spending so much
time on that one. Maybe you could give it a few more days rest to get a
fresh perspective on the darn thing before deciding whether to tackle it
again; at that point you might realize what you created yesterday
is really OK".
I wondered if the Foo Dog might be able to breathe a little life into this one because I'm not really sure it is an improvement on the first block.
And here's the result of hours of work.There were several "legs" cut incorrectly. Then there were the two legs sewn together in the incorrect way. I called into service my Jinny Beyer handpiecing tool which is very useful for pesky seams. Does the block look better on point? Er, my setting plan is to have the blocks straight.
Do feel free to let me know which block you prefer! Advice like the quote above is always worthy of consideration.
3 comments:
I did not have a preference until I saw your final shot - the one with the purple is definitely prettier when you see it that way. The slight differences in the greens with the the purple give this one a three-dimensional look. It seems like a special Christmas package tied up with a bow - or maybe a bottle of wine in an unusual wrapper, from straight over head. Well, not exactly but it's a beautiful effect. The other one was just as nice till you showed the distant perspective. Or maybe it was the on-pointedness that made them different? The center on the green and white version is nice from the distance - it reads flower whereas the purple and green one reads ....abstract art maybe? After making the effort to piece this twice, I say use them both.
I'm a sucker for polka dots, but I really like the purple in the second block....very striking next to the greens.
Before I scrolled down, I could only see the polka dotted one and I thought "that's a nice block" but when I scrolled further and saw the stripe I thought "Wow" so that's my two cents worth.
I don't think the person who commented via email really understands that sometimes blocks just niggle at you, and if you know that you can make a better block then why not make it.
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