We were given a two part design challenge for April in the Modern Design Lab by Travis @travlis. The first part of the challenge was to create a square block design (nominally considered as 5″ square finished) using our signature “style” and the color navy. We could use any medium we wanted for the design but we were encouraged to not feel that we had to physically make the block. The second part of the challenge comes after everyone shares their design with the group: using all the submitted blocks, use the blocks as inspiration for a full quilt design.
So, today, I’m sharing my submission to the group for Part 1 along with a handful of the other submitted block designs that I have permission to share.
MDL April Block Design – Yvonne
Clearly, I went straight to transparency with my thoughts. I would never really make such an intricate design so small (!!), but I did learn a lot about how to divide shapes in Inkscape as a result of this small doodle. I also couldn’t resist giving a few different colorway options as I love both monochromatic and the subtle color wheel progression.
Paige from Quilted Blooms suggested I consider making the central orange peel shapes larger than the outer orange peels to give more room for the overlap play, which was great feedback. If I were going to approach making this design, I would opt for templates and either EPP or applique the shapes together, but I’d most likely lean toward using the crafted applique method.
MDL April Block Design – Cheryl
Cheryl from Meadow Mist Designs created this striking design. I am really drawn to the central feathered plus.
MDL April Block – Faye
Faye @fayejones4444 took on the challenge and pieced her block. Faye notes that the method she used for the central panel is, “Indigo print paste stenciled on Kona.”
MDL Navy Block Design – Valorie
Valorie created a design using 3 elements that she loves:
- Gray — I love gray as a background
- Graphical design — I noticed most blocks that I am drawn to are definitely bold and graphical in nature
- Negative space — I want some where to play when it comes to the actual quilting
So now it’s time for the second half of the challenge. I need to carve out some time to sit and design!
It’s interesting to look at your design and then to see what other people have come up with. I like your combination of the principles of transparency with a lovely curvy shape – it’s very attractive to my eye.
I love the curvy shapes of your block, the straight design, of Cheryls, and that stripe running diagonally through the block on Valorie’s, the other one is interesting as well, the reason Valorie’s name stuck with me is that’s the way my stepmom wrote my daughters in the family bible when she was born. If I had seen these without names next to them I would hope that I could have picked out yours and Cheryls after all these years.
I love your design, Yvonne! It would be quite the challenge to piece at 5″, but would be doable on a larger scale. I’m really drawn to Cheryl’s design as well.
Love design, definitely but complex at 5″ that’s for sure. I’m curious about phase 2!
It’s that same old thing: need to carve out time to design! It shouldn’t take a back seat but it usually does. Love seeing the great difference in blocks here! Interesting on Cheryl’s: with doing the accordion pleat border yesterday, I saw that I could make a feathered arrow, and filed that idea away, so imagine my surprise to see Cheryl’s here! There’s something to that ‘pool of creativity’ we tap into, I know it.
what a fun challenge! Love all of these.
What a fun group of designs. It will be interesting to see part two.
It was very nice to be able to see all of these blocks in one post. How interesting and different they all are!