2022 Temperature Quilt--post 1

Cube samples

 Last December, I decided that I wanted to English Paper Piece cubes as my block for the 2022 temperature quilt project. Because I hadn't figured out how to finish my 2021 temperature quilt, I didn't do much more than cut some diamond shapes of various sizes, tape three together and determine what size I wanted to make.

I also put in an order of hand dyed fabrics because I decided that I would use the same dark fabrics I used the previous year; but I would use the light fabrics instead of the medium fabrics this year. I wanted more contrast in my blocks.

Most of the 2022 temperature quilt fabrics

In January, I started shopping for the background fabric, the fabric for the sunny, snowy and rainy days. I thought that I had done well. I prewashed all the fabrics. I began piecing cubes or blocks.

By mid February, I had pieced together about half the month of January, I had a thought. Piecing the month left to right instead of up and down meant the quilt would be wide but short. Gertie, my inner squirrel, thought I would be happier if I had a longer quilt. I agreed. I carefully ripped the blocks apart and started again.

Ripping the hand stitching was hard. . .the knicker knots that I place at every corner were in there to stay for eternity! Eventually, I had the blocks ripped to being singles again.

Not this orientation of the blocks

I did like how the background fabric played with the blocks. My plan was to add a plan border of the background fabric around the finished top.

Gertie thought that I should audition other fabrics for the background. I did. I tried some grays, a yellow that were commercial prints. Then I auditioned all the medium fabrics that I had left over from the previous temperature quilt.

Gertie said that the grays were too blah and the yellow was okay; but, she liked

Auditioning grey and yellow backgrounds

the multicolored approach best. I agreed with her about the gray; but I liked the yellow. I thought that the multicolored background was way too busy. I liked the idea but I thought that all the color in the backgrounds would take the viewing eye away from the blocks. It takes some time to piece a block and I want the viewing eye to see the blocks!

Briefly, I did consider piecing one additional color. I kept piecing the background fabric. She said I would be sorry. I ignored her. Ignoring Gertie generally causes me angst. This time was no different; but, I'll save that for my next post about this topic.

In case you missed my Wednesday post, I'll remind you that my plan is to feature my earlier book club quilts that I haven't written a post. Eventually, I'll publish a page of the quilts that I've made from the books we've read. I made publishing this page my annual goal.

Auditioning multicolored backgrounds

Because I'm using my leftover scraps from the 2021 temperature quilt in this project, I'm linking to Cynthia at Oh Scrap/Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework. I so enjoy a cuppa while I peruse others' scrappy projects!

Cynthia is a master at using it ALL up!