Yesterday, I was a bit unhappy with Ring 2.
The shapes looked too emphatic and clumsy, the colours too bright. I wondered if I had made a mistake. But I decided to have faith, and started to add Ring 3.
And then the stars came out against the darkness of the background colours, and everything was OK again. That strip of colour just had to be contained. The purple diamonds are going to need some sort of punctuation. I want the effect of rivets or bolt heads… I think small dull-gold buttons might do the trick. But it can wait until the pieces are all put together. The purple and rust both still look rather garish under artificial light – they’re much softer and duller in daylight. I’ll get to photograph it in daylight one of these days!
I’m going to stop cursing the little triangles. After all, they made the stars happen.
talltalesfromchiconia 
Wow, that’s completely transformed it. The artificial light does make a huge difference so I bet the orange doesn’t look so ‘orange’ in real life.
It’s a light coppery rust, and rather pretty. The purple’s a shot cotton, pinkish in some light, bluish in another. The next ring after the gold dotted black is going to be gold dotted red, so that’ll be interesting too! Luckily there’s a final dark grey ring to contain all the excitement…
Wow… I come back from my travels and you have created true beauty… lovely!
Gosh, thanks! Like all projects, I’ve had some frustrations and a steep learning curve about shapes and combinations I haven’t used before, but I’m beginning to get used to the different process. Two more rings to go, and the first wheel will be finished. Another big one to do, and then all the rest are smaller.
Wow, I really love how they stars pop. So glad you stuck it out to see how it would look – truly lovely!
I knew that adding the darker colour outside would help, but the other triangles didn’t ‘read’ as stars at all until the last one was added. *sigh of relief!*
it is going to be amazing !
It’s going to be madder and more eccentric than anything I’ve ever done, but it’s all there in my head and needs to be let out!
you are a real artist !
Thank you!
I also found it amazing how adding the last triangle transformed the whole thing. 🙂
A big relief! I wasn’t liking how that ring looked until the next one went on…
You are so quick at EPP! You are giving me more confidence to start the EPP project I have had in my head for a year or more.
Speed just comes with practice, and know where to take shortcuts. For example, hexies are fast, half hexies, diamonds and triangles aren’t. You don’t need to cut your fabric to shape, just a square large enough to accommodate the template and seam allowance. I find it fastest to cut 2.5″ strips, and then cross cut those into 2.5″ squares. Job done. Also, I stitch through the template for nice crisp edges and corners, hence the special needle. You have to take out the basting afterwards, but it’s quite soothing, really, and then you can pop out the papers and recycle them. 14-16 stitches per inch when you’re joining shapes is enough, any more is overkill, any less runs the risk of getting a bit gappy. Make blocks or groups of your shape and join those, rather than doing it in long strips, it’s much more manageable. I’d love to hear about your EPP project some time!
I can see why you might have been a bit hesitant about the brighter colours, but that ring of black has made all the difference. I like the idea of little gold buttons as rivets. Or you could use eyelets?
… or press studs? I shall have to see what’s available, I don’t find the selection very good here, but then I was spoiled by living in London for 20 years! Also, I think I have to have courage about the brighter colours, since without them this would become a very gloomy and sombre quilt. My instincts are all screaming to keep it understated and quiet. My mind’s eye is yelling: “Bring on the bling!”
Bring on the understated bling then!!
You are crazy for doing this but it is fabulous.
The craziness will come as no surprise to anyone with the slightest knowledge of me. The fabulousness has to be worked at! Next ring is crimson with fine gold splatter…
I am loving the metallic touches, they add to the overall fabulousness.
Victorian High Gothic bling! I’m afraid I really have the bit between my teeth here, and this is going to be a Production, with embroidery, buttons, wirework and possibly the odd bit of copper leaf. Only because I have some, you understand….
I think your wheel is lovely! I think it is like this when you choose colours. At first they look good together, next, when you start sewing, they don´t fit at all. Then, when you´ve finnished, it looks great! So don´t give up your choises of fabrics. This quilt is gonna be nice I think 🙂
Gun, Sweden
Thank you for the encouragement! I’m working on the next ring now, and I’m much happier with how this one looks.