I have a big grey cloud lurking in my life just now.
So displacement activity was required to stop me obsessing about it, well… obsessively. What better to occupy my mind than making some F²F blocks for myself, with flashes of gorgeous brilliant colour amidst the clouds of grey? Having said that, the grey fabrics are lovely too, and don’t deserve their synonymity with depressing dreariness. Grey is my second favourite neutral, and with very dark indigo, are so much less ‘dead’ than stark black or white.
So anyway, here are the fruits of my displacement. I’ll probably make even more, since not only is it successfully distracting me, but I’m absolutely loving the outcomes – and I still have plenty of grey of the non-cloud variety! You’re looking at Circle of Friends, Perkiomen Valley and Chain Link, in that order.
Next on the list: Arkansas Traveller, Circle of Geese and one other I haven’t chosen yet.
talltalesfromchiconia 
They are all lovely (especially the one in the centre). I so hope your cloud dissipates soon, thinking positive thoughts for you x
I’m really pleased with all of them. As for the cloud: MRI on Wednesday, results on 3rd September…
Okay. You can do this.
Yes, I really can, even if the news is miserable. But just now, I’m suffering a bit of reaction, and need distracting!
Kate, I’ve been searching for details of your MRI. I see now that you’ll have results this week. Thinking of you. xo
Yes…. it’s been a long, long wait. Thursday afternoon is my appointment.
Great blocks Kate, I have 2 made just got to do the third and will send you the photo. I too love the grey fabrics they are a very useful background when white is not cutting it.
I know that a lot of people feel grey is boring and the antithesis of colour, but for me, it’s a subtle and gentle foil to all the colour fandangoes going on everywhere else 😉
Keeping fingers, toes, eyes, legs, etc. crossed for your MRI, Kate. ❤️ Here’s to distraction! 🍻
These are all beautiful blocks. I especially like the first one with the contrast between the leaves in the grey and the flowers in the brighter patches.
Thanks for the positive thoughts! That first block is one of my all-time favourites, and I too love the contrast between the delicate leaves and the brighter squares.
Beautiful and more beautiful and I love how distracting all this beautiful art brings into our lives….. and yet how it centres us. U did it once and if you have to you will do it again… the only difference being there’s more people in your life to PROPERLY distract you 🤗. Love & hugs always ♥️
Yes, very true. And having projects to work on and distract me is helpful; I can’t maintain misery too long in the face of riotous colour
Absolutely 🤩
I keep thinking how soon it will be September but when you’re playing the sort of waiting game that you are it must seem far away – or not far enough depending on your state of mind. If you get my drift. I have everything crossed for you.
Your blocks are gorgeous of course and will make a stunning quilt in the not too distant future.
September is *definitely* too far away just now. It’s an issue of just wanting to know… But there’s nothing at all I can do to bring it forwards, so I may as well concentrate on making pretty things! I’m actually tempted to hold back the Circle of Friends block; I have an ancient coral-coloured cashmere cardigan which is full of holes pretty much everywhere except the back. I’m thinking it would make a lovely cuddly backing to a cushion, and the Circle of Friends a matching front.
Ooh, that would look lovely.
I must remember to do it once I’m out the other side of the ‘cloud’…
Sending sunny postive vibes your way Kate – keep sewing, you are creating beauty. ❤
Thanks, Sandra. I find the act of creation is very good at masking all those destructive facts and emotions 😀
Hope the clouds lift soon.
Me too. But what will be, will be. I’m trying not to think about it before I have to.
Those gentle grays are perfect to accentuate your chosen colors. May your MRI results be a joyous riot of bright-hued good news, my friend.
That would be lovely! I’m enjoying the greys, they’re nice and peaceful and make the brights really pop!
Hugs and prayers flying through the ether for you, from me. Hospitals and tests and scans and endless waiting are not nice. Xxxxxx. Love the distraction especially the last one.
The waiting is definitely the worst…. Glad you like the blocks!
🤞🏿🤞🏿🤞🏿🤞🏿🤞🏿🤞🏿🤞🏿🤞🏿fingers crossed for you results. Great displacement activity that yields its own beautiful results. 😷
It’s good to concentrate on getting things just right. Thanks for the support, you know exactly what it’s like…
I do. Waiting is so hard.
It’s the worst, far harder than dealing with actual facts!
I agree. With facts, you know what you’re dealing with.
Exactly. And you can make a plan.
Grey is such a 21st century neutral – so ‘mod’! Did you design the ‘circle of friends’ pattern? I’m wondering if you have a link to how to get the pattern? That would make for a great signature quilt (of said circle of friends) too!
Hoping for the best in your non-COVID related cloud. Glad you’re getting the attention you need for this, even if it’s a hard road.
Take care.
I like the gentleness of grey, its willingness to take the back seat and let the colours shine 🙂
Circle of friends is a very easy pattern; I can email 2 pages to you which give cutting instructions and an assembly diagram. It delivers a 12 inch block. Let me know if you’d like it. I’ve seen quilts made entirely from this block, and they look fantastic.
Thank you! I’m sending you my email via your contact page…email listing.
Done, and sent 🙂
rcv’d & thanks!
🙂
I like the circle of friends too – and the idea of it. It looks like alternating four-patches and cobblestone blocks, but my brain might possibly explode trying to figure it all out. I am happy that you are doing it, and I know you have a loving circle of friends, which I hope will help with the grey.
Socked-in fog here today…
It is, with a plain centre square. Very easy to cut and assemble. If I was going to make a lot of them, a whole quilt, for example, I’d probably construct the corners differently and more simply.
I appreciate the positive spin you put on a color I tend to disdain. I really love your Circle of Friends block, and the Chain Link too. You’re making more than you need for your F2F quilt – one wonders what you have up your sleeve. 😉 Here’s to good distractions and happy test results!
I’m thinking of making a really quite large quilt, and probably some cushion covers to go with… the one I’ve already mentioned, for example. Alternatively, the Husband and I have quilts draped over our armchairs, but they are old and a bit tired – one is the first ‘proper’ quilt I ever made. It might be time for us to have new and coordinating versions. Time will tell, and making plans is a good antidote to the other kind of grey…
“making plans is a good antidote to the other kind of grey…” True dat.
Of course, in the long run it might be a pointless exercise, but it doesn’t hurt to do it anyway!
I Like it!!!! I really like it
Me too 😀
Wonderful blocks! Looking forward to seeing the quilt you make from them. Makes me want to make some for me………well, if I had time to actually sew for myself that is
They’re some of my favourite blocks and I’m really loving how they work in this colour scheme. I hope you find a little time for your own ideas…
We are all keeping good thoughts for you. I love all these squares and I agree with the color gray. 🙂 I like the idea of holding the one back and making the sweater pillow with it. I’m staying busy cleaning out the tool shed. What a mess and I’ll think of only those who need good thoughts. You are on the top of the list.
Thank you, dear Marlene. Much of my distress stems from not knowing. Once I do know, even if it’s bad news, I can deal and make plans. That tool shed is going to be immaculate, I know!
keeping my fingers crossed and lighting a candle. Sept. is a long time to wait, good for you, keeping busy with pretty stitching.
Thank you, I’m laying siege to heaven myself… But creating beauty is a great antidote to fear and agitation, I find 🙂
Lovely distractive creativity… I knew you would rock it 😁 Greys are lovely, despite their sometimes blah reputation, an astute choice.
Greys are so versatile, they can be soft and delicate or hard and powerful, visible or invisible. It’s much easier these days to find a good range of tones and patterns.
I have always thought of grey as a very elegant neutral. It would win best supporting actor in every role. Mind you there are some greys that don’t quite do the job properly, but most do. I love your blocks but that chains link is sooo beautiful.
Prayers from here in SW Ontario for peace and comfort and light.
Chris S
And the Chain Links is easily the quickest and easiest to make! Thank you so much for the good wishes. I’m in a fairly good state of mind, I just need the time to pass faster!
I’m not generally a fan of grey, but these are lovely, probably because I love the bright colours!
Good luck with your displacement! Sending positive thoughts for a good result.
We were discussing last night the need for me to design a paper piecing block so that I could make a grey greyhound! One of these days! Mouse is being very understanding about his Mum needing extra hugs just now…
Oh yes, please make that block!
I shall apply myself to the problem 🙂
Kate, these are just beautiful, I can’t pick a favorite! Sending you virtual hugs and prayers as you wait on your results. XXOO
Thanks, Kathy. Waiting is much harder than the actual treatment, I find… I must go and make a few more blocks to distract myself!
You are such a positive spirit Kate. 💕 I hope that all goes well. My favourite is the first one. My eye really enjoys the small bursts of colour, as well as the slightly out-of-kilter effect.
I find it hard to choose between the first and the last. Circle of Friends has a slightly kaleidoscopic effect, I think, with the broken up background pattern. As for the other, positivity is not really optional. I don’t do dissolving in tears and trailing about whining “why me?”. However, there’s nothing certain yet, so sufficient unto the day, etc.
hugs. and yes, the grey is lovely. xx
Thank you, my lovely, for both! Now, if someone will just invent a time machine to make medical appointments come quicker, I’ll be most grateful.
Lovely blocks! I especially like the circle of friends. I hope the cloud will be displaced by a bright shining sun as soon as you get the results.
Thank you! I think the colour scheme for that block is very successful, and it’s the grey background that makes it.
Waiting for the result is the worst part. Keeping my fingers crossed.
That’s exactly right. How do you deal with a problem unless you know what it is, exactly?
lovely blocks, Kate – and the ones up in the gallery made by others so far are all beautiful too.
I join in with other readers, sending positive vibes for Wednesday, and hoping that you’ll be able to keep your mind on other things during the wait for results.
Thanks, Claire! I’ve never learned to curb my impatience where medical matters are concerned, sadly. Sewing is another matter, and a little patience produces much better results, I find…
well I will add to the chorus – I love the blocks -especially since the grey/white patterns of the fabrics seem to just make everything else “pop” – large quilt/s will keep you occupied, especially when you’ve got all your blocks and you need to decide which goes where…I think that’s when the real artistry occurs – making whatever you are creating work together.
Very much like my recent mini collages that are mainly “block like” deciding if the way I have it set up is giving each piece a viewpoint – or should I find another colour/type…
That’s exactly right! One of the fun parts about this block swap has always been getting the very different and disparate blocks to sit together happily and sing when they become a quilt.
I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you !! Lovely work by the way, love the greys!
Thank you – to both!
Wow, Kate! That last square of intersecting squares is stunning! I’m with you: grey can be quite lovely.
I love that block design too! This colour scheme lets me use some of my favourite combinations.
Nice! I love your enthusiasm.