Spring Dance

 Playing with this pansy print really makes it feel like spring is finally on the way.
The photo below is my finished quilt airing in the early spring sunshine.

I was inspired to make this quilt by a presentation to my guild by Marilyn Foreman of Quilt Moments. She gave a great trunk show of her wonderful patterns and ideas.  Now that I've played with this quilt I look forward to working on the pattern I bought that night. (Still looking for the perfect fabric!) Until then here is how I went about making my quilt.
 Fancy Blocks.
Each of these blocks are made using four, 2 1/2" squares. Using a focal fabric I first found the fabrics pattern repeat. My focal fabric was a fun pansy print. Squares were made by stacking four layers of the focal fabric, matching the print exactly and cutting the 2 1/2" blocks. I now had four, 2 1/2" squares that were all exactly the same. That done I began to twist and turn the blocks to produce a desired effect. With each twist and turn of the squares little secret designs were revealed.
The photos below show one set of 2 1/2" blocks, positioned in three possible design options.
  
 Below is a photo of one of my 12" X 12"  blocks. I used 15 of these blocks in my quilt.

These blocks are a basic 9-patch design. The blocks are a combination of fancy blocks alternated with blocks that have an angle design .  The angle blocks were designed using the zig-zag ruler by Char Hopeman.
With the blocks on the design wall it was time to arrange them for maximum effect. I wanted my finished quilt to have a feeling of movement. I used alternating blocks of gray and purple as well as offsetting the blocks.
Hopefully you can feel the spin.

Here is the quilt on the design wall.  At this point I was auditioning for the right binding. I ended up using this light gray cotton with a white pin dot.
Below is the finished quilt. Notice the blocks of pansy fabric top and bottom. That pansy fabric was the focal fabric I cut my fancy blocks from.


Soft flannel backing, meandering quilting done on my domestic machine.
Finished size: 50 1/2" X 61 1/2".