U and U QAL January 2019

Overlapping Octagons

It is all about "U"! Thank you all for getting as excited as I am about this project. So many of you have signed up for this QAL! I am excited to see so many versions of a quilt.

The first quilt I picked screams both - Unconventional and Unexpected!

Facts and my observation of this quilt: 
Find it in your book, Unconventional and Unexpected Quilts on page 51. 

The maker is unknown and so is the pattern. I am going to call it Overlapping Octagons.
Quilt in the book measures 77 X 66 inches.
Finished blocks 8 X 8 inches
Fabric used shirting and flannel

I must say the maker was pretty clever! She made this simple pattern look quite complicated.

Our eyes are so trained to find a square block in a quilt.. I couldn't see one, can you?

I looked closer to study the construction of the quilt and deconstructed the "Block".

I think this quilt was hand pieced. Two different units were used to make this quilt. A square for the center of each octagon and string pieces rectangles with triangles on either ends.

Why do I think it was hand pieced? Those rectangles with triangles on either side are string pieced  and some of the patches continue from the triangles to the body of the rectangle.

Here is another close-up.

I am not sure about you all but I do not want to hand piece a quilt top at this time in my life.
So here is what I came up with.

The best way to sew these Overlapped Octagons is to sew them in columns using required units..

Here are some loose instructions I promised.

This quilt can be constructed with finished,

2" Quarter Square Triangles
2 X 4 inches String Pieced Rectangles
4 X 4 Center Squares

Are you with me? If not, I have more to say :)

You will construct it in columns. Yes! Strips!

• You will need (give or take)

132 Center Squares - 4 1/2" X 4 1/2"

156 Stringed Pieced Rectangles - 2 1/2" X 4 1/2"

156 Quarter Square Triangles - 2 1/2" X 2 1/2"

• Strip Set - A 

Sew 12 strips starting with quarter square triangle alternating with string pieced rectangle and ending with quarter square triangle - 74 1/2 " long. For each strip you will need 13 squares and 12 rectangles.

• Strip Set -B

Sew 11 strips, Starting with stringed rectangle alternating with a plain center square, ending with pieced rectangle. For each strip you will need 13 Rectangles and 12 Squares. 

Sew strip one and two in alternating order.
The quilt should measure 68" X 74" or something like that.

Here are few other things to consider.

• Use many shades of same color to mimic the use of recycled shirts.
• Observe the size of the scraps and compare those to the prints you may be using. Large prints will definitely get lost when cut providing even crazier look!
• You don't need to make entire quilt with small blocks. Play around with large scale prints and large size blocks. The blocks can be reconfigured as long as the measurements are divisible by 2
• What if you choose those 4" squares to act as background? How will those overlapping octagons act against same fabric throughout? 
• Consider low volume, high contrasts. "Take a trip" to another country for inspiration and use colors inspired from it.
• Use your travel pictures for color inspiration.
• Use stripes, dots pr plaids to create drama.

I can go on and on. 

If you are not interested in making this quilt, pick the one you like. There are so many beautiful quilts in the book, just have fun, make it your own.

I am still trying to figure out the best way to have one platform to visit each-other's projects. Meanwhile, let's make some dent in the scrap box!

If you are on Instagram, use #unconventionalandunexpected and #UANDUQAL
I am told U&UQAL will not work.

And lastly, you do not need to have a blog nor the IG account. I really hope you have fun making these quilts.

Happy Monday you all! 
Sujata

RED

The best thing about moving to the San Francisco Bay Area has been coming in contact with quilters, authors, historians and collectors all at the same time.
 
Back in 2015 when I still lived in PA, we were invited to the wedding in San Francisco. My book had just been released in December 2014 and just couple of months before that, one of my favorite books was also released - Unconventional and Unexpected Quilts by Roderick Kiracofe

As soon as I got my copy of the book, I realized there was not a single quilt I disliked. I really wanted to meet this guy who collected old, unconventional quilts as art! So when the tickets were booked, I sent Roderick Kiracofe  an email wondering if we could meet for coffee. I was honored that he carved some time out of his schedule.

I took my book with me to get it autographed. When we met and I asked him for his autograph, he said humbly, "I am a quilt collector but people are treating me like some kind of celebrity!"

He is a celebrity to me. He has an eye for collecting quilts that have inspired us all. Wouldn't you agree?

So that brings me to this exciting news!

Last month I attended his exhibit RED in Berkeley. Common theme - In each quilt, color red used in unique way. It was wonderful to see some of his quilts in person for the first time and hear him talk about each one of them.
Clock on the link to view some of those quilts.

http://www.roderickkiracofe.com/newsarchive/2018/11/13/0w6d5o89ep71a0nc30obh1fkjtg2we

I had always wanted to try my hand at using his quilts as inspiration and make quilts of my own. In fact when I flipped through the pages of his book when it was released, Couple of quilts in the book reminded me of my quilts from - Cultural Fusion Quilts. I posted about it here.

Image Courtesy: Roderick Kiracofe

Here comes the best part! After seeing RED I got excited all over again to make quilts. Kind of quilts that have nothing to do with my book. I have been teaching for past four years and another year is booked with fantastic places to go and things to do. I have had an exciting times these but I am also craving to make new quilts.

As soon as I thought of making quilts inspired from U&U, I thought to involve my blogging friends.

I do want to emphasize, I have no other interest than just to make some quilts from this book and inspire quilters out there. 

Are you interested? There is only one rule for this quilt-along.

All you need to have is the book. You can find a signed copy here. It would make a great Christmas gift to yourself. I kid you not!

Here are some  "No Rules" of this U&U Quilt-Along

• They do not need to be wonky if  you like to stitch in the straight line. 

• There are no deadlines.

• I will be sharing some loose directions but you Do Not need to follow my guidelines. You are more than encouraged to go your own way. 

• Remember that possibilities are endless and you Do Not need to repeat the colors or pattern exactly like it is in the book.  

• When you post the progress pictures as well as finished quilts on Instagram, use #U&UQA  

The U&U quilt along will begin 7 January 2019.

What do you say?
Leave a comment and let me know if you are interested.
I will invite you to join Basket Full of Scraps blog.

Mean while I am going to figure out how to make the blog button for U&UQA

Leaving you with some images of quilts from RED

 This last picture seems like vintage now. It was only four years ago!

Come Join Me!

Sujata

Unconventional and Unexpected - American Quilts Below the Radar 1950-2000

''Some experiences leave a permanent mark in your brain, they change the way you think and process, they remind you of who you are and supposed to be..Going through the pages of your book has confirmed my values as far as this art is concerned. Thank you for collecting, writing and putting this book together. It will be forever in Shah family collection. Some day my budding artist/writer daughter will inherit it.''

Above was my reaction in an email to Roderick Kiracofe's within first 20 minutes of it's arrival at my doorstep.

I had been anticipating my shipment of ''Unconventional and Unexpected - American Quilts Below the Radar 1950-2000'' for so long, I did a happy dance when I saw the UPS truck stop at the front of my house.

Turning to the first page itself was an emotional experience. I froze for a few minutes and then carried on to the next page. I was trying to hold back the crazy excitement and mad rush of wanting to go through the entire book to see all at once. Every quilt made me think of one or more elements of design.

Importance of contrast

 Does this make you wonder what the back of the quilt looks like?

Mix of hard and soft lines

Can you see the movement?

Texture within texture

How about here?

colors

 Doesn't this make all you wonder about the definition of modern design? The concept of making do was just a way of living.

Why figure 8? Seems like a form of expression but what? Did she leave a label on the back with an explanation?

Am I the only one who sees a nose and an eye of a puppy here?

How about this chest of drawers? Doesn't that remind you of some furniture in some Asian import store?

Totally unexpected, right? 

Every page screams HAPPY. Yes, that's with all caps! It's like one big celebration between cover to cover. it is filled with pictures of the quilts' front and back, essays written by quilt designers, authors and educators in the field.  I could keep posting pictures of the quilts from the book and talk about it for next few posts but there is nothing like actually holding the book in your hands. I had seen many images on various blog posts and fb groups but nothing is as satisfying as having it in my library.

Here is the link to Amazon to purchase the book. Make sure you click on the reviews by customers and read what others are thinking too. I hope you already have the book. If not, it's on its way. If you like unexpected results, thinking outside the box and surprises that come along the way of improvisational quilting, this is the book for you.

Let me know what you think.