May 2, 2007
Seeing Stars
Today, I present a collection of my favorite stars from my stack n' whack project. Each pair of images represents both possible orientations for the diamond-shaped pieces that I cut out, as a demonstration of how much variation you can get from that simple rotation. I also tried to include as many different colors from the fabric as I could, to demonstrate how the fabric that I started with could yield many different color palettes.
Any favorites? I took pictures of all the possible star combinations so that I could "audition" the orientations on my computer. I find, quite often, that the camera helps me see things that I didn't with the naked eye alone. This is particularly true when I shrink and enlarge images to simulate distance.
The next step is to cut out my background pieces. I have some fun Kaffe Fasset prints for the background that I will show off tomorrow.
1: left
2: right
3: left
4 and 5: undecided.
:-)
That is so interesting! They are totally changed just by turning them around.
A question about the technique, do you actually whack while they're stacked, or do you cut one and use it to line up the others? This is a really neat technique to get different but coordinating pieces out of one piece of fabric! I had never heard of it before this.
Here are my preferences:
Star 1: I like them both. It would depend on if you wanted a bigger splash of yellow (left), or something more subdued (right).
Star 2: I like them both
Star 3: Right
Star 4: Left
Star 5: Left
I haven't stacked and wacked for a long time (over 5 years) but I have the book you mentioned. It's so addicting, even now, I tend to look at large printed fabric in stores and find the repeat and think to myself, this would be a great S&W quilt.... My hardest part was sewing the seams so they would be perfect, I was always on the verge of trying to paper piece them instead so my seams might be more accurate, but with the birth of my girl 5 years ago, most of my quilt related stuff (including a business I had) went out the window. But I've been enjoying reading 'knitters' blogs and seeing how many people are being pulled into fabric addiction too. I just went the other way =) Fabric into Yarn. Now to figure out what to do with the 200 half cuts of fabric I have and the 100 or so cuts of 1930's reproductions I collected!
As for Likes:
1) Right
2) Left
3) Right
4) Right
5) Right (though that one makes me wonder if you have another choice. I just don't like it as much as the other stars)
When reading the previous post I was wondering why you would want to cut and spoil a fabric so beautiful. Now I know! The stars look wonderful! I love especially the first two, both versions of them.
Star 3 is my favorite. Those stars are so beautiful, they are making me forget how much I hate to sew. Must.resist.fabric.store.
Beautiful results!! I'm not a quilter, and my eye is mesmerized by the stars and the patterning.
Uh oh.
Oh! Left, left, left, right, left.
They are wonderful! My fav is star #3, right.
Although recently I've just been darting in and out, I had to leave a comment today. These stars are fabulous! Your choice of fabric is giving you such a range of star results. I have preferences in each pair, but the background you choose will probably influence your final choices. They all look great on black, but will look more or less successful depending on the fabrics you decide to pair them with. Can't wait to see the next step!
I like both the stars in 4 best, I also like both of 5. For 1 and 2 I like the left stars and for 3, the one on the right.
Can't wait to see the whole quilt top.
I think it would be cool to have both of each in it!
Star 1 left is my absolute favorite, but they're all beautifully kaleidoscopic. Thanks for sharing ~ I know I'll look at all of these many times throughout my day at work!
I'm stunned. I didn't really understand what going to happen. They are beautiful. Thank you for sharing the process with us.
Beautiful. I have done Stack N Whack before, it reminds me of a magic trick, all smoke and mirrors, it is so easy (comparatively) and the result is so stunning, such a fabulous baby quilt it will be.
I didn't get it yesterday, but now with the pictures, I'm blown away! They're so beautiful. The fabric was so lovely on it's own, I couldn't imagine how cutting it would improve it.
I really like 2a. Star 3b looks like a flower, it's just lovely. And I also like 1a. I don't know how you will ever choose. Thanks for showing us this.
I like them all! Very cool!
I like them all but if I had to choose, this is what I'd pick:
1. Left
2. Right
3. Both
4. Left
5. Right
Oh they are all gorgeous! I find myself drawn to all of the stars in the right hand column with my favorite being #3.
This will be a lovely project!
Wow! The arrangement makes such a huge difference. It's amazing. The first 2 are just beautiful either way and I just can't choose a favorite but here are my preferences for the last three:
3 - Right
4 & 5 - left
Those stars are amazing. I'm hoping to sign up for a quilting class soon. I've been inspired, in part, by your beautiful quilting pictures. Thank you for sharing these with us. I'm really enjoying learning about the quilting process.
It's so interesting how you get such different effects from the same cuts just by rotating them. My favorites against the black are: 1R and 2R. If I were to pick orientations for the others I think I'd choose 3L, 4L, and 5R. Almost makes me want to start quilting.
Yesterday all I could think was that I couldn't cut into such pretty fabric, now that I see what the technique does I'm dying to try it, it's a real life kaleidescope! I like both of stars 1 & 2 but I'm partial to green, they're all cool.
I love star 4! Either orientation (depends on background, obviously) but the blue swirly bits are so fiesty... it's fabulous!
It looks like you might have every possibility chosen by someone by now :) My favorite is 4 Right. It's so cool how different the stars look from their original fabric!
I like the ones where the centers are dark, except on square 5, I like the pink center best. But they are all lovely, and mixing it up should be great, too if you decide to do it what way!
That said, sounds completely contradictory but the first one on the right is my absolute favorite. Great job! :)
Wow. How fun. Who knew reorientation could make such a big difference.
Since you've asked...
For Star 1, I much prefer the left shot (red in middle)
For Star 2, it's harder, at first I liked the right one (red on tips) but the left is growing on me the more I look at it, and I prefer it now.
For Star 3, it's the right, hands down (blue in middl), unless I look at it too long...
For Star 4, It's a tough choice. the left one says star more loudly to me, but I like what the swirls do in the right one.
For Star 5, it's also tough... the left is more starry, the right is flowery ...
I'm glad it's you making the final choices, not me!
Wow, the reorientation makes such a difference. I'm just amazed at this. I would go with:
right
left
right
left
right
right right left right right.
i can't wait to see the kaffe fassett fabrics next! regardless of what combos you go with, these fabrics are wonderful! you are such a great quilter! inspiring. :o)
How fun! I am NOT going to start quilting. I so dont' need another addiction, instead I'll ride along vicariously with you. :) Here are my picks.
1. right
2. right (My absolute FAVORITE. Those tips of red..very unexpected.)
3. right
4. right
5. left...hmm am I right brained? heh
Those are all pretty nifty. I like the first three the best, and I find the pinks swirling in the center (Star 3) to be especially gorgeous. I find that I don't particularly like Star 5. I feel like the striping just detracts from the hypno-love swirly nature of it all, and it feels less like a tesselation than the others.
Three's gorgeous!
I never knew about this technique, and now I MUST learn it!!! The stars are gorgeous - they remind me of kaleidescopes, which I love and collect.
I love them all, but absolute preferences are:
1. Left
2. Left
3. Right
4. Left
5. Right
I can't wait to see more!
The real goovey thing about stack n whack is every star is different. Watch out though....you'll start looking at fabrics with this type of quilt in mind. Believe me, you'll never be the same again! They're beautiful!
It's like a kaleidoscope!!! Beautiful! I like them all, I can't choose.
They're all so beautiful. But I am leaning towards star 2. I just love the greens.
Oh my! The fabric you picked out is really lovely! I love the first star, and the orange pointed star of set 2. Also, I like the groovy white and blue waves- I can't explain why, but it's really fun to look at!
OMG, this is the coolest (quilting) project ever! I hadn't quite been able to visualize what was going to happen with this, but now that I see it? It's hhhhhawesome!
I love Star 4-left the bestest, I think, but it's so hard to say. I've flip-flopped on Star 3 a bunch of times, with equal fervor each time.
And btw - I love how many of those are winding up looking like stuff out of those extra-trippy Sesame Street shorts we used to watch as kids.
I especially like the first two sets of stars... and those aren't normally colors I would like, but I do think they work particularly well together.
They're all so beautiful! That said, I think I prefer the top two sets, and the left star from set 4. How cool - I can't wait to see what you're doing with these!
Stack'n whacks are so much fun. My preference is to always have the darker/busier end in the centre and the lighter/quieter bits on the outside points. So that would be Star 1 left, Star 2 left, Star 3 right, Star 4 left, Star 5 right (although you could go either way on this last one).
I absolutely love 4 right. How the blue swirls line up and everything makes that little concentric mandala in the center. 3 right is my second favorite. It looks like it's blooming. The rest are beautiful either way!
-C
I prefer the right-hand version in every one!
Sarah-Hope
www.whatifknits.com
I don't even like pink, but my favorites are the Star 3 set.
stars 1, 2 and 3 left hand side
ooops I mean right hand side (baby distraction)
I really like Stars 1 and 2...