Another blended floral

Sorry for the confusion to those of you who were looking for this post....Yesterday I hit post instead of save before I got the photos together  ;( 

Summer Garden 2006 is an early quilt and  was done using strips of florals in the courthouse steps pattern set on point. I love the muted effect.  The basic layout was based on value---- all light blocks in the center;  a set of blocks that were light on one side and medium on the other; and a last set of blocks that were medium on one side and dark on the other.  Set on point the blocks blend from light in the center of the quilt to dark on the outside.  I have absolutely no idea how many different fabrics I used for this....so don't ask me to even guess!  
    So why not try something similar and use a different block?
   With that thought in mind, I experimented with EQ7 and decided I liked the results using the quarter log cabin block.  The overall layout I played around with is  very abstract light and dark areas, rather than arranged from one value to the other like the above photo.  I am not going to lock myself into a specific design right now, but rather I want to let the fabrics flow and do their own thing---creating light and shadows.
     And to throw another wrench into the works, I thought why not mix up the width of the strips within the block.  After all, I had a stash of 2" strips and 2 1/2" strips and a few 3" strips, too.  What would happen then?   On the computer the blending looked good.....even with different size strips.
    Next  I did a little math before I began this experiment.  I needed to determine what size block I was going to get if I mixed up the widths.  I came up with a basic combination of 2 strips at 2 " and 2 strips at 2 1/2" would work up at 7"--which would finish off at 6 1/2".   Another combination that would work was a 3" corner block and 3 strips at 2", or 1 strip at 3" and 3 at 2".   Enough math!  There were combinations that would work, and I would rather sew than add.  Besides, I could always add another round to make them larger later on.   I made a quick chart of combos that would work out and got to stitching a few sample blocks---based on value not color.

This first block--on the left-- is light to light- medium.  The corner square is 2", then 2 rounds of 2 1/2", and final is 2". 

On the right is a different combo of medium  to dark-medium and the rounds are a 2" corner, 2" round,  and then 2 rounds of 2 1/2". 

So I think this part of the experiment worked.   And these 2 photos are good ones to study for the type of florals I like to use for this.    But it would work wonderful in batiks too!

   Now, to make more blocks, in lots of combinations of value.
   So grab your strips and happy stitching.