Planning + Improvising with Pas de Deux
I just love to plan things. I enjoy the big-picture thinking involved, the excitement of the imagined outcome, plus organizing all the little details to best advantage. So when I make a collaborative charity quilt with my bee mates at do. Good Stitches, it can be a practice in letting go. In this quilting bee we all use our own fabrics, so it’s always a bit of a surprise what comes my way: a good surprise!
This time we’re sewing a Pas de Deux quilt, which is a modern sampler quilt made up of various patchwork groups that weave together in a not-so-straightforward manner. My bee mates are tasked with sewing different-sized blocks in different colors, with the ultimate hope that
1. our patchwork pieces can be joined together
and
2. the patchwork forms an overall rainbow blend.
A challenge for sure.
I’ll be sewing lots of sections myself, which gives me the chance to coordinate and adjust. I’ve just finished this Transparency patchwork group, which I shortened because the quilt was feeling orange-heavy.
Transparency slots in here with neighboring patchwork.
Above Transparency is a bright orange group in Wedge Cross patchwork. According to the Pas de Deux pattern, that bright orange Wedge Cross was sitting directly below to the dark navy Postage Stamp Stars group. Unfortunately, the bright orange and dark navy were creating too much color-contrast in a quilt that is supposed to be a rainbow blend.
That’s why I added this green/yellow strip of Wedge Cross blocks between the dark blue patchwork (above) and the orange patchwork (below). Green and yellow act as visual buffers so that the navy and orange no longer speak loudly and rudely to each other.
I could add in this green/yellow strip because I had shortened the Transparency group accordingly. Now we have a better rainbow blend, over all.
Today I’ve received a new section from my bee mate, the Checkers patchwork at right. I’ll add some pieces around it to fill in the gaps and blend the colors.
I’m just loving this process! In the beginning I got to create a plan and share my vision - that’s the preparatory phase that I relish. Now I am reacting and responding to the patchwork that I receive - that’s the challenge and joy of collaborating, which brings another layer of satisfaction to the project.
Looking forward to completing this patchwork puzzle!
In my opinion Pas de Deux is my most successful sew-along yet. I am thrilled to see that the pace and design of this project is helping quilters to maintain momentum and keep on with the project. That’s the very best indication of success, in my book.
Sabine Hofferer (@la_boite_a_couleur) loves working with bright, vibrant colors and especially favors fabrics that feature the art of Charley Harper. Her Pas de Deux quilt certainly does Harper justice, with a playful personality that matches the fabrics themselves.
Long projects make the best finishes! What a pleasure it is to see all the bits and pieces of this patchwork sampler dancing together as one. May I present my second Pas de Deux quilt - this time in pretty Sugar Plum shades.
Oh happy swirl of patchwork! The colors and shapes are so sweet and dainty. She’s a sugar plum fairy for sure. It feels soooo good to wrap this up before our trip. Plus, I can honestly say that after adding the last bits, it came together as I had hoped.
These Still Point blocks are the trickiest sew in the entire quilt. They utilize y-seams to create a flurry of twists and turns. But the tradeoff to stretching your wings is the view once energies take flight. There’s a special zing of pleasure and satisfaction when you succeed at something that took pluck.
This Pas de Deux is all about making connections between the groups. The Checkers group is an easy one for that. I decided to start with pale colors at the top of Checkers because of the pale colors in the HST blocks directly above. The idea to build an ombre blend developed as a way of working toward orange.
Can’t wait, can’t wait! In about a week’s time, Pas de Deux club members will receive the May installment in our sampler quilt. For most, this is the Wedge Cross group - one of my absolute favorites. It’s simple and satisfying to sew, plus gave rise to a very special Bonus quilt pattern.
I think she will like it. I hope she will like it. Minimalist and simple is rather hard for me. I so easily stray. I think that things were going well when I created the patchwork design and chose a color palette, but it’s possible that they got out of hand when it came to quilting - - -
On this sunny weekend I caught a few hours in my sewing room to add to my Pas de Deux quilt. That was my Easter treat! My Evening Star blocks have a variety of background colors, but continuous (instead of scrappy) circles. I do so enjoy trying new things.
Over the course of a few days, I’ve created a new group for my Pas de Deux quilt. This one turned out nothing like the original group. Instead, it was created by making color connections with surrounding blocks, and experimenting with fabrics on hand.
Dreaming up a quilt color palette, choosing fabrics, even scattering fabric ideas on the design wall - all those stages of quilt planning are so easy and open and free for me. With a sampler quilt like Pas de Deux, actually choosing which block to sew first, on the other hand, can be a bit intimidating.
For my second version of Pas de Deux, I’m choosing a color palette for the quilt as a whole. I want a limited palette of 3 or so colors, so that the patchwork groups naturally harmonize and the edges between them can blur. Here’s how I pulled together fabrics, questioned myself and spiraled finally toward a decision.
Wow, the 2022 Pas de Deux club release was my most successful ever! Thank you! Quilter reactions are encouraging: the quilt is fun to sew, scrap-friendly, skill-building and yet totally doable for the average quilter. A new round begins in April and is on sale through Monday!
It’s seems I’ve captured the rainbow again. This swirl of happy, scrappy patchwork makes me smile, just like that bow of color in the sky. Come see my finished quilt! Psst - a new round of Pas de Deux is on sale now. We start fresh in April!
True confessions: I’ve been avoiding this part of Pas de Deux. I questioned the colors for this patchwork group and the construction presented so many choices. Which would be best?
A rainbow of diamonds sparkles with vibrant color, bringing to mind a field of spring flowers. The wedges in between the diamonds offer slivers of contrasting blue and lavender skies. This wash of contrast enhances the diamond colors just as a bright, sunny day brings a garden to life.
It’s a lot at the moment. Logically I can rationalize that things will be ok, that our family’s future can unfold in a number of acceptable ways, but emotionally I’m often feeling a sort of anxious haze. And do you know what breaks through the haze and sets my spirit light? This very quilt. The colors. The clarity. The contrast. It’s freeing me.
Once Hourglass was completed and photographed, I practically ran into my sewing room to join its floating rows to those from the Orange Peel group. Assembly is so satisfying! I actually have only two more groups to go and then I can complete the top. Can’t wait!
I’m crafting a rainbow of diamonds with the Wedge Cross block, a bonus quilt-pattern-in-progress for Pas de Deux BOM club. Fabrics are Ruby and Bee Solids. These rich, saturated hues are captured in cloth by designers Heather Ross and Annabel Wrigley, working in tandem for Windham Fabrics.
Oh, checkerboard patchwork, how I do love thee! It’s charming every time. Now a whole checkerboard quilt in this small-size patchwork would be quite an endeavor, but this little taste is pure delight. I’m on my way to a finished quilt top this month!
There are often lots of ways to sew most patchwork blocks, with advantages and disadvantages to different approaches. It’s easy to assume that the first method you learn is the easiest or best one. Until you try another method, you really don’t know! Patchwork can surprise you.
Welcome back to my sewing room. Today is my last day of corona quarantine, and I’m feeling full of energy! I think it’s time for some progress on my rainbow Pas de Deux quilt. Let’s begin this time with grass green and silver gray fabric scraps.
Your Pas de Deux beginnings are inspiring me today. I’m feeling the tug to finish the scrappy rainbow version I’ve already started, and begin a fresh Pas de Deux quilt with a limited palette. Why not? It’s not, after all, a particularly time-consuming quilt.
This week I found my rhythm: stitch, press, trim - stitch, press, trim - stitch, press, trim. Lost in the process and living deliciously in the moment of each new seam, my project felt like a secret getaway. I return to you today with a fresh new quilt top!
Playing with plaid, sewing with sorbet pink and trying to decide between two options for my Postage Stamp Stars quilt. Which one do you like? I’m super curious. This quilt top is coming together fast!
I’ve just begun Postage Stamp Stars, a spin-off from the Postage Stamp group in Pas de Deux quilt. Pattern coming soon to club members! First step - dig into all my small scrap bins, cutting little jewels of color.
At last we can truly get started with sewing these Pas de Deux quilts. Are you so excited? I am! I quite enjoy seeing your ideas for colors and fabrics. There really are so many ways to make something beautiful. Psst - - - Last day for Sale price!
I love scrap quilts! Each one is special and totally unique. Here are some tips for planning a scrappy sampler quilt like Pas de Deux. Start with Your Scraps, Combine Colors, Develop a Theme and Avoid Total Overwhelm!
a Collaborative Quilt