Creating the Quilt Top for “Urban Sunset”

In this earlier post I talked about creating the fabric I used in my quilt Urban Sunset.  My original plan was to use the fabric as-is and create several whole cloth quilts.  However, the more I looked at the printed fabrics (shown below), the more I thought I’d need to cut them up.

I wanted this fabric to be the majority of the quilt, and I decided to use circles since I was looking for an abstract sunset over a city.  I dyed some fabric a very dark blue to use as the background night sky, and eventually I got the nerve to cut into the fabric.  Here’s the first circle pieced into the background.

I pieced the circles using Dale Fleming’s technique which involves freezer paper and glue sticks (see the HGTV video here or on The Quilt Show episode #704).  It’s a great technique for me since it yields very precise circles yet doesn’t require pinning fabric or precise sewing.

I added a second circle.

And a third.  I marked the top with a light grid pattern using white chalk so I could get a better feel for placement and orientation of the circles.

Here’s an animation of the circles as they’re added.

And here’s the completed top.

x

All my life’s a circle;
But I can’t tell you why;
Season’s spinning round again;
The years keep rollin’ by.
— Harry Chapin (1972)

Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.
— Albert Einstein, in a letter in 1950

3 thoughts on “Creating the Quilt Top for “Urban Sunset”

  1. Jean, I really enjoy your blog. Talented gal. The above quilt needs to be entered in major shows. From a distance, it is outstanding & up close, the quilting is fantastic. Keep it away from public until you can enter it. Mary R. Beat

    • Thanks Mary. I was at the Sewing and Quilting Expo yesterday and saw the Art and Science exhibit for the first time — loved it all, including your “Horticulture and Psyche” quilt.

  2. Pingback: “Urban Sunset” — Completed Quilt | Color On Cloth

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