Diamonds like an accordian?
 

I was searching Pinterest looking for ideas on another scrap quilt, I have just finished the Labyrinth Walk and wanted something mindless.

I found this quilt called Picket Fence by Elsie Campbell, she also has a book with that quilt in it. These are 60 degree diamonds. Well, I had just pulled out a ton of undesirable fabric out of my pin and have this huge bag of it, ready to donate.

I figured I would just use these to experiment instead of cutting my good fabric. I am sure I didn't have a lot of strips in my more desirable bin lol.

I started piling them up and tearing some more. I just tore anything into any size. Later I decided, after making a few blocks, that I would tear up to 2 inches and no more and anything below 2 inches could work.

When I looked at the quilt on the web, I noticed that the top dark Diamonds had the strips going straight across the diamond, I did some of those and didn't like the look, so I let the strips go with the flow of the diamond. The lighter diamonds had the strips going up and down and that was fine.

I now realize that the top dark diamond, needs to have the last strip much darker and the pair of light diamonds, need to have the strip on the right diamond, just a pinch darker to give a 3-d effect but so far it looks ok. Later on I will switch the first blocks around and mix them into the rest of the quilt like on the sides and bottom.

This is the reason I was using the undesirable fabric. I need the check it out. Now that I see it, I kinda like it lol.

Here are all the undesirables, light and dark and the blocks so far.

i liove the look of it. i agree, the sideways ones need to go parallel to the side, not straight across

Love it!!! Can't wait to see more!!!

For those who want to do it. Make a strada of the dark and light prints. I made a template of paper just for direction of the 60 degree cut, as the diamonds are mirror image. My stradas are 6 inches high or a little more.

Check your strada and cut the strip of strada at 6 inches. Line up the ruler with the straight edge of your strada and do a 60 d cut for the first side, turn the strada and 6 inches from the first cut, and do next 60 d cut for your diamond.

Now when it comes time to cut the second diamond, which is a mirror image, this is when I put my template on the strada to make sure it is heading in the right direction, move the template and do the cut.

Note: when cutting your first diamond, go ahead and cut those diamonds all the same position to save a chunk of strada. Then make another strada and cut those other diamonds in the opposite direction.

Ohh, I like this! Looks like it'd go nice and fast, too. Thanks for sharing!

It's going to be another winner. You do such wonderful work.

Yes, it goes nice and fast and smooth once I figure it out lol.

I love your idea, please,show us the final photos.

Yes, it goes nice and fast and smooth once I figure it out lol.

I love that, it has such depth.

Wow, Rosy, that's awesome! Looks like something Kaffee Fassett would design.

You make it sound so simple, yet it looks fairly complicated. What a great way to use some strips.

Love your pictures of testing out your blocks. I test out mine, put them on the chair back, and look at them for a day or two, and if I like it,I keep making them. If I don't, I try out another block, until I like what I did. Then I make the whole quilt, with that block. I can't put pictures on the website, because I don't know how. Looks good so far.

Rosy you are so busy and creative. And so generous with your process and ideas. You're wonderful.

The more I look at your 'test' the more I like it! Keep showing us pics as you go along.

It looks very good.

See Rosie, your undesirables are delightful in this pattern! Anxious to see more!

Great idea!

Very interesting. Can't wait to see more.

Thank you ladies. Here is another way I put them together, what do you think? Also, just ignore the blocks with the straight strips, I will change those out.

I can't believe how good these undesirables look once sewed together lol. I have burned through most of them and I am sure they will all be gone soon and I will have to add some from another bag lol.

This is such a totally different look and it look richer IMHO, I alternated the light and dark across the board instead of an all dark row and the all light row.

When I finish all the blocks for the size I want, then I will switch them around on the board and sew it in rows, and then sew the rows together. This way there will be no need for set-ins. To finish the top and bottom, I will just put in black diamonds on each row and then cut across after sewing and then it will really pop out. I might put black on the side too, but only an inch or so.

Look at this set up. I turned the dark diamonds up and down and the light ones across, compared to the ones on the right of alternating.

I can't decide now lol

Here is another way with the light going up and down and the dark going across....which one do you like the best. There are three choices.

Great quilt, can't wait to see it finished.

Coming along great! I actually likecsecond choice.

I really like it, great job!

anxiously waiting for the finished look!

I haven't decided how I am going to place the blocks lol. I did another load today and the undesirable fabric are disappearing fast lol.....

looking good !!!!!

Rosy, that is awesome!! Do us a tute on it, please!!!

How neat! Love scrap quilts & you came up with a great one.

Love it, what a fabulous idea. Please make sure and post the completed quilt when you are done.

I really like the look of this. I just might have to try it. Thanks for sharing.

Oh my gosh...That is awesome..

I like this, keep going.

Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel so inadequate after seeing all the beautiful pics on this board!

I really love it, as soon as I can, I will give it a try, Thank you

Please let us see the finished product. Can't wait!

Nice! I'd keep going, only replace the ones with the horizontal piecings. They look a little funny and spoil the 3-D effect. Undesirable or not, these fabrics have made an interesting quilt! At the least, you could donate it.

I have removed the offending cross strip blocks lol and now here are 2 pics of the light strips going up and down and the dark going across and a pic of the dark strips going up and down and the light going across. Which do you like the best?

There are 80 bocks so far on the board. I have burned through the undesirable lights lol and am ripping from other sources and still have some dark left. I think I need to make at least 200 blocks to have a fair size quilt.