Originally Posted by k3n
Absolutely stunning. I love it. And I especially like the amount of 'space' (pun intended!) you left between each PP explosion. The restraint of this makes the quilt elegant and spectacular at the same time. The FMQ is perfect, I must admit that I wasn't sure if it detracted when I saw the first pics of just the blocks but it absolutely does NOT - it enhances. Well done you, wonderful work. :-D
I had a hard time finding thread for the background for the fmq. At first I was thinking, I'd use a variegated gray, but couldn't find a single one that didn't include a real light gray or white. That was just too much contrast and really made your eye zoom to that white line. I didn't want that! Black also was too dark. At this point, I got quite frustrated - I've come this far with this project and now I can't find the right color of thread for the background fmq!! In the end I used a Mettler dark gray 100 % polyester. The shop I bought it from had 2 spools left. I did run out, but by then they had more, so got more. I used about 2 1/2 spools. The background fabric is a subtle print of spirals (snail shapes) in med., med dark, dark gray and black. That fabric, I too ran out of, and had to find it online and order more when I decided to expand the size of the design.
That 'space' in between the star circles is meant to be there to show the individual breaks of color of a snail shell. This type of shell is rare to see in a fireworks show, since they take so much time to make, therefore are very expensive. They also are very large - like 8 - 10" diameter and 3' long in a cylinder shape. You need a very large budget to have one of these in a show. After all, a paying customer isn't going to want to spend 3/4 of their budget, on one shell. Several members of our local fireworks club make these shells. There will be several of them at the opening show on Sunday, Aug. 8th, at the racetrack venue in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. This is east of Appleton about 5 miles. If any of you live or will be traveling in this area, seeing the Opening Show on Sunday or the Finale Show on Friday, Aug. 13th, will be a spectacular way to spend an evening. You'll see fireworks you've never seen before in your life and never will again. Each year hundreds of people make shells to shoot at the nightly shows or in competition (after the planned displays /demos). These big shells are made one at a time over many months time, not mass produced in a factory in China. The Finale on Fri., you'll see things like no where else in the world. This is the Pyrotechnics Guild International Convention, afterall. Each year, the members try to outdo each other, with effects that are bigger, brighter and louder than before.