Value Proposition Quilt Along - Introduction and Block 1

Welcome to my second quilt along (QAL), Value Proposition.  Colour is an important design element but value is the first thing the eye sees.  Value is the relative lightness of one colour compared to another. It is important when making a quilt because it can make the difference between a good quilt and a great quilt. I called this QAL Value Proposition because we are going to focus on value and hopefully make some great quilts! Colour is important but look for value first! The quilt is made of 18 blocks and 4 filler blocks. A new pattern will be published every two weeks.

The blocks are made from 1" hexagons. You can find hexagon paper templates for printing and English paper piecing instructions under the tab English Paper Piecing Instructions & Hexagon Fun. The Value Proposition hexagon quilt top will measure 61" by 71" before the borders are added when a triple path is used.

You will need to construct a path to separate the blocks. I wrote about the role of the path that separates the blocks on April 13, 2014 and about fabric selection for the path on  April 16, 2014. If you are an experienced hexie maker you won't need my help making the path but for those of you who are new to hexies I will write about how I construction the path on Apriil 25, 2014.

I love colour and I know you do to. As much as I try to work with colours that aren't in my comfort zone I always end up with the colours I love and that I have in my stash. The quilts made I've made with these colours tend to be my most successful quilts. I want you to love your quilt so use the fabrics you love and have in your stash! If you run short of a fabric add a second (or third) fabric that is a same or similar colour and value. Every two weeks I will share a new block. I'll share three tools to help you make your block: Value Proposition Map, Value Proposition Recipe and My Block.

The Value Proposition Map is your guide to value placement (i.e. where the dark, medium and light hexagons will go in the block). At the top of each Map will be a value key so you can see the relative values used. In Block 1 there is a light, two mediums and one dark. Where there is a dark hexagon in the block, this is where you should use your darkest fabric.  "Dark" doesn't mean you have to use black, dark brown or navy; it just means that this should be the darkest fabric in the block when compared to the other fabrics.The same is true with the mediums and lights.

HELPFUL TIP: Most of us have loads of lights and mediums in our stash and relatively few darks. When selecting fabrics for your block it will be much easier if you start with your dark fabrics and then add the mediums and lights.

The Value Recipe  will tell you how many of each value you should cut and where they will be placed in the block. The block stars with a center hexagon which be identified as "Center". "Round" 1" is made of six hexagons that surround the center. "Round 2" is made of 12 hexagons that surround Round 1. "Round 3" is made of 18 hexagons that surround Round 2.

My Block will be a black & white photo of the block I made so you can see what I did and how I used my scraps. I don't want to influence you with my colour choices!


Value Proposition Map for Block 1

Value Recipe for Block 1
UPDATED: I used three different medium fabrics in my block, one medium-dark and light fabric. I've labelled the mediums and the medium-dark on the Map to show the placement.

  *  Cut 7 Medium #1 (1 for Center and 6 for Round 2 identified as A on Map)
  *  Cut 6 Medium #2 (For Round 1 identified as B on Map)
   * Cut 6 Dark-medium (for Round 2 identified as C)
   * Cut 6 Medium #3  (for Round 3 identified as B) NOTE: If you don't want to use a third medium you can
      repeat one of the other two mediums
   * Cut 12 Light (for Round 3) NOTE: If you look at the picture below you will see that I used a variety of         lights

My Block
This is my block! Notice I've used multiple light prints in Round 3.  The recipe calls for 12 light hexagons so I cut 4 from three different fabrics. I stitched them in pairs and each pair was on the opposite side. You could use a single fabric or multiple fabric! Stripes were used in Round 3 to add interest.

I've set up a FLICKR Value Proposition Quilt Along page where you can post pictures of your quit blocks and also see what others are doing!

A new block will be published every two weeks. The next block will be available on Friday, May 2, 2014. If you have questions please feel free to ask and I'll answer them in my next post!

Have fun and get sewing!
Karen H