October Color Your World - Black

 

October has arrived and it is my most favorite month of the year.  With that, it does seem odd that the Color Your World color for this month is Black.  Well, truth be told, for many years I wore a LOT of black and absolutely still have a great deal of it in my wardrobe.  I like it.  I also like the contrast it offers when placed with other colors.  Think Amish quilts.  At any rate, enjoy black and all that it offers - you'll be amazed at how many places it shows up in your life.  Further down the post is the monthly project AND your BINGO card for October.  Let's get started and don't forget to grab that cuppa.

Black is the color of power and sophistication.  It is an incredibly strong and intimidating color that exudes authority and makes us feel secure and protected.  Often seen at formal and prestigious events, this mysterious marvel arouses and seduces our senses with its elegance and sexiness.  Is there a counterpoint of negativity?  Yes, as with all things.  Black can also be associated with depression, sadness, pessimism, and dominance.

What else is there to learn about this color?  Well, first off it IS a color in today's society.  For many years, people thought differently.  Black, and white for that matter, are indeed based on light - either absence of it or containing all light and as I shared in January - it's not the way one would think.  Absence of light is how we get black.  

Kassia St. Clair, in The Secret Lives of Color, shares that, "Few colors are more expansive and capacious. Like the dark obsidian mirror, look into black and you never know what might look back."  These stones play a part in the many uses of black throughout time and each story is fascinating and makes for such interesting reading.  One other statement in the book bears quoting here:  "It is, simultaneously, the color of fashion and of mourning, and has symbolized everything from fertility to scholarship and piety.  With black, things are always complicated."  Does that peak your interest?  It's a grand book.

Always be aware of how it comes into play - how it may even be another color that appears black, as this dark, dark purple flower shows.

Nature does share black with us though --- from insects to birds to large mammals -- watch and see where it shows up.

And now - this month's table runner pattern is Two-Tone Star and here is the LINK.  Before we get started - a word to the wise - be organized!!

I inherited a bin of black and white strips from my friend, Paula, and wanted to make something just from them.  This pattern called for 3" units, but my strips were not that size.  So, I made the decision to go with 2 1/2" units instead, which will make the runner smaller and that's okay.  Quite a few of them have been large, it'll be nice to have variety in size.

Once I had decided on the 9 fabrics I would use, I went to work making a cutting chart for myself.  If it helps you, so be it, but my scribbles sure did help me.  (Update -- I missed the 2&6 HST's - make 2)

And THIS is what is still in the bin.  Some rail fence blocks perhaps as they have already been started.

Here are my nine in order.  I think.

I pulled some others for borders and binding --- and I'm cut.  The BIG trick here will be to keep these all in order.  I DID use the Easy Angle Ruler and Companion Angle.

Okay - time to sew and I work through the whole pile at the same time, one right after another - quarter-square triangles and half square triangles keeping them all in order.  As I come to a regular square, I simply set it aside - upside down so that they remain in the order they need to.  As the parts come off the machine, I sew the two parts of the hour glasses together (in order) and place the pressed HST's face down as I did the squares (in order) and finally, as the hour-glass units come off, I do the same with them.

Off to the trimming table and I STILL keep my HST's and Hour-Glass units in order.

Now - for the layout.  Even with all of my meticulous effort, this is taxing on the brain.  I get there, but am short two HST's.  I'm not sure if I skipped them on the list above, or just didn't count right, but thankfully I still have that bin and am able to make two more. (I figured it out and updated above.)

Next step is to make the nine-patch blocks and cut the borders.

Sew all the blocks together and add the borders. Make your sandwich and binding.  Quilt.

I decided to big stitch hand quilt my table topper while sitting at the beach.  It was heavenly.  Binding went on next and I have my TA-DONE.

Well now --- we've come to this month's BINGO card.  Have you achieved a blackout yet?  I've been adding charms to retreat tags for those who have.  Only 3months left and then it's TA-DONE.  Enjoy October!!!