Focus on Design: Card Tricks Sep 07

About half of that album came out really small - about 1.1/2", even in
the slideshow.

Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk
http://community.webshots.com/user/sallyswin



Boca Jan wrote:
I love that pattern. I made my son a wedding quilt using that pattern. You
can see it if you go to my webshots album under finished quilts.

On Mon, 24 Sep 2007 09:09:30 -0500, Pat in Virginia wrote
(in article ):

Hello! Every once in blue moon, I post a Focus on
Design thread. The purpose is to encourage conversation
about quilt top patterns. This is not the place to talk
about the QI, nor chocolate, nor the relatives, nor
weather; it is okay to mention those once in a while,
but THIS thread is about Designing Quilt Tops!

FOCUS on DESIGN! This time our topic
is the elegant and simple Card Tricks Block. Most of
the patterns use triangles. Here are a few.

From Marcia Hahn's Quilters Cache:
http://www.quilterscache.com/C/CardTrickBlock.html
(MH states that it is a Jeffrey Gutcheon Design.)

From McCall's:
http://mccallsquilting.com/qb/pattern_902//index.html

Here is our Louise's lovely version:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/picturesfromlouise/

While searching for one made with squares and
rectangles, I came across this one:
http://members.shaw.ca/kigraham/basic/Cardtrick.html
(Turns out to be from our own Kim!)

What do you like? What is your experience with Card
Tricks Blocks and Quilts? Do you have a favorite
variation or color way?

PAT, Focusing on Design in Virginia




I love card trick. Fun block and pretty easy too! Hmmm. you've got me
thinking that it might be time to revisit this one.

Maureen

Don't think I've ever done this one. I'll put the design in the list of for
the Country Quilt that is "in the works".

MUST , gotta, no doubt about it, get back to DD's Plane Quilt.AFTER the
Butterfly Studio's NEW Window is replaced tomorrow. Studio is a bit in
disarray--sewing isn't possible until the window is done.
DD was here last night and LIKES the way the Planes are set out....now to
get the background going. Know how she wants it done. ((NO more excuses))

Butterfly (her last one is beyond tatters. She also liked her Raggedy
Ann/Andy dolls


"Pat in Virginia" wrote in message
...
Hello! Every once in blue moon, I post a Focus on
Design thread. The purpose is to encourage conversation
about quilt top patterns. This is not the place to talk
about the QI, nor chocolate, nor the relatives, nor
weather; it is okay to mention those once in a while,
but THIS thread is about Designing Quilt Tops!

FOCUS on DESIGN! This time our topic
is the elegant and simple Card Tricks Block. Most of the patterns use
triangles. Here are a few.

From Marcia Hahn's Quilters Cache:
http://www.quilterscache.com/C/CardTrickBlock.html
(MH states that it is a Jeffrey Gutcheon Design.)

From McCall's: http://mccallsquilting.com/qb/pattern_902//index.html

Here is our Louise's lovely version:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/picturesfromlouise/

While searching for one made with squares and rectangles, I came across
this one: http://members.shaw.ca/kigraham/basic/Cardtrick.html
(Turns out to be from our own Kim!)

What do you like? What is your experience with Card Tricks Blocks and
Quilts? Do you have a favorite variation or color way?

PAT, Focusing on Design in Virginia

Card trick is one of my beginning quilters favorites( I teach a 101
class that does one block, then 102 is a 3 block sampler tablerunner)
When I first taught the 102 class I let them choose from nine
different blocks, but over and over again......they always want to do
card trick! So now it is part of 102 and the 3 block selection... it
is so dimensional, if they follow the light- dark -medium
reccomendations of the class instructions.....
I use it because it gives them practice in cutting triangles, working
with biased edge pieces, and another excercise in perfecting pressing
and that pesky 1/4 seam allowance.
And then it LOOKs so good....so complicated yet really simple when
broken down into its components.
By the way I love the rectangle and square version you linked to
Pat ...Thanks.
What do you like? What is your experience with Card
Tricks Blocks and Quilts? Do you have a favorite
variation or color way?

PAT, Focusing on Design in Virginia

I think I have to agree with some of the others Pat.
This is not a block I have a lot of interest in using
much. I have seen a few really nice quilts done with
it and done a guild bom block myself but it just does
not scream to me that I need to make a quilt using it.
It might be that there isn't much interplay between
blocks.
Taria

Pat in Virginia wrote:

Hello! Every once in blue moon, I post a Focus on
Design thread. The purpose is to encourage conversation
about quilt top patterns. This is not the place to talk
about the QI, nor chocolate, nor the relatives, nor
weather; it is okay to mention those once in a while,
but THIS thread is about Designing Quilt Tops!

FOCUS on DESIGN! This time our topic
is the elegant and simple Card Tricks Block. Most of the patterns use
triangles. Here are a few.

From Marcia Hahn's Quilters Cache:
http://www.quilterscache.com/C/CardTrickBlock.html
(MH states that it is a Jeffrey Gutcheon Design.)

From McCall's: http://mccallsquilting.com/qb/pattern_902//index.html

Here is our Louise's lovely version:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/picturesfromlouise/

While searching for one made with squares and rectangles, I came across
this one: http://members.shaw.ca/kigraham/basic/Cardtrick.html
(Turns out to be from our own Kim!)

What do you like? What is your experience with Card Tricks Blocks and
Quilts? Do you have a favorite variation or color way?

PAT, Focusing on Design in Virginia

Here's the actual quilt I made from my instructions:
http://www.members.shaw.ca/whiskerwe...trick1_jpg.htm
The fun part of this one was the quilting: I did outlines of red hearts and
diamonds, black clubs and spades...

Card tricks isn't my favourite, but it's great fun to make if you're looking
for something that looks complicated but is really very simple: I can piece
a single-bed sized quilt from two different batches of stripsets in an
afternoon, and it looks like I worked for days.

OTOH, McCalls [I think?, or it may have been Quilt Magazine] had a recent
article where they did the traditional version of Cardtricks and used Border
prints....quite spectacular!

--
Kim Graham
http://members.shaw.ca/kigraham
Nanaimo, BC, Canada
THE WORD IN PATCHWORK

"Pat in Virginia" wrote in message
...
judiciously snipped for brevity

FOCUS on DESIGN! This time our topic
is the elegant and simple Card Tricks Block. Most of the patterns use
triangles. Here are a few.


While searching for one made with squares and rectangles, I came across
this one: http://members.shaw.ca/kigraham/basic/Cardtrick.html
(Turns out to be from our own Kim!)

What do you like? What is your experience with Card Tricks Blocks and
Quilts? Do you have a favorite variation or color way?

PAT, Focusing on Design in Virginia

On Mon, 24 Sep 2007 10:09:30 -0400, Pat in Virginia
wrote:

FOCUS on DESIGN! This time our topic
is the elegant and simple Card Tricks Block.

This block doesn't seem to be made very often anymore. Card Tricks is
visually simple and calm, and today's quilters prefer making busy,
complicated looking quilts. There is a secondary pattern when the
blocks are set side by side, but it isn't a very inspiring one. The
block design loses some of it's visual appeal when set on point, and
that is the setting most often used in current commercial patterns and
by today's quilter. Also the theme of the block is easily thought of
as quaint, old fashioned, and out-dated in this era of flashy computer
based games.

Several quilters here have commented that it is a simple block to make
and they prefer to sew something more challenging. But the actual
construction is not any easier than any other block made of triangles,
and those same quilters enjoy the challenge of other blocks made of
triangles. So, perhaps those ladies are confusing simple looking with
simple to make.

I don't think Card Tricks is a simple block at all. I think it is
deceptively simple looking, thus under-appreciated. The real key to
this block being spectacular or blah is in the fabrics chosen to be
used, and in the exact order they are used. New quilters haven't
formed the proper eye for values, print, and color play to make a
great Card Tricks block so they can only make blah blocks at best, and
then they are irritated when they haven't produced blocks that are
absolutely stunning, so they never make a second one. Meanwhile
advanced quilters see what appears to be a simple block and ignore it
in favor of stitching something more splashy looking.

Card Tricks--a grand illusion or quiet elegance in a deceptively
simple design.
Debra in VA
See my quilts at
http://community.webshots.com/user/debplayshere

I love the card trick block but always seem to have a hard time choosing the
"4th " color to use.
I checked the HGTV site and liked the striped fabric that D. Speckman
used. It really
added pizzazz !

I didn't really have anything specific to say on this topic at first;
but, having read the replies and looked at the pictures, I'm beginning
to think that this is one of those blocks which is better on its own.
So, it looks great in a sampler - or, in our case, as a Hug block - but
not so good when with repeated with other blocks of the same design.
..
In message , Pat in Virginia
writes
Hello! Every once in blue moon, I post a Focus on
Design thread. The purpose is to encourage conversation
about quilt top patterns. This is not the place to talk
about the QI, nor chocolate, nor the relatives, nor
weather; it is okay to mention those once in a while,
but THIS thread is about Designing Quilt Tops!

FOCUS on DESIGN! This time our topic
is the elegant and simple Card Tricks Block. Most of the patterns use
triangles. Here are a few.

From Marcia Hahn's Quilters Cache:
http://www.quilterscache.com/C/CardTrickBlock.html
(MH states that it is a Jeffrey Gutcheon Design.)

From McCall's: http://mccallsquilting.com/qb/pattern_902//index.html

Here is our Louise's lovely version:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/picturesfromlouise/

While searching for one made with squares and rectangles, I came across
this one: http://members.shaw.ca/kigraham/basic/Cardtrick.html
(Turns out to be from our own Kim!)

What do you like? What is your experience with Card Tricks Blocks and
Quilts? Do you have a favorite variation or color way?

PAT, Focusing on Design in Virginia




--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

On Mon, 24 Sep 2007 10:09:30 -0400, Pat in Virginia
wrote:

Hello! Every once in blue moon, I post a Focus on
Design thread. The purpose is to encourage conversation
about quilt top patterns. This is not the place to talk
about the QI, nor chocolate, nor the relatives, nor
weather; it is okay to mention those once in a while,
but THIS thread is about Designing Quilt Tops!

FOCUS on DESIGN! This time our topic
is the elegant and simple Card Tricks Block. Most of
the patterns use triangles. Here are a few.

From Marcia Hahn's Quilters Cache:
http://www.quilterscache.com/C/CardTrickBlock.html
(MH states that it is a Jeffrey Gutcheon Design.)

From McCall's:
http://mccallsquilting.com/qb/pattern_902//index.html

Here is our Louise's lovely version:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/picturesfromlouise/

While searching for one made with squares and
rectangles, I came across this one:
http://members.shaw.ca/kigraham/basic/Cardtrick.html
(Turns out to be from our own Kim!)

What do you like? What is your experience with Card
Tricks Blocks and Quilts? Do you have a favorite
variation or color way?

PAT, Focusing on Design in Virginia

When this thread came up, I didn't respond because I'm not very
interested in the Card Trick block. But then I received someone's
fabric, in the latest Your Pick Swap round, and I just knew that this
fabric needed to be made into a Card Trick block.
I've just been reading everyone's replies and checking out the
links. I sure wish there was a way to keep the "cards" more whole
instead of chopped up into triangles. In the end I printed out the
Quilter's Cache one, to use in the next couple of days.
So, good timing Pat!



-- Jo in Scotland