Opal-Inspired

PCQ has a display window in our Creative Arts Center and we change out the display each month. This year they're using birthstones to determine the featured color each month. January was Garnet, and my red Cherry Jubilee quilt was featured. 

October is Opal. Not my birthstone, but the idea of an opal-inspired color palette got the wheels turning in my brain. I googled images of opals. 

Opal gemstone, screen capture from Google image search

To me, this suggests a palette of low volumes with occasional flecks of aqua, orange, and yellow. Which, by the way, would be good colors for a baby quilt. I pulled fabrics in these colors and selected the most suitable.

I made a few small blocks with scattered bits of my chosen colors. This could be interesting.

The blocks are small, only 6". Once cut, they go together quickly. I've been making them in batches of four matching blocks that can be widely spaced in the quilt top. A 6 by 7 layout will yield a 36" by 42" baby quilt. 

Here are the blocks on my design wall. The overall effect is light with flashes of color. I'll kit it up to sew the top together at social sewing. 

We'll see if the girls on the window committee view this as Opal-inspired in October. 

Link up: Small Quilts and Doll Quilts