Pick-up time

In filmmaking terms, "pick-up" means fixing minor shots after the majority of a film has been shot. We're to that point on Pentatonic, my long-belated Penrose tiling quilt:

I will swap out a few stars on this quilt top, but not as many as I feared I would need to.

It's quite striking. I'm pleased.Pentatonic, before star substitution

I've generally completed the top. I think there are a few white pieces that might need to be added along the edges to ensure it can be cut cleanly, and where I expect. Those make no difference to the overall pattern of the quilt, and merit no thought or consideration by anyone other than me.

There are three stars in the quilt that aren't right, and which I plan to replace. This quilt top languished as long as it did due to scarcity; it contains very few fabrics, and I very nearly sabotaged the project by not purchasing enough of the fabric on the left:

I wanted swirls of color in 'Pentatonic,' but I didn't want to attempt using different fabrics in different areas. Instead, I spotted these two Kaufman fabrics. They have irregular color blotches, which means the cut diamonds (the fat ones in this pattern) will be gently variegated. Once cut, I can sort them roughly by color, and get my desired effect.

My intent is to have the skinny diamonds be solid black, to both contrast these fabrics and fade into the background. I want the pattern of the tiling to be center stage on this quilt.Kaufman's 'Chasing the Rainbow'

I kept a saved search on eBay for it for a couple of years, and eventually began to despair of ever finishing the project. I started making stars that were the best of what fabric I still had. Then, in May 2014, ten yards of the fabric I needed appeared for sale on eBay. I bought it all, and the project was back on. As I made progress with the luxury of spare fabric, I realized I would eventually want to go back and fix a few stars made during the time of scarcity that I never would've placed in the quilt if I'd had any other choice.

To get the five specific looks for each section of Pentatonic, I had to fussy-cut specific parts of the fabric. The remainder gets used for the pieces whose exact color don't matter. To me, there's something comical about the leftovers.The leftovers

Once I've replaced these stars, I face a question I've been putting off for five years: what backing fabric do I use? I like the idea of a seamless backing, which greatly limits my choices, but I'll need to talk it over with Jacob, who gets to keep the quilt. 

Still, though. Today was the first time I got to see this pattern straight-on, generally finished, in the light of day. Five years is a long time to wait. I'm going to bask a little.