Sunday, June 26, 2022

By Jove, I Think I've Got It!!





Yes I have! I do believe I've got it!! Hello lovely lovelies♡ I have figured out the pentagon border dancing around the quilt! I know; a-m-a-z-i-n-g!! Well, I think it is, as believe you me, I am that gal whose brain shuts down at the very thought of trying to resolve anything to do with maths. And, the very thought of trying to figure out an equally distanced, curved pattern of continuous pentagons in an eye pleasing arrangement around a quilt, is quite frankly beyond me.......or so I thought. All the stars aligned! No complex multiplication. No puzzling division (remember long divison....yukkity yuk). Indeed, no addition nor subtraction entered into the equation. Just guesstimating, some good old fashioned measuring, and a little playing with groups of  pentagons until I came up with a number that would fit perfectly; kinda like my kindergarten, block building days. =) 

My brother was always the maths genius of my family. Goodness he was clever (and still is). He could in his head, multiply a four digit number by another four digit number, calculating the correct answer in less than 5 seconds. He repeatedly tried to explain his methods to me, but unfortunately my brain screamed "no comprendo"! The maths gene bypassed me. I suppose I should've paid more attention throughout high school and not be chatting and giggling with my friends at the back of the room. We four girls always fought for who would take the dubious honour of being last in our maths tests. Sadly, if I remember correctly it seemed, more often than not, to be me. Maths and me.......just a no go. Maths just always seemed completely foreign to me.

First things first. These last two weeks I hand pieced little pentagons together into sets of seven. I was going to join six pentagons together as per the wedges in the rings but didn't like the look of this so I tried seven pentagons in each section. In this instance I think odd numbers creates visual interest; but then odd numbers in assemblages and groupings  always work; it always seems to be calming to my eyes. Seven.....the perfect number! Then I worked out how many sets of pentagons it would take to fit across the quilt by placing each set next to another in a continuous row. With an approximate number I then played around with measurements to get an inkling of the distance of the pentagons from the body of the quilt. As the quilt is a square I elucidated this should be easy-ish as all sides measure the same. Elementary dear Kim; this much I remember from my geometry days. Sometimes the obvious is oblivious to me. So, so happy this quilt is not a rectangle!

To be perfectly honest I have no idea how I happened upon the correct measurement. I just kept experimenting with my ruler in hand, fiddling with the pentagons until I stumbled upon 'the distance' of the pentagons from the seam joining the body of the quilt to the border fabric; both the top and bottom; and the sides. With my ruler, I then drew four straight lines around the quilt. I then lined up the top of the 1st and 7th pentagon to the line, forming a curve; continuing this process all the way round. Another measurement was made from the drawn line to the top of the 4th (the middle) pentagon ensuring all the pentagons were in line. I know, I know, clear as mud!! =) When it came to the corners there are 14 pentagons joined together forming a wider curve. This will look fabulous when it comes to finishing the quilt and I create a scalloped edging. Surprisingly the whole process didn't take very long at all. I am agog that the process wasn't more bothersome and that the little pentagons behaved. 

So, so delighted with my Skipping Around the Garden Path quilt top. Love the scrappylicious pentagons. I love how the scalloped pentagons dancing around the border turned out. Still can't quite believe it, though. =) Now for the quilting. Not quite sure how I will quilt it. I have a few thoughts but for now I will set it aside and consider what would look fabulous. For now, I will continue quilting my Hydrangea Cobblestones quilt which is what I will be working on later this evening. 

The Winter Solstice blasted by this week and now we are on the up and up moving ever so slowly towards days that are a little bit longer with each new day. The bulbs are beginning to pop up from the freezing earth causing me to dream of a far off spring. Just dreams, as thinking that spring will come once again when I am being engulfed by blustery, wintry days can sometimes be a bit of a stretch. Today, is one of those blustery and chilly days.  Spring; such a lovely word. I know it will come; for it is written in the bulbs. =) 

Thank you for stopping by lovely lovelies♡ As always you have sprinkled sunshine into my wintry day, indeed blessing me with your sweet visit♡ May this coming week bless you and be kind to you. I fear this world is becoming less kind with each new day. I'm off to make a cup of tea and drown my sorrows, for I am feeling sad....and a little weary today. I weary of the supercilious zealots who look through the lens which are always black and white. Alas, the lens I look through have always been somewhat smudged; tinted with many varying shades of grey. I suppose, "never the twain shall meet". So, so  many ponderous thoughts swirling around and around my flummoxed head.


Anyway, I must be off as the kettle is whistling a steaming song and I feel in the mood for a ginger biscuit, or two; enjoying the warmth of the family room with sunbeams warming both my body and soul♡ Sunbeams, dancing across a room....makes for a not so fabulous happy snap, but oh, how they cheer my  heart♡

 I do hope your day is a lovely one ♡


Until the next time..................



Linking this week to Kathy's, Slow Sunday Stitching,  

Frédérique's, Quilting, Patchwork, Applique

 Cynthia at Oh Scrap




55 comments:

  1. Hello Kim! LOVE your border! Amazing that it all worked out so well! Yes the happenings to the south of me are very disturbing.

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  2. Wow! Well done with Skipping around the Garden Path, she looks stunning, so pretty fluttering the the breeze. The border looks amazing, can't wait to see how you quilt her. Love the sunbeam photo, I have a suncatcher on the sewing room window and often in an afternoon sit in a rainbow, such a happy place. I hope the cuppa and gingernuts put you into a happier place.

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  3. Hi Kim
    Love the border on your quilt. Must have taken ages, but so pretty.
    Hope you enjoyed the biscuits. Things are so sad at the moment. I can recommend chocolate cake.
    Hope you have a wonderful week.
    Best wishes Kay c XX

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    1. Yes, yes, yes to the chocolate cake, lovely Kay. A lovely, fat piece of chocolate frosted, chocolate cake could well be the panacea for all my ills. =) As for the border, it actually didn't take as long as I thought it would. I always love it when that happens. You have a wonderful week, too, lovely lady. Kim Xx

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  4. Stunning! LOVE those fabrics. ~~ Kathy S.

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  5. Love your scalloped Pentagons! Looks lovely on your awesome quilt....Enjoy your tea & biscuits.

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  6. Your posts with their lovely pictures bring peace and joy to my Sunday mornings. Congrats on figuring out the border. Your pentagon quilt is lovely.

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    1. Always happy to bring a little peace and joy to a Sunday morning with a few of my happy snaps. =) Thank you so much for the gift of your lovely words. Enjoy your Sunday. Kim Xx

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  7. As another person who has bad communication skills in math, I perfectly understand your delight at resolving the pentagon challenge! The quilt is beautiful! Enjoy quilting the hydrangeas while pondering the quilting design for Cobble Stones, happy stitching!

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  8. Just perfect, Kim !!!!! Math or no math ;)
    Your quilt is just gorgeous ! And the pictures, too !
    Have a shinny and cozy week !
    Hug
    Anna

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  9. This is such a perfect quilt top Kim.... Hope you are warm inside and out down under!
    Kathi

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  10. The border you fashioned is perfect for this quilt. I am so glad you figured it out despite your difficulty with math. I am so looking forward to seeing how you decide to quilt it. Stay warm!

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  11. What a fantastic finish on your Dancing in the Garden quilt top!! I do love that border and being maths challenged myself, I am amazed at how you managed to figure that out !! At any rate--good on you;)))
    We have been having a lovely spate of warm-ish days perfect for deck sitting...
    I have been pretty idle re: sewing--in a resting my hands mode...
    hugs Julierose

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  12. What a sweet quilt that is going to be. Congrats on figuring out the border application!!

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  13. Oh my word ..... your top is gorgeous! So glad you worked out your border problem and you are good at math after all!

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  14. Oh Kim aren't you clever that turned out terrific, I have never been good at Math either, and I have seen how differently people can learn to get to the same goal, it is just some take a bit longer than others. It may be chilly but look at all that green and sunshine, can't beat that in the middle of winter, here everything is brown and cloudy most of the time. Yes there is always the promise of spring.
    Take care and don't let the world get to you, God tells us he has over come the world!

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  15. Good for you! You did an amazing job with this quilt!

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  16. Sorry kim you lost me at the first mention of the ‘M’ word! But I do love the border you’ve added!

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  17. Be still my heart! I'm in love with your border and I can relate to your feelings about math! TerryK

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    1. Terry, Isn't it good to know that we maths-challenged people can find a way around our problem regardless of our mathophobia. =) Thank you so much for your beautiful visit and comment. Kim Xx

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  18. Well done you clever thing you, it looks perfect. I was always bottom of the class with Maths too but our brain works in a different way, how many people could make a quilt like you do, this one will be yet another work of art.
    I'm enjoying the Summer, the warmer days but we are now on the other side and days will begin to get shorter, it will be Spring for you before you know it. Enjoy your Sunday. 😊 X

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  19. I love how your border turned out - it adds just the right amount of the look to your quilt and finishes off nicely. Math is not my strong suit either

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  20. Congrats on the fiddling! I'm more of a visual person as well, so relate to laying things out, moving them around and fiddling. It's will be wonderful.

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  21. Oh look at that - perfect border for your inner design, Kim! Even if the math escapes you, you figured that border out and it is lovely. My heart is heavy, too, with the changes in my country. Hugs from across the world!

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  22. Skipping Around The Garden Path is absolutely gorgeous and you figured out the border the way I do, trial and error. I am absent the math gene too, but my baby brother is great, and my John could do things in his head too. Thanks for another delightful visit. Those sunbeams look nice and warming. Right now my sunbeams are going to get to 104 today. Have a great week Kim!

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  23. as always, you are a breath of air - thank you!!!

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  24. It is perfect. Congrats for the in sight and how the correct size was figured out. I am doing a happy dance to celebrate your sucess! And will eat a piece of carrot cake with melted chocolate on the top, just because there is no ginger biscuits around here. Hope it will be ok for you. (LOL)

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  25. Stunning quilt. Hugs and blessings dear friend.

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  26. Lovely!! That's going to be another treasure. We have rain today, hoping it cuts through the humidity of these first few days of summer's brewing temps and moisture. I will not be negative toward our declining minutes of daylight, as each day is still a new one for me, learning the angles of light in my new home and garden, and giving me much to be thankful for. Have a wonderful week!

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  27. How pretty...I'm so glad that your border turned out so well - the odd man (7) always wins out, I think. Just look at those corners, too. Perhaps, you just do math a bit differently than your brother; maybe you use your 'eye' to get the same solution. Even though I liked math (Never as good as your brother!), adding designed borders if always tough. By Jove, you do have it!!

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  28. A little trial and error served you well in figuring out the pentagon border. It's a perfect addition to complete Skipping around the Garden Path. It has been a rough week here in many ways. Seeing your beautiful quilt in it's lovely surrounding is a soothing balm to our weary souls.
    Pat

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  29. Oh my goodness, your border is absolutely perfect! I must say this quilt is my new favorite! I especially like how you set it together with that lovely blue. Yes, our world continues to be full of discord. I’m trying to not be drug down into the fray but it’s hard to stay above it. I hope you have a wonderful week in your lovely, cozy home!

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  30. Your border is perfect! This quilt is going to be stunning when it is completed. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!

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  31. It’s a perfect border! The quilt is just beautiful.

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    1. Why, thank you so much for your beautiful words. KimXx

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  32. Hi Kim, what a lovely quilt. I'm so happy for you that the math worked itself out - math is always easier when it's practical, like how many pentagons fit in this area, or how many cookies are left if I eat 3 of them (lol - I can blame my accountant father for making math practical - when I had problems in math, he took out the cookies :-) ) Spring is surely on the way, and I believe that your lenses are of beautiful blues, pinks, purples, yellows, etc.! Keep putting some sunshine and beauty into our lives - Thanks!!!

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  33. Congratulations on solving your real-life math story problem on making a lovely border for Skipping Around the Garden Path. It compliments the main design beautifully. Looking forward to see how you quilt it. Our days are now going the other direction - every so slowly getting shorter.

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  34. So, so satisfying when something like that works out perfectly! Brilliant and your flimsy looks so gorgeous. Great photoshoot, as always. xx

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  35. Isn’t it just wonderful how everything aligned and worked out so perfectly??!! Now onto quilting the beautiful piece. Don’t let the world get you down, Kim, as we have Jesus who tells us not to worry. However, a nice cup of tea always makes us feel better. Happy stitching!

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  36. Oh, I love your house! You're a brilliant quilter! I find it quite encouraging that you struggle with the maths! xo

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  37. kim that quilt is gorgeous! I admit rather than math it out, I often fudge a size to make it work, don't tell anyone! lol

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  38. Of course you could do it, clever old you!!! Drawing those lines seemed to be the trick, then everything fell into place for you. Another wonderful beauty for you to quilt, when the time is right. We have passed our shortest day/longest night too here in New Zealand. And we always say, now we are counting down to Summer.

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  39. Fantastic job, Kim! You should definitely publish a quilt book with your design! The world needs more of you! Hugs!

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    1. How very kind you are; thank you so much♡ Oh, I think a book written by me filled with quilts would lead people up the garden path. =) The pictures would be pretty but as for the words...instructions, relaying the how to's, that might be a tad problematic. As for the world needing more 'me's'....I think one of me is quite enough. =)

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  40. Your scalloped pentagons placement sounds very clever to me, Kim. It looks fabulous too. Glad you are enjoying the sunbeams; they do wonders for a body in the winter. Enjoy your tea... Best Wishes

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  41. It is looking simply amazing, Kim!!! Love all your staging, too!!!

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  42. Your scalloped border is inspired. It is a beautiful quilt!

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  43. Midwinter still looks quite colorful. Love how the border has turned out!

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  44. Kim - congratulations on figuring out your "maths". It doesn't matter how you got there .. as long as you got there! This is why we tell girls/women it is valuable to know math! It does not look like winter there - such sunny shots. But of course, that tells us nothing about the temperature! I am reveling in the long days here - so many opportunities to be in my garden!

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  45. The border looks wonderful, Kim!! Perfect for you beautiful quilt.

    -Soma

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  46. Your quilt is so beautiful Kim. The border is perfect. xx

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  47. Has conseguido un maravilloso diseño en el borde de festón, realmente bonito. BESICOS.

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  48. I'm behind in reading/commenting once again and I do apologize. I did attempt to post a comment earlier on this one but it didn't want to 'take' so here I am for another try.
    You had me at math and I have to say you are pretty clever to have figured that border out so nicely. Anytime I hear that math is involved in a pattern I run the other way!

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