Totally Irrational – Sunshine blog

Welcome to your next stop on the Stitching Sunshine blog hop hosted by Carla of Creatin’ in the Sticks. My bit of sunshine is called Totally Irrational. Read on to find out what it means.

The idea for Totally Irrational came during the spectacular total solar eclipse of 2017 visible in most of North America. The black center and the gold corona comes from that.

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The corona of the Sun in the quilt represents the first 64 digits of Pi, the famous irrational number. Each wedge of the corona represents a digit of Pi. Each digit is represented using a different fabric and a size proportional to the digit.

Organizing the Pieces – 10 different fabrics, 10 different sizes
More organizing – you can’t get the digits mixed up!

All of this was done in early 2018. I don’t remember why but it was carefully packed in a box, and sent to the far reaches of my closet. I found the box last month and started working on it again.

The center is assembled – shown on my design wall.
The center was basted with thread then placed to a black background. I used the 60″ wide Kona jet black.

The fun begins with the quilting. I quilted a topographic map kind of design in the center – representing the contours of the moon, and used three different yellow/gold threads for quilting the flames around the corona. The outermost layer is quilted with black thread.

Giveaway:
Leave a comment on this post to win 22 2.5″ strips of Island Batik Sundance designed by Kathy Engle. There are 2 strips each of 11 different fabrics. They were leftover from my Wave Dancer wall quilt. I was planning on making a Spiral Nova quilt but I have too many things going on and not enough time.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Please visit others on the blog hop today. Remember to visit Carla’s blog to enter into a drawing.
Wednesday, June 24th
MooseStashQuilting
PamelaQuilts
Podunk Pretties
Homespun Hannah’s Blog
Ridge Top Quilts
Words & Stitches
Storied Quilts
Ms P Designs USA
selina quilts

83 thoughts on “Totally Irrational – Sunshine blog

  1. Beth Talmage

    Your quilt is gorgeous, and the reasoning behind it is delightful. Equally delightful to me was the honest story of tucking a project away and then coming across it–surprise! Why did I put this great, project-in-progress, in a closet? Only when we all admit that we do these things will we all cease to feel sheepish about doing these things. 🙂

    Reply
  2. thatfabricfeelingcom

    I can’t even stop thinking about your incredible math-centered quilt. How beautiful and sensible it seems but who comes up with such ideas!?? You are so creative. I love a good finish for a blog hop reason. thank you so much for sharing your project. I was just talking about pi day at work yesterday. You are giving me an idea as an art therapist for next year’s 3/14!! Let’s all hope it won’t be during a quarantine this time!!

    Reply
  3. mspdesignsusa

    Love this! My inner math nerd enjoys the irrational pi part, the scientist part of me loves your inspiration, and the quilter part is awed by the amazing quilting!

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  4. Pam

    What beautiful mathematics! I love this striking quilt and the design story. And the quilting!! Thanks so much for sharing this.

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  5. Elizabeth V K

    Love your Sunshine ( eclipse) quilt. What an interesting way to choose fabrics and size for the rays.

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  6. Lj Meyers

    I LOVE your quilt. Your explanation was wonderful if just a bit perplexing – I need one-on-one instruction!! It’s wonderful that you based it off the eclipse. Is it a pattern of your own or one I can purchase? It makes a person think of how much we care about and need the sun. Your quilting was frosting on the top.

    Reply
  7. Preeti

    If this is irrational, I don’t want to be rational 😀 I remember that day of the solar eclipse from 2017. I took the day off and stayed indoors watching TV. But you were inspired to create a beautiful project – a bright sun, each ray thoughtfully and methodically added, brightened by your exquisite quilting.

    Reply
  8. Jackie C

    I love this quilt!! The yellows on the black make a stunning combination. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. Colette

    At first look it was just WOW! Then to read about it I am just astounded and speechless. Such an awesome quilt and the quilting is fabulous.

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  10. Andrée G Faubert

    What a wonderful quilt – and a different take on the sunshine! I glazed over the math bit 🙂 but your FMQ is lovely. Thanks so much for linking up to Free Motion Mavericks!

    Reply
  11. inquiringquilter

    Absolutely gorgeous! Love your quilting. So beautiful. Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.

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  12. Janey Cook

    My husband is the math nerd and a retired math teacher as well. He is such a treasure because he likes to design quilts and sew and quilt them too. He helps my creative notions come to fruition. Love your “pi” sun and so does he!! Thanks for sharing your inner math genius with us!

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  13. Catherine Ann Petitti

    this is totally spectacular! thank you for sharing. I am both an avid quilter and knitter/ hand painter of yarn, and I love this art meets science you did.

    Reply
  14. Kaye

    “Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy,” sings John Denver. And the sunshine on this quilt makes me feel the same. So lovely. Thank you.

    Reply
  15. Dione @ Clever Chameleon

    This is quite possibly my absolute favourite quilt in this amazing hop. I love the design to look at, but I also love all the maths and science and even the name too! Thanks for linking up with the Chameleon’s Colour & Inspiration Tuesday. 🙂

    Reply

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