Since last posting about my progress I have added two large diamonds.

Diamond

Now might be a good time to show what these diamonds look like from the opposite side.  My method of hexagon basting is to baste 2.5 inch squares of fabric to one inch hexagon papers.  I stitch through the papers.  After basting I hand trim the excess fabric leaving behind seams a little smaller than a quarter inch.

My greens from the Fat Quarter Shop finally arrived.

I never meant for the light apple green (on the left) to be considered for inclusion in this quilt, but the grass green and the hunter green were in the running.  When I ordered these fabrics I was unable to put my hands on my Kona sample card, so I simply searched for “Kona green” on the Fat Quarter web site.

The grass green (in the center) is totally wrong.  The hunter green struck me initially as very dark, and it is very dark.  But the more I looked at it the more I liked it.  I know it is going to add a high level of contrast to this quilt.  I also know that the lattice work it creates is going to take over.  But I think this quilt needs some contrast.  The diamonds themselves, while attractive, are a bit ho hum in terms of contrast.

In order to feel comfortable with my decision about the inclusion of the hunter green I auditioned the fabric with my diamonds. There is something really rich about the contrast between the patterned green fabric and the hunter green.

Then I stitched up a sample to be sure.

I used the green thread I had been piecing with for the sample, but I knew I would have to purchase a spool specifically to piece the hunter green hexagons, and this closeup proves it.Lucky the cat approves of the project and likes to sleep on a diamond next to me while I work.