Remembering: Cornering Life Facets

I finished piecing the quadrants using my block, Life Facets. So far, though, I have not been very successful creating a border. Extending the faceted star-like design beyond the basic facet blocks has been a stumper for me. Logic tells me that it makes no sense to have repeats or mirror-images of the center facet pieces. (For discussion of the Remembering Take It Further Challenge, read my Springboard For Design entry.)

So now what?

I thought of a simple border, using some of the fabrics in color-sequence. I thought I would repeat the colors in the block, but offset them by one quarter rotation. Some strips were cut to place them on the design wall with the blocks. Once placed on the design wall, the border seemed too plain and flat.

So now what? 

Loving the swirling movement of the background fabric, I decided to use more of it. I cut 6-inch strips of the fabric, choosing fabric sections that would color-coordinate with the quadrants.

Okay. That works. I do like the effect of the fabric’s color splashes and motion. In this instance, more IS better….

So now what?

I had painted myself into four corners! What could I design for those corners?

Oh, I know! I had a small pile of strips already cut! I’ll use those! I pressed the fabric strips into 1-inch wide by 8-inch strips, then wove them in and out to become a 6-inch woven corner. After all, life events, when woven together, create the life we know, right?

Once I had tightened the weave into a square, I added a fusible facing to the back, making the woven square portable and stitchable.

Now, doesn’t that little piece of fabric weaving look awesome??!

I pinned the woven square up to the design wall and….

Hmm …. I don’t think there is enough pizazz with the woven square of strips. To my eye, the colors are merely travelling in a vertical row and the 3-dimensional, textural effect is lost.

NOW what?!

Now I’m thinking interlaced knots in the corners. I may choose a Gordian or Celtic knot. Yes, a Gordian Knot. A Gordian Knot would be so fitting since, by definition, it means a complicated or unsolvable problem. And isn’t that what some of our life experiences have seemed to be at one time or another?

Could Life Facets be telling me something?

Hmm….Maybe it’s time to listen…

I think I’ll spend some time thinking through my Gordian knot and it’s relevance to my February Take It Further Challenge.