Surfacing sewalong week 4

My completed section 6.

This is the final week of piecing for the Surfacing sewalong! We’re tackling sections 7–9, but before you start sewing, I want to encourage you to do something a little different – ignore the pattern.

Wait… what?

No, I’m not completely crazy! This is about making sure your quilt looks right for you. Let me explain…

Step back and check your layout

First, if you haven’t already, now is the time to cut the rest of your fabrics and lay out your quilt – whether on a design wall or the floor. Take a step back and look at how the colours and overlapping sections (the transparency effects) are working together.

The transparencies in Surfacing aren’t meant to be strictly accurate. They’re there for impact, not perfect colour theory. If you’re not using the Devonstone colours as suggested in the pattern – which I’m not for my version – then this little tweak is something you might want to consider.

Fine-tuning your colours

Take a look at the two leaf blocks below. The one on the left follows the fabric placement in the pattern, but from a distance, the three colours blend too much. The version on the right swaps out the leaf shape for a stronger contrast (one I’m using elsewhere in the quilt).

This is the kind of adjustment I want you to consider. Are any of your overlapping sections too subtle? Do some transparencies just not feel right? If you’re using the fabric amounts listed in the pattern you definitely have enough left to make a few swaps if desired.

I’ve highlighted the smaller transparency areas in sections 7–9 below for both the baby/throw quilts and the queen quilt. It’ll likely only be one or two of these pink-highlighted areas you want to adjust.

Sections 7–9 of the throw and baby/wallhanging size.

Sections 7–9 of the queen size.

Balancing the overall palette

And those green highlights? Beyond the transparencies, it’s also worth checking that your colours are evenly distributed across the quilt. Surfacing combines tonally similar shades with a few colours that pop a little from the rest. If your standout colour doesn’t follow the same placement as the pattern, things might feel a little out of balance.

That’s where those green highlighted pieces come in. If you need to, swap one or more of those out for another of your other fabrics too. I found myself doing this a lot during the design process, so I know it’s a handy trick that works.

Have a question?

If you have any questions about colour balance in your quilt don’t hesitate to reach out. You can leave a comment below, send me an email, or get in touch on social media. I’m here to help!

Your finished top

Thanks for sewing along with me! This is the final stretch – once you’ve sewn sections 7–9, there are only a few more seams and your quilt top will be complete.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the process and maybe even picked up a few new tricks along the way. I’ll pop back in next month to share how I’m quilting mine, but in the meantime, I’d love to see your finished tops. If you share them online, be sure to tag me so I can take a look!