A Picture Story of October UFO

What I started with (this was from my first quilt - which was part of a swap that didn't happen).  I ended with 24-25 BORING 12" blocks that I didn't like and that were NOT all the same size, nor all going the same direction - NO idea what all to do with them, and a mountain of fabric - most of which was from messups I had made.  Half was hand sewn (at that time I thought ALL quilts had to be handsewn!  Not Machine sewn!  And we are talking about a hand-sewing challenged person here!) and the other half machine sewn - sometimes in the same block!

First I went through and determined what HAD to be re-done for sure!  And in the process discovered one whole rown needed to come off!

Next step...

Well, lopsided is NOT the answer!  Wasn't before - and it still isn't!  So off comes the one purple block and use the slicer to hack off the other two so that I can even things up a bit!

That's better!  Actually I think THIS block is a variation of the 9 patch - uneven though it is!  Maybe called the Greek Cross or some such?  I don't want to research the name at this point!

 

Colors in the center square (which WILL have something done to it) include not only the purple, but also yellow (too light for what I want), pink and green.  Of course the color choice depends on who the quilt is for - adults, teens or littles!

I love the block against the pink! Makes what would otherwise be a ho-hum quilt into something with verve!  Exciting!  So now I have my sashing - essentially.....

Maybe with green diamonds between blocks???  Hmm - have to think on this - I think it could be really cute and quite effective - sort of like dressing it up!

But - before then - have to think in terms of setting - straight or diagonal like above?

Usually I really like the straight setting (alright - I'm lazy! and straight involves fewer steps, etc. etc.!)  However a straight setting on THIS quilt only emphasizes the SQUARENESS of it all!

So - I think I will go with Diagonal setting!

Besides - Diagonal will look so much more fun to a little!  Not sure why - but it will!  At least in THIS instance!

Now - Green "diamonds" or not?  And how wide should the sashing be?  Since this is diagonal - AND since I am trying to break up some of the squareness - I am thinking maybe 1.5" unfinished. 

Hmmm - Found ANOTHER anomaly - these rectangles are NOT 2.5 Unfinished (though they COULD be) - nor are they 3.0 unfinished but end up something like 1.75 unfinished!  Wonder where my measuring tape was!

And the center is 5". 

Easiest (hah!) thing to do is to trim the purple borders down to a solid 2.5 inches all the way around (which means the blocks will be smaller yet!  Hmmmm!!!!  I'll lose 0.5" a block across and the same down!)

Sashing can then be either 2.5" or 2.0" or 1.5"  or even 1.0" (sigh!)  Ugh!  Have to think on this for a bit!

Once I have the Sashing width figured out - then figure out whether or not I went cornerstones - and whether they will be purple or the polka dot fabric (probably the dotty stuff!) - and then whether or not I will put in the "gems" (which I'll do a la square in a square!) - 2 - 3 should be enough for that!

So - decision time - and while I'm thinking -  I have all this lovely Halloween stuff and a machine that I need to learn to Zig Zag on!

So - at least for now - until my daughter calls - I'll work on the Change purse, grab bag (to hold Halloween stuff to give out), Halloween Hanging 1 and 2, and a Halloween apron!  (My son wants to know when did I start celebrating Halloween!  Answer is - when I "inherited" some Halloween fabrics!)

More later!