Monday, August 16, 2010

Design Compromise...

My granddaughter spied my CW blocks and as she was looking at them, we decided to count them.... I have 90 of them finished. The quilt has 121 quilt blocks. hm... let's think about this.

Do I NEED 121 blocks?

Why am I making this quilt?

Who am I making this quilt for?

How big does it need to be?

I certainly don't NEED to make all 121 blocks. The blocks have no meaning. Yes, each block has a letter that accompanies it, but they have no actual meaning. So I don't feel compelled to finish all the blocks. I am making this quilt for my husband who is a civil war fanatic.. he has done his genealogy on his relatives that fought in the war and owns many books on the subject. We will NOT be using this quilt on our bed (or any other bed for that matter)..so it only needs to be big enough to cover him.

With all that thinking and talking it over with the hubby...I have decided that the quilt will be 88 blocks big... that's 8 across with 1 1/2 in sashing and 11 down with 1 1/2 in sashing.. it will be just the right size...

And that means I can start putting it together... I am so excited to be heading towards the finish. I had two different fabrics I had purchased for the sashing and we laid it all out on the bed yesterday and I,he we decided on the darker of the fabrics.. It's a charcoal linen and it feels really good.

This is how far I got yesterday...I am only putting sashing on the right side of each block right now.. then I will lay them out and decide the placement...





I like it...

Nancy

23 comments:

Anne D said...

It looks great and will be a good size! The dark sashing looks great. I have ordered some grey kona as I have decided I really like grey as a background too.

Carol said...

Nancy I like it a lot...I love the darker sashing! What a great idea not to pressure yourself into making all the blocks...I'm going to rethink my blocks now...I haven't counted and know I'm not near that many but the 100+ is daunting...oh maybe I'll get it done in my lifetime...thank you for your inspiration!

jean said...

Good for you for deciding you don't HAVE to make the quilt as big as the pattern. This will be a nice size and it's looking good so far.

Osage Bluff Quilter said...

I love your choice of colors!

Sharon (Stitches on Mars) said...

Hi Nancy,

Sounds like you've been having a lot of fun with your granddaughters :)
i think the grey sashing looks perfect...really sets the blocks off nicely.
Hugs, Sharon

Glen QuiltSwissy said...

LOL. I do this all the time. Too many blocks, I have enough!

Yours is gorgeous. It will be the perfect size!

Tamera said...

I love that sometimes quilts just evolve over time...more blocks, less blocks, adding different blocks altogether. Sometimes a quilt just talks to you and tells you what it wants to become. :-)

Teaquilts said...

Nancy great job on sashing choice. Those are some pretty unique blocks. What book did you use?

Gari in AL said...

How great to be moving on to the "putting it together" stage. It looks really good and I like that you both participated in the finishing decisions. That really makes it his quilt.

Quilter Kathy said...

These are such cute blocks! I really like the yellow in there...I must look for some reproduction fabric in yellow!

Winona said...

Nancy, it looks great to me. Wasn't that a pleasant surprise to find that you had enough blocks already made to put the quilt together? Have a good day. Winona

Carin said...

Nancy it's going to be wonderful, I love the gray as the sashing.

Diane said...

Looks great. I don't know why, but I sometimes also get caught up in my "original" plan - when it is my plan, and I can do with it what I want. Good for you for being flexible. Especially if it keeps you loving the quilt instead of being tired of it.

Lynn said...

Love the charcoal sashing!

Thimbleanna said...

Oooh, she's going to be a beauty Nancy. 90 blocks -- that's a LOT of work!

Stephanie Hughes said...

Nancy, these look great. I can't believe that you have done so many! I like this size, do you really need the whole size? Stephanie

SheilaC said...

Your compromise is a great idea and I can't wait to see these beautiful blocks as you put them together.

I am sure that it will be the perfect size for him!

SHeilaC

Lindabee said...

I loved the blocks when you were showing them. And now, I'm anxious to see the top put together. It's a beautiful quilt, and you must be relieved that it's nearing the end.

Diane said...

oh my I love it, I have a bunch of CW blocks and I was thinking of a beige-y or greenish sashing but I like yours..now I must re-think Thnk you!--I'm excited about these blocks again :)

Carol said...

The blocks look lovely and charcoal looks great with them.

Sharon said...

You have done a great job with the size and the colors. I agree with many of the other comments - the darker sashing is smashing!

Unknown said...

wow! it is going to be a beauty!

Bec said...

It looks amazing!! Im so glad i came across your blog! xx