Sister's Choice Quilts

My interests are quilting, reading, cooking, family, decorating, and matters of style. I post regular quilting tutorials and book reviews of current fiction.

Re-Doing Blocks

RE-DO Piece and Quilt

AFTER

I didn't do a lot of sewing over the weekend. I was reading some really engrossing books and found that all I wanted to do was sit outside on the back porch and read. I can't wait to tell you about them!

Last Friday, I returned to the Piece and Quilt project, because I was anxious to finish up the August blocks before we moved on to September. If you recall, I was not happy with the blocks on the right-hand side of the quilt.

Unhappy with piece and quilt blocks

BEFORE

This is the photo I showed last week. I was not happy with the busy prints in the blocks on the right side of the quilt. So I re-made them. Take a look at the photo at the top of the blog and see if you think the fabric selection is better. I decided the entire block on the upper right corner was a miss for me, so I substituted another block I liked better. 

I am happier with the results of the re-make, but I am beginning to lose my love for this project. I will tell you why. I picked a beautiful fabric collection to work with, Old Glory by Lella Boutique. Its colorway is red, medium blue and grey. That really isn't enough colors for this quilting project. When you have more colors to work with in a scrappy sampler quilt, block placement is much simpler. With a limited palette, you find that you get the same colors next to each other, and that isn't ideal. I can't be re-making blocks every now and then, what a waste of fabric. 

The thing with this quilt is, you make the multi-sized blocks in a sequence and you place them in order in rows as the pattern specifies. It is difficult to be switching the blocks around to suit your color aesthetic because they may not fit in the place you would like them to go. You really have to plan ahead or you will end up re-making blocks. 

I'll keep going for now, but I sure wish I had chosen a collection that had five or more colorways. It would be so much easier for block placement. If I am still unhappy at the end of September, I may have to put this project away. 

I am planning to get back to my Halloween Memories project next week. I've got more good books lined up to start, so I must manage my time well.

24 responses to “Re-Doing Blocks”

  1. I can see what you’re talking about the color placement. If you’re not really loving it, you could turn it into a small throw at this point.

  2. I can see what you’re talking about the color placement. If you’re not really loving it, you could turn it into a small throw at this point.

  3. I can see what you’re talking about the color placement. If you’re not really loving it, you could turn it into a small throw at this point.

  4. I’m so with you on this. I would separate the four and put the two to the left between them. I would also reverse position of the two sets as they might help balance the colors a bit – The four together are just so overpowering. So looking at the right to left you have column 1, 2 and 3 – do 3, 1 and 2. Hope this makes sense

  5. I’m so with you on this. I would separate the four and put the two to the left between them. I would also reverse position of the two sets as they might help balance the colors a bit – The four together are just so overpowering. So looking at the right to left you have column 1, 2 and 3 – do 3, 1 and 2. Hope this makes sense

  6. I’m so with you on this. I would separate the four and put the two to the left between them. I would also reverse position of the two sets as they might help balance the colors a bit – The four together are just so overpowering. So looking at the right to left you have column 1, 2 and 3 – do 3, 1 and 2. Hope this makes sense

  7. I don’t have a strong opinion on either. However I can see what you are talking about. IMHO the softer busier prints are fine, they are simply all congregated in one corner. I would more likely space them out somehow so there is a contrast between the more solid fabric blocks and prints.

  8. I don’t have a strong opinion on either. However I can see what you are talking about. IMHO the softer busier prints are fine, they are simply all congregated in one corner. I would more likely space them out somehow so there is a contrast between the more solid fabric blocks and prints.

  9. I don’t have a strong opinion on either. However I can see what you are talking about. IMHO the softer busier prints are fine, they are simply all congregated in one corner. I would more likely space them out somehow so there is a contrast between the more solid fabric blocks and prints.

  10. It’s a tough balance, isn’t it? Reading or quilting. I can tell by your drive to read that you really aren’t driven on this quilt. 😉
    It really is a pretty quilt. But I also know the pull of a good book. Is t it wonderful to have this tug-of-war?

  11. It’s a tough balance, isn’t it? Reading or quilting. I can tell by your drive to read that you really aren’t driven on this quilt. 😉
    It really is a pretty quilt. But I also know the pull of a good book. Is t it wonderful to have this tug-of-war?

  12. It’s a tough balance, isn’t it? Reading or quilting. I can tell by your drive to read that you really aren’t driven on this quilt. 😉
    It really is a pretty quilt. But I also know the pull of a good book. Is t it wonderful to have this tug-of-war?

  13. I understand your frustration. If you’re making yourself work on this project perhaps you have enough to stop & turn the blocks into a small lap quilt. Or, use a few together to make two or three table toppers. As Life Is Good product labels tell us…Do what you love. Love what you do.

  14. I understand your frustration. If you’re making yourself work on this project perhaps you have enough to stop & turn the blocks into a small lap quilt. Or, use a few together to make two or three table toppers. As Life Is Good product labels tell us…Do what you love. Love what you do.

  15. I understand your frustration. If you’re making yourself work on this project perhaps you have enough to stop & turn the blocks into a small lap quilt. Or, use a few together to make two or three table toppers. As Life Is Good product labels tell us…Do what you love. Love what you do.

  16. Could you use some solid color blocks? That way you wouldn’t have to piece so many blocks. Just a thought.

  17. Could you use some solid color blocks? That way you wouldn’t have to piece so many blocks. Just a thought.

  18. Could you use some solid color blocks? That way you wouldn’t have to piece so many blocks. Just a thought.

  19. Nicole, I wanted to comment last week, but was distracted before I could! I was going to suggest you make another block instead of the weird version of the wagon tracks block, but you obviously you were of the same mind! The one you choose is much better. But, I do think you may be able to swap the 2 wagon tracks blocks and the 4 avenue blocks, either individually or as a group somewhere else in the quilt. There are a couple of other blocks that I am going to change, because they aren’t my favorite. Additionally, I think I am going to monkey with the placement of the larger groups of blocks to try and relieve some of the visual congestion and break up the large amounts of background in others. Beautiful blocks so far!

  20. Nicole, I wanted to comment last week, but was distracted before I could! I was going to suggest you make another block instead of the weird version of the wagon tracks block, but you obviously you were of the same mind! The one you choose is much better. But, I do think you may be able to swap the 2 wagon tracks blocks and the 4 avenue blocks, either individually or as a group somewhere else in the quilt. There are a couple of other blocks that I am going to change, because they aren’t my favorite. Additionally, I think I am going to monkey with the placement of the larger groups of blocks to try and relieve some of the visual congestion and break up the large amounts of background in others. Beautiful blocks so far!

  21. Nicole, I wanted to comment last week, but was distracted before I could! I was going to suggest you make another block instead of the weird version of the wagon tracks block, but you obviously you were of the same mind! The one you choose is much better. But, I do think you may be able to swap the 2 wagon tracks blocks and the 4 avenue blocks, either individually or as a group somewhere else in the quilt. There are a couple of other blocks that I am going to change, because they aren’t my favorite. Additionally, I think I am going to monkey with the placement of the larger groups of blocks to try and relieve some of the visual congestion and break up the large amounts of background in others. Beautiful blocks so far!

  22. I agree with putting it away. I would be discouraged too. Maybe it will combine with something else down the road and you will have a head start.

  23. I agree with putting it away. I would be discouraged too. Maybe it will combine with something else down the road and you will have a head start.

  24. I agree with putting it away. I would be discouraged too. Maybe it will combine with something else down the road and you will have a head start.