I took the layer cake left-overs and put them on the wall to see what I had selected for this quilt. I thought they were in some kind of order, but -- uh-uh -- they weren't. Sooooooo
I took them down from the wall and put them in stacks of anchors, stars, fish, signals, waves, and stripes. I thought those "signal" blocks were pretty bright so as I only had 4, I put them in the corners.
Then the stars, which I put below or above the corner blocks. Now I was down to anchors and I just put them up.
I really wanted the fish to be the centerpiece, but heck there is no centre on a 4 x 5 quilt, so I offset them "in the middle". Now I just worked around what was there. So your eye didn't travel to the stripes, I put one vertical and one horizontal. Works for me!
I grabbed my camera and noticed that the two orange blocks jumped out at me.........so I moved one.
It looks better now.
Then I set about sewing the rows together. As I completed the sewing of each row, I put a "number" in the first block so I wouldn't mess up when I had to sew the top together.
I always put the pin in the first square of each row.
It helps with the pressing too.
I nest (butt, join) my seams, so every odd row is pressed towards the pin in block 1
and every even row is pressed away from the pin.
These are just flower head pins that I wrote on with permanent marker. I keep them in my pin cushion near my flannel wall, so they are easy to grab.
In about 1 and 1/2 hours the entire top was put together, pressed and back on the wall.
I had two blocks left over, but never fear, they didn't go to waste. I found a fat quarter on my cutting table and pressed it as well as I could.
I have to admit I was not amused when I went to square it up. Slightly off, isn't it?
I did have enough for two lengths, 10" wide which is what I wanted. This can help to lengthen the piece for the back. I will need just a bit more fabric on both ends. It has to balance!
I did have a thought earlier of adding some boats or something to this one, but I really think it works just fine on its own.
Now to buy the backing for it and get it quilted.
I bought these layer cakes from my friend Linda
who owns Patchwork Fabrics
in Slave Lake, Alberta.
She posted a few on Facebook for me to choose from and this was one.
The other is coming!!!