Everyday Patchwork

 

Quilts by Cheri posted these blocks as a sew-along earlier this summer, and I got totally caught up in the fun. Easy, charming blocks... and only 25 of them. What's not to love?

While its not really my style to copy someone else, I have to admit I was heavily influenced by Cheri's color choices and lazily followed along with the color combos that she used in many of my blocks. I was not really in the mood for a lot of creative struggling, but just wanted to sew along and have fun. Besides... how can you go wrong with Cheri's choices? Look at her blog. Everything she does is wonderful!

Here are my blocks auditioning dusty blue as a setting and border. Not bad, but very similar to so many other quilts I've made, and some still in the works. I wanted something different.

I have to admit, the dull grays Cheri used to set her quilt really appealed to me. Alas, I had nothing in that palette. Well The Old Country Store must have been listening, the next thing you know I got an email announcing their sale on Marcus Fabrics Basics, Borders and Backgrounds - which include some nice dull grays and browns. I picked out a few pieces, and a couple days later I had the setting fabric for my blocks.

Here's my first try-out. Nice.. but kinda boring.

I got the idea of red cornerstones, and liked it much better. I also wanted my quilt to be rectangle rather than square, so I added several more blocks of my own.

Then I got this idea, which elongates it even more, and provides a little more visual interest.  But the side borders needed something. I thought I might do some big-stitch quilting in red ...

so I squiggled some red perle cotton down the side to see how it might look. Trouble is, you can't really see it unless your up close. It needed to be thicker. Like a vine, or a rope. Which would mean (insert groan) the "A" word. Applique. Which I avoid like the plague.

But I decided I really wanted to try the red rope idea, so I was determined to figure out how to do it. 

Fast forward ... I figured out how to make my rope, using some leftover bias binding from a few hundred projects ago. Its basted down for now, but I'm still not sure its exactly in the right position?

I may still add more of the darker border fabric on the sides, I don't know. Maybe just a charcoal binding will pull it all together. Still some playing to do.

Love,
Sandy