quilter help

[tandemgal]

Hey fellow quilters I need help and imput. am working on a design for my son, Aaron's Christmas present. Want to make him a sofa throw...was going with one over all star design but have changed my mind and am thinking more of a sampler design. I have some great homey comfy colors in browns, blacks, rusty reds, plaids,mossy greens. I want a farmhouse/primitive feel.
But I have run into a roadblock and need a few more block ideas.

Here is what I have so far - some are 12" and have 6" mixed in... worried that that I have tooo much the same types of blocks that overall will look jumbled instead of flow... please give me feedback and imput - no feeling will be hurt so dont hold back...I really want this to be special for him!

I have row 1 2 flying geese 6", 2 patchs 6", maple leaf 12", 2 6" hearts, 2 6" bars, shoo fly 12", geese 6" (again??) and 2 friendship stars 6"

row 2 friendship star 12", 2 pinwheels 6", 2 6" hearts, 2 6" row of geese, 2 6" blank for now, 2 6" bear paws & 2 6" patchs, 12" blank

row 3 12" fox & hound, 2 6" bear paws, 2 6" patchs, 12" ohio star, 2 6" hears (??) 2 6" log cabin and 12" Hayes Corner (my maiden name!)

[corgimom]

I guess I could try and figure this out myself, but exactly how big would this throw be if you just made it as you have planned it right now?? - what are the dimensions?

And since sofa throws can end up being all different sizes, exactly what dimensions do you want it to end up to be?

And are you are looking to add different blocks, plus an additional border, or do you have the border planned out already?

And you want this to have a "sampler" look and not have any real order to it??

[tandemgal]

I keep getting logged off b4 finishing my thoughts....could the system be telling me something??? will have to write in peices and edit sorry...

This is just the beginning stages so I'm glad your making me think! Just measured Hubby's favorite throw and Aaron is an inch or so taller - I want the quilt throw to be 47" X 65. So I need to add 6" square row and a 5" border. Planed on making it a plain strip of 2" solid black inside and 3" rusty red & gold on outside so it wont compete with the sampler.

Also wasnt making myself clear (whats unusual there LOL) some 6" blocks like flying geese or patch are 6" long but some blocks are two 3" blocks like( pinwheels) to take up 6" size so total of the two 3" & one 6" side by side = 12".... my mind at work - a scarry thing!

I do want it to be randem but do want to keep a repeat on a few blocks like the geese, patchs to stay more manly. Need to get rid of some hearts... If I add a 6" row above row 1 and change out the two hearts for two bear paws to add with two more paws that will make a 12". That way it wont look like a 6" row stuck there. Also need a good strong 12" block at end of row 2 - something easy to tell it is a 12" block since the other 12" beside it in row 3 could be mistaken for 4 small blocks.

[corgimom]

T-Gal,

My head is a bit spinning As a quilter, you know how hard it is to visualize the layout of a quilt(in progress) when someone is explaining it, but can't see it. - I wish I could see it in person.

I am going to look at your picture again, but actually, I would think that a plain strip border(for your first one) as you first talked about would be great(about 2 to 3" wide) but then I would put the second final border a "Flying Geese" which would pull the whole thing together.

[tandemgal]

Sorry for being a pain Linda. I've been working on some "real" measurements this morning AND coloring - maybe this will help more

As you can see ??? am changing some blocks to 4" and 3" and using strips to bring some areas into a 12" block size. It always seems so easy in my head till the pencils and ruler comes out LOL then it's a free for all. B4 when I've done a sampler all the blocks have been prettymuch the same size or on a mini I have used 6" centers w/3" around them. This is my 1st any & all sizes - I can see it taking shape in my head - just need to get that info to my fingers...

I like your idea of the geese as final border - have also thought of bear paws ??? or maple leafs tumbling down the sides ??? - what about flying geese across the top & bottom and the leafs on the sides - most of my colors have a fall feel !

[corgimom]

I am sort of a person who likes unity in my quilts(and I am referring to the border) that is just me, but I think whatever you decide for the outer border, I would pick something that is already in the main quilt, be in bear paws or flying geese and do that on all four sides;I think to do two sides one way and then two the other, would make the entire quilt way too busy looking - think of it as a picture frame and since the quilt is a "sampler" already, and samplers are usually busy looking, the border will sort of give it a calming effect if it is the same in design and tie it in
all together.

what about replacing the hearts(I know why they are there, I love them also) but since it is for a son, why not applique a maple leaf on a plain block instead or put in a pieced maple leaf block - a bit more for a guy? Just some thoughts - or do you have a "house" pattern you could use to to replace the hearts??

[tandemgal]

your right - it is going to be busy enough with all the samples! another reason to have all muted blacks, browns, rusty red and moss... also my daughter-in-law likes understated. She really has good taste and I want them both to like it.

I have seen a mountain border - similar design to bearpaws - and they are from the Mountains here and went to WVU - that would bring in a nice memory too.

Aaron loves to hunt - I could replace the hearts with appliqued animals like moose and squirel (insert Boris Badenough's voice)

[corgimom]

The applique animals would be great...and why was I thinking this was only for your son(singular)? - You brought up your daughter in law, so the hearts would be okay then, or is this mainly for him?

You still want ideas for other blocks - right - 6" ones??

[Shelly]

Why don't you just slap on a pieced border of squares or flying geese, or attic windows or something simple, then a larger border beyond that. It really would have made more sense for you to put this on a quilting chat room than the corgi chat room since it has absolutely nothing to do with corgis. I predict I'll get flack on this but just my opinion.

[corgimom]

Shelly

I am not going to give you flack, but this thread was put in "The Lounge"(Off Topic) heading, which is for anything else one may want to talk about, it doesn't have to be Corgis

Can be quilting, gardening, sports or whatever hobbies or anything else one may want to discuss or ask questions about; then those that are also interested can read and respond; those that aren't can bypass the thread.

I think I am right in that this is what the Lounge is for, but if not, then someone can correct me on this.

[Chip's Mom]

It sounds good to me Linda - I have been learning how to make quilts reading the posts LOL and have gotten anxious to see the end result.

[CorgiMum]

Originally Posted by Chip's Mom

It sounds good to me Linda

And me too, The Lounge is just for this very type of topic. Anything not corgi related. (Although we know in our hearts that everything we do is in some way or other corgi related. )

Shelly! What are you doing reading topics that are not corgi related?

Didn't you read the Topic Title?

[tandemgal]

After much discussion with Linda Corgimom, My own Mom, my daughter-in-law, I have desided on a simpler quilt than the sampler. Going with 8" sawtooth stars blocks alternating with simple diamond pattern block. by using the same fabric for the stars outer triangle background and diamond outer edges this will create a 3rd pattern too.

Simple is better for the fabrics I have. and for my 50 year old brain! I will either use patches for the border to mimic the center of the diamond (it's 4 patchs) or go with plain strips with a few bear paws scattered in. Aaron is a hunter and hopes to get a bear one day. When it's pieced together I'll post a picture.

[corgimom]

T-Gal,

I am glad you figured out what you wanted...and now your brain can rest a bit