I know in my heart that this looks wrong--help!
 

I'm making a sampler quilt for my DIL. From the beginning it has been a disaster. I only had a few fat quarters, so I had planned to do a lap quilt. She came in one day and said she really wanted it for the bed. Sooooo, I found some matching tonals, and a couple of matching florals and went for 12 blocks. She's OK with the colors. The blocks are finished, but 4 are wrong. Nothing wrong with the way they are sewn, but they don't look right on the design board. I've moved them around til I'm turning blue!! LOL I can get her to come put them in the order she wants, or I can make pillows with the three I hate (one of the four she loves) and make three new blocks that will fit.

I plan to sash with the dark red, make a smaller border with the small flowered print and a wider border in the blue if I can find it. If not, a wider dark red.

What would you do?

If you can, please rotate this pic to the right, on my design board the heart is in the top left. I'm not good at posting pics. LOL

To me it looks like some of the stars needs to be moved around and the heart, X and cross like block moved to break up the points a bit. Hope that makes sense. Other then that it is beautiful. Which 3 block does she not like???

I don't see anything wrong with the way you have it layed out.... infact, I really like it

Your blocks are beautiful. Which blocks don't you like? I do agree with pinkberrykay. If you can't decide on where to place the blocks, have her come over and put them where SHE likes them.

I would put the top left one in the center and then rework the three on the bottom by adding the third and fourth colors to the two outer blocks -- and use the flower pattern on the x in the middle to lighten it up a bit. It is very pretty so I think you can make it work. You could also try just putting one on each corner too

She absolutely loves the hearts!! The bottom three are the ones I don't think fit (on the second photo) I'll admit, I'm ready to be finished on this and I was looking for blocks that went together easily. I like the idea of breaking up the points I'll try that in the morning. I don't think she would notice anything wrong. But it would drive me nuts!! :)

I think you've got a great start! audition it on your design wall with the sashing and see if the layout needs to change. At first I would agree that the "x" block on the bottom needs to move away from it's left hand neighbor, but maybe the sashing will take care of the issue. And, since she loves the hearts, move it to a center position, maybe in the top row to give it some importance. Keep going!

It looks good to me. Maybe it is the 4 blocks that have the floral print in the squares that is throwing you off a bit. Consider one in each corner, then put the hearts and 8 pointed star in the center, placing the others in the open spots. It does look great though - the colors are wonderful.

Yes, leave the hearts and other 2 i mentioned just move them around to break up the points. Im thinking the heart needs to go in the middle b/c its the only one with soft corners, all the others have points. Or, make three more heart blocks and put each one in the 4 corners.

your more OPEN blocks need to be either in the center around the darkest/busiest block or in the four corners!

If you took the X all the way out of the quilt and made a lighter weight one for that , wouldn't it look more even weight-wise?

try switching the first one in the second row with the last one in the bottom row does that help?

I agree with quilting candy - the blocks with the flowers in them are too close together. They are all beautiful so it will come together.

I'm guessing that the big X is one of the ones you don't like.

I think you've looked at it to long. I love all the blocks and I think once you sash it all it will look different and come together. It's really pretty. I want to do a sampler quilt soon after I finish a few things first. I really like the colors you used. And I really like the idea of the hears being in the cente of the quilt and others radiating out from there. Good luck. It's truly going to be a pretty quilt.

i agree with barny take away the heavy too dominant block [middle bottom on 2nd lay out] may be rework it with the floral

It's very pretty. Have you considered sashing it? I think that might give your eyes a bit of a rest from all those points.

I love your blocks, you did such a good job. Once you put the sashing in it will bring it together.
You are at the stage with the quilt when something always looks wrong. It happens all the time. By the time I am putting on borders and binding nothing is right with a quilt. Six months later it looks fine. Quilter's remorse .:)

I agree with those who say --add your sashing now--it is really hard (for me) to imagine what it is going to look like without actually seeing it put together. I, too, would put the heart block in the center. You might try making diagonal rows of blocks with similar values--when you look at it, it will provide some continuity for the eye and still spread out one's visual impression. Going to be a beautiful quilt. Keep working!

These are great! I agree with everyone else, add the sashing (at least lay strips on the design wall.) I think it will make a big difference in how everything looks.

All I can see is, how beautiful it is. I don't know how it should look. I can't find a thing wrong with your layout.

Lovely colours and blocks - the only one that looks a bit odd to me is the X one - looks heavier/darker than the rest - perhaps a more 'open' one would be better there

Have you tried putting the hearts in the centre? Because they are rounded and all the other blocks are angular this may draw them together. You are almost there and the colours are fab, well done. Let us know what you decide.

I love the blocks as for the last 3, what I see is the two that dont seem to fit. the bottom row, it is the blocks on either side of the center, they only have two colors in them as all the rest have three that is why they seem out of place. If it was me I would applique a small square in the center of each of those two blocks , of the missing color that would balance it out and then they would fit, you must have some small scrap of the blue and red. Hope this helps, great job.

I'm thinking the X block on the bottom doesn't look right. Also, the blocks that have the flowers in the center, I'd move one to the right side to distribute them more evenly. I think it might be best if she decides how she wants them.

The X block is too heavy for its placement and the hearts are too light . Try "jaciq" suggestion.

Your quilt it fabulous!

Since your DIL is partial to the hearts block, I would try that in the center of the quilt. Try moving two of the the blocks from the bottom row of the second pic-placing one in each of the other two columns. Seperate the blocks with 'motion' to be next to blocks that are a bit more 'quiet'. Keep moving them around and when you find a setting you think you like, take a photo and keep doing that until you get a setting you are happy with.

Don't despair. You have a good thing going.

d

I don't see a problem with the blocks at all with the exception, I would switch the heart to the middle instead of the corner so that the point blocks aren't next to each other. Love them otherwise and don't see why you don't like some of them. Good luck.

I love your block choices and colors. The only suggestion I make is to exchange the bottom right block with the one above it to lighten the bottom row. I love the x block and it is where it should be to anchor the bottom of the quilt.

Another option (and I may be opening a can of worms) ... have you considered setting them on point? lots of times blocks and arrangements will look different when set different. You'll either need to discard one of the blocks, or make two more to make it work. And of course the setting triangles.

Hmmm ... since she likes the hearts so much how about making two more blocks, setting them on point in rows of 3 then 2 then 3 then 2 then 3. Place her heart block in the center, and make your setting triangles a quarter version of the heart block.

I am not good at placement,,,but I think all the blocks look great and I would lay them out with sashing to audition,,,it will look totally different,,its going to be pretty!

Your blocks are beautiful and very well done. You will get as many different opinions as there are people that look at the blocks. Put them in the arrangement that looks good to you and your friend and then sash them. I think you will like them. Every time I make a sampler quilt I have a block or two that I don't think fits. When the quilt gets done I sometimes wonder which block I didn't like. Good job.

Sashing is going to make this look different.

I think that you should move the top 3 around; sprinkle them thru the quilt. They are less busy and will help break up the busy blocks. Then I'd also put the two blocks that have just red and just blue at opposite ends so that you don't notice as much that they are the two with only one color. You did a great job and I think you should be proud. What I normally do is lay out the design, take a picture and the look at if a while. Then I repeat the process after I've decided where I think they should go until I get it right. Then there is also sashing that would break up the blocks. Try laying them out on a sheet with a 1-2 in space in between each to see if you might like sashing to help break it up. Good luck. the main thing is the the receiver loves it, so you are a head of the game right now.

I'm leaning that way! I really dislike the kings cross. Pillow maybe

Have you tried putting the hearts in the middle? As for the ones you do not like I feel that if you keep standing back and looking at it you will see it differently. I am not fond of the 2 corner ones on the bottom but, I think it will work. Good luck

The blocks are all lovely. I would suggest that you put the hearts in the middle to break things up a bit and also because she loves that block. Since she loves the hearts so much, have you considered appliqueing some similar style hearts on the 3 blocks that you don't like? It may add to the theme of the design. You could then scatter those around the quilt.

~ Cindy

The first picture did look wrong...but the second picture is perfect!

I agree. I think X is gone and hearts to center. (she loves hearts). Florals in each corner. I might appliqué a blue square to center of mosaic. I'm also thinking of changing corners of Churn Dash to dark red