mea12

Hello quilty friends! I'm about half done with making so far, over 50 nine-patch blocks to become a part of a christmas quilt for my 2 grandsons (and family).. some of the blocks have a fussy-cut center.. some others have directional prints also like cmas trees.. i have looked for lay-out inspiration and really love the blocks on-point or possible a double nine lay-out (also on point).

Would this be a mistake w/ those directional prints and the fussy cut centers of santa and cmas "scenes".. ? They would be tilted if set on-point. I'm on the fence if that would matter as this is kind of a controlled scrappy i guess. At the same time, they are featured elements of some (not all) blocks. Could you tell me what you would do here? Open to possibly snow-balling alternate blocks for a straight-setting also.. just not sure if corners should be scrappy or what.

ah well.. i'll soon be buying background fabrics for alternate squares..much depends on which layout I wind up going with!

Thanks to all for your input!

GingerK

When am uncertain about layout, I take pictures of the various options. I find that helps my thinking process and allows me to see an overview instead of focusing on certain elements. Could you possibly post a few pictures?

Iceblossom

I wish I could say more than "it all depends". I try to not be directional but some fabrics/projects are very directional.

I'm currently working on a round robin and before it got to me I was sure that I was going to set this round on point -- but then I saw a tiny fussy cut boat in the center and I am just not willing to set a ship on a forever course of sailing on troubled water. Also relating to water sort of, is I have a "no dead fish" rule, if a fabric is directional all fishes must be right side up or at least there shall be no floaters!

Many lines of fabric have their own patterns as well, but my usual buying stop of eQuilter has a lot of free designs meant for particular lines of fabric (particularly panels) and they show many different ways to deal with directional blocks
https://www.equilter.com/pattern/cat...ttern-designer

bearisgray

It probably does not really matter a lot -

but if there is a design/image that has an obvious up/down - such as a snowman - I like the design to be with the head going up and the base going down.

I realize that our world has gotten a bit bonkers - but when looking at the quilt in its "usual" setting - such as on a bed - direction does matter to me.

Taking pictures of lay outs is helpful. Sometimes "the camera" sees things more objectively that "we" do.

juliasb

I would piece them together facing the top and being a one way directional piece. IF you 9-patch is something like a village scene point it as close to upwards a possible. Same things with fussy cuts as upwards as possible. I love quilts made on point. I like the fussy cuts towards the center of the quilt, just my preference and going outward with other pieces. This is a lot of 9-patches and take your time with the layout. You will find just the right placements.

Peckish

I *think* I understand what you're asking.... you have focus fabric that is set square, but you want to set the blocks on point?

How about making square-in-a-square blocks, then setting them on point?

Jingle

It would be easier for me to not set those fabrics on point. I would make blocks that is not directional or fussy cut and set those on point.

QuiltE

Peckish ... B-I-N-G-O!!!!!!
Exactly what I was thinking .... though with blocks already made and the directionals cut, this may not be do-able.

Mea12 ... A way to make it work, might be to join the 9Ps in groups of 4 or 9, then you could swing those directional prints to on-point in a SIAS setting. Possible?

mea12

Thanks to everyone for your help! I had not considered the SIAS setting.. but i think i'd lose too much of the 9-patch because i would be stitching through the corners. If i cut triangles to size, it could work but be very futzy really to get right in that i could lose points when I sew together. I took my blocks to a quilt shop and I think concensus there was the same as here.. best to keep the orientation of the focus fabrics north and south. That much I think I've decided on but now instead of doing alternating blocks (of same color), I'm thinking of snowballing those..i guess without much thought to matching fabrics to corners just scrappy manner. I'm leaning this way as of now. I can't post pics but i sure wish i could.. most of the fabrics are jewel-tones .. some patches are 2 solids and some are a mix of prints... it was getting busy so i like the plain blocks tossed in. I probably will like the solid color blocks (pale green leaning toward lime!).. there will probably be a border to either soften it or liven it up depending on what it needs once done. sorry to be so wordy. i like having quilters so close at hand..its great! IceBlossom, good grief, EQuilter is a world of inspiration! i did notice for most part, even the skewed focus fabrics wind up being symmetrical.. by having a mirror-image surrounding a straight up/down focus fabric ..used more like "frames" i guess. For most part, if not a part of the design like many there, probably best to orient them w/ the world.. exception being small prints which when "scattered" look like ditsy prints anyway. Thanks again, everyone.