I do understand what you are talking about trying to get vertical and horizontal blocks together on the same top! We did "comfort" quilt blocks for a Bible School project a few years ago. Since I was the teacher, I must have gotten some instruction wrong because 2 of the 15 students did a horizontal design when the others did the vertical. I even demonstrated how I wanted the design put on the block with my own. However, adults tend to listen to one another instead of the teacher frequently, as you may know if you've ever tried to teach a group. lol lol
I ended up having to do a row of horizontals in the middle and added extra plain prints to each row of the others to try to even it all out. I wish I'd taken a picture of it before we gave it to a homeless shelter. But hindsight is always clearer...