I am still sewing it's 12.22 pm and I'm not tired. I thought I would share some my take-outs of quilting. In a quilt like this one, I don't cut all the strips or all the patches. I would find it overwhelming and loose interest if I were to look at a huge stack of patches that I had to sew up.
I realized my limits a long time ago. I had a few UFO's and I don't like that lol. I realized that it was so much better to cut a little and sew a little. In this quilt for instance, to give you an idea. I cut enough for four rows of 24 blocks more or less. I don't know at the time, that that is the amount that I cut.I just stop at a certain point when I feel the limit lol.
I always make between one to four blocks to see if I like the look or to get the feel for the quilt and I am so glad I do that. It is better to catch whatever you don't like right at the beginning.
I just have run out of red and rose bud patches, so I cut a bunch more. I still have plenty of darks and lights to make another couple rows. I have a medium red shirt of my hubby's that I am using in this quilt alone with other reds. I made sure to find the straight of grain when I cut the strips. You must cut your strips on the straight of grain for this quilt. I then cut 1/2 yard off the rosebud fabric and cut my strips on the straight for those patches too....
After I am familiar with the block construction, I start to speed piece. I only speed piece 6 blocks at a time, my limit. I can't bear to do more than six at a time. I find it very satisfying to finish six blocks, press and block them and put them on the board. When I see progress, I get more excited to go finish some more blocks. Six blocks finish a row in the middle of this quilt.
Now when I start doing the border blocks, I am sure I will either divide them up into six and two or do the whole row. It depends how I feel about it at the time.
Sometime it pays to know your limit, so you don't feel overwhelmed.