quiltingshorttimer

I am working on a queen size Storm at Sea for my daughter--from the fabric used as table toppers on her wedding reception tables. I originally used a pattern for a 12 1/2" block from a Guild BOM class--but realized that the "sashing" on all four sides would cause it not to have that wonderful circular optical illusion that is what makes a Storm at Sea. So I altered it and took out 2 sides of "sashing" and it has the circular illusion--but I also decided to use my Tri-Recs tools for the diamonds and sides for the sashing--and didn't want the middle seam in the diamonds--so I folded the fabric strips over and then cut--and it looked good--until I started putting them together--and the diamonds are about 3/8" too long. also in the process I'm losing the sharp points.

What a mess! Besides the hours spent cutting , and cutting and trimming, etc, I'm now out of the fabric! When I went from a 12 to a 9"finished block I had to almost triple my centers and sashing strips---I'm exhausted with this quilt! If it wasn't for my DD I would be hiding it away. Obviously I should have actually one a complete block or two to trouble shot this--but I kept putting it off and then felt "under the gun" so plunged in---darn it!

So now I'm trying to rethink what I should do--do I take apart the 400 "sashing" pieces, cut down the center diamonds and side triangles or what? I would like to have it done by mid-Sept for their 1st anniversary---but also have some other stuff needed by end of Sept for customers. The rest of the block works--any other remedies?