Block layout help request.
 

Thanks in advance . I have the blocks made..plain with grey borders....14 solid blue
12 grey swirl.....4 green/mauve.....4 bamboo....4 green...4 snow....
This makes 42 equal size blocks but I have no idea how to place them.
I heard that some people have quilting programs that can plan a layout.
Or can it be thought out ? I cannot.

I always just lay my blocks out on my bed and move them around until they are pleasing to me. It's never perfect.

The best thing to do is to lay them out. If you don't have a design wall that's big enough, lay them on the floor or on a bed. Move them around, play with them, have fun with them. I usually leave them on the wall for a day or two if I'm unsure of the arrangement. With 42 blocks you'll probably want to make 7 rows of 6 blocks each.

if you can, take a picture of a layout you like.

I find that taking a picture of all layouts helps me pick out trouble areas. But like someone else said, it will never be perfect. Don't stress! Enjoy the process.

I use photographs a lot. It seems like things I don't see when the blocks are on the wall become really obvious in pictures. Digital photography rocks!

Taking a picture seems to help me more than anything. I have placed blocks on the bed and then stood on a step ladder so I was looking down on it.

I lay my blocks out and number each one with washable school markers. I also number each row.

I also like to lay them on the bed. However, all of the cats have to be outside. :)

he, he. yes, cats will always help!! i too use the bed or floor.

Start on the diagonal. Place them corner to corner by color, adding as you go. Maybe that will help you decide.

I lay mine out on a tile floor. I had no idea how I would love that floor when I had it laid in my sunroom! I then take pictures before I sew. I see mistakes in the layout I never see until much later in the pictures.

I'm lucky enough to have a design wall so I'll place my blocks up and keep arranging till I think I have it correct. Then I leave it up there for a couple 2-3 days or even a week. So everytime I pass by I can look at it and see if I still like the layout. If not I can rearrange until I do like it. Then I wait for my sister to show up on Friday and get her opinion as sometimes she'll see something I can't as I'm too close to it. Also, if you take a photo of it and view it on your PC, sometimes you can see if there is a block turned around. I also use a quilt program if I'm not using a pattern from a book, magazine to change out my color scheme to closely match what I'm using.

Right now I have a dull, dark quilt project on the design wall I'm making for someone (her choice of colors, not mine) and its got me depressed just looking at it but I've continued to rearrange the blocks as I walk by it and my sister will be here tomorrow to help me make the final decision on the arrangement. She doesn't care for the colors either. While I wait I'm working on other projects with brighter colors. Once the decision has been made I'll start pinning the blocks together and get this dull, dark quilt made, quilted and out of my house.......on to more vivid, bright projects.

Thanks all,...I used a flannel tablecloth on the wall and rearranged squares a couple of times...I did take photos. But the leaving it for a couple of days helped. I would add photo if I could

Oh I love that block. it looks difficult when all put together! lovely colors!!!