Help with layout please
 

Could you please help with the layout of this BOM? The original pattern called for only 6 appliquéd blocks, 12 pieced blocks and a finishing kit. These were set on point.

Half way through I decided I wasn't going to buy the finishing kit as my piecing was soooooo bad (believe me when I tell you that that's no false modesty - the block with the green centre was off by 5/8ths and one or two others were almost as bad!).

Anyway I can't figure out the layout. I'm going to add black sashing/border and a colourful binding. I don't want to make any more blocks. Would a flower in each of the corners and a row across the middle look better? I'd welcome any other suggestions.

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I think I'd just mix them up very randomly throughout the quilt. If your blocks are off size that much, I'm assuming you're going to adjust your sashing to create uniform size blocks. I think I would sash them all first and then lay them out again (randomly still). They may look very different all sashed and give a totally different look to your quilt. Love the colors!

this was my first thought, too... wonky settings hide a multitude of problems. your colors are great.

Great colors. The blocks are very pretty.

Wow, I love the brights on black and your applique is beautiful. I can't help with the layout, but, I love the wonky suggestion. Never would have thought of that. Good luck, the blocks are so pretty.

If my blocks turn out different sizes - which they often do - I use Tartan's suggestion. I frame all of them and cut them back to a standard size. Your blocks are so striking. You have quite an investment in time already - keep going, and show us the finished quilt.

I would absolutly sash all your blocks with black then resquare them up either straight or wonky lay them out randomly, they will just float off your quilt. The colors and blocks are beautiful.

I think it looks great. My only comment would be to switch either the top row green or blue block because they are next to each other and are the same block design. If the blocks are not the same size, then I would set them on point by sewing oversize triangles on all four size, then you can trim all the blocks down to the same size. I did that with a lot of the guild I belong to before I move because NO ONE seem to be able to make the same size blocks with the block exchanges.

I love your blocks. They have such a WOW factor. I haven't used black as a background or sashing before, but I am going to add that to my list!! Sorry, I have no suggestions for your layout. The finished quilt is going to be beautiful, no matter what you end up deciding.

Dina

I can't help but anxious to see when finished!! Love the colors and black will give a lot of pop and like others have stated will give the look of floating/illusion!

I say a color you havent used in the blocks use as sashing to help "even" out the blocks to make them the same size. I like how you have them laid out in the pic. looks good.

Thank you! I never noticed that :o I'll certainly make note of that whatever I decide. I think I'll do as some suggested and add the sashing before I decide.

I should have made myself a bit clearer - the blocks themselves aren't too bad (at least nothing that can't be fudged with creative sashing, lol). It's the poor piecing of the blocks themselves that made me decide not buy the finishing kit. Sometimes when I had the four quarters to join, I'd have two large ones and two small ones............ the shame :o:o (you'll now also understand why I'm such a huge fan of applique).

Try this one. The sashing is 2-1/2 inches. The Piano key border is 4 inches and the 2-1/2 inch border then the black binding. Luann

Luann! that's so great!!! I bet that will look better than the original pattern!

If you also need the quilt to be larger than it is, add triangles all around each block and place them on point. Beautiful colors, btw; the quilt is going to be stunning.

Love the quilt, love the colors!

I agree with several who suggested mixing up the pinwheels and the flowers. Just be aware of your color placement so for instance the dark blue flower is not next to the dark blue pinwheel. Lovely work even if you find flaws. It will be a striking quilt when finished.

This is just an idea and why it appeals to me.

I wish I could remember where I saw a quilt made from design-related blocks which were quite obviously not same sized blocks. The quilter arranged them so the different sized quilt blocks were "balanced" in the setting and made up the technicalities of the quilt with the sashing and "same color as sashing" border and binding. It looked as though the smaller blocks were surrounded with a wider sashing than the larger blocks. The blocks were not aranged "smaller blocks left and right side of horizontal row x, flowers exery other row, etc." I think the quilter played with the blocks until they pleased the eye.

The quilt appealed to my eye and brain. The different sizes and interesting setting made me really look at the quilt, its piecing, its setting, its quilting, its colors and I liked it. Unique. Not plain vanilla. Exciting.

It's been about 3 years since I could see and think on that level. Three years of sickness, surgery, care for the sick ones, death, estate work, getting things to the right places and people, selling a house that exists half a long state away, and finally the blessing of a wedding. Guess I am claiming and enjoying 2015 as my "not quite in the middle of the road" year.

Please show us what you decide. Thanks.

Pat
Please show us what you

Beautiful colors! This will be a thing of beauty when you finish.

It's going to fabulous when it's finished. Good luck

They are beautiful blocks no matter the issues! Luann's layout was great. The sashing will give you many options. Can't wait to see it!

I agree with the others, sash them with black, square them and put them together so each one is not next to the same pattern....love the colors!!!!

if they have a size problem then you don't want to keep the eye seeing linear. I would put the 8 flower motifs in a circle - row 2 &5 has pinwheel, 2 flowers and a pinwheel Row 3 &4 has flower, 2 pinwheels and then another flower. rows 1 & 6 are just pinwheels. You could 'even' out blocks with different sashing widths. Put your best 4 pinwheels in the center. No one but you will know there had been a problem. I love your applique work!