HELP! Math and fabric help please!!
 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]486022[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]486023[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]486024[/ATTACH]First, I have this panel. Here are the measurements. The panel itself is 42 3/4 x 23 1/3 (really!?!). The small blocks are 10 1/2 x 11. The large block is 18 x 22 1/4. I'd like to put something together pretty quickly without just sewing strips to each side. I put some fabric options. The only one I'm absolutely married to is the pumpkins - I was hoping to be able to use it somehow in pieces big enough to show them off. My brain hurts from all the numbers. Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!
Michelle

Just this afternoon, I heard a quilter say that she likes to use panels and focus fabrics to make 9-patch pizzazz quilts.
I was curious as I had heard about those quilts but didn't really know what they looked like.
I came home and asked Google to show me some images of that pattern

https://www.google.ca/search?q=nine+...w=1366&bih=643

No help with the math but the quilts look interesting.

If you want something really fast, don't cut the panel at all. Just sew strips of the fabrics you like on either side, maybe breaking the strips up with some black.

I would use the gold as a narrow border around the panel, then use the other 5 to make blocks or a pieced border around the panel. Another narrow gold border then a wide border using the pumpkins.

You didn't mention what you want the finished size to be.

If you wanted a smaller throw quilt, use the gold for a narrow border then a wide border with the pumpkins - IOW skip the pieced border/blocks with the other fabrics.

What if you cut the blocks apart and move the 4 small ones out to be cornerstones? Then put a strip of 3 fabrics on each side between the stones. You could do 2.5/5/2.5" inches, and use the pumpkins for the 5" section. Top and bottom that would be 5 1/2, since the small blocks aren't square.

I would put the panel on your design board. Use your fabrics you picked to make different size blocks to fit around it. In quilt class we were given four tree patterns to make then build a quilt around it. It was fun to do and they all turned out different. Some of my blocks were big some as small as 4 inches. Play and have fun.

I think I am with zennia and Tapper on this one. Cut the blocks apart. Now, on graph paper, draw out the size of your top. Then, decide where you want the blocks. I think zennia's idea of using the smaller ones as cornerstones is really neat. You might want to add a narrow black sashing to all sides of the blocks just to set them off. When you are deciding on the size of the 'filler' blocks, don't forget to add that amount. You could do something as simple as 9 patch blocks to fill the spaces. I love the bottom three fabrics together. Remember that you could make the 9 patch blocks as big as you want too so that would show off the pumpkin fabric.

Let us know what you want as a finished size and maybe we can help with the math.

tapper - I actually have that book! Thanks so much for reminding me. I'm going to look through it today and see if I can figure out how to so something with it. Barring that, I think I'll use other's ideas of using the four small blocks as cornerstones. Maybe do 9-patch blocks all around, using that small blocks on the corners and just call it a day. I don't really have thoughts on the size that I want, I just want to put something together pretty quickly. Thanks for all the ideas, everyone!

Check out free Robert Kaufman Tinsel Thyme it is around a tree panel but any would work.
Board won`t let me put link????
ale