i'm trying to make a memory quilt for my ddi from her dad's shirts. he was a fisherman so my theme is fish. did some pp fish blocks all different sizes that will be the middle of the quilt. my question is how do i make the sashing to go around them to make them fit in a 24x52 in space.i don't know how else to explain so here is a pic. the boarder is 4 12 in blocks with sashing horizontally. clear as mud ????

Couldnt you just add borders to each block to make them all the same size and then add sashing?

graph paper really comes in handy-
or just lay them out in a pleasing order-then find fabrics to fit in the spaces to make them fit.
i did a sant quilt that way that turned out so GREAT!!!
but sketching on graph paper can really help you make them fit too.

i don't think so cause they are unevenly spaced..check out pic. they are more staggered

that's what i have kinda done on the cutting mat. i have used that to measure. as you can see i have cut fabric ( burgandy ) for both side no i need to do the center dividing the fish blocks then horizontal. i looks like i may have to do y seams ??

This will be a nice memory quilt when you finish. Just wanted to give you a tip on edging all the blocks. Remember that the sashings will butt up against another so you might want to make them half as wide. Or else have your layout plan and then add sashings to sides of one block and then to tops of others. I can see it in my mind but can't explain it well. Please keep us posted on outcome. :-) I like the graph paper idea, too!

i'm sure i understand but i think what you r saying is make each block have their own sashing not try to make the middle pieces fit to each fish square. then sew the blocks together. ??? will look again at the blocks and see if that's what i need to do. thanks

I'd do the same as leatheflea suggested. I've done that with
t-shirt quilts when the motifs weren't the same size and it worked pretty well. You can use more than one border in different colors in different colors on some of the blocks also and you can use fish print fabrics in some borders.

i don't think that will work cause the fish blocks are staggered. i do understand what u mean but not sure it will work for this one. but thanks for your idea's

Here is the link to how I did one of mine.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-48021-1.htm

Hope the picture helps.