question
 

would anyone know what the ten foot rule is? I seen this a long time ago and I sure would like to find it. thanks so much.

Not sure if I got this right, but I did a google search and found this link: https://books.google.com/books?id=xT...ilting&f=false

On page 83 it talks about the ten foot rule and it sounds like when you place your blocks on your design wall you should stand back at least ten feet to see how it looks from there.

I have always used/heard the 6 foot rule: Place uncut fabric with folded edges together, step back 6 feet and see if they still go together. Place blocks on design wall and step back 6 feet to see if overall layout is to your liking, and finally, if you can't see a mistake at 6 feet, you are good to go (sorry, not in the galloping horse camp!).
You can substitute any measurement that works for you with the 6 feet.

Further back you stand more perspective and if it still is there when you turn your head away and back. You may want to alter it.

Never heard of any 10 or 6 foot rule. Interesting concept.

I use the:
turn-your-back-and-look-it-thru-a-mirror-over-your-shoulder
or:
look-at-it-thru-the-wrong-end-of-a-pair-of-binoculars
or:
take-a-picture-with-your-phone-and-look-at-it techniques.:D

Jan in VA

never heard of it, but I guess i'll try it. some fabrics that look solid at 5 feet or so.
those are the types I use for solids.

LOL, I thought you meant that saying-"I wouldn't touch that with a 10 foot pole."

I always liked the lady who said if you couldn't spot it on a galloping horse, it isn't a problem.

That wasmy mother's motto and it is certainly mine also. Mama frequently admonished me about taking seams out so often that the item was stretched beyond help. My best quilting buddy takes things apart until the fabric is too weak to hold the seam. Better to have left it for observation from the galloping horse. froggyintexas

This, or a replacement door peephole from the hardware store is what I use!

Peckish,

That is a great idea. I had not thought of one of those, it is small and would be easy to take shopping. My problem is that once I see a mistake, no matter the distance or how fast the horse, that is all I see until I fix it.

We tease about the 8' rule. If you have something you think is quite right and are considering taking it out, then we say "Can you see it at 8'? If not, leave it."

Don't know that 'rule,' but I figure if it would look good to someone riding by on a giraffe, it's good enough! :D:D:D

My rule is lay it out on floor or wall..step back..if your eye travels around the whole thing..without being pull back to any one spot..it is good to go..if the eye is going back to the one place over and over..it needs changed..to make it flow

I agree that looking at fabrics or blocks or even a whole quilt look different through a camera. Now I always look at my projects that way, as I'm making the next decision about them.

I used to have to use a hallway wall as my design wall - no way to get 10' back from that! (I probably can get about 8 feet back from my new setup though - a vast improvement!)

I use the camera. I get back as far as I can and snap a picture in color and for some quilts another in black & white. If anything jars the eye I go back and re-arrange.

I'll take 20-30 sets of photos for a stack & whack - I have to fuss with those FOREVER before I'm happy. Thank goodness for digital cameras!

I always took the "galloping horse" saying as pretty much just quilting humor. Literally, you can't see much detail of anything on a galloping horse. I for sure want my quilts to look better than just good enough for someone on a galloping horse!

Never heard that one before. I look at it, leave the room for awhile and come back and look again. Then I leave it for a few hours, check it again. If I'm still pleased it is a go.

I have a different take on that phrase. Whenever I would wear my plastic rain hat my girls would say "10 foot rule". Guess they didn't like my rain hat.

My first quilting teacher said trot by on a horse.

That's how I do it, too, and sometimes it takes a week of this to get it right. I lay out on 2 twin beds with a cardboard between them, and it always helps to look at it from different sides. What looks fine one way may not be so great the other. That's the advantage of not using the design wall, too. There are fabrics that change color from different directions and you can spot them that way. Once I used a medium dark aqua blender that actually looked like a black hole from the other way - and I didn't spot it until after it was embedded in a big group of blocks.

hugs,
Charlotte