What do you do when...
 

I have 20 finished log cabin blocks. I failed to put the red strips where I should have, to get the effect I was trying to capture. What do you do when you have finished your blocks, and realize you are not going to get the effect you had intended? Do you go ahead and put the blocks together in spite of your "issue" with the final outcome?

Well, let's see. If it were me and I had already done 20 finished blocks, I think I would figure out a way to applique the red strip where it belongs. Not sure where you have placed it, but would this be workable?

I did the same thing about a year ago. I had 36 12" blocks. I took mine apart and re-worked them. It seemed to take forever. I had too much money invested for me to do anything else. Whatever you do good luck.

Hope to make you feel a little better... I once worked hard over some pretty intricate blocks for an Easter table runner. When I finally put them all together, I realized that they made repeating Swastika patterns in Easter colours. :hunf: Obviously, that one was one for the garbage pail.
Yours though sounds like you could put it together in a different setting and it wouldn't be exactly what you hoped, but might make a nice gift for someone else. THEY don't know there was supposed to be a red stripe.

Watson

I would take them apart too. When I was making an Double Irish Chain I had trouble finding a green that I liked. Can't tell you how many I got done deciding I would just settle and then went to Rosie's and there it was the perfect fabric. It was a pain but I knew that while was never going to be finished if I didn't like the way it looked.

Also, someone once wrote that getting a quilt done is not a race, it isn't how fast you get it done, it is how well you like it when you do get it done. So do what makes you happy.

Log cabin blocks usually are not too hard to disassemble. But for me it would depend on how many rounds had to be taken off. I do like the idea of applique the red where you need it.

Good luck and I am sure it will look good either way, just depends on how much time and the purpose you had for this quilt.

It depends on HOW BAD the mistake is. I wish you had posted a photo. It may not have been the layout you had planned in your head, but we are our worst critics. It just may look OK to us.

First I would play around with the layout. Log cabin blocks can be turned in different directions and made into some really great designs, you might find a layout that is perfect for your blocks. Sometimes an error can turn out to be a perfect new design.

My thoughts exactly! You can also try adding one or two additional rounds.

It depends on how severe your OCD is. If it were me, I'd call it a learning experience and start over, then use the first 20 blocks for a philanthropy quilt. Someone who doesn't know what it was supposed to look like may really like it.