I got 31 FQs on eBay in a Civial War repro called Vicksburg. I chose it for a quilt for my brother because of the masculine patterns and colors, blue and brown. I'm using the pattern "4 Square Fun".

What do you think about fabric placement... should I use two of the same blue/brown matching prints for each corner of the large square blocks so that there is some cohesiveness to it or, go totally random? It will be larger than the picture shown.

For example, use the two darker blue and brown (at the top of the picture) of the same pattern and two of a lighter blue and brown of the same pattern (on the left) in opposite corners to make the large 4-square blocks.

I love that line!!!! That is going to be a beautiful quilt!!!

What gorgeous fabrics! Judie Rothermel always designs wonderful Civil War repros.

Oh...love those fabrics and with that pattern, it will be sooo great!!! Now...in MHO....I would go totally random and not try to match up the fabric patterns. My brain usually tells me to do that and I have to struggle not to because usually if it is more random it looks better. But..thats only my opinion. :lol:

What "FAB"ulous fabric! You have to keep us updated as you get going. As for placement , really nosuggestions, whatever looks best to your eye !
Sharon

The colors are wonderful...... looking forward to seeing your quilt.
Have fun... :D

Going to be a great quilt!!

What a beautiful color range. This will make a fabulous quilt, can hardly wait to see the end result!

Your fabric is gorgeous. Your quilt will be beautiful. Can't wait to see it completed.

Beautiful fabrics. My opinion would be to go with the random placement of the blocks.

Thanks for the opinions... I think random would be good too. I chose the pattern because it isn't fussy or feminine, it's very simple like an every-day-use quilt might have been, and the stars of the show are the fabrics, not the block design.

If I feel brave I might use one of the large-scale stripes for the borders and mirror them on mitered corners.

You couldn't have purchased a better selection. It's is wonderful & I am anxious to see how it goes together. Thank you for sharing.

Oh wow. I'm loving those fabrics.

My vote is for random; if it's not too late. :-)

Beautiful fabric. Going to be a great quilt!

I would go random since you have such a nice variety of fabrics......it will be lovely what ever way you choose

Love, love, LOVE the fabrics! That's going to be a gorgeous quilt!

Those fabrics are perfect!

Are you going to do a straight border instead of the scallop? Or would he mind the scallops?

I think I'll just do a straight borber. Don't think he would mind one way or the other but, it would be simpler for me to make it straight. :wink:

Please post it when finished, I'd love to see it!

wow, thats gonna be one awesome quilt :D

I worked on it for a few hours yesterday. A mountain of ironing, cutting off one 6 1/2" strip on 31 FQs and the rest into 3 1/2" strips (I did lay them in piles of 4 to cut). The pattern has 84 of the 6" squares made into blocks so I figured 2 of each of the 31 FQs = 62 plus another one of 22 of them. Each 6 1/2" strip cut off a FQ will make 3 squares so I'll have 9 left over. Maybe I can use two in each corner of the border.

I got all of the strips sewed together and the 6 1/2" ones ironed and started cutting the strips into 6 1/2" paired squares.

Luckily right before I started sewing the 3 1/2" strips together in pairs I remembered I didn't need to sew all of them. About half get cut into 12 1/2" and 6 1/2" lengths for the small 4-square frames.

Just hope I've done my math right and cut the right amount of each. Since the pattern calls for only 4 different fabrics and the numbers of each are based on that I'm figuring out how much of each of 31 fabrics.

If there are enough left over from each sewn strip and I sew them all together, maybe I can cut it into long 2" strips and use for a small inside border before the large border. That would make a pieced border of 2" x 3 1/2" of all of the fabrics.

Go Pam! Beautiful fabrics, guess I'm too late with my opinion since you've started cutting but I thought random too for what it's worth... Can't wait to see it finished, I LOVE LOVE LOVE repro fabric!!!

K x

Oh, it's random. When I cut the strips I put the fabrics into stacks of 4, just seperating the blues from the browns. I then put the stacks of 4 blue on one side and the stacks of 4 brown on the other. 31 different fabrics cut in stacks of 4 gave me 4 stacks of blue and 4 stacks of brown. I randomly paired a blue with a brown.

When I have the pairs of squares cut from the sewn strips I'll lay them out just to check that I have an even distribution of light and dark.

Those fabrics are so lucious, they'll look great in any pattern you choose!

Great fabric and pattern for a guy. He's gonna love it. Be brave, it'll all work out :D :D

I got all the 6 1/2" strips sewn and cut into 6 1/2" pieces. Since I have two, and three, sets of each pairing I laid one set out on the bed and then matched them up with another set. There are no duplicates in all this. I couldn't fit the final row of three on the end of the bed.

I have 25 sets of sewn strips to cut into 3 1/2" sections... after I iron them.

Those fabrics are gorgeous. Can't wait to see the finished quilt.

Looking great Pam, can't wait to see it finished. You don't hang around, do you! Well done!

K x

I do an orgy of sewing on the weekends and rest after work during the week. I laid out the pieced smaller blocks how I want them and put one pin in to hold it until I fully pin and sew the two sections. I have 21 more seams to sew on that and then frame them.

If I feel like it I'll get that done during the week and might have the body done by next weekend. I still need to get the fabric for the borders. This is such a simple pattern that it could be a quilt-in-a-weekend.

like the sound of that! :wink: :D

It's a new twist on quilting bees... out here on the west coast, don't cha know? :lol:

Sounds fun, Pam!

k x

All the blocks are done and layed out to sew together. It's a very scrappy look with 31 different fabrics and it looks like a man's quilt. I'm happy with how it's turning out and it's so simple and quick.

I still haven't got the border fabric. It's just going to be a dark brown, not too busy, but I haven't decided if I will get one of the CW fabrics.

Ooops.. forgot the picture. :)

It's wonderful Pam, and just perfect for a man's quilt!

K x