I started this quilt in 2007, as a "block of the week" with my sister. After completing the 48 blocks we planned to make I was not happy with myself because not all of the blocks "measured up!" What to do with the dozen that were just a shade undersized? Put the whole stack in a box and let it ripen, obviously!
Finally, this summer I attacked the problem. I attached 2 inch wide coping strips on just two sides of each of the blocks. Next, I squared the blocks all to the same 8" size. Then it was a simple matter of twist and turn the blocks to make the final design. Whew!
Now I have another quilt top that awaits the time to be quilted. I have a stack of five tops waiting now. I'm always behind on something. Do you find things getting ahead of you and for no reason? Life is sure interesting!

That's a beautiful quilt top, Yvonne, and good going on fixing the sizing issue. That's going to make a great quilt.

Your quilt top is lovely! I love the colors and the design. It's so bright and cheerful! Great idea to attach sashing strips around and square up from there. You've inspired me to tackle some of my "off size" blocks.

Thanx! Coping strips are my friend!

I always love your brightly colored quilts!!! :D :D :D
I love your blocks and the sashing/coping strips look like they were in the plan all along!!!

Your quilt top is beautiful, and good for you on coming up with such a smart solution to your problem. I will have to file that in my "what to do with these odd size blocks" file. And I too have sooooo many "projects". I am afraid I have more than five tops waiting to be quilted and we aren't even going to talk about the rests of my projects. Oh well, at least I always have "something" to work on.

Great job and I love the blocks and colors you used!

That is a beautiful quilt and thank you for the idea of how to make blocks all the same size. I think we have all had that problem before.

Joey

yvonne, i love this quilt, the colors, the layout, just everything. if you send it along i promise to quilt it and to think of you everything i fall asleep under that amazing quilt. i will even send you a picture when i am finished. 8) 8) :wink: 8) 8)

You're still my color hero Yvonne! And I love how you solved the block size problem. Genius! I love how the blocks look like they are floating.

you'd never know it was giving you so much trouble - the finished product is stunning.

I'd never own up to those problems except to friends here that I knew would understand. I think we've all had some block size issues along the way. This is not an original solution. I don't remember where I originally saw this idea but it's an excellent solution. Relieves a lot of stress, let me tell you.
Nanabirdmo, There was a time I would have tossed the whole lot over to you. :D Too kind of you to offer to send along a finished picture! Meanwhile, though, I've a daughter who's already laid claim to this thing. Sorry!
Thank you all again :D

Beautiful. No on would ever know you had issues, unless you tell them!!

What a great idea for making bolcks fit together.
Note to self: ALWAYS have plenty of extra background fabric - and keep it with the UFO it belongs to, so I don't use it up on another . . . errrrr potential UFO.

Good Note! I wish someone had told me! I ran out and had to change fabric for the last border. There are approximately 6 different white fabrics in this quilt. Oops! Plan ahead....

The ripening process worked!!! Great job, great quilt, I haven't seen many sampler quilts in bright colors, yours is beautiful.

Your quilt top is really beautiful.....sure cannot tell you had problems

What a beautiful quilt and what a great solution. I quite often have to put things away for a while (sometimes a LONG while) and come back to them and they tell me what to do to fix them :). I'll definitely keep this tip in mind :) Thanks.

Your quilt is really pretty! Thanks for sharing your solution to fixing off-sized blocks. :)

I agree with everyone. It's a beautiful quilt, love the idea of the coping strips, it's cheerful and if you didn't mention your "issues" no one would ever know. It looks planned. Great job.

Wow!!!! you did a great job the quilt truned out beautiful.

I would swear you'd planned it that way! I love it and recognize some of those blocks from our days of BOM. I have a few left that I haven't used yet, wish I'd planned ahead and kept them all together for a top like that. BEAUTIFUL!!!

Hugs,
Sharon

Oh, Yvonne... how absolutely gorgeous... just amazing. It's so fresh! So happy!! A fine, fine job. Thanks for sharing it with us!!

What a clever idea! That was the reason I gave up on quilting the first time, couldn't get so many of the blocks large enough (heard of fudging but that wasn't working), I wish now I hadn't had a little hissy fit & thrown everything away! Beautiful quilt.

Oh Oh .... That is one nice quilt. I love your solution.

I would have had a hard time putting this one in a drawer! I'm glad you problem solved and was able to square it up. It is beautiful, colorful and very cheerful. Thanks for sharing!

What a great idea!! Your quilt is truly spectacular!! Well done my sweet. Dianne

this is fantastic!!!!

What a great solution! It looks terrific!

Your quilt is great. I need to make note of your plan. I seem to have undersize issues, too.

I really like it!! It doesn't look at all like they didn't want to play nice.

Kyia

i love the topyou wouldn't have known you had a problem with any of the blocks if you hadn'tsaid something.i love those colors. :lol: :lol:

Gorgeous! And aren't you a clever girl to figure out a way to make it all fit together! I love the bright colors against the white!

Beautiful! I really like the offsetting of the blocks you did with the coping strips. Gives the quilt more interest. I can easily see why your DD laid claim to it.

Looks intentional.

I love the term "coping strips"

By the way, the Jane Stickle (Dear Jane) quilt has a bajillion "coping strips" in it. The blocks in that quilt were NOT all the same size. So you are in excellent company.

Your quilt to is a beauty. Great job.

What a great idea! :-) I have a set of blocks that have the same problem. Trimming them would mean losing points and creating a different mess. :cry: I'm going to see if your solution will work for me. Thanks so much for the idea and a great example of quilter's ingenuity!! :wink:

it turn out great i always got un-finish work in my crafting lol

You have given me a great idea, Yvonne. I want to do some photo quilts but was stuck as how to set them for size. Some are square, rectangle etc. and I don't want to cut them all the same size. Your sashing idea might just work for me. What would I do without you guys? You're great! AND just a button click away.

I'm glad many of you have found my solution helpful. I am anxious to see your solutions when you start putting your quilts together. Be sure to share.