More Than One Way to Get There

I've been thinking and planning my next leader and ender quilt. Sometimes I think I like the planning and drafting stage as much as anything else. I research patterns, consider layouts, compare approaches to block piecing.

I decided to make an Ocean Wave quilt in the 1930's pastel palette set with white. I pulled fabrics from my original 1930's collection and laid them out.

Then I pulled current fabrics that had a similar look and tone. I love this step in the process too. Visiting fabric friends and deciding which ones to include and which to save for 'another time.'

Fun!

Trying to keep the color balanced

I drafted the block as I thought it should be pieced in EQ.

First as a 10" block

Then as a 12" block

Lots of little pieces must not intimidate me. But I couldn't decide between the two.

10" block set

12" block set

Both of these quilts are made using standard block construction, which puts seams right through the open white patches. I was trying to find a way around that. And the 12" version just looked way too busy ~ so I sat with the idea for awhile. Then I found Bonnie's Ocean Wave pattern at Quiltville.

These are the blocks and sub-units. I drew them in EQ and then exported them to an Adobe graphics program since EQ wouldn't let me layout half and quarter block units.

And here's the layout. Brilliant! This means all the open white spaces are seamless. This taught me I should've thought 'outside the block'. With this layout I was able to finally estimate how much background white I needed. Even though I know I'll be piecing here and there for a long time I want all the white to be the same. I didn't do that in another quilt and over time the whites have aged to different shades. White is not always white... if you know what I mean.

Seven yards of Quilter's Basic, they don't call it muslin anymore. Waving on the clothes line it reminded me of Christo's Fence.