More "Fun" with 3 Barns

A funny thing happened while I was adding the outer border to 3 Barns ( I have GOT to come up with a better name for this quilt!), I decided I liked the sashing!

So I pinned the sashing around a block and thought I liked it some more.

And then I added those fussy cut medallion blocks for the cornerstones and thought I really liked it!

So I took all those blocks apart, yes I did!

And now I have this! And I love it.  It looks better in person, the dreary days of March do not make for very good photography.  But I'm really happy with how those star blocks look now.

And here's what I learned:

First, I liked the pattern so why was I changing the pattern!

Second, when deciding on sashing for a block, surround the whole block, not one side, the same holds true for border fabric, put it around the whole quilt, it makes a huge difference.  I know better but still made my initial decision on the sashing by looking at one side of a block.

Third, sometimes being unhappy with a project has nothing to do with the project at all.  I thought the sashing was too much, I don't know why, it wasn't too much on the pattern, but once I sat down and thought about it, I think I was looking for a calmer quilt because my life has too much going on.  I have several things going on at once in my sewing room, which isn't like me at all, plus I am juggling some home improvement projects which are always stressful.  But I'm over that now, I'm embracing this sashing, and it feels good.

Thanks to all who left comments on my hot mess.  Don't ever be worried about being totally honest with any of my projects, it doesn't bother me at all.  As a matter of fact, I enjoy an interesting discussion or difference of opinion, I think that makes us all better quilters.

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3 Barns

So here are my 9 naked star blocks,

And here they are, finally, all of them dressed up.

The only thing left to do is add the sashing strips.

Just in case you've forgotten, here's what the finished quilt should look like.

So I pieced and cut my strips, but when I put them in between my blocks, I didn't like the looks of it so much.  It's too something, too distracting, too bold, I don't know, too not just me I guess.

Maybe dividing the strips in half with a strip of yellow fabric would be more pleasing,

no, I don't think so.

Maybe dividing the strips in half with a strip of background fabric would be more pleasing, 

no, I don't think so.

Maybe dividing wider strips in half with a strip of background fabric would be more pleasing, 

no, I don't think so.

Maybe no strips, just background fabric, 

no, I don't think so.

So I finally decided to go with no sashing at all, and sewed all the blocks together.

It's at this point that I realized that this would have been an better idea had I made the hsts surrounding the blocks from just one group of colors, like all the greys or all the pinks.  It sort of looks like a hot mess right now with everything running together.   I'm hoping adding the sashing to the outside will create a border that pulls it all together.  Stay tuned!

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I was gone, but now I'm back . . .

Helllllllooooo!  Did ya miss me?  My husband needed to be in Florida for business and I tagged along. 

Here was the view 20 steps from our hotel room patio.

Locals were whining about the cold weather.  It was in the 60s and I thought it felt great.

These shells were all stacked up and ready for someone to take notice and take a picture, thank you Mother Nature.

On Friday I stopped in the Flash Sew & Quilt Shop.  My husband had to work which gave me the whole day to do as I pleased.  After a walk on along the beach I decided to hit one quilt shop.  It was a very nice shop, no kits, but a nice assortment of fabric, all styles.  I got a look at that Indigo Crossing line of fabric by Minick and Simpson for the first time, very lovely.  The store also had a great selection of quilt books.  New books I had seen online but hadn't as yet seen in person.  I enjoyed browsing through them all.

Someone in the store asked me if I was going to the quilt show.  QUILT SHOW!!  What quilt show!!  Turns out I was in the right place at the right time, the Naples Quilters Guild was holding their annual quilt show.

I've got to be the worst quilt show photographer in history, but here are a few quilts I enjoyed and thought you may enjoy seeing also.

This is Hunter Star by Pat Thwalts, this is the third time she's made this pattern.

Practice makes perfect, this is one lovely quilt.

This is Explosions of Color by Mimi Krug.

Mimi used Judy Niemeyer's Fourth of July pattern.

 This is Birds in the Air by Donna Johnson.

This is Monet's Garden by Nancy Mullin.

This quilt was hand pieced and appliquéd!  It was stunning, I wish I had taken a better picture.

I didn't just take pictures of the brightly colored quilts, this neutral quilt caught my eye too.

This is Card Tricks for Evan and Elle by Jennifer McCulty.

You can't have a quilt show without a Dear Jane quilt.  

My Journey with Jane was beautifully pieced by Jeannette King.

Only guild members were allowed to display quilts in the show, that's one talented group of quilters.  The show was held in a well-lit venue and was plenty roomy.  The thing I enjoyed the most, all the beautiful ribbons awarded by the judge.  Most quilts had at least one ribbon, some had several.  How great is that, everyone who entered a quilt in that show must have gone home happy and a winner.  There were 20 different categories which probably helped with the number of ribbons, but I really like the idea of recognizing so many quilts and quilters.

Pat yourselves on the back Naples Quilt Guild, you had a wonderful show, I'm thrilled I was able to attend.

There's some 3 Barns quilt drama brewing at my house, stop by tomorrow for an update.

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Blogger Girl BOM . . . .

Wow, where did February go, it doesn't seem possible that it's time for our next set of Blogger Girl BOM blocks already, we're up to block 3.

I think I said something last month about not putting any red in this month's blocks, I was just kidding.

So here is version 1

and here is Version 2,

same pattern, just different fabric placement.

This block is my favorite block so far.  It went together in no time.  I used Monique's Fit to be Quarter and Companion rulers to make the square in a square blocks.  I've not had much luck with these blocks in the past, I always had trouble with shrinkage, I would start out with the correct block size, but by the time I added each corner of fabric, my block would be too small.  I did not have that trouble using Monique's rulers, the block is oversized then trimmed to the correct size.  

Here are my blocks, I love them all, even those robot heads!  My fabric is Hometown by Sweetwater for Moda.   

I hope you've been checking out the blocks on Flickr, there are some amazing fabric choices out there.  We're up to almost 100 pictures of blocks.

Monique will be demonstrating her rulers along with providing the block directions over at her blog, go check it out, here.

And finally here are a few of my Blogger Girl BOM friends who also have some blocks to share, don't miss those either!

Sherri from A Quilting Life - aquiltinglife.blogspot.com

Lissa from Moda  Lissa  - ModaLissa.blogspot.com

Denise from Quilter’s  Window - Quilterswindow.com/blog/

Nicole from Sister’s Choice  -  sisterschoice.typepad.com

Lisa from Stashmaster - The-Stashmaster.blogspot.com

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Back to the barns . . .

I'm done playing with the red bundle, for now, and am back to working on 3 Barns, by Carrie Nelson for Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.

Here are the naked blocks.

Here they are all dressed up.  Only 3 naked blocks left to dress.

It's dreary and wet here, a horrible day for taking pictures, but you get the general idea.

The hsts that surround the blocks are pieced and trimmed so adding them to the blocks goes quickly.  Everything continues to match up perfectly, I'm enjoying the easy piecing.

If you're into batiks, Laura is having a giveaway, check out the details here.   I think the deadline is tomorrow.

Friday is March 1, the day I get to show you my blocks for the Bloggers Girl BOM, my favorite blocks so far, stop back by!

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