Friday, January 14, 2011

OBW OCD

I have a known tendency to get sucked into the creative flow of a project to the abandonement of all other responsibilities. Folks, fiddling with the One Block Wonder layout took this to a whole new level of obsessive compulsion. I kept telling myself, "let it sit for a bit, come back to it later," but I kept seeing one more block position swap that could maybe move it one step closer to perfect. Or as close as it's going to get:
This is major layout revision #3, made from 78 pieced blocks, and 3 "solid" ones cut as whole hexagons from the original fabric. Can you find them (click pic for larger view)?

When I purchased this fabric (Amy Butler's "Bliss Bouquet" in emerald, from her Love collection), I only got 3 yards because I was feeling frugal and didn't want to buy a lot more yardage for borders and back until I knew I'd like the result. Now I know I like it a lot, so I ordered more fabric a couple days ago, which meant I could cut another row's worth of blocks from the little bit extra I'd been hoarding in case I needed it for a border. Not sure what size it will end up yet. I don't have a particular size in mind, and will let the quilt tell me how big it wants to be.

I'm ready to call this stage "done." There are other ways that work, but this is the best so far. And at this point I've played with the blocks so much their edges are starting to fray. It's time to stop messing with it and sew it up.

Well, actually, it's time for me to stay out of the sewing room for a day or two, and get some of the "real work" done that's been postponed for the past day and a half because of my inability to walk away from the design wall.

4 comments:

  1. That is fantastic! I know what you mean about not being able to stop fiddling. I had a time limit on my fiddling because it was a class and I had to get out eventually :) Otherwise, it would probably still be on the design wall waiting for another iteration...

    Congrats - it's truly lovely.

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  2. It's beautiful! Coming from a non-quilter, it's a work of art. What a lovely way to use the print of the fabric!

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  3. That is so beautiful, I can't even stand it. I'm so impressed with this quilt!! It really looks like a work of art. :)

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  4. Thanks, all! I'm having so much fun with this, especially as it's really quite simple to do, with a very high impact-to-effort ratio. Amy B. gets half the credit for designing such a luscious print!

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