I think I have quitled myself into a corner...send in the rescue team!

[Sylvia H]

I have a suggestion if you would like a more modern feel...
Decide how big you want your quilt, then use solid white or tone on tone white to make up the remainder of that size. You can place your chunks of triangles where you want them, not necessarily symmetrical ( but that is ok too) the white in the negative space can be different sizes, whatever is pleasing to your eye! I can see it in my head, hope I am relaying what i mean so you can grasp it
I like the colors in your triangles, i just think the sashing fabric isn't working well with them...

Building on songbird's suggestions. ..... I agree that the sashing doesn't work. Leah Day once made a modern quilt where she randomly dropped blocks on the floor, and then built up the negative space around where the blocks dropped. Doing this, your current blocks don't all have to fall horizontal or vertical. In addition, if you have the colors, or can afford to buy a little more material, you could add large solid strips of the three colors scattered around as well. How about 3 borders - one in each of the three colors?

Do you know how to make wonky blocks that look tilted? I'll see if I can find instructions. I know how to do it, but I am not sure I can explain it correctly.

[coffeebreak]

Ok, here's my two cents..............first off, great deal on the charm packs, secondly, if you donate to your church, keep the cross effect. You may not "like" the design or be that keen on the colors (someone else will LOVE it), but basically you're primary goal is to "loosen" up your approach/control to layout and color choices. If they aren't sewn together, as others have suggested and with links, flip those puppies all over the place to try and match a design that catches your eye. Loosen up, and let go, control is NOT what's needed here, you need to let your mind soar a tad. A simple 1/4 turn can make all the difference in the world! Be a kid, relax, let go, have a mental recess!

Yes, you are so right! Loosen up! I need to do that and I am trying. Being so organized and specific makes quilting hard!!! I don't have a problem with the cross look....it just looked weird when I saw the picture. It was kind of like when I made (what I called) a Crooked Pinwheel quilt...the pinwheel arms were a little longer (made with HST's) and bent at the ends to make it look crooked. I thought it was so cute and loved it...and then someone said that they didn't like it cause it looked like a (german) swasticka..... that was 3 years ago and I have not been able to make a "crooked pinehweel" since... because that is now what I see! When I saw the pattern of the cross, the colors made me think "vampire"! Weird I know, but in the picture..that is what it looked like. Laying here on the floor...I have to really look just to see that there is a cross in the center!

[Sylvia H]

Within the instructions for this quilt are the instructions on how to make a wonky block. They start at the point where the grey material is added to border the block. Think of the grey as the negative space.

You would border your current large blocks with something like 6" strips (or larger if that seems better), and then when you go to square them up, you do it at an angle. That causes the inner block to look tilted. Because of the size of your blocks, you probably won't be able to square with a square ruler. No problem, it can also be done with the standard 6" X24" as well.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

[coffeebreak]

Building on songbird's suggestions. ..... I agree that the sashing doesn't work. Leah Day once made a modern quilt where she randomly dropped blocks on the floor, and then built up the negative space around where the blocks dropped. Doing this, your current blocks don't all have to fall horizontal or vertical. In addition, if you have the colors, or can afford to buy a little more material, you could add large solid strips of the three colors scattered around as well. How about 3 borders - one in each of the three colors?

Do you know how to make wonky blocks that look tilted? I'll see if I can find instructions. I know how to do it, but I am not sure I can explain it correctly.

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't think I can do that... I am just starting my quest of "de-organizing"...I'd be drinking by the end of the hour if I did anything so randomly as you describe!!!!! LOL!! I did try the three solids, laid them out as sashing/borders...but although the colors matched some of the same shades in the HST's... all the light shades were drowned out by all the dark shades and it looked bad.

[coffeebreak]

I like Pam's idea. I have this one stored and really like the design. Just need to get back to it. Use the 'cross' for the borders and plain for the sashing..

Attachment 96547

If you want to practice I would donate to some of the charity groups. They except just the tops.

That is kind of what I was going for when I bought the charms... a migrating of the colors. I have seen them before and like them. But.. I bought 4 packs thinking that'd be enough and if they were better organized it would have been. But three colors and 2 had the same number of charms and one had twice the nbrs...etc. It was a HUGE struggle for me just to not be so exactly migrating of the shades! I started out being exact, but then purposely started "loosening up" in the migration...I did okay, I think!

[Annav]

What if you took out the sashing, keep the center block but move what you see as a crucifix to the outside, then add multiple borders, maybe thin borders in your main solid colors and a wider border in the white. Then you could do scrappy binding using all the colors. I can see it in head, bit I am sure I am saying it well. Does this make sense?

[Kajenkids]

I think your piecing looks terrific and the colors are fun! There are some really cool modern quilts with geese around. I think the a Moda Bake Shop has some. I seem to remember one that was mostly white with the geese flying up one side. Very cool.

[Granny Fran]

Stop beating yourself up......anyone that can make that many triangles and not lose the points is a winner in my book. You've gotten a lot of good ideas here, try some out. I bet you never colored outside the lines when you were little, too, huh?

[bkthomas]

I think it looks fantastic!!!
I L O V E it!!!!!!

[KROQnK9s]

I read you post last night but didn't have any suggestions. But then I was surfing craftsy & saw this table runner pattern (I hope the copy paste works)

Kona Cotton Pure Color Table Runner on Craftsy Supplies!

This layout reminded me of some of your pieces. So maybe it could spark something for you.

I love your colors but can understand it being hard to work with colors you personally don't like. I've been stuck putting together a top for a philanthropy project. I didn't even buy then fabric, they gave me the kit but its really hard to get motivated.

I'm also very impressed by all the HST & flying geese. Those are both on my hit list to tackle this year (haven't made any yet)