It's All In The Placement

Today's post will illustrate the importance of thinking things through before diving in on a project.

The quilts used in illustrating this concept are Cottage Green and Autumn Green, both pictured below and made this year.

Cottage Green

Autumn Green

I'd had the florals since April 2021, to the best of my recollection. The purchase of these fabrics falls firmly into the impulse category - I had no plan, no pattern, no clue whatsoever as to how the two florals would be used. All I knew at the time was that I really, really liked these two green florals- which is weird because I typically don't go overly crazy for green. Here are some closer views.

 

Floral used in Cottage Green.

Floral used in Autumn Green.

In January, when I was formulating my goals for the year, I was very serious about making a Snowball Quilt. Made with two very basic blocks, the 9-patch and the snowball - both easy to make - together, they result in a wonderful design. I thought it would be pretty cool to make at least one snowball quilt with one or the other of these green florals.

For several months, I kept these fabrics out in the quilting room, periodically auditioning fabrics to pair with them. It was a long process but I did eventually find fabrics to use with the florals.

So with those loose constructs, I proceeded, and in March I began Cottage Green to be made with a solid green and a white-on-white grunge, both from the stash. I have made 9-patch blocks for forever, and went to work stitching them up with enthusiastic speed. Then I did the same with the snowballs. Easy. Fun. Fast. Satisfying. I had the top together in no time.

As it was coming together, I really wasn't seeing the snowballs as I thought I would. Whaaaat??? It took me awhile, but I eventually discovered the error of my ways. 

The 9-patches were made wrong. I am accustomed to making the dark squares in the 5s spot and the neutral squares in the 4s spot. For this quilt, however, the opposite setting is desired.

Now, I still liked my quilt, but I sure didn't have the true snowball quilt I had hoped for. I went ahead and finished the first quilt, Cottage Green, and promised myself that I would make the other green floral into a proper Snowball Quilt.

With the darks and lights positioned in the correct place, the snowball shows up so much more clearly. Like I say in my title, it's all in the placement! I love both of these quilts, but I sure had to work harder than I ought to have in order to get a snowball quilt, right? 

Here are the two quilts side by side. Same two blocks - snowball and 9-patch. The way the 9-patch blocks are put together, though, makes all the difference. See how important placement is? A seasoned quilter knows this; and I do know this; I just proceeded without thinking!

 

Happy Quilting, Friends!