Design Choices

Weighing out various options concerning a design choice can sometimes be all-consuming while at other times it can be blatantly simple and straightforward.

I made a design choice over the weekend and even though it was kind of a big deal, no dithering occurred. I just knew what had to be done.

 

Brief back story: I sewed these 36 haphazard 9-patch blocks while at the quilt retreat a couple weeks ago. They are for a pattern called Tag Sale by Carrie Nelson. Even though the pattern said to make the orderly, 2-fabric blocks, I figured it would be fine to go with a less structured look. So I made all 36 blocks and stashed them away to finish here at home.

 

 

 

Tag Sale is in this (much) older book Miss Rosie's Quilt Collection (2005). My original Tag Sale was a delight to make and I even hand quilted it. Making a new Tag Sale just seemed appealing to me - this time using a brighter, sunnier, cheerier fabric collection.

The Book

  

My Fabric Collection

On Saturday afternoon,  I returned my attention to Tag Sale. Almost immediately, I was regretting the decision to make my blocks this way.

I had not hesitated a moment when deciding to break away from the pattern, nor had I questioned the choice in the intervening days, yet when I sat down to continue working on Tag Sale this weekend, I just knew I should have followed the pattern.

And without a moment of painful decision-making, I proceeded to pick apart all 36 blocks and stitch them up properly.

I’m not usually prone to making such drastic decisions, but it just felt ‘right’ to change my mind with these blocks. I didn’t wallow in self doubt or self pity. I simply took ripper in hand and spent a few hours deconstructing. 

It's at this point I should insert a picture of my thread-covered shirt, pants, socks, floor and table. Alas, I didn't take that picture. But I imagine you quilters surely can envision it. *grin*

Ahhh, yes, this decision was exactly correct. I just know I am going to be happier with the finished quilt for having made this correction. 

I will confess that a couple factors played into making this deconstruction/reconstruction process somewhat more palatable than it might otherwise have been.

First, it was a chilly, gray day, and who wanted to do anything outside? Not me! Second, I had a super-long audio book on loan from the library which was due in 2 days. I still had 12 hours of listening! Picking stitches is the perfect activity for audio books. 

Finishing the re-sewing of those blocks completed, I've moved on to the next step - sewing the smaller 9-patches which will go into an economy block. Stay tuned for progress updates.

Oh, you might like to see my original Tag Sale. Can you tell how perfectly crinkly it is? It's been laundered a few times over the last 20 years, so it is perfectly soft and cuddly.

 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne