Decisions, decisions

I spent most of the weekend working on the medallion. The checkerboard and mountains border was finished easily by lunchtime on Saturday. Then I spent the rest of Saturday and part of today trying to decide on cornerstones.

I didn't like the look of a large plain square at all.

I thought I'd like a diagonally placed four patch, but didn't like the way that looked either.

I tried a square in a square block next but that wasn't right.

Next came a double four patch. That was better - I liked the way it "finished" the checkerboard border. But I didn't like how it led my eye off into the corner.

What if I replaced the one four patch with a triangle square? Nope - don't like that.

How about one four patch and three plain squares? I think this is the best so far. It might work.

My final try was to cut more triangles and finish the outside mountains so they looked like the rest of the mountains. I had considered this idea a couple times earlier but discarded the thought without trying it. I didn't think I'd like that much light fabric in each corner. Wouldn't you know it - I like this one the best. Once I had it in place I realized it perfectly echoed the first border around the center.

Finally! I made the decision by mid afternoon today. Now on to border number six.

I decided on variable stars for the sixth border. I made five of them and set them into place on the design wall to see how I like them.

Hmmm . . . I like the stars . . . but now are there too many light fabrics next to each other where border five and border six meet? Maybe. So I tried adding a "Plain Jane" border like the one I added after round two. Hmmm . . . I'm not sure if this is an improvement. Maybe this fabric is too dark for this narrow border. Maybe I should try a medium tone for the Plain Jane? I haven't had time to cut that one yet to try out, so I don't know how that would look. I'll have to try that tomorrow. If I go for the Plain Jane I have five stars I can't use as the stars will need to be 8 1/2" finished instead of 8" finished.

Decisions, decisions . . . sometimes it's so hard. So I'm going to sleep on it and look at it again in the morning. I invite your ideas also if you would like to join in my decision making.

In the meantime I made another Dear Jane block - C-3 - Rayelle's Fence - so I could stay caught up with the group. This one was really easy. I just sewed two small strata, cut them into strips and sewed the strips together.

Caught up with the Baby Janes

I'm very happy to report that I've completed a total of 11 Dear Jane blocks and am now caught up with the Baby Jane's group. From now on it will be two blocks a week - hopefully very manageable. Just in time, as tomorrow I start taking care of Joseph two days a week. I'm thrilled to have this opportunity but it will cut into my quilting time. I'm going to us his nap times to do handwork on UFO's - tomorrow it will be hand quilting.

Uncle Homer

Dad's Plaids

Bachelor Buttons

Mirror Image

Chris's Soccer Field

Jason's Jacks

Rose of Sharing

Simple Simon

So, what's going to be next? I believe I'm going to focus on getting my pre-1830's medallion to the finished flimsy stage. I need to put those two baskets of fabrics back on the shelf so I can have them available to hold the fabrics for my Salinda Rupp quilt.

Two more blocks completed - Jane's Tears and Field of Dreams

I'm finding the Dear Jane blocks to be just as addicting as the Civil War Diaries blocks, but there the resemblance ends. These are smaller and include a significant amount of applique, and so far they are less complicated. I know they will get more complicated - I've looked ahead in the book - but in a very different way from the blocks I've been making. I think the two projects compliment each other nicely. I wonder if I'll still be saying that a few weeks from now. As you can see on my sidebar, I'm doing this quilt with the Baby Jane group. Once I've finished eight more I'll be caught up with them, and I'll start progressing sedately doing two blocks each week. Should leave me plenty of time for UFO's and starting the Salinda Rupp quilt. Theoretically anyway LOL!

Four Corner Press

My first Dear Jane block. B-13, also called Four Corner Press. Fast and fun to make. And one of the very easiest LOL! I'm picking fabrics as close to the original as I can. This is going to be a lot of fun - and a huge challenge. I hope I'm up to it!