My brain is fried at the moment and I just needed something physical and tangible to see and hang up before I made my decision. I dug out some ugly brown fabric from the scrap box and came up with this 12.5" block. The larger sqaures represent quarters of my 10" layer cake squares.
I don't think I want to chop my lovely fabric this small, maybe just into halves or quarters for the busier patterns and I'll leave the lovely animal prints whole. Another issue I have is that my layer cake only has 16 squares, I won it in a giveaway, the layer cake quilts I've seen seem to have way more squares, so perhaps I have half a cake! This means I'll have to think about stretching it out, make it go further... Should I introduce some squares of solids in coordinating colours or dip into another fabric line and mix it up?
I have these bee & butterfly prints in my stash, the lighter ones coordinate well but i'm not sure about the darker ones (although they do look darker in the photo than in the flesh).
Now what should I do with this ugly tester block? Do you make tester blocks? What do you do with them afterwards?
Linking up with the Anything Goes party, Fabric Tuesday & Freemotion by the River.
10 comments:
I like what you've done with your ugly brown fabric! What to do with your tester block? Save it for when you have finished your quilt.... Then make a quilt sandwich to test out your quilting design and make the tester block into a quilted pillow!
I would make your tester block into a quilted pillow when you get the chance. It is a great way to practice some "free motion" quilting. I seem to be drawn to the busier patterns too, so when I buy layer cakes it is hard to cut up because it would "chop" off heads or something to the Berenstain Bears was my last project! Have fun working on your quilt. Your tester block turned out great!
popping over from Anything Goes, and your Going Good !
I like your test block - you could mix in some solids and cut them up small for the little pieces and leave your pretty fabrics for the bigger sections so you don't have to cut them up too much!
I usually make several test blocks before I embark on a project. If they are single blocks, I use them up to make table runners and practice my FMQ on them.I think yours is a bit bigger...maybe a cushion.
Oh you have the bees in other colours than pink!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was given a FQ which I have just all but used up in my Brit Bee quilt and never knew there were other colours!!!
I think they will go nicely xxx
I think all the fabrics goes together also - and if you want to add solids that would work. As for making tester blocks - I did once and it was so ugly, I hated it - which is to be expected since I used ugly fabric. Yours is good - even it you don't like the fabrics. Lorna has an excellent idea to use it for testing your quit design.
I put all of my tester blocks and not so perfect blocks in a bin and when I get enough I make a quilt out of all those wonky/ugly/orphan blocks. Yes, I wind up making them all the same size with sashing.
Visiting from Anything Goes...Love your tester block. I don't make them, but I know lots of people do. I guess if you make all your tester blocks in the same fabrics, you could throw together a quilt after a time.
Your fabric selections are fun too...I can't wait to see your future progress.
I'm like you, I make lots of tester blocks with my older fabrics.......I have a whole box of them. Thanks for sharing.
Freemotion by the River Linky Party Tuesday
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