Friday, January 17, 2020

Frolicking Revelations

As of last night, before Bonnie Hunter's Big Reveal, this was my best guess for Frolic's main block -


and since we hadn't used much for neutrals yet, I thought maybe some of those HSTs might be needed to fill out the corners.


I'd figured 25 blocks, set on point 5x5, but I was thinking there would be 16 alternate blocks filling the spaces between them.  (Deploying some math at this point would have helped me see that THAT quilt would have been way too big.  Math is ALWAYS necessary.) 

I wasn't ridiculously far off, anyway.

Here's the actual block, as Bonnie revealed this morning -


and I not only like the block, I really like my color choices for it.

So I scurried to make a second one.  (This one actually took longer to put together than the first one, since I made the classic mistake of thinking I knew what I was doing.  I love my seam ripper, I truly do.)


And then I tried to take a photo at a 45 degree angle to show what they'd look like on point.  (As you can see, my design wall is currently crowded with flying geese, and I didn't want to clear space to make room for that on-point layout.)


And then while I was at it, I made a third block, since the pieces-parts were right there and all.


And I laid out a fourth block so I'd have something to start with next time I make it to my sewing machine.


I have nowhere near the number of units I need to make the whole quilt.  I'd just been puddling along behind everyone else, only making enough components to keep my hand in.  I'm still not convinced I need another bed-sized quilt at the moment, so I'd had it half in mind to make a smaller one anyway.  (And doesn't that take the pressure off!) 
So my plan at the moment is to make nine blocks total and sew them together in a 3x3 setting.  I actually like the straight set at least as much as the on-point set, so if I decide I'm satisfied with that, I'll put borders on (hello, HSTs) and call it happy. 
If I decide I absolutely need to get fancy, I can make 4 more blocks and do all those wild setting triangles and corners with what I've got cut and a few more bits, and just end up with a slightly smaller Frolic.

Win/win, I think. 
I'm really happy I went with this purple-orange color scheme - it just makes me smile every time I look at it.




11 comments:

Vireya said...

I love your orange and purple colour scheme!

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

You were pretty darn close, Gayle! I love your bright and happy color choices - your Frolic is looking great!

Chantal said...

I absolutely LOVE it. I don't know what's your decision about the alternate blocks, but I love what I see right the way it is now. Gosh! I LOVE your colorway. Sorry Bonnie, but Gayle's quilt look better. Seriously I ♥ it. Enjoy the piecing and the addition of gazillion of HSTs. ;^)

Chantal said...

Duh! I got it; there is NO alternate block. Sorry. I so love your colorway I wish I had played along. Sucks to be me. ;^)

Wanderingcatstudio said...

Love it! Though should we start taking bets on when you'll decided to make it into a HUGE quilt?

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

I think this turned out to be one of the prettiest mystery quilts. I haven't started because I wasn't sure about her colors, but now I think I may have to go back and make a small quilt.

Ann said...

It certainly looks like the fields of Texas wildflowers every spring.

Quiltdivajulie said...

VERY nice! Good for you for keeping it small.

Louise said...

Your colors are great and so is your contrast. Those stars really pop!

Mystic Quilter said...

Your colour choices were great! Nice block pattern.

Sally Trude said...

Your colorway is so much better. I think the blocks are better square too. Thank goodness for you because I get cranky and you get inspirational.