FWQAL Latest Mosaic
March 8, 2012 A lovely reader asked a few weeks ago if I would show a "group shot" of my Farmer's Wife blocks. I realized it's been a few months since my last block mosaics so here's the latest collection ... with a few of my past favorites thrown in for good measure. :)
I've been thinking a lot about how to finish my quilt. The one in the book is set "on point" (like diamonds). I really like that layout.
I once made a quilt that SHOULD have been on point, but I was too lazy to make all the side-setting triangles so I set the blocks square and regretted it ever since. Didn't help that my Bestie Kate made the same quilt but DID do hers on point. Now every time I'm at her house and I see her gorgeous quilt, I find myself scheming about how to switch our quilts without her noticing.
So my jealously experience is COMPELLING me to go on point.
But what about sashing & posts? I've got these fabrics in mind.
The red is another Lecien print, but it's not Flower Sugar like all the fabrics in my blocks - it's from their Old/New 30's collection I picked up last summer. And I'm really going out on a limb with the pink ... it's an older 3 Sisters from Moda.
I KNOW! I'm daring to mix lines ... something I HARDLY EVER DO ... 'cause I'm a great big chicken.
(Maybe ... it ain't over 'til it's over.)
But do I go white sashing with pink posts or red? Or pink sashing with white or posts or red? I just know for sure the sashing will NOT be red ... that much red would be way too "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" for me. I seem to be favoring pink sashing with red posts, but I need to test drive that first.
And then what fabric do I use for the side-setting triangles?
And then what about the borders? I usually wait until the top is all pieced before committing to a border.
For me, this the exciting/nerve-wracking part of quilt-making. These decisions will make the difference between and quilt I love and a quilt I hate. I've screwed up this part sooooo many times. I'm not joking about the nerve-wracking part.
Any opinions? Maybe even something I didn't mention?
No pressure.
FWQAL 
Reader Comments (28)
First, love your mosaic and all of your blocks! Second, what about grey? I'm seriously in love with Leciens grey fabric with white dots. A little bit playful but not too much and not as hard as white. But I would first finish the top and decide then;-)
Hildy
Gee do ya really think she would notice if you switched?
Your blocks are beautiful..so fresh and pretty...pink is pretty...I love red.
I say go on point.. You won't be sorry. It is always worth it to go the extra mile. I have no doubt you will make the right decision!
Just a thought...what do you think of very light grey sashing? I think it would let your eye see the blocks first and foremost. Then a brighter pink or red outer border would look great; I personally always love the pink/grey combo. Anyway, whatever you pick will be a beauty, I'm sure!
I love your blocks! I like the idea of pink sashing with red posts, just not that particular pink. Don't know if that looks quite right, I am all for mixing fabric lines, just think that pink might be a tad off.
Kathy
I agree with Kathy about the pink. It just doesn't blend at all. Definitely go on point. I can't wait to see your finished quilt. It's going to be gorgeous!
I love Hildy's idea of a white dot on grey (or a grey dot on white?) but I also really like the fabrics you've picked out - whatever you choose will be amazing! All your blocks are fabulous, I can't wait to see more!
Love all the blocks. I was curiuos how the grey was going to look. I'm not a huge fan of gray, but in context here I like it. Looking forward to seeing it all done! xo
Looking at your mosaic, with the thin white line between the blocks, have you considered NOT having posts and just going with plain white sashing? Try doing a mosaic on your computer with posts of your color choices and see what you like. As Hildy mentioned above, grey might be just lovely. Whatever you decide, it will be lovely.
What about using scraps for the posts and have them all colours?
The blocks have so much design to them that if it were me, I'd go with a solid gray, Kona ash if it goes well with the gray in the prints, and use it for the sashing and the setting triangles so the blocks just floated on the background. Then you could use whatever color you wanted more of in the border and binding.
Your blocks are gorgeous!! I'm very envious.
Gorgeous blocks!! Love seeing them all together :) I just did my first 2 blocks last week, I bought the book recently - so excited to get more done :D
Jessie, xo
Your blocks are so fresh and colorful, I would go with white sashing and posts or a very light solid gray. You need to show off all those beautiful blocks. I feel the solid will give your eye a place to rest between oohing and ahhhing at each individual block.....Oh yes, on point!
Oh dear - if you are having all that angst, how am I going to cope when it comes to putting mine together (I had already thought about leaving out the blocks that really do need to be on point, so I could just make it up square!!)
Thanks so much for that group shot! It made my day! As for sashing my opinion shouldn't matter at all but I give it freely...love the idea of white or grey sashing. I am sure you'll make just the right decision, your blocks are all gorgeous! And definitely go for on point! It's not that much more work...says the girl not doing it.
Because its not my quilt, the decision is easy for me. If it were my quilt, I'd be like you asking my friend Colleen. So here it is...on point, white sashing, solid red posts, white setting triangles and red binding(red floral would be OK). Not that pink...too smokey toned. Your blocks are gorgeous (for the tenth time!!!)!
I think white sashing & setting triangles would let all the colour in your blocks sing! Love the suggestions about grey...maybe grey posts?
Love the simplicity of this:
http://cityhousestudio.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/farmers-wife-quilt-complete.html
Can't wait to see what you decide!
Frayedattheedge, don't leave your point blocks out, have you seen this:
http://kheaney-writeitdown.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/its-done-my-farmers-wife-quilt.html
My vote ... on point for sure. Keep it simple so the blocks shine, so I'd go for the mosaic look with white or soft gray and a red flowered border or a different pink, more like one in the blocks. Anyway you cut it (no puns intended) it will be amazing!
Your squares look great! Definitely put them on point. Otherwise I think that your baskets will look lopsided. As for color, I think I'd go with white. It will make everything look "crisp" if you know what I mean - the other colors will stand out well. I would keep the red for the binding and not use that pink fabric at all. Just checked out the FWQ version on the cityhousestudio blog that someone mentioned and I do like the alternating block on point. Really nice!
This is going to be one gorgeous quilt. I'd say on point for sure, white sashings, no posts, no borders and white side setting triangles. There is so much lovely colour going on here that adding any more might just be to overwhelming. However, that said, I think you need to wait until all the blocks are completed before making the final decision. I also like the idea one commentor had about using the gray polka dot and, perhaps a gray for the posts.
This might sound kookoo crazy, but here goes. I'd love to see the the wallpaper stripe from the current FS collection as a mitered border (maybe the apple green?), with white sashing, and red or pink cornerstones. And for the setting triangles maybe the white mini floral from the current FS collection? I've got a big pile of it sitting here next to my sewing machine just waiting to be cut up! I do agree with some of the other comments about the pink 3 Sisters being not quite right.
Your blocks look amazing all together and lovely inspiration for me who has just started this quilt. I think you've got some great advice here already to think over. At this stage I like the idea of a grey and white tiny dot print for the sashing and red corner posts then a border perhaps in the grey then red binding. I'm sure whatever you decide on though will look pretty.
so many choices....I'll have to go look at the original to figure out what the posts are. So, obviously, you don't want me to weigh in on this discussion. Love all the blocks shown together. Keep having fun!
I just love the colors & fabrics you used in these blocks. How about gray/white for setting triangles. I would do the soft pink for sashing with the red for the sashing posts or even a white on white for sashing with the posts done with a mix of all of the block fabrics or pink or red? It is going to be beautiful, no matter what you end up choosing.
Oh my, that is gorgeous! I hope to be able to see it in person one day =) I'm just getting caught up on my blog reading after my little birthing break...off to read your other posts =)