Read the Instructions...

Pay Attention...
Measure Carefully...

Double Check...

You  can guess where this is going.

Let me show you what's on my design wall today and then I'll explain what the problem is.

On my design wall, 8/1/16

I signed up to be a top piecer for Heart Builders. Heart Builders, sponsored by Stash Builder Box, are quilters who piece tops, or long arm quilt, or bind and finish quilts that go into My Stuff Bags which are given to kids in foster care. Heart Builders sent me a yard of this cute honeycomb print and a yard of solid white.

I can make any pattern, and add any additional fabrics I like. The instructions say to make it not larger than 54" by 60" so it will fit into the My Stuff Bags. So I played in EQ and came up with this:

EQ rendering

Unfortunately I did not realize until I had all the blocks made and on the wall, and all of the sashing cut and most of it on the wall, that there is a size problem. The quilt on the wall will finish at 63" x 63", definitely not within the My Stuff Bags size requirements of less than 54" x 60".

Yikes! How could that have happened??? Well, it seems I didn't change the block size in the EQ Layout screen to 12". With the default 9" blocks this quilt would have finished at 51" by 51" which would have been fine.

Now what???  I have 16 blocks that measure 12". I have used all of the green print (in fact, the squares for one of the blocks had to be pieced together). I used all of the white they provided for the sashing, and I used more white from my stash for the blocks.

Here's the solution I came up with: Make two quilts.
One will be a 9 block layout using the original blocks, like this. It will measure 48" x 48".

Nine Block Layout, 48" x 48"

That will leave seven blocks left over. I have enough white, orange, blue, and stripe in my stash to make a few more blocks and sashing. I'll find a harmonious green in my stash (or buy something) and make three more blocks. I'll use six of the original blocks and three new ones, plus additional sashing pieces, to make another top, same size and layout as the first.

So, thankfully my careless lack of attention is not a disaster, and in fact will be a win for My Stuff Bags because they'll get two tops.


Linking up with Patchwork Times and Love Laugh Quilt