The Red Project: Moving on to Plan B

At AFS a couple weeks ago I showed the girls my Red Project top and the possible border fabrics. None of the border fabrics was really satisfactory, and in my internet searches I haven't been able to find anything suitable. Here's the EQ rendering of the original plan:

So I discussed Plan B with the girls. Plan B would extend the checkerboard border like this EQ rendering:

The response was unanimous - Plan B it is. I like it - it's not as heavy and wintry looking as the original. The finished size will still be 102" square before quilting. The part with the Dresdens fits on the top of the bed and the sides hang down long enough to cover the mattress.

Step 1 is removing the second blue border from the top. Done.

That leaves three checkerboard rows and I need seven. If I make 16-patch blocks I can sew them into border strips and add them onto the existing border. Step 2 is to figure out how many bits and pieces I have and how many more strips I'll need.

I have seven of the 11 red fabrics left, but not enough to cut as many strips as I'll need. I'll have to find a few more Civil War-ish reds to mix in. I have plenty of blues, including enough to make that final outer blue border big enough, using the strips removed from the top and adding more for length.

I'm also low on neutrals. I put my leftover neutral strips - there were quite a few because I originally cut too many - into a bag with other fabrics for a collaboration project with friends, and I'm hoping to get the strips back and use other neutrals for the collaboration project. If I need to I can find more CW neutrals to mix in.

I'll need at least 44 sixteen patches, plus a couple of extra strips to finish out the borders. 8 down, 36 to go. I'll wait til I get more reds before making more blocks so I can scatter the new prints in as much as possible.

So, the Red Project is once again moving forward. It feels good to have made a decision and gotten this project un-stalled.

This quilt still needs a name.  Or should I just put The Red Project on the label?!