I finally got a chance to test the blocks for my Marsala quilt, and I am extremely pleased to discover that they work!
Excuse the somewhat random fabric selection, I basically rummaged through my stash and pulled out whatever I could find that I had a good amount of and didn’t mind using up. (Though I think it could have been MUCH worse!)
The large block is a rather giant 24.5″ square; each sub-block in it is 12.5″ square.
The small block is exactly 1/4 the size of the large block, weighing in at a svelte 12.5″ square (6.5″ sub-blocks).
In terms of piecing, it’s all pretty straightforward (although I did have a Special moment when doing the smaller version where I sewed the wrong corners onto four identical units and had to re-cut and re-do them). The larger one is much easier in terms of handling to put together, and has more tolerance of error, whereas the smaller one is a little more fiddly and offers less wriggle room for mistakes. Right now I’m not sure which I prefer, though I’m leaning towards the larger version.
Another consideration is the fact that I have TWO Marsala-coloured fabrics, which I am trying to figure out how to best combine in the blocks:
Certainly, if I want to do any curved piecing, I would be much better off making the larger block! Of these examples, I quite like option 1 or option 3/4.
Lastly, I need to consider quilt size. If I choose the big block, my quilt is likely to end up being ~72″ square (three blocks wide, three blocks long), but I’m less sure about the size I’d want to make if I choose the small block. And borders? Do I want borders? I don’t know!
Read more about the 2015 Pantone Quilt Challenge at On the Windy Side and play crafts. 🙂
Linking up with the Fresh Sewing Day at Lily’s Quilts!