Auditioning Dilemna

Do you have trouble deciding on fabric options?  I know I do.  I'm analytical, and indecisive.  Here is a sampling of some fabrics for background and setting triangles for the Gathered Over Time quilt.  Rather than pin them onto my design wall, I laid them out on my cutting table, which may not be the best place because the light doesn't really hit it the best, and I can't step back far enough to see it at the right angle.  

Well, I'll post some pictures, and if you have any thoughts, please share.  I began by considering the white-on-white as the background and a creamy tone-on-tone for the setting triangles.  But then I tried it in reverse, with a buttery cream as the background and a W-O-W as the triangles, hmmmm.  I may still have to get this onto the wall before I can make a choice.  I hope the pictures will show the options well enough.

white background, cream 'check' on right edge

Close-up of the above

white background, floral cream on left edge

Close-up of the above

butter-cream background, white tonal on top and right

Close-up of above

After looking at the photos, I'm thinking I like the butter-cream choice as the background, it seems to warm it up and make it look almost antique-y, and with the white on the outer edge, as opposed to the opposite, it pulls the eye back to the center.  I won't choose a binding until the top is done, but it could be a dark blue, or red, or green, or brown, or, well, who knows.

Ninety-Nine Nine-Patches

Yes, indeed, 99 were required, and yes, indeed, I miscounted.  I was nine short so had to pull out the scrap bins again and find enough for nine more sets to make those last 9-patches.  They are now done, and what I need to do next is select the background white or other neutral.  Here are the 90 stacked all neatly and tidy:

The pattern called for light shirtings, but I don't have such things, and I want to reserve as much variety of my white/cream scraps as I can for Bonnie Hunter's 2013 Mystery Quilt and depending on the size I go for on that, I will need anywhere from 2 to 4.25 yards. 

I calculated I need approximately 1.3 yards of neutral background for Gathered Over Time.  That sounds low, but let's do the math:  80 5" squares (25 sq. in. each) = 2000 sq. inches, which, based on 1512 sq. inches in a yard of fabric (36 x 42) divided into 2000 = 1.327 yds.  Of course, that also needs to take into consideration that I'm cutting from scraps and may not be able to cut the scraps into 5" sq. pieces, so I need to allow for more yardage.  Additionally, I need about a half-yard of white/cream neutral for the setting triangles and corners.  I was thinking I'd keep the background more in the white range, and the setting triangles more towards cream causing them to create a faux border.

I could go ahead and cut the 5" squares (80 of them), but before I could begin sewing, I would have to lay the 9-Ps out on the design wall for placement, and then I'd either have to sew all the blocks into rows, or be very careful making notes and/or stacks as to which block goes where, and I know how I am about that! By the time I'd get back to it, I'd have forgotten what my notes meant!  So now, I'm trying to decide if I want to at least cut the squares, or just stop at this point and begin sewing on the November NewFO, especially since the first instructions for the mystery quilt will come out on 11/29.

I had a foot-warmer last night while I was sitting here playing on the computer after finishing all the sewing I felt up to doing.  

Raven is very good at warming feet, and this new sewing cabinet has a little ledge at the back of the leg well where I can prop my feet and Raven thought it was a good idea to snuggle up :)

October NewFO

I suppose it's about time I did this post.  I gave some hints of my October NewFO over the past week or so and posted a couple of pics on Monday.  I haven't worked on it since I posted those pics, so I'll re-post a couple of them: 

I'll also post the partial image from the pattern with the name of it:

I've yet to pull the "solid" for the background, corners and side setting triangles.  I'll use a white or cream tone-on-tone which will depend on what I have in my stash, needing about a 2-yard piece.  I could go with scrappy t-o-t which is what the pattern calls for, but I think I'd like the background to be consistent.  I may make the setting triangles and corners a separate piece/shade though making it appear almost as a border.  Linking up at Cat Patches.

I pulled and cut the scrappy fabrics for my November NewFO, but I think I'll continue working on the October one for a few days at least.  I'd really like to work up to being a flimsy.

Tomorrow I'm going to go look at a sewing table with drawers that a former guild member is giving away as she's moving out of state.  I saw a picture and it looks to be quite nice! She already gave away a serger (darn!) and its table. My biggest problem is with Marty having just had surgery, he can't lift anything over 10 pounds, and I don't know if Nick and I can handle it on our own. Will have to see tomorrow - she needs to have it gone by Wed. or Thurs, so I'd have a couple of days to round up some more muscle if needed.  She said it's upstairs - ugh - but who can argue with free for a nice cabinet.  It'll mean re-arranging some more in my very small quilt room, but to have drawers, and a larger surface, I will do it!