Rearranging the Cabin, Ready for Borders

This post is really about the process a quilter
can go through when working out the design
of her quilt.  Fortunately, I was able to do most
on my EQ8 but now I found myself at the very
important center and wanted to see it all first-hand.


Up to this point in the militia quilt,
I had been just loving the diamond
design created by the log cabin blocks.


My original plan for the center was this but I decided
those red squares didn't really work with the gold
squares already in the quilt.


After trying out about 10 different ideas,
I ended up feeling this design would look best in here.


What I was not expecting was that stark square in
the center.  It looked....okay, but didn't seem to radiate
or blend so much as it contrasted or fought? the design.
So getting my sister on the phone we went through
many different ways to fix this.   Many.
I think I sent maybe 10 to 15 pics by text?
(This is quilting in the modern age!)


I started by cutting out some gray pieces to lay
over the black but I was still seeing that square.
Please ignore my feet in the pic!!

We tried lighter grays.  We tried changing the
inner star.  Mostly I just really didn't like the 
grays touching that gold but again, the 
square was always there.

Then my sister got the idea to play around with the
log cabins instead.  But...but...my diamond!!
Still, nothing else seemed to be working so I arranged
and rearranged and ended up with a pretty good solution.
And one that everyone unanimously voted on.
(I enlisted the help of my other 2 sisters, though
non-quilters, on the final decision process)


What stands out to me on this design, right after that
 center star, is the cross in the gray space around it.
A cross instead of the diamond.
Maybe there's some significance to that:  DS is choosing
the difficult life of a soldier over a simpler--likely easier--one?

Note in the picture it's already sewn up
and ready for borders today.

Happy quilting!

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Comments

Debbie said…
Not what you planned, not what you imagined, but what you got is exactly what you needed to achieve! This is a beautiful layout and the diamond is almost there. The gold shows more now as it radiant to the outer side Really this is good. Great job, gals!
OMGosh, I love love love the final design. It brings your eye to the center then kind of radiates outward. Perfection.
xx, Carol
Needled Mom said…
I thought I liked the first design, but I really LOVE the finished design. That turned out beautifully.
Great change in the setting. It really makes that quilt move.