Hitch & Thread: Mini Dresden

Thursday, September 15, 2011

I said what? Help me, help me now...

Remember that quilt I've been working on?(actually I'm working on a few, I just haven't got around to sharing yet ;) ) Well its driving me crazy! Its the Secret Squirrel one that is based on the Table Runner tutorial from the Moda Bake Shop(by Kim Walus, bittybitsandpieces.blogspot.com).

Dresden Plate Table Runner - bittybitsandpieces.blogspot.com

So my plan was to make it four plates across, by five down, or twenty Dresdens. Then, since I'm using mostly the same fabric, have a dark brown border, then a diamond border using the same fabric as the light coloured diamonds around the Dresden, then another brown border and binding. Oh and with smaller Dresdens in the corners. Sounded good. Just one problem, it's not working for me. I like the Dresdens and the diamonds around it, that make it look like a little sunburst but I get to the borders and I just go aaaaaarrrgh!!

Now I've been ~~driving her crazy~~ getting some help from Katie and The Husband(TH for short!) and I've narrowed it down to nothing. Yep, that's right, I'm even starting to question my plan for the middle. It's a lot more geometric than I thought it would be and I'd like to make it softer. But how?

To give you an idea of how much I tortured TH, have a look at the many pictures below. Did I mention I shut the door and accidentally stood in front of it so he couldn't get out, oops! Thanks Darling! Most pictures have only one side of the borders changed because I didn't have enough scraps and I didn't want to cut anymore until I knew what I was doing and since I don't know what I'm doing... see where I'm going with this? Oh, and the photos are not great since my camera decided it didn't like the quilt either and promptly went flat. So mobile phone it was.

Imagine diamonds all around and corner Dresden's HALF this size!

My Evil Friend suggested this one(RHS)

TH's favourite LHS (possibly with mini-Dresdens in the spaces)

I'm going to stick with the coloured strips binding(RHS).

Large cream diamonds and mini's in corners?

Running out of light and ideas, RHS maybe a simple brown border with mini ones in the corners?

I've realised now that unless I completely explain all the photos its probably a bit of a mess but if you cross your eyes and hold your hand up to the screen to block out the other side you can almost understand what I mean. Almost.

Normally I'd now put the quilt in the Naughty Corner to wait it's turn. Since I'm on a deadline I can't do that. Since it's a gift I would like it to be the best I can possibly make it. I just need some help to get it there.

So have a look(feel free to giggle at my predicament) and please help, any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

"I'd like to finish it by the end of September." I said what??

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Secret Squirrel Progress

Dresden Plate - Hitch & Thread

First I'd just like to say a big HELLO to all who have visited through the small blog meet at Lily's Quilts. It has been so nice to receive some lovely comments and some new friends. I need to sort out some issues my google account is having and then I'll be able to come and say hi too! (Probably my fault, but either way it's not working that well!)

So while I haven't been able to visit and say hello, I have been quite busy. I hope to get the secret Squirrel quilt top complete so I can send it off to be quilted, then have enough time to finish a Rocketship Quilt by November for the birthday of Big Brother. Some ninny(me!) thought for some reason a Dresden plate quilt would be fairly quick to make!

Here is my process and progress this week.