OMG: October sampler blocks

Our guild block-of-the-month theme for 2016-17 was paper foundation piecing (pfp)from simple to complex.  Some of the blocks were well-suited for pfp. Others could have been made conventionally, but they'd require tricky cutting because the blocks finish at 7".  I chose purple and lime green because I have a lot of both in my stash and I like the combination.  I made all the blocks.

 At the November guild meeting participants can reveal how they've set their blocks (finished quilts are optional).  Prizes will be awarded. (I'm not sure of all the categories.)

I haven't made many sampler quilts. I like trying different blocks. I certainly enjoy combining different colors and fabric prints.  What bothers me about samplers is that the blocks often have different densities that are visually unbalanced. Some blocks have a few large units and others have many smaller units.

That imbalance is what confronted me with the pfp blocks. I have had them up and down on the design wall for weeks.

I thought about making a table runner. I'd slice the log cabin block to make the top and bottom triangles.  Note that the basket block is up but the pine tree block points off to the side.

I realized that as much as I like purple and green I could not imagine a quilt or a runner made out of these prints and these tones of purple and green.  I don't have to enter the November show-off-your sampler.  The imbalance (that spool block!) would exist even if I remade them all in a different colorway.  I decided to divide the blocks and thus conquer the setting dilemma. 




Finding settings for all of them is my October One Monthly Goal.  I have two solutions (four blocks) in progress.  This tote bag uses the design I created for the batik maple leaf bag shown in the previous post.  It's shown sideways. The wide green strip is the bottom of the bag.







Years ago I made a bunch of 6"(fin.) trip-around-the-world blocks.

I sliced four of them diagonally to make corners for two of the sampler blocks.  I'm fiddling with how to use others of them for tote bag sides.

That takes care of four sampler blocks. Eight to go!

I'm linking up with
Elm Street Quilts OMG
Design Wall Monday
Monday Making
Main Crush Monday