Making a Random Sampler is Not For the Faint of Heart

I am not entirely a happy camper working on this particular quilt. Mostly because it's a very frustrating way to work. So many options and variables, it just makes my brain spin. And even though it looks all random and casually thrown together, that is so far from the reality. Gah! I've second guessed myself until I'm quite positive brain tissue is melting.

Two sections (mostly) finished up

I had to go back and refresh my memory of WHY I thought this quilt was a good idea. Oh yeah. I actually like these kinds of quilts. Go figure. My heart still likes to have this {naive} idea that random samplers are refreshing and honest looking.*sigh  Having had a (little) experience with these types of quilts, I divided the quilt into five sections to start with--making sure the larger parts were somewhat evenly spread throughout. That decision being made, I try to work solely on one section at a time thereafter. Best to establish boundaries for the chaos right from the start.

Working on another section. Had to stop when I ran into a set-in seam...

Some parts go together very well and I have big smiles on my face and beautiful humming sounds coming from the sewing machine. Other areas are a morass of obstacles. Think quicksand. Chunks of blocks getting sewn together upside down. Or sideways. Times I suddenly run into {dare I even say it?} a set in seam. grrr... Best to look at it like it's just a big puzzle to sort out, starting at one end of a section and sewing down or sideways. Wherever I have empty spaces, the challenge is how to best fill them without making the entire quilt look like a lump of scraps that the baby was playing with. And no I don't have a baby.

If it could all go together this easily...

Here's a pictures of the layout I finally settled on after about two hours of brain cells fizzling and I'm sure, dying. It didn't help that the carpet is so dark underneath, but my design wall is not near large enough to accommodate this quilt. Honestly, if I had that big of a design wall, this quilt would be soooo.... much easier. I could work off and on for days and weeks. And probably years knowing me. This way I feel very motivated to finish up and get it well out of the way.

It isn't going to be exactly like the picture of course. Too many little bits added in and seam allowances getting scrunched into the piecing. That's the beauty of laying it out (ta da! it works!) and then after. Trying to piece it all together like what I imagined. Those lovely disappearing seam allowances... I have a stack of 2 1/2" squares ready to use as filler (experience is good for something), but I've already had to make one little pinwheel block. Chances are I'll make a lot more as the balance of the quilt demands. Love that word 'balance'. It almost makes me laugh like a crazed hyena, but I'm sure the little bit of balance I do establish will help make the quilt look a lot more cohesive in the end.

The original layout

Because I have a family and they like to use the living room too, eventually I had to pick up all the parts and pieces and move them out of the room. I so did not want to do that but already, the youngest son was making long jumps over the right corner of the quilt. First I made myself a quick hen-scratching-type-plan of attack. Less than two hours later, I could barely make out the code and started sewing the right section of the quilt according to the instructions scratchings for the top part of the quilt. Don't even ask me how that happens.

My plan of attack. Sort of.

But things are going better now. I'm definitely getting in the flow of things and taking less time to agonize over the itty bitty details. And as soon as I recover the lost seam ripper, we'll be right back in business.*wink