Another - Opinion Please?

Tina, You can turn the blocks on point and then set them straight. No need to fuss at all, at all. The formula to make the little triangles that you add on to each corner is --

(*finished* side of square to be added to) times 1.41 then divide that number by 2 then add .875 [which is 7/8]

I have an excel spreadsheet with all these formulas set up and I just plug in the finished side number and it calculates for me. Want a copy?

)O( Anne > This sounds very cool Cheryl - and I would love to see a finished

Tina, with all of the different colors in those blocks, I think any one bright color will be lost in the quilt. Taking the blocks to JoAnn's is a good idea, but I suspect you'll end up with the black or white you're already considering. Personally, I'd go with black!

Anne! That is gorgeous and YES, thank you for showing me an example, I really like the way it frames out the blocks! Definitely accentuates!

Tina

I'd love a copy, to save for future reference!

Thanks Anne, Tina

Yep, I'm really leaning toward the black. Especially after this morning. DH had a huge piece of black mat board leftover that he uses for mounting large photos. I swiped and took it to my sewing table and layed the blocks out all across it! It really does look good on black!

AND, Wendy gave me a great idea for a remnant piece I have that is a beautiful blue/aqua/purple tropical print with foliage and parrots - it isn't big enough for a backing - but as she suggested, if I cut it, and do a pieced backing with black - I could do sort of a large 4patch with it for the back and then I thought I would also put a black "frame" through the middle and make the backing look like a window - looking out into the rainforest!

You guys are just so terrific! Like someone else already said - who needs books when you have RCTQ!

Thanks with all my heart! Tina

replied privately. let me know if you don't get it.

)O( Anne > I'd love a copy, to save for future reference!

I did it because the blocks varied by about an inch either way from 12.5 and this made it so much easier to set. I just added enough on 2 sides to make each block 13.5 and it now looks like some are floating higher than others.

Necessity is also the mother of design, I guess. ;-)

tina,

I think i would try them up against a pale blue, a pale yellow, a dark chocolate/coffeebean brown and a black and see which worked best for the majority of them

Also try out chocolate brown and navy blue.

Depends on the guy. What's his favorite color?

Debra in VA See my quilts at

LOL, actually Debra, he swears he doesn't have a favorite color. His life is gray, black and navy blue. He is a lawyer and all he wears are suits, very old, worn out suits at that, which I mend and press for him! LOL

He is the typical terminal bachelor and his apartment is the worst of gray, dreary, drab, colorless, legal clutter! That is why when I received the Margaritaville swap - I thought, "YES! I know EXACTLY who to make this quilt for!" He IS an old Jimmy Buffet fan and he helped my husband to build "Margaritaville" in the train layout, so............ this should add some color to his life!

Thanks! Tina

I think black would look great. Elaine

WOW, I think black definitely wins the vote! LOL

I only have four more of the little blocks to put together to be finished with that part! Yippeeee!

Then, I only have to wait until Thursday (Sept. 1) for the next months allowance to go buy black fabric! LOL The wait may kill me - but I will try to keep focused on washing walls and painting till then!

Thank you all so much for your advice and opinions.

Hugs, Tina

In that case make the back a vivid red to spice up his place! I can almost see it, the whole quilt fairly glowing among all the drabness as if it were a lighthouse during a storm. Debra in VA See my quilts at

That's kind of how I'm seeing it too Debra! LOL It will be a "bright spot" in his otherwise drab surroundings. He has also been suffering from severe depression for most of the past year, so I'm hoping that this will be a "lighthouse" in his storm.

Thanks and hugs, Tina