Size question

just found out what QI is thinking about my setting

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-> go to WIPS... ok, I give up, I'll change it :-)) Heidi

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I presume you have 66 stars completed? And are not interested in making more of them? Ok. Don't! You can make your sashing strips wider, use more of them, increase the edge sashing, add a row or two of same-size blocks right down the middle of some other pattern, etc. It's whatever you like!

Oh dear!

Looks just like Kiwi in summer. For the winter he grows a great thick woolly coat (slightly brown) that sheds in lumps all over the carpet. He still has his smooth black paws and face - and an enormous lion's ruff. Looks like a woolly mammouth!

In the spring he goes back to looking like your QI - very strange, I've never had a cat that did that before.

DD has his brother and sister and Jemima does the same, but not Jeremy.

Kiwi too has delusions of grandeur when it comes to arranging quilt blocks - He used to just check and admire, but now he's got too big for his furry boots and wants to design too!

Perhaps they should meet and exchange expertise.

Sally at the Seaside ~~~~~~~~~~ (uk)

just found out what QI is thinking about my setting

Your sweet cat knows it's wrong, but can he/she come up with the solution? >g<

I do think 6 x 11 is too long and narrow, I'm afraid. But, as Mary said, you can do a lot with sashing and borders. You just need to get it about two stars wider - equivalent - I should think. If you do adjust sashing and borders, you will have to reduce the rows of stars, so you can just re-balance it. You might need one or two more, but not a lot. . In message , Heidi from Germany writes

IMHO I think it is a little narrow, and would probably do it 7 x 11, but it will depend on how far you want it to lay down the sofa back or to be a throw. The little QI does nt seem to mind which way you do it. It will be lovely when you put it together.

I would see what happens with a 6x9 or 6x10 setting.(6" times 6 blocks is 36" plus 5 one inch wide sashings is 41" plus 2 borders. 6" times

9/10 blocks is 54"/60 plus 8/9 inches of sashing would be 62"/69" plus 2 borders. Plenty long enough for most people. ) Or make your sashings different widths. If you do your vertical sashings in differing widths, say some finish 1" some 2" some even 3" you will add width, and if you make them random, but the same number of each in a row, you don't have to worry about lining them up when sew the horizontal sashing between the rows. Are you adding a "sashing border" and then a wider border? How wide of borders are you considering? You can also make the side borders wider than top and bottom to help balance the size.

Lots of options which might leave you a few blocks to use on the back, one with a very light center would make a great label too.

Good looking stars, Pati, in Phx

Heidi from Germany wrote:

I'm so glad you've gotten some great suggestion here. Obviously your QI does NOT like Plan A. I've seen that look before myself. Polly

Well, if you are tired of making stars then you shouldn't make any more of them. Here's a couple of possibilities for a different shape top.

An 8 X 8 block or 7 X 9 block pattern. Perhaps increasing your sashing to 1.5 inches to make up the difference in length if you really need the length.

An 8 X 9 block pattern using 6 or 8 plain fabric blocks either evenly spaced, or randomly scattered, over the whole quilt top might also work out well.

Debra in VA See my quilts at:

Thanks Mary and Patti, I decided to make 7x10, so I need only 4 more blocks. This I can bear :-)) and I have enough fabric left for them, but not for 10 or 20. Thanks for your help Heidi Patti schrieb:

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Well, if you are making the quilt specifically to be used on your mother's sofa, then the size will fit the sofa, especially if you think she will keep it over the back of the sofa. If I understand your plan, the blocks will be 36" and the total sashing another 7" for a total quilt width of 43" plus borders. That's about the size I make a "lay on the sofa" lap quilt -- 48" to 54" wide and between 66" to 72" long. It's big enough to cover most folks without being so big it hangs over the edges of the sofa and gets in the way. It looks like you usually make bed sized quilts, baby quilts and decorative type quilts so the size of this one might not be "comfortable" to you. I know many of the others who have posted have said you need to make the quilt larger but if it is meant specifically for use on a sofa, then it's likely the right size. If you think it needs to be a little bigger, just add another border -- saves the time and effort of making more stars :-)! CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

Imagine them sitting next to each other and purring and exchanging strange storys about us :-)) At our house we try to take the meals together so when it's time I yell trough the house 'Dinner's ready', the first to arrive at the table is always the cat, she still has hope to be fed there :-) Heidi

Sally Swindells schrieb:

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So glad you have it sorted to your satisfaction. It's going to look lovely - such an elegant choice of fabric. , In message , Heidi from Germany writes

Yup. Kitty says that isn't working.

Sounds like you found a good solution to me. Glad you found something you're happy with, hope the kitty is happy with it too.

She's sleeping now. I laid out the blocks again in 7x10 and will hurry to sew the rows , at least, before she notices Heidi

"Charlotte" schrieb:

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Yes it looked way too narrow, now 7x10 makes a great difference. Estelle, how is your European Block Swap top doing ? Did you already quilt it ? Heidi "Estelle Gallagher" schrieb:

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Thanks Pati, I will make the sashing all with the same width, this quilt calls for symmetry . And yes I'll probably make a small sashing border ( 1 or 1,5" ) and then a wider border. For which I will have to make a trip to the LQS. Oh, what a sacrifice And I like the idea with a star on the back. I don't have any left, but I could piece a bigger one and use it as a label, as you suggested Thanks so much Heidi "Pati C." schrieb:

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Thanks Debra, I managed to do 4 more :-) and now it's 7x10. I took a peek at your cats, beautiful QI's , the photo with them at the window is cute :-) I also looked at your swap blocks, they look great. Heidi Debra schrieb:

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That helpful QI is making room for the sashing in between the blocks! Maybe it looks wrong to you because it's so close to 6X12, i.e. twice as long as the width. Makes it feel too skinny. 6X10 is a more classic proportion. (You could use the extra blocks on the back) Roberta in D

"Heidi from Germany" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...