Monday, June 21, 2010

Do the math


Lesson #2 - Do the Math

Always do the math...I don't know what I was thinking. 

I knew there were to be a huge number of 2" squares for the borders of the pieced blocks, but I never did that math.  Neither did I figure how much yardage to plan on for the centers of those pieced squares.

Then there's the yardage of something to place in between the pieced blocks (something cream in nature I think, but not muslin).  I wasn't too concerned with that selection (I'm still not). I thought I would tackle it when I was ready to begin piecing the rows, but it is never too early to actually have your materials in the same area code, you know?

I didn't do the math.  Twit!  I was so happy to have found a vendor from whom to buy more of that cute chameleon print, but I never took 20 seconds to figure out that if I only cut nine center pieces from the first fat quarter I had (and I needed just under 60 pieces to finish the top), um....how much would I need overall to complete each of the pieced blocks?

As it turns out, I need 1.5 yards to make the top completely of the woggly-eyed chameleons, or else I would have to substitute something in its place to complete the top as planned (or, as close to the plan as possible).  Disappointing.  Fortunately I have some beautiful batik to swap in for the rest of the piecing - but I am going to miss those lil lizards.

Do the math!

59 pieced blocks (each of those made up of 16 - 2" squares and one 5"+ square)

 59 x 16 = 944 smallest piece
                 59 medium squares
                 58 large plain squares (alternate blocks)
             1061 Total (not including any borders, backing, binding, etc)

Do the math.


I still have some cutting to do (of the colored prints as well), to get to the point where I can finish the pieced blocks.  Holy crap! do I ever have some cutting to do.  The blocks are going together fairly quickly, so it is only a matter of time before it starts to look like something, but here are some samples of the pieced blocks.  Tell me what you think.

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