This may not surprise most of you when I say this....I changed the pattern. Just a tiny bit, a few minor changes. There was absolutely noting wrong with the pattern other than I wanted it a little larger. So with the help of EQ8 I started playing with options. Before showing you my changes I want to give credit the designer of this super cute quilt. Carol Swift from Just Let Me Quilt designed this Christmas Joy quilt for ThermoWeb. It's a FREE pattern that you can find by clicking here.
Instead of trying to recreate Carol's applique blocks I used what was already in EQ8. Here's the first quilt I came up with as I set the blocks into place. It's still too small but I like the look of the extra hourglass blocks around the outer edge of the quilt. Making them in three colors instead of 2, then setting a plain block in between.
Now to find a border. My first thought was to do a simple border with a fun bright binding to finish it off. I like it but let's see what else I can do with a few clicks of my mouse.
This one was interesting but still doesn't WOW me.
I have to say this one I LOVE but it would require ordering more aqua gingham for the border. I have some but I already have a plan for it in my next quilt.
At last I think this will be the one! I might even add a little more applique to the corners.
Carols quilt finishes at 50" x 58". My quilt finishes at 72" x 72". The yellow square on my quilt shows the original blocks without the sashing in Carols quilt. Another change was every other row of hourglass blocks I turned. In Carols quilt they are all the same direction.
Now to find the perfect red stripe. I used a small red stripe for the candy canes in the stocking blocks. The plan was to use the same red stripe for the border. However it just didn't look right. So I dug deep into my stash and found this wider stripe...I love it! I think it's going to be perfect. What do you think? The small stripe or the large? OH! you know.... I could omit the applique in the corners and do a mitered border. What do you think? Should I ? I'll need to think this over as I run some errands this morning. I can't wait to get home and start adding the borders.
#christmasjoyquilt
#freequiltpattern
#christmasquilt
#thermoweb
#heatnbondlite
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love the big strips
ReplyDeleteI love the changes you made and the aqua makes everything just pop. Great choice with the red and white stripes for the border.
ReplyDeleteI like the bigger stripes and the candy cane applique in the border. I also like what you did to make the quilt larger.
ReplyDeletePutting your own touches on a quilt pattern always makes the project more exciting! You've probably already finished by now, but I love the bigger stripes in the border....as well as candy canes in the corners...of course, sometimes things change while you are actually sewing them! lol! Isn't creativity FUN? :-)
ReplyDeleteI love the larger stripe, and I really like the candy canes in the border corners: I just think the candy canes tie the border together with the inner applique blocks. Hugs, H
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