Our Improv Block of the Month is getting close to the October finish line! I am finding more and more that my pink quilt will be much larger than I anticipated. Likely a queen size rather than twin/full size. Okay!
Since this quilt is going to be such a large one, I decided that it’s time to start finishing. By that I mean it’s time to start putting things together. I started making rows in April and kept up with the blocks and rows. That’s one reason I knew how much the quilt is growing. Even after taking some blocks out, it’s going to be about 85″ wide. Goodness knows how long.
Sewing the rows to each other without sashing told me something else. It all just blend into a mush pot of (Pepto Bismol) pinks and (mustard or collard) greens. I HAD to do something!
Sashing is a fast, easy way to separate blocks, rows, and sections. Two and 1/2″ strips were too narrow to make much difference. However, going much wider would make the quilt even longer. Compromising with myself, I cut 3″ strips. They work to delineate rows.
Using coping strips to accommodate the smaller blocks when they don’t fit into the row allows the sashing to bleed into the rows, providing a way to “steal” more separation without affecting the size of the quilt.
Finally, using all white sashing helps with the mush pot issue. It is different enough from the block colors to delineate the rows but doesn’t take away from the bright, happy colors like a dark green (which I considered). Neither the coping strips or the sashing stand out, but the extra spacing gives the eye a place to rest.
Click on the links below for information on previous blocks:
