Drama Queen Takes Shape

I made more blocks and put them on the design wall.

(see previous post for the beginnings of this project)

For giggles, I rearranged the blocks into

the namesake layout suggested by the pattern's designer.

And just like that my first idea flew out the window.

To balance things out, 

I plan to add a full-size column of red on the right side.

 

It's feels great to know exactly

where I'm going with Drama Queen.

(why is it that some quilts make decisions so "easy" 

and others like Forty-Six make progress so challenging?!?)

Next I pulled out this backing yardage purchased

 online from eQuilter a year or so ago . . . 

Oh my goodness - be still my heart!

(Tuscan Poppies by Chong- A Hwang

 for Timeless Treasures)

I am so in love with this . . .

(and if you look closely enough,

you can see that one strip in each block was cut 

from the very long lengths of already-sewn-together

short segments from previous dumpster diving projects)

I spent much of the weekend sorting/cutting strips to length

and stacking them in sewing order using my plate system

so that when I have a few minutes to sit and sew

I can work without having to make all those design decisions.

(pre-sorting and prepping the blocks also let me 

clear the massive piles of strips off the top 

of my sewing table  - making it easier to breathe)

Elsewhere in the studio,

these quilt tops/backs were noodle-rolled 

to FMQ in April -  so while I will absolutely keep 

making Drama Queen's 48 red/40 bright-on-black blocks 

(plus sixteen brights-on-black partial blocks), 

I will also take time to pin baste and quilt/finish 

the final three Dumpster Diving quilts.

(Nos. 8, 10, and 11)

Quiltdivajulie

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"RED is the ultimate cure for sadness"

Bill Blass