quote:

Originally posted by NorthernDeb:
I usually make two blocks out of pieces I have in a similar color combo. That way I can test out how I like the block, how the colors work and how two blocks look next to each other. Sometimes when you put the two together, you get a pattern you dont care for or you realize the part of the design you want to "pop" isnt popping. Its better to be able to change the colors, the intensity of a color or the setting now before you have all that fabric and time into a quilt. You can always save these "test" squares for a scrap sampler in the future. AND I think this is half the fun of quilting... dreaming up different combos and quilt possibilities ...
Once I have decided, I do buy all my fabric and cut all the pieces... put it in it's own box with the pattern or sample square. I also save all the extra fabric with these pieces because you never know what you might mess up later. I have a quilt I started in 1985.. I was hand quilting it and tested the wash out pen I had used for the borders... It DIDNT WASH OUT...AT ALL! Thankfully, I had saved my extra fabric and it was enough to redo the borders where the problem was. Im working on that quilt NOW, 23 years later. I dont think that fabric would have been easy to find ... Good luck with you project!
Deb