to break it up on the eyes, you could add simple borders in a solid color.

decide how big you want the borders between blocks. if three inches, then cut strips 3 1/2 inches by x + 1/2 (the width of your blocks plus seam allowance of 1/4 inch or whatever seam allowance you've used for the quilt).

these can be sewn between each block to make a long strip. the order is block, border strip, block, border strip, ending on block (until each row is as long as you want it). leave the top and bottom of rows for the outside border of the quilt.

then cut strips 3 1/2 inches wide by the length of the entire strip you've just pieced plus seam allowance. sew between each long strip.

now you'll have the body of the quilt. you can add an outside border in the same color as the solid strips- that would be the easiest way. mitered corners, or not.

I wouldn't sew it all up if I weren't happy with the way the fabrics look next to each other. that's too much work to be unhappy with the result.

I don't know if this is clear. if you think you'd like to add a border, e-mail me and I'll get you better instructions.

Oooooh - the more you post about quilting, the more I want to run out & buy that book! But I won't let myself until I finish DGS's Halloween costume & other DGS's dinosaur sweater! I also promised DD I'd make some purple & yellow baby jammies from the leftovers from the costume (DSiL is an LSU grad & their colors are purple & gold).

My personal preference is solid patchwork, like many Amish quilts. But the color wheel quilt is really nice.

Blast woman, why o why must you make such enticing non-knitted objects? I already have too many hobbies!

The lap throw looks great! I love the rulers running perpendicular to the strong lines of the blanket - it keeps the eye grounded. :)

I *love* that you are getting into sewing and quilting now - I just made the leap myself a little less than a year ago and I'm really enjoying all your adventures!

That color wheel quilt is amazing! Thanks to your new addiction, I mean hobby, I bought Amy's book a week ago. I love it! And can't wait to creating, but right now I'm making my daughter witch's costume..but soon I'll be going crazy!

Hello my name is Craft Chick and I am a craftoholic, The Blue Blog has become my enabler, tempting me with beautiful projects to add to my list! The Color Wheel Quilt is beyond gorgeous! And I love that you've taken on learning how to quilt, it makes me feel more sane about my need to conquer every craft that comes my way (and it gives me tips on how to go about learning how to quilt which I hope to do in a couple of years).

The busyness of all the prints is what I love best about quilting. I'm particularly fond of 19th C and 30s repros, which have some wonderfully detailed designs. No matter how ADD I'm feeling, I never run out of things to stare at on my quilt tops.

I know it's a bit late to ask, but you did wash and press your fabric for those quilts before you cut it out, didn't you? Cotton fabric shrinks when washed, and if you don't preshrink, you'll wind up with an ugly, puckered mess the first time you wash your beautiful quilt. If your teacher didn't stress that, she should be shot.

Sarah, I think we have that in common. I just couldn't bring myself to get regular old solids. I'm already learning the importance of having some of those in a quilt, but I love the prints so much, I'm pretty sure that a lot of the things I'll make will be more like these two with lots of movement and interest. I'm glad though that the class is having us really take a chance and throw all these different fabrics together. It's a great exercise to see how it comes out. I still love all the fabrics I've chosen and could stare at all those blocks for hours!! :)

Kate, Amy Karol (of the Bend the Rules book) actually suggests not washing the fabric first (certainly for this "beginner" easy lap throw). She says she likes the slightly uneven and imperfect look of the quilt after it's been washed once. As for my quilting class, the class description didn't say for us to wash the fat quarters before the first class and we started cutting right away in the first class. One person washed hers before and they raveled into an unholy mess in the washer of course! But in the first class the instructor did show us how to clip corners to prevent that raveling and said that prewashing is definitely recommended.

Having been a quilter for almost 20 years now (gah - has it been that long!?!) I highly recommend washing fabrics before using them. Not only will it help get any excess dyes out, (and it does happen! just like with yarn) you'll shrink them so you don't have uneven shrinkage.

Don't buy fat quarters, buy half yards at least. If you like it a lot , buy a yard. 3 yards minimum for anything you'd want to use as a border. You get less fraying, and I never clip the corners (except on fat quarters). I used to overcast for years to avoid fraying, but don't even do that anymore. I don't iron before folding them to go in the stash; you just have to iron them when you pull them out. Iron before cutting.

You can get non-solid solids. It's fabric that read as a solid in a quilt, but are anything but. Batiks are great for this, as are a lot of the Moda line of fabrics and many others I'm sure!

My favorite quilt(s) are made of all busy batiks with not a solid in sight.

just came back to a add a P.S., what I forgot to put first: I love the blocks! Great combinations. I don't know if you have close ups of the fabric in past posts- I'll come back to check.

I have a quilt I haven't finished because I feel I over-coordinated the colors. Looks too bland to me, and I haven't figured how to spice it up.

fantastic! I love the exuberance of those fabrics.. the more color and movement, the better... when you sew it all together and lose those 1/4 inches everywhere it tightens up..... I have been quilting for 30 years and never prewash fabrics.. Iike the shrinking later for a wrinkly look.. only once did I buy a suspicious cheaply made madras that needed some "bleeding". Your instincts andp layful good taste will serve you well in this new craft. I am a fan of Yarnstorm's quilts, Kaffe fasset, Denyse Schmidt and Gees Bend... such inspiration.

jumping right on in and making the bits, then having to spend many many hours making a 'pleasing' composition, sounds all to familiar. but it is great fun, and so much learning for the next time? Those blocks look great, I love a little life in quilts and afgans, so not to co-ordinated is better.

Your quilt is going to look great. I love the ruler fabric as well. It makes me sing!

The wheel quilt is amazing. O to be so talented.

Happy sewing and knitting.

Looks great! I love all the different patterns together. I just bought more fabric plus the sewing and last-minute patchwork books. Think I'm truly into this craft too now!

The layout is gorgeous! I also like j's idea about the borders, to give it a more structured look.