{Taking the Plunge}

Yesterday on our big trip in to the City of Roanoke we make a stop at Michaels and a stop at Joann's.  I had two 50% off coupons for Michaels and bought a 24"x18" cutting mat as well as a 6" by 24" acrylic ruler for measuring and cutting fabric.  Then the next stop was Joann's to pick out the patterns for my VERY FIRST QUILT!

This is what I came home with:

This is 1/2 yard of each of 6 fabrics.  I was pretty pleased with the over all look of the fabrics together.  When I got home I immediately started searching for a pattern to use.  I know I probably should have done that first.  I've learned my lesson. lol

I wanted a pattern that would be pretty quick and easy just so I could get a feeling for the very very basics of quilting - sewing that 1/4" seam, the rhythm of pressing, measuring, matching, sewing, and pressing again, not to mention the actual cuts.  Also, I didn't buy a rotary cutter this time because I only had two coupons and they weren't on sale or anything, so I didn't want a pattern that would require the utmost precision.

This is the pattern I found here:  August Fields Duvet by Amy Butler.  It's a super duper simple, BIG, pattern but looks smart.  A few alterations were necessary, firstly because she calls for **19** different patterns (!!) and because  like I didn't want a duvet, just a blanket.  Also, I didn't want it to be that big so I made the blocks 6 inches wide instead of 8 inches, then took 2 inches off all the other lengths she specifies.

Okay, ya still with me?  I've been sewing all day and now I'm at a crossroads.  Do I want the quilt to have a big wide strip of solid colour between the blocks? Maybe one that's less wide? Or none at all?  Here are a few photos to help you see what I'm seeing.

 The colour is really bad on these photos because I didn't drag all the fabric outside to photograph again.  The strips across the width are sewn but they aren't sewn together so they would have blown around a lot. lol

Okay so this is what I'm envisioning if there are no solid colour strips in between each patten strip.  I will definitely do a couple different borders if this is how I go.

Or maybe I'll use a skinny strip of solid between each patterned strip? Or maybe I'll do an equal width like the pattern uses?

White muslin is the only solid colour cotton I have on hand (only solid colour anything, actually) and I happen to have enough of it to do strips and the backing if I'd like. (Can you even USE muslin in quilting? Is it too thin?)  Anyway... I wasn't sure I even liked the white.  Maybe a moss green to help achieve a more earthy feel and a better balance of colours and patterns?

Alrighty, what do you guys think?  I also have about 1/3 of the fabric I bought left over so I think I might put some fun squares together for the back so it's kinda two sided.  Or I could use it for the edging/binding.  I'm having fun playing, even if I have no idea what I'm doing. :)