Before, During, and After

If you've been with me through the past month or so, you have seen the Tree of Life quilt. You may recall that I was not happy with the border around the center medallion.



It also didn't totally fill the gap between the Tree block and the Ocean Waves blocks. So it was dismissed.

I tried a few other things, among them, these leftover HSTs. It didn't cut it, but it stimulated some suggestions from some of you.

 I couldn't find a striped fabric that matched. I tried the solid dark blue and it seemed too overpowering, but I liked blue there. So I went with two shades of blue.

Initially I put in dark blue cornerstones, but then I pulled out a few of those leftover HSTs and thought it might work. What do you think? The Ocean Waves blocks aren't stitched on yet, so if it still needs changing, now is the time!

At least the Ocean Waves blocks are finished--Yay!! There is another round of blocks that I haven't started yet. This block comes from a Fons & Porter bonus pattern, "Celtic Cobblestones." 

I've mentioned that this quilt is a commemorative quilt for my youngest son's two years as a missionary in Brazil. He spent most of those two years traversing cobblestone streets. So I am taking the cobblestone block from the Fons & Porter pattern. It isn't sized to match my Ocean Waves blocks, so I'm not sure yet if I will sash them or adapt them or resize them, but somehow I am going to get those cobblestones on this quilt! Maybe I need another blue border between the Ocean Waves and Cobblestone blocks. I'm just thinking out loud here.
I picked up these batiks and textures today to make these blocks. I wanted to imply the look of stones without actually going the route of the stony print fabrics. And this will pull colors from the center of the quilt through the "waves"--I hope. Oh, when will I quit using the design-as-you-go technique?

Just in case there are thoughts running through your head like, "This isn't very pretty," or "This needs more color," remember that this is for a 22-year-old young man--his interest in pretty doesn't extend to quilts.
Until next time, from the little mountain valley where we are in the midst of a thunderstorm and the power has already gone out on me once as I tried to post this,

Janet O.