Globetrotting Mystery Quilt Along with Pat Sloan–Center Finished!

Here are all nine blocks from Pat Sloan’s Globetrotting Mystery Quilt Along.  I decided that ‘Venice’ didn’t quite fit in like the others so… I made up another block and made three more ‘Venice’ blocks for the corners.

Here is a mystery block that I made myself.  I think I’m calling it New York since it’s a bit of a melting pot of many of the blocks Pat Sloan shared with us already. 

Venice II

Venice III

and Venice IV The next step – how can I made these 13 blocks all work together to make a cohesive quilt.

This is the a situation where a design wall is key.  I can lay all my blocks on the wall, take a step back, and see what’s happening.  I have my two blocks that read darker in the upper left corner here – too top heavy!

Let’s move them to the lower right corner – ahh… better!

I spread out the greens a bit more and then started to play with sashing and borders.  I LOVE the diagonal stripe – but I didn’t have enough of it to just use that.  I made a triple strip sashing in the center of each row – two diagonal fabric strips with a golden print sandwhiched in the middle.  That allows that bold golden yellow fabric to push out from the cneter and will help tie it all together in the end.

Since I didn’t have enough of the diagonal stripe fabric I bordered the four corners using the same fabric I had feature in each of the four Venice blocks. Now – this isn’t quite finished yet – just the center medallion is.  I am still contemplating how I want to border this piece.  It must be at least a lap quilt side.  I wasn’t even planning on working on this quilt this month – it was just calling to me!