Third Times the Charm

I've been trying to put the Teddy Bear Quilter BOM blocks together so that I can write the pattern for the setting which will be released at the same time as the 5th and final block of this series.

And I went into the process of making the setting blocks needed with a color idea in my mind - big mistake!  The setting blocks are 6" pieced blocks that are floated in the background fabric.  There will be 4 different block patterns used to make these.   The fabric picture in my mind was a background fabric that blended with three of the blocks and then a fabric that was a little darker so that the viewer could just see the pieced block.

First two times (yes twice!) the blocks just didn't fit what was needed to finish off the wall-hanging.

First try - had the pieced block totally blending into the fabric I was using for the background.   Definitely not the look I was going for.  And to add insult to injury as it were, one of the fabrics was not cooperative because there were lots of skipped stitches in these blocks.

Decision was to not use these in this project.  Probably will end up using them as a background for an applique block at some point.

Second try was a little better, but eventually I decided not much.  Background here was a batik white with some blue in it.  Second fabric a blue/aqua/purple batik.   

While I can see the pieced block better here, and the pieced part does float like I want it to, the background just doesn't look right with the background fabrics of the BOM blocks.  So these too will be used in a different project in the future.










Third round of fabrics - Got the cream TOT batik yesterday afternoon on the way home from work.   The other three are from my stash of batik scraps. 

Top right is similar to one block background, and the gold is similar to the bear fabrics.  So while they look good with the background fabric I've decided to not use them.

I will be using the bottom right fabric in the pieced portion of the setting blocks.  It truly is a scrap that I found somewhere and is a funky shape and all I've got of it, so I'll have to be careful when cutting the pieces I need out of it for the blocks.

Gratitudes:

1. Having a working washer and dryer at home

2. For a long holiday weekend!