Grandmother's Choice Top is Finished!

I finished the top for the Grandmother's Choice a week or so after the final block was posted.  I was so excited to see if my plan would work!  And it did!  Here's the sketch I made about two thirds of the way through the project to which I later added cutting measurements for the sashing/borders.  The numbers in the blocks do not correspond to the weeks, rather were used for me to keep track of which block went where once I had placed them on my design board.

Once I had the setting established, I also decided on a couple of other "rules" for myself.  The groups of three blocks have red in each of those blocks. The center block of each group of nine blocks also has red.  Further, each block horizontally next to the center block in the groups of nine use only blue and white/cream fabrics.  The remainder of the blocks are blue, black and white/cream. I think in the end this helped me distribute the colors evenly.

Once the blocks were done, I had to measure each one because they did not all finish at 8.5"!  (I did get more accurate later in the project.)  For the ones that did not measure up, I added small "frames" or strips around the outside of the block.  (I now understand these are "coping" strips - still learning the terminology of this art form.) These generally measured 1/4" finished.  I wanted the blocks perfectly 8.5" square since my setting required accuracy to pull off the look. I toyed with the ideas of using contrasting fabric for these little frames, but took my friend Suzanne's advice and made them blend into the blocks:

Once the blocks were all 8.5" and the sizes of the sashing and borders was established (another design wall exercise with lots of sample cuts) it was pretty quick to put together.  I finished it by working intently over 3 or 4 days. The quilt finished at 80" square.

I am very pleased with the result of my first Sampler Quilt and I am so very grateful to my quilting colleagues who cheered me on and helped with details from time to time! And listened to my whining from time to time as well.

The finished top:

I tend to jump around with the type of things I enjoy doing, but I think Becky nailed my quilting aesthetic with this comment from the Grandmother's Choice flickr group: "Your color choices give a contemporary spin to very traditional blocks".  Have I found my niche?  Time will tell.

Now I have to figure out how I want it quilted!  And select a binding!  And then finish the darn thing!
 
Yay for quilting!