Best Laid Plans

I took Friday off last week to sleep and to get some work done around the house.  Sleeping was accomplished, and if "work around the house" includes sewing I got that done, too!

I knew I was attending a workshop on Saturday (with Linda Ellis on Priority Quilts, but that's another post) so I decided Friday evening to pre-select some fabrics for the Grandmother's Choice block of the week.  I have been doing the orange-red for the last couple of weeks, so I decided this week to do a black and white block.  Here's the fabrics I selected on Friday evening:

The floral is vintage-inspired, a modern dot, then some small pin dots including my ever-present turquoise.  The small bin has scraps from previous blocks or scraps that may fit my color scheme.  I always have my other blocks around as well.

So, I get up early on Saturday, knowing my workshop starts at 10:00.  I do my morning routine, and decide to take a peek at the Block of the week on the blog.  The first thing I see, is that the block for Week 11 is called:  "Little Red Schoolhouse:  Lucy Stone".  REALLY?!!  So much for a black and white block, I decide.  Although I think the pattern would work in a black and white scheme, I just had to use red for the schoolhouse....just HAD to.

After the workshop, I played around with a lot of fabric options -- a red-orange checked stripe with a black and white zig-zag roof, a red orange on red orange print for the schoolhouse.  I was getting pretty crazy.  I ended up with a bold, graphic design and I am quite pleased with it now that I have slept on it and viewed it with fresh eyes today.

Since I finished my block I have been looking at blocks others have done.  Consistently, the blocks I like the most re-designed the schoolhouse to have two windows.  Colvin Kiwi Quilts also lengthened the two windows.  I have looked at my block and I think I will change it up to have the two, longer windows.  Tomorrow is a Veteran's Day and I actually have it off work.  I think I will redo this block in celebration! 

For now - here's my Little Red Schoolhouse:

Week 11: Little Red Schoolhouse: Lucy Stone

This block means a lot to me as I am very, very grateful for the educational opportunities I have enjoyed.  It is mind-boggling (kinda like my red polka dotted fabric) to imagine that such a short time ago, it would have been verboten for me to think I could get an advanced degree in a technical discipline.  Wow!  Thanks to ladies like Lucy Stone, we have so many options today.  I never take that for granted and it is nice to be reminded every now and then.