Quilt Layout Dilemma

Among the many beautiful things my MIL left to me, I recently discovered this very pretty bag.  It is flannel and it contained some very pretty flannel blocks.  88 each of 6" four patch and half square triangles.  I want to find a lovely setting for these blocks for a gift that I need to make quickly.  I thought of Jacob's Ladder right away but the four patches are really too big for the traditional setting I'm familiar with.  I tried to lay it out in a similar fashion which probably has a name but the problem is...  there really isn't good definition between the lights and the darks (I'm not dissing my beloved MIL, I've done the same thing - see strip twist blocks above).

 See - sometimes it is clear which is the light fabric but I'm afraid a lot of these are medium.  Mediums are great.  They don't work very well in this setting though so - I'm asking for suggestions.  What do I do with roughly 166 of these blocks?



Fabric for the backing and binding were in the bag along with the blocks but (unusually) no pattern.

Any ideas???

I'd really appreciate any suggestions.  Thanks!

Quick Summary - March to September

Ok.  I've done it again.  No blog posts for six months.  No wonder nobody reads it - ok I've never actually told anyone about my blog so it could be that rather than my spectacular disregard for my readers.  Enough.

Since March I have:

• Attended the fabulous Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show where I took two really great classes including one from Carol Taylor where I had the best time making learning how to couch fibers and ended up with a wall hanging; and one from Marjan Kluepfel which is still a work in progress but which I love already.  These ladies are fabulously talented and I highly recommend them if you ever get a chance to take a class from them.

Fall Tree from Marjan Kluepfel's class

Beginning of my fabulous couched fibers from Carol Taylor's class

• Participated in a block swap on swap-bot.com where we traded Bonnie Hunter's Strip Twist blocks.  I received some beautiful blocks from Darla, the Scientific Quilter.

Layout for Strip Twist blocks

My Strip Twist blocks on the design wall

• Taught a beginning quilting class to five 3rd through 5th graders.  Really one of the most fun experiences I have ever had quilting.  The girls were great and each of them left with a partially tied lap quilt.  I was so inspired I had business cards made and am in the process of cleaning up my quilt studio (formerly middle child's bedroom) so I am ready to teach small group classes to kids or adults;

4th Grader Hannah tying her quilt

5th Grader Caroline tying her quilt

• 

  3rd Grader Allison tying her quilt
  

• Taken a great class from Nancy Prince on thread sketching;
• Listened to a LOT of quilting podcasts - if you've never tried it go the the Quiltcast Supergroup over at Big Tent to find some super talented quilters who have a lot to say about life and quilting;
• Made quilts for my son Caleb's two kindergarten teachers - one of them from the blocks made by Darla that became a signature quilt for the kids to sign and one labor of love where the kids drew "under the sea" themed pictures with fabric paint pens.  (I neglected to photograph these quilts)
• Attended a guild meeting of the Colonial Piecemakers.  I loved them.  I'm considering joining even though it is about an hour away;
• Attended 3 out of six guild meetings of my local Tidewater Quilt Guild;

• Participated in two other swaps - a general fabric swap (in which I was able to present all of my oriental fabric to Katie) and one scrap swap.  Also fun but I preferred the block swap;
• Let my friend Jenn pull fabric from my stash that she turned into a really fabulous hexagon quilt (her first quilt - she is amazing);
• Helped my eight year old niece make a rag quilt for her mom (her first quilt and she did it nearly all herself);
• Made two really cute baby quilts which I'm in the process of quilting; and
• Sewed the binding down on two of the UFOs my dear MIL left to me;

And that is just the quilt-related stuff I can think of off the top of my head.  I still have to be a reasonable wife, mother, employee, friend, neighbor, room mom, Hospitality Chair for the PTA, and Concession Chair for the PTA school carnival.  Now you know, I like to feed people - nobody goes hungry on my watch.  Ever.  

I try to do something in my sewing room every day but I am apparently not very good at writing about it.  Well I'm turning over yet another new leaf.  I need some help from the online quilting community but I'll write about that in today's SECOND post.  That's right.  Two in one day.