New Plan -- Triangle Free

Having abandoned triangles for something easier, I've been wracking my mind to come up with a faster option for a quick baby quilt. I've looked at a couple different options, and yes, learning from my last mistake, I've tested every block I've looked at. After several 'it's okay but not fast enough' options, I finally stumbled upon a winner for my time, my taste, and the fabrics I'd already purchased!

Thanks -- as always -- to Pinterest, I found a couple inspiration pictures: Cottilello's Domino quilt (on flickr), a pillow (via Pinterest as I think the link to original content is broken), and a quilt (again, the link from Pinterest seems to lead to something other than the content, boo).

Depending where I look it up, I think this is a variation on a split rail block or a rail fence block. It took a couple test blocks to make sure I had the right measurements to end up with a 5 inch square block, but I got it figured out and happily cut into my fabrics.

 (I had to go back to cut more of the impact fabrics, this is about half of what I actually needed -- and too many of the low volume pieces, but not by much.)

While it might have taken me about an hour to make 4 triangles, I managed to make 82 blocks in just over an hour. I think it might have taken me longer iron all the blocks than it did to make them. Winner, winner!!

I had to test as I was ironing to get an idea how this was going to look. These were just the first few pieces I ironed, but I think you can already get an idea where this is going and how it's going to look.

Once I got all 82 blocks finished, I started working on coming up with a more realistic layout -- which is often a struggle for me. I can get wildly caught up in overthinking and trying to make things perfect. But I refuse. Good enough is good enough today.

It's not perfect, but I'm not planning to tweak it any farther. At 9 blocks square, I managed to use all but one of the finished blocks, and it should finish around 46 inch square -- if everything goes as planned that is!!

I should be able to get the top sewn together in the next day or two, and I think the backing will come together easily from the yardage I have. So, in theory, that part should be quick... I'm still thinking a striped binding, and I still want to do black and white -- but, I still think that might be too bold in comparison to the other fabric choices... I really think I need to get most of the quilting done before I let myself be too distracted by binding shopping. I suspect I'll be dragging this quilt along to a local quilt shop to ask for help in picking just the right touch.

But, I'm thrilled to be this far along after so much time spent flailing around on triangles and other failures!