To sash or not to sash?
Okay, twelve blocks pieced. Now, to sash or not to sash?
I figure that if all the blocks are pieced together without sashing it gives nice options for quilting in the cream squares formed by four triangles. But would it look better with sashing to define and frame each block? And if it is sashed, should I use a contrasting fabric or use more of the calico?
I’m not going to get back to this until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest. I welcome feedback (although I’m leaning towards not sashing)! Thanks also for all the comments on the previous post – quilting is obviously an extremely popular pastime.
I vote for no sashing I think that the pattern created by the calico to calico is almost as pretty as the coloured pattern.
I vote for no sashing! I think they look pretty without it, and it allows for secondary patterns and illusions when you piece the colours of each block next to each other.
Have I told you yet how proud of you I am? Because I am very proud! My little Thornberry is becoming a QUILTER!!
M xx
I vote for no sashing, too! If you make four more blocks it will look really nice and it will be big enough without the sashing. I love your scraps and the calico gives a fresh look.
I’m having a Summer Stash Challenge with Eileen from Eileen’s Attic. The idea is to finish a quilt by August, using only fabrics from stash for the quilt top. Many quilters seem to have even stash of wadding and backing, but I had to buy them for my quilt. Are you interested? If you click the logo on my blog it takes you to Eileen’s post with our not-strict rules.
I vote for no sashing. I love the patterns and shapes the calico makes. So, so pretty. Congratulations!
ditto, but if you do then I think use the calico instaed of a contrasting fabric 🙂
looks great!
no sashing – re all of the above
Kerry
no sashing.
Churn Dash is a very old pattern and often made using scraps so there wasn’t enough for sashing.
Looks great!
Got to go for no sashing – I’d use more of the calico too. I think it actually make the patterned fabrics stand out more this way. Otherwise i think they fight for atttention.
Looks lovely.
I agree! NO SASH! I think a really cute quilting in cream squares would be georgous! I would add three more squares to make up for the size difference. It is going to be beautiful! It already is! Can’t wait to see the finished piece!
Lara, you amaze me ! You master every crft you try. You shoud be thrilled beyond belief with this – shout it from the rooftops!!
No sashing. But I do think that you should make it square and I think you should sash around the perimeter of the square. If you don’t, your binding will intrude on your blocks and they won’t look very geometric. The binding will cover about 1 or 1.5 cm of the edge of your blocks – get what I mean?
Also, I would recommend thin batting. DO NOT get that massive thick crap from Spottie or Lincraft. Go to GJ’s (aren’t we lucky they are so close to Thornbury?) and get some wool batting. It is lovely to quilt. And last but not least, my other advice would be to choose backing material that you LOVE. I’ve made a few quilts and I think it is important to love the back as much as the front.
Why am I always the voice of dissention? I say sashing because to me it will highlight each block but it will also help when you assemble the blocks together. You are going to have a lot of points to try and match up and having sashing will help to eliminate some of the problem points. Not meaning to diss you, it’s quite possible given your sewing ablilities that all of your blocks are perfectly square with 1/4 inch seams. 🙂
I also feel there is too much white and adding sashing should add some colour and tie the blocks together but hey, what do I know?
You could always surf the net and find examples of quilts with both sashing and without sashing and see which appeals to you best as it is after all your quilt. Follow your inner instinct and go with that and you’ll be happy.
Karen
I vote for no sashing… just for the fact that there are a lot of fabrics in the blocks. And your idea about quilting in those squares is a good one.
Your quilt is lovely! I say yes to sashing, to me it helps define each block, but that is just my opinion! Whatever you do will be lovely! Great job indeed..
jenn
Very pretty – no comment re sashing aside from if you were to use the calico for sashing the blocks would kind of float instead of being anchored.
I love the colours you used for the blocks and I like the idea of sashing using the same fabric as your block background fabric. As previously said, the colours would ‘float’ . Just the way my eye works I guess — it adds to the size of the quilt, without too much more work and gives you the option of an outside border the same as your sashing and then a final framing border using one or more of your block colours…