On the Design Wall with a Different Point of View

I often say (and blog) that one of the things I love about quilting is that there is rarely one right answer or only one path when making quilts.  I was reminded of how true that is for me this morning, when I read Cynthia's second installment of her Scrap-A-Pallooza series.

Specifically when she is arranging her scrap blocks on the design wall, she says,

I find I am most successful if I do this step quickly and try not to over think it.

I guess that makes me an over-thinker, because I find I am most successful, if I do this step SLOWLY and play with the blocks over the course of a day or a few days.   Last night I finished the last two of the hand-pieced blocks.

This morning I added them to the rest of the blocks on the design wall, where each triplet of blocks was kept together, but no real thought had been given (yet) to how they would be arranged in the quilt.

And then I started arranging them. I prefer asymmetry, but my first, quick effort was only slightly asymmetric.

Because it was nearly symmetric, I rearranged the blocks to create a more traditional feeling, symmetric arrangement. I knew it would not be "me," but I wanted to see how I felt about it anyway.

I will spare you all the future revisions that happen on my design wall before these blocks are finally assembled, but for me, it always seems to be a good thing to leave them on the wall, within sight, but work on something else while I consider the color and value placement, the orientation of the individual blocks (with these, the possibilities seem endless), and how the quilt looks as the light changes over the course of the day.  I really like walking into my studio just after dawn when I can see whatever's there in low light and "see" value more than color.

I'll also be (re) thinking about my initial plan to mix in some pieced rectangles and what this quilt needs in terms of border (or whether it needs one at all).  I'll definitely be sleeping on it, too, and giving my subconscious a shot at solving the problem that is this quilt's design.

Are you a speed arranger like Cynthia or is it a slow and considered task for you, like me?

I'm joining the Linkys for Esther's WOW and WIP Wednesday on Freshly Pieced.

FYI, I have posted the first installment of the Mod-Mod Quilt-Along.   If a low key, year-long QAL appeals, be sure to check it out.