Inch by Inch, Row by Row

My last post ended with the lower left corner of my "dreamed" quilt beginning to take shape on my design wall. I'm trying to create definite contrast between light, dark, and medium colored fabrics in order to form a graphic design within the quilt. I have no trouble picking out light and dark fabrics but sometimes choosing the medium colored fabrics can be tricky. Here's a sampling of the ones I'm using in this quilt--golds, light browns, pumpkins, and homespuns with a dark and light mixture.
In order to create contrast within the four patch blocks, especially if I'm using just medium-colored fabrics in the block, I match homespuns with prints, plaids with florals, and so on.

When I'm happy with the way the design looks on the wall, I carefully transfer the squares to my sewing table. After all the time spent arranging them on the wall, I don't want to mix them up when sewing them together. By the way, I've discovered a new best friend in my digital camera. If a strong wind (or a husband) comes along and causes a few squares to fall off the design wall, I can refer back to previous pictures to remind me of how they'd been arranged.

This is when I save time with chain piecing--sewing the squares together in the order in which I'd laid them on my sewing table.

When I've sewed the squares into pairs, it's time to sew the pairs together into four-patch blocks. It's a slow process, but I love watching the "dream" come together in front of my eyes!

The four-patch blocks are completed and go back up on my design wall. Can you see the pattern of darks and lights beginning to take shape?

Stay tuned for the next exciting installment!