I had a photo of an antique quilt that I wanted to replicate and so I started this set of blocks in January 2017, hoping it would be a  quick finish.

The blocks were quick to make but then finding the 'perfect' pink for the sashes bogged the whole thing down. I must have bought four lengths of material at different times, hoping that this would be 'it' , I shopped Keryn's stash, I looked in every shop we went  to but I was never satisfied.

Eventually I decided to just use one of the pieces I'd bought, but then I discovered there wasn't enough, and I'd have to use a different fabric as posts in between the blocks. So I had to look for a Second pink fabric that went with the first....grrr. I'd bought the end of the bolt or I would have gone back and got extra because I really liked the look of the original sashing.

I hate it when something that is supposed to be simple turns out to be a major headache. I usually put the project in time-out and work on something else but this time I was determined to see a finish. I forged ahead, even though I wasn't happy with the way it was looking.

I had my finish to cross off  my list but I still don't like the darker pink squares. I've even found myself wondering if I should find yet another pink fabric and gradually replace those bits. Would that be a bit obsessive? Or should I just take this as a lesson to not rush into finishing something just to say it's done?

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I decided last year that I would try to clear out some really long-standing projects, and if I didn't want to finish them I'd chuck them out. Brave words, and they inspired me to finish quite a few, even if not exactly to my original vision for them.

Years ago I started these Spinning Rail blocks as leader enders, using 1 1/2" by 2 1/2" bricks. I had a drawer full of precut bits and this was an easy way to get rid of them.

After making dozens  I joined them into fours, trying to use similar colours and they sat like that for even more years. I was originally going to make a large bed quilt with them set on point but somewhere along the way I realised that it wasn't going to happen.

I put the finished blocks up on the design wall and while I kept the original idea of setting them on point I decided to make a small square top, just using whatever I'd already made. I chose a setting fabric without allowing myself to agonise too much, and then a border fabric that was leftover from another quilt and in a couple of days it was all done.

 I arranged all the lighter blocks in the middle and the darker ones in the corners and it worked out miraculously, with only two little four inch blocks leftover. I couldn't have planned it any better from the start.

Amazing, and now it joins the ranks to be quilted, another list that has spiraled out of control. Perhaps this year will be the year of quilting!

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