And the winning combination is…..

I will not take credit for being a color genius or inspired, or even lucky, with this quilt (especially since I still have to launder some of the fabrics – the water pressure in our subdivision, out here in Sticksville, was down to a bare trickle when I first got home last night, which was all that was required for me to turn into a couch potato)… As I considered different combinations, I sent pictures to my friend Margie, the maker of the quilt at the beginning of the post, "Next on the Quilty Agenda?" She graciously consulted with the lady who taught the class in which she made her quilt, and together – they decided that the following combination/order will work best for the design.

They were even gracious enough to number the fabrics for me (which is more than I was able to do successfully in this blog post)- the quilt pattern numbers the fabrics, then combines the numbers on a key into 10 different combinations, which are put together in the precribed order, to create the diamonds on the quilt top, sort of like a bargello quilt, only completely different. <VBG>

It seems that, in my "over-thinking" the order of the combination, I had strayed away from the original idea – which is, basically, to create a pool of ever-deepening warm color, surrounded by the darker/cool bands. In the original in the book from whence this pattern hails, Traditions with a Twist by Blanche Young and Dalene Young Stone, I noticed that the deeper bands of color almost blend together into a hollow diamond which softly demarcates from the warm color on one side, and sharply on the other side. Anyway, the experts have spoken, and my first inclination, after removing the lovely lavender (which will find a home somewhere else, but not in this quilt) was correct after all. So, if I can get the fabric laundered and pressed, I will be able to start cutting, and creating strip sets this coming weekend. But, the dreaded "planning" phase is over – and I must trust my instincts, after they were endorsed by the experts <VBG>

Thanks Margie… Thanks Rheba!