Here are the two test blocks for my newest project, using the pattern Dandelions at Dusk by Blue Bear Quilts as my jumping off point:

Take a look at the pattern cover of Dandelions at Dusk to get a sense of how my test blocks would fit into the over-all design:

I love the look of my test blocks and think they would work beautifully in the quilt design but alas, I fear I may have boxed myself into a corner. You see, there are a couple of things I failed to take into consideration when I started cutting and sewing my test blocks.

Both have to do with my focus fabric, identified in my last post as “Jolie Jardin” by the now defunct Lakehouse Fabrics. I had used a chunk of this fabric years ago in a quilt but hadn’t bothered to check how much actual yardage I had left to make the 20 blocks needed for this quilt. Turns out I had quite a bit less than I thought.

Each four-patch kaleidoscope block is made up of four 4″ squares. The finished blocks measure 7½” square unfinished, 7″ square finished. I need 20 of them. After carefully measuring my fabric today, I was able to determine that I should be able to eke out 21 blocks (meaning I have only one to spare) if — and only if — I don’t make a single cutting error. No pressure, right?

The method of making four-patch kaleidoscope blocks is to stack four repeats of fabric on top of each other, pin the repeats very carefully to keep the design elements perfectly aligned, and then very carefully cut the fabric into squares. Here comes the second issue: the repeat of this fabric is not 12″ as I was expecting. The repeat is actually 11⅞” — meaning I have to cut my squares a smidge short of 4″ in order to eke out the number of squares needed.

The only thing to do is dive into the deep end. I’ll go ahead and stack my repeats and cut my squares and see what the resulting blocks look like. Assuming I have enough blocks with enough variety, I’ll soldier on with the quilt. The worst that can happen is I’ll wind up with four-patch kaleido blocks that won’t work for this quilt but will work for another one.