Frustrations of Designing

So an idea for a quilt popped into my head whilst I was lunching at my favorite Lebanese restaurant in town.  I've sketched out several ideas for block placement since then, the blocks stayed the same.  I just need to figure out sizes, placement, how many, etc.

The problem is I walked into the quilt shop after lunch that afternoon and saw the absolute perfect fabric for part of the blocks.  And then I saw the other perfect fabrics for the blocks.  And of course I hadn't done the math yet, mainly because I wasn't sure about the numbers of blocks I wanted.  So I left empty handed and got down to some serious thinking about the blocks.

Well I've since figured out the placement and done the math.  I've also gues-timated the amount of money I'll need to purchase my fabrics.  I have to buy it in small increments to make the money fit in with my cash allowance.  Not a huge deal, since most everyone is on a budget these days.

Here's the final layout of the quilt.  The outer border is supposed to be the same dark brown as the large triangles in the windmill blocks.  It's still blank for a reason...read on to learn why.

Apparently I forgot to turn it, but I don't think it really matters since it's not a unidirectional quilt.  The notes at the bottom of the page read:10" blocks; 85"x105".  This will be a twin size bedspread when it's finished.
 


When I went back to the  store I checked all three bolts of fabric, planning on purchasing the one that had the least left on it.  There sat my main fabric... with only two yards left on it.  I need two and a half.  Ugh.

I bought it anyway.  I figured I could check the other quilt stores and the internet to find another piece.  So far no luck.  Snow has kept me from driving the 20 miles to other shops and the internet hasn't yielded any results.  So I'm left with the choice of changing my design and using a different fabric for the outer border, or continuing the search.

The story behind the idea is rather involved, so I think I'll save it for another post.  In the meantime, I'll be looking for another yard of this fabric.  Otherwise I think I'll see what a different woodgrain pattern looks like on the outside.