Playing on Courthouse Steps

For Christmas, my friend, Cindy, gave me a cute composition book that had graph paper in it.  How cool is that? Pretty cool I think! I had seen a quilt using variations on the courthouse steps block.  I had drawn up the block and wrote the different variations. I though I had pinned it but can’t seem to find the pin anywhere.  Does anyone else have this problem? 

I figured if I just made the blocks according to my notes I could figure out the quilt. So I set about making the different variations. First one all in low volume strips.  If you are interested in learning more about low volume quilts you can read my post here.

Next I made four traditional courthouse steps block.

 Finally I made four with low volume on the top and left side and scrappy colors on the bottom and right.

 Once these happy blocks were made I played with placement.  I knew for sure that the all low volume block went in the center. Sorry for the dark pictures, they were taken on the floor under my sewing area at the retreat.

I vaguely remembered that the blocks made a star. Though I may have to revisit the other arrangement. I sewed my blocks together and some how I got them turned because if you notice I have a kissing cousin in the middle row.  Grrr! Am I the only one that does this? 

 I’m trying to decided if I want this just to be a wall hanging or if I want to go bigger. If I go bigger I’ll have to play with the various blocks to find a setting I like. I have plenty of strips cut. I may have got a little carried away when I was making them. I went through each of my scrap bins and cut a 1 1/2″ strip from each fabric. I could make courthouse steps until the cows come home. Probably longer. It’s a good think I like them.