The Bride Gets a Block

We are just starting the fifth quilt in this series of  new-quilts-from-old-blocks challenges.  We did the Dresden Plate (the Bridal Shower), Pinwheels (the Rehearsal dinner), Bow Ties, (Tuxedo Rental), and the last one was Baskets (for the Bridemaids). But this time it's an Album block, for the Bride's Wedding Day Album.

This is a great example of an "Album Block" which have a place for a signature, usually at the center, and they are often used for occasions like weddings, where participants sign their contribution to a group quilt.

Before I received this block, I had been thinking it was about time I actually chopped one up and made something completely different out of it, or appliqued over it.  Then I opened the envelope with my block, and thought "This is unusual!" because it was nice and flat and almost square. That might have changed my mind about cutting into it.  But then I put it up on the design wall and stood back for a better look.  Oops - my quilting companion of long ago may have been accurate enough with her outcome, but I don't know how she managed it, with that one part of the central "x" shortened as it is.  The seam allowances all appear to the be regularly sized, so that is a mystery!

I've been looking through my fabrics for inspiration, and my designing tools for ideas.  This block so far has me stumped.  But I may well be cutting it into smaller pieces for this Wedding Album quilt.