The Value of Pinwheels

So over the last month, I've been working diligently on the pinwheels quilt. I take it everywhere I go.  First it was the whole job of basting up the blades.  Then I separated them into  color and values to piece into the wheels themselves.  Little by little it seems that I've been making progress.  

As the pinwheels are done another  couple problems pops up.  How many do I really need??  How am I going to lay them out????  Since this quilt really isn't from a pattern (although I've been influenced from the traditional pinwheel quilts I've seen) I guess I am Queen of My Universe and I can decide how I want.  Its good to be Queen.  (grin)

Now how does one - even a queen - decide on  a layout.  For me, since I'm one of those, as Cynthia Corbin told me,  "Paper Quilters",  I like to draw it out.  Yes I took my pencil set and some scrap graph paper (don't all quilters have scrap graph paper?!?!) and I sat one evening to make value sketches.  Over the last year, Elizabeth Barton's great blog has totally convinced me of the "value" of this step (okay  I'm a better quilter than a pun maker!) So now I routinely make them no matter if its a traditional or an art quilt.

Anyways, I came up with 4 sketches and I was anxious to test at least one of  them out.  I took all the pinwheels I've made so far, the sketch I wanted to test first and a bunch of pins.  It took me an hour but I got them up somewhat in the value they need to be in.  Looking at the layout, pointed out two things to me - 1 - I'm only half way done with this quilt - sighhhhhhhhhhh and 2 - if I use this layout (and that's if ) I would want the scoop of the light colors to go way further into the quilt.  Here they look like an after thought.  

So its back to the pinwheels for me - I still have to stitch up the last of the blades and then the process starts all over.  Since the laid out wheels only measured 45" by 60" , I still have a long ways to go for a full size quilt.  My gosh - do you know how many trapezoids that is?