Study pages 10, 11, 16, and especially page 18 in Sizzling Quilts from aSimple Block. For a super-simple block like Woodpile to work nicely, it's extra important to have the right fabrics. Follow this checklist (page 6 in "Answers and Extras"):

Dark fabrics

Here's what you need for two safe, pleasant color schemes that go nicely together.

____Fabrics are all the same general type, the same mood. (Don't mix up plaids, calicos, batiks, geometrics, etc. unless you know what you're doing.)
____Since D fabrics might touch any other Dark  A, B, and C fabrics, they have some contrast (study page 16).
____There is a contrast between the two Dark A fabrics.
____If Dark fabrics are repeated, they are in the B or C positions (unless you have a special effect in mind).
____There is a gradual transition from one Dark fabric to the next. No fabric stands out sharply (unless you have a special
design effect in mindósee page 9 of this booklet).
____No medium fabrics are used, unless you have a special effect in mind.
____Stripes or other directional designs go the right direction (see the layout below and pages 10 and 13 in the
big book).

Rules for Light fabrics aren't as strict. I often use white as Light A, then a small subtle print for Light B, and a larger, but still subtle, print for Light C. How many different Light fabrics do you need? As many as you want. You can use...
 ï Only one Light fabric throughout (which can be boring).
 ï The same set of three Light fabrics, in the same positions, in all color schemes (which can give some neat effects where the blocks meet).
 ïA different set of Lights in each color scheme (which is most interesting).

____No medium fabrics are used, unless all "Light" fabrics in that set are medium or you have a special effect in mind.
____No yellow is used, unless you have a special effect in mind. It will really stand out.
____Stripes go the right direction.

Page 7 gives a handy way to lay out fabric to work up a good color scheme (actually two color schemes). Choose only the dark fabrics to start; the light fabrics will be easy to work in later. Spread out eight fabrics, staggering the ends (1" if using the smaller size mask on this web page, 1-1/4" if you use the size in the booklet). Pay attention to which direction stripes and designs go.

Place a mask over the arrangement so you see what the fabric will look like in the finished block. Page 8 gives the Mask for choosing fabrics for blocks with four steps. Make your own mask for three, five, or six steps.
 

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