When the Idea in My Mind Doesn't Match the Pattern

I saw the quilt block here, at Oldepatchart Antique Quilts and Designs, and thought it would be perfect for an alternate 12" block for Cheddarback.  I made a quick sketch. 

I can often figure out sizes and how to cut simple patterns but when it came to the diagonal in the center of this block, I didn't have a clue how to figure out cutting sizes.  I began searching for a pattern.  I found similar patterns but none that had the white squares in the center cut off as much as in my sketch.

I learned that the pattern I found has several names:

• Lily Quilt Pattern (at the website above) and in Ginny Beyer's The Quilter's Album of Patchwork Patterns 
• Lilies or Lily in Rhoda Ochser Goldberg's The New Quilting & Patchwork Dictionary 
• Des Moines in Maggie Malone's 500 Full-Size Patchwork Patterns 
• Eagle's Nest in Judy Hopkins's 501 Rotary-Cut Quilt Blocks 
• The Corner Star, The Crowfoot, The Spring-time Blossom, and Sweet Gum Leaf in Beyer's The Quilter's Album...

There is some variation in color placement among those blocks but they're essentially the same pattern pieces.  But none were just like my sketch.

I chose the pattern in Judy Hopkins's book because she gave cutting instructions for a 12" finished block.

I was disappointed that the inner triangles in the corners didn't have more space between them when my sketch showed more space.  When I looked at the original blocks again I realized that I couldn't find a pattern that matched my sketch because my sketch was not accurate! 

My finished block looks like this.  I can see now that if I had made the 9-patch in the center a little larger and cut it down a little, the block would have looked more like my sketch.

I think this block will work just fine for Cheddarback, though I'm not sure the blue is dark enough.  Ah well, done is done.

Do you make accurate sketches of blocks you see, like, and think you might like to make, or are yours more like mine -- quick and messy?

--Nancy.
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