Color Challenge Quilt - Top Finished!

My color challenge quilt top, started two years ago, is finally finished! Shown below are just the blocks on my design wall - not sewn together yet.

Each block is a challenge (given by Victoria of 15 Minutes Play blog) to work with a certain "difficult to love" color - like mauve, dusty blue, and rust. Here are my finished blocks. Love that X-pattern block.
The next challenge - how to set them into a top. Simply, in 4 rows? With sashing? Or?

After trying several layouts, I was happy with this arrangement. Then I decided to add some - lots of - triangles - and had to plan something for all that empty space, and the corner blocks.

I auditioned several solid fabrics for these large areas, but they just "sat there". I used a number of different beiges and grays, with little inserts of my colors, and voila!

Love how this is coming along. But now - the corner blocks, what there? I decided on a New York Beauty block, which I drafted to be the correct size. I thought I knew exactly how I was going to make them! But plans can change.

I paper pieced the arcs, which worked great.

This is my failed plan - I thought I would use all of my "ugly" colors for the arcs of the block, but was not feeling the love.  So, I made fabric to fill each arc.

Much better. Each corner block has a different colored arc.

Finished quilt top! Sorry it is a little dark, it is a lovely day today, but overcast.  On the right is my favorite hydrangea plant, called Incrediball.

Dora had to get into the last picture.  I love how this turned out - lots of fun, learned a lot. Next step - sending it out for machine quilting!