Quandary over the way it's coming together...
 

My son asked for a black and white quilt - which I eagerly looked forward to. Knew which pattern I was going to use and carefully went and selected 20 different black and white fabrics. I've got my blocks made and up on my design wall and now... I'm just not feeling it. It's got entirely too much white in it - it went from a black and white to a white and black.
And now I'm not even loving the pattern anymore either which is weird because I loved making the blocks.

I'm at work so I don't have a picture to post.

My quandary is whether
1) to try to salvage the blocks, by replacing some of the white with more black.
2) finish it like it is and give him first choice at it
3) finish it and give it to a charity (it is a queen size, I guess I could make 2 cuddle quilts since the blocks are not sewn together yet)

I'm not the type to set it aside and come back to it later thinking maybe I'll feel different about it.

I'm sure that others may've experienced the same thing.
Thanks in advance for any tidbits of wisdom you can share with me.

(I actually have named it already, "When life gives you lemons...")

Can you post a picture of the blocks that you have?

I oftentimes find a quilt total unappealing at this stage. But when it is all together, and especially when it is quilted, I grow to love it.
Could your son look at it at this stage and give his okay?

i was the same way with the one i'm working on, in my head it was fantastic, loved making the batik blocks (southwestern) but on my design wall it was a dud. i'm not a quiter so i said "somebody" will like it i hope. so i'm putting it together and liking it better all the time. so maybe yours will grow on you, or maybe he'll like it, has he seen it?

I'm at work and don't have any pics on my phone or work PC...
The people who have seen it think it's beautiful.
I don't think it's the "look" that others see - I think it's what I see vs what's in my mind's eye.
That's why I'm thinking others have been there -

I wished - he lives about 6 hours away. I hope he gets to come visit Labor Day ... and take 'something' home with him LOL.

Piqued my curiosity on that one Kathy - any chance you have a picture to share? (I LOVE batiks, and of course, Southwestern :p )

I had a fleeting thought about sashing but haven't looked at that with it yet.
Thanks for the suggestions!

I agree with the black sashing. That just might be the best solution.

Quilting with black thread?

I know exactly what you mean! This happens to me all the time, and I have to say that the quilt recipients (whose requests I was trying to match) have always been pleased, despite my own misgivings. I would suggest you soldier on, and even if it doesn't match the glory that was in your mind I bet your son will love it, as will everyone else who sees it!!

Alison

PS Post some pics when you get home - we are all dying to see it now.

depending on the pattern of course could you add black sashing between the blocks to increase the black, and I would also go with black quilting thread, and a black border. Perhaps the "too much white" is making you think it is too feminine for Him......Will await photos for final opinion

It will actually have 3 borders - all are varying black fabrics - I was going to do a patterned fabric on the back and use black thread for the quilting. I've made probably 1/3 more blocks than I needed so I'll probably now do something along the lines of a pieced back and use up some of those blocks unless again - it's still "too" white for that. Then I see lots of toss pillows or maybe shams with the remainders.
I have told myself for 3 days now - no one will ever see what I see except me...

Y'all are, as usual, super and love all your comments and suggestions. Thanks!

The black borders will also darken it - if the blocks are amenable to sashing, that will also darken it. So will the black thread you plan to use for quilting it.

When you get a chance to post some pictures, that will be helpful - because then we can also see how 'white' it actually is.

Sometimes we 'see' what we are looking for - if something has exactly the same ratio of colors in it - sometimes we 'see' more of the light/bright color than of the rest of it. Example: Dark purple and bright yellow. The yellow will be a lot more 'dominant' than the dark purple, even if the surface area is the same.

Black and white is hard on the eye to work on, that is for sure. Even though it is stunning, the process is pretty hard on you. Maybe it is this that is throwing you off?

If you think that the sashings will bring it into line, I would say use those.

But, if you really don't like something, Be Brave and take it apart and fix it. Fabric is so dang expensive! I have had to do this before, and trust me, it isn't easy to make yourself call uncle and do it. But it is very satisfying when it is fixed and finished the way you imagined.

It's true that another's eye can "see" your quilt the right way.

I was struggling with a two block quilt that just looked bad on the design wall. My niece in law came in while I was snarling at it and said "Have you tried sashing? In this fabric?" picking up just the right fabric. She saved the whole quilt!

Looking forward to seeing your picture. One of this fine ladies here will have just that right idea for you.

OK, I know you said black and white, but what about a small touch of red or yellow. I have a black and white quilt in mind for my son too. However, I saw a couple with just a little color and really liked it. Now I will have to make a choice between the two ideas.

I get what you are saying. I am struggling with one that doesn't match what I had envisioned. The suggestions here sound good and we are our own worst critics sometimes. Good luck.

Add a splash of Lime Green, or Red, or Yellow or any really bright color, to make it pop...

Keep going and add the borders. That may add the balance you're looking for. Also - send him a picture in an email. My sister that lives 600 miles away is often my 2nd set of eyes thru the use of technology!!

And remember to post pictures here when you get home :thumbup:

I am think you may need a third color in it. I try to use 3,5,7 different colors most times. The black sashing and borders will take away some of the white. Some of my quilts have been seen as ugly by me and I find that noone else sees it as I do. Just finish it up and I put he will love it. You won't be able to see it from your house, once he takes it home.

He may love it, maybe email him a pic and see what he thinks.

quandry over the way it's comming together
 

Could you quilt it in black?That would visually even it out.Wouldn't it?

I had a similar problem recently. I decided to make a purple and lime green quilt as a graduation quilt. When it was assembled without the borders it was not what I had envisioned and I thought it was really ugly. I decided that the first that liked it would receive it. My daughter showed it to my two grandaughters --aged 11 and 9- the first said it was so beautiful and the other said that it was really cool. I made it into two lap size quilts and once they were bordered they were beautiful. They are now at LA and will be birthday gifts. Funny how things turn out. Sorensnana

I made a black and white for my daughter and the black sashing really accentuated the patterns used in the Disappearing nine-patch.

The black sashing really gave the blocks some definition - otherwise everything would have mushed together

Sounds like it will do great with black quilting to calm down the white. The black threads will show up the black fabrics. And calm everything and everyone.

I was also going to suggest a small pop of some kind of color that you could work in somewhere, maybe cornerstones of your sashing? Teal blue, or dark orange, or acid green maybe.

Without seeing the pattern, would black sashing between the blocks help reduce the too-much-white feeling?

I certainly have been there! The red and white sampler quilt I made (still working on borders) comes under this very heading. Not quite what I envisioned when I started. Not bad, just not the oomph! I wanted and expected.

If black sashing doesn't solve your problem, how about some plain black blocks mixed in?

add a little bit of red to the quilt and it should help pop the black.

I had a vision in my head of a black and white strip quilt..uneven strips so kind of wonky. It didn'y play out aswell as it did in my head. I added just a few narrow random strips of lime, turq and orange. It looks great now. Just a teeny bit of color goes a long way.

I agree with susiequilt. I've just finished a queen size quilt. Loved the blocks, loved piecing them but hated the quilt when it was finished. It was a sampler and it just didn't come together as I had pictured it. My DD thought it was very pretty, my son loved it. I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder. I guess it just didn't meet the picture I had in mind when I started. Oh, well..................

What if you did black sashing between the blocks to rebalance the black-to-white ratio?

If after assembling you decide it's still too white, quilt it with black thread. That will tone down the whiteness for you!

First of all, what are you doing on the QB when you are at work! HA! You need to be at home with your sick quilt. I'm sure it will recover in time. Don't give up yet. Lots of suggestions here to try. Post pics when you get a chance and all the QB doctors will help it to be the quilt it is meant to be!

peace

if others love what you have done maybe you are just tired of the black & white- i think many of us have been where you are- finish it up- when it's done you may again love it- if you think it needs more black - i would not replace/redo the white/black blocks- i think adding a solid black for sashing/frames may be the answer- or a black/white border around it. your son is probably going to love it even if you don't.
finish it up!

You may need to make additional blocks to get the look you want. Hard to comment without a picture.