A totally off-the-wall question: How to get past "boring" neutrals & solids?
 

First the disclaimer: I'm not ADD; I just can't stand "boring."

I see so many GORGEOUS, STUNNING works here, and wonder if any of you actually get bored while piecing whites, neutrals, solids, etc.

I have yet to start my first "real" quilt (by that I mean after studying so I do it RIGHT and not "winging it" like I did with my first 2), but I found that just putting a solid color backing on bored me to death.

My issue is how do I get past this "fear of the boring and uninteresting"...because it is these solid background colors, borders and edges-of-blocks that make the most LOVELY quilts!

Am I destined to have a room full of UFOs?

I very rarely use a solid. I use tone on tone prints or marble type fabrics. They add movement and a depth of color that a solid just can't do. If you think it's boring, change it.

I rarely use a solid or neutral for a backing. My backings are completely different then any color on the front. Block backgrounds are different, most times you need a neutral for that.

If you want to do something spontaneous, get yourself 20 wonderful absolutely gorgeous prints, geometrics, solids, textures that all somehow go together. Choose a color scheme you would not ordinarily use. Make a complex Turning 20 type quilt and just go for it. I do this once each year and I have to say that I love these quilts. One year the color was orange and this year it was a bright poison green or chartruese. It has flowers, dragonflies, birds, geometrics in that green, pink, yellow, white, etc.

It has helped to widen my horizons.

not many people use a lot of solids or neutrals anymore- there are tons of fabulous prints on the market and we tend to take advantage of that- i don't think i've used a solid backing in years. there is no reason to (consider) limiting yourself to anything you find 'boring'. get as 'wild & crazy' as your imagination & desire takes you.

Use "blenders" instead of solids. Or reverse your pattern. Use a bold pattern in place of a solid and small prints or tonal patterns for the primary on your quilt. Think outside the box.

I have been quilting for a while and just made the most stunning baby quilt - all with neutrals: cream, white, beige, light tan in different prints. It was gorgeous. Bordered in the palest blue with a pale blue fish applique in lower corner. It was not boring to piece at all.

It got ohs and ahs at the shower.

So don't push those neutrals out of your life! :)

make a scrappy quilt where there is no "real" background. use "lights" and "darks" instead of plain solids.

I rarely us just a plain colour unless the pattern requires it. Tone on tone, batiks and small floral look solid from a distance or a photograph so don't be fooled by pictures. Find a pattern, look up free ones, especially with loads o f pattern fabric and try to reproduce with same fabrics or similar. From your local shops. Or buy a small quilt kit in which you can see plenty of different patterned fabrics. Look up quiltville with loads of different fabrics scrappy. If you are in a group ask for a free handful of small pieces from friends and others in group and make a quilt from quiltville. It's like marmite love or hate.

Piece your back. I've just pinned a Red & White quilt this afternoon (so no pics yet) and the backing was made from all the leftover fabrics. Even though the sashing is white I didn't use any in the backing.