TeresaA

Thinking it would be a fantastic background, I bought 4 yards of an "ivory" tonal fabric without bringing other fabrics to go with it, brought it home and realized that it matches almost nothing! I went through my rather large stash and find very little that goes with it, some greens, but only the muddied ones. It is the ivory oil paint texture from the Van Gogh collection if you are familiar with it. I loved it, since it had such a painted feel feel to it. And it goes with others in its own collection, just not much else.

It's so weird. I've never known a beige-ish fabric to be so far toward green yes, green! The fabric appears to have a chartreuse/moss green tint to it, although it's very light. It clashes even with most neutral grounds I have. I do tend to buy warm beiges and it's far more cool. I would photograph it for you all, but I've seen pictures online and they don't look like the fabric in person at all. It's a very hard color to photograph.

I am not sure what to do. Should I tea dye it? Dye it? Stick it in my stash and see if it ever finds a place? Ugh, 4 yards of money that I can't spend on something else. I won't return it, don't want to stick anyone with my mistake.

Does anyone have this fabric? What did you do with it?

Thanks.

Tartan

Since you love it, why not save it for backing? Since it has a cool green colour in it, pair it with blues, purple and greys in a quilt.

ckcowl

You could either use it for a backing or ( I would be tempted) to use it for background squares for an applique quilt- it sounds like it would be wonderful appliquéd on.

Cybrarian

Well one choice would be to expand your stash's color spectrum for a a future project for yourself or as a gift with greens. Blues, red purples, and corals for a color pop that go with your ivory. Consider it an open door to a new family of colors to work with!

peaceandjoy

Use it to piece the backing for your quilt.

TeresaA

Thanks for the ideas.

You would be surprised at how few of my blues and corals go with this fabric. I don't have many corals, but I have 2 huge shelves of blue, many different tones. The only one that worked super well was a navy with a slightly greenish yellow star.

If the color of a fabric doesn't have a slight green or yellow tinge to it, it clashes really badly with this fabric, turns it into the green blob. I love green but this is ugly green. It's funny how fabrics are so much different when next to other fabrics. I would think it would work with batiks because they often have a mossy cast, but most of them don't work either. I have found one red-purple batik that is nice.

I told my DH that the color was called "ivory". He said "THAT!!! is not IVORY!" I love when he's adamant about something regarding my hobby.

Being really positive about it, the color is about the shade of sunbeams through a green forest....sort of a light yellow that picks up green? Maybe I'll use it for a sunbeam in a landscape quilt. I'd only need a tiny bit, then the rest would be BACKING.

Yes, backing. That's what DH said too.

I've also been digging through my 20 year old procion dyes (do dyes expire?)....maybe I'll turn some of it black. I do need more black. Oh, it does work with this weird geometric black and yellow batik I have.

I tried taking a picture just now, but it didn't do it justice ;-). It looked so sweet and innocent, rather than like the green monster that it is.

TeresaA

I spent a little time looking at Van Gogh's paintings. I didn't realize before how much of a yellow green cast they have. Even skies aren't blue, they're a greyish aquamarine. Interesting. This fabric will create a challenge for me. Maybe it'll inspire me to be the next Van Gogh! (HAAAAA, I kid.)

Jane Quilter

Is this it? I kind of like it. I know it is not ugly
https://www.fabricdepot.com/quilting...wyJi_BRDLusby7

JenniePenny

I would pair it with a deep eggplant purple and make either a "Birds in the Air" or a "Lady of the Lake." Something with contrasting triangles.

quilterpurpledog

I know it is not ugly-just outside the the edge of what you are more familiar with. Ask a fellow quilter to help you so your get another perspective. I know others frequently see things very differently than I do-until it is pointed out to me. Perhaps you could purchase one or two pieces that do go with it and make a simple patterned quilt. Sounds like a personal challenge.