Mens shirts Update
 

Well I've come to a stand still on this quilt. I'm surprised there's not a hole burned into it from doing the "Quilt Stare" for hours. There's been a few ideas drift in and then right back out. So for now its looking at me as I quilt another quilt on the frame. Every once in a while it'll scream at me and say "What if you do this!" So I stare it down for a few more minutes until the screaming subsides. Don't get me wrong I love it when a quilt talks to me, but when it screams one bad idea after another while I'm doing other quilting related things, it gets annoying! I've more important things to do than chase after ideas that don't pan out. So for now I've set the design wall in the corner for a little time out with the strict instruction that it may not come out till it's ready to stop screaming bad things. And all of it's noisey little buddies, you know them, The Shirt Scraps, they too have been place in time out baskets in the other corner, with my finger waving, "Don't Say one word! Not one word, you hear me? I'm sick of your dumb ideas! Now stay there until you can come out and play right!" Telling me I need more birds! Come on...geesh...do you know how hard it is to design more birds? Appliqued names and wedding dates...OMG! What is wrong with this quilt? Why does it say such horrible things, does it know how hard these ideas are...I mean really, this is a freebie quilt, it's not mine! And who do think came to walking in about the time that thought ran through my head, well of course Mr. Guilt. Just a quick little tap on my shoulder letting me know that it doesn't matter if its not my quilt, all the more reason for me to make it special. I'm defeated aren't I? Well it's still taking a time out, it's a freebie, and there's no deadline and I need more time to figure out how to work in more of those birds that the quilt thinks it just HAS TO HAVE!
So quilty friends the picture is whats on the wall, with the help of the handy dandy computer ( and to shut up that quilt) I've added where I'd like to add Connie and her late Husbands names along with the date of marriage.

That is beautiful!!! I'm sure she will love it. You'll tackle it some time, I'm sure.

very nice ....

You have a good start. It will turnout lovely.

You could take a break from quilting altogether and go into writing!!

Wow, thought I was the only one who had to endure shouting fabric! 22 quilts in line & all of them shouting at me, ugh.
I find putting them in those large ball bags makes them hush now.

I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is going to be a very beautiful quilt and will bring Connie many fond memories. She'll love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ROFLOL!! Your story made my day!! I love your quilt. Have you tried taking a sheet of clear plastic vinyl (the kind you buy on the roll) and draw designs on it over the quilt or use clear plexiglas. I went to the glass place and had them cut me a rectangle piece and put painters tape around the edges (so I didn't accidently go off and draw on my quilt top). This way I was able to draw designs to my hearts content and finally make a decision. You can erase the dry marker and keep trying. Saved some of my brain cells this way. :D

nicely done

You're off to a wonderful start. The right voice will stand out one of these times!

Love the stream of consciousness that we all internalize. I do think you are right but must ask is that a brown? background or paper?? Remember, you asked and I think you are SO RIGHT! You are quilting something to commemorate a marriage. My thoughts are that the baskets are too tight and stiff, fill them with flowers, trailing vines on all sides of the heart, loosen the design. Make things lush as you are thinking of their lives together, ups and downs and ins and outs. Your work is flawless - but right now it probably reminds you as it does me of a headstone. Please forgive me if you are unhappy with my comments but I really think that is what you have thought all along about what is missing so it is driving you crazy.
You can tell me to shut up but I so want this to be the gift imbued with the love and thought and meaning you wish with the stitches saying all these things for you. I really hope this helps NOT hurts. Thank you.

Thanks! But I like needle and thread much better than pen and paper. Glad that my frustrations can make others smile ;) Someone once said, and I can't remember who, "Complain all you want, just put it in joke form".

This is sooooo nice! It's going to be beautiful when you finish!

You could use (if you have enough) scraps for the sashing and the borders. Lights for the sashing and darks for the borders or vice versa.

The brown is a sheet that was sent along with all her husbands shirts. It does look like a brown paper bag now that you mention it and OMG his headstone is a double heart! That will just tickle her pink! I like your input and advice, it in no way offends. However I'm not sure that this quilt calls for lushness, I say that by knowing the receiver. She and her husband were simpletons, no frills kinda people. But it could be why I'm fighting with the design, I'm trying to keep it simple but what I really want is the lush. Connie's home is more folk art style, country, primitive, lots of mish mash no real style. Keeping it simple, but something she and her children will cherish and consider a treasure.

Lea, You are so funny!!! If you stop quilting, you *could* start writing, you know. But you have a good start on this, no matter what it says, :D!

Jan in VA

And here I thought I was the only one arguing with my quilt blocks!!!

I think I've finally convinced these batik blocks for the swap that they don't need to stay here and become a quilt of their own. I do want to make one using that block pattern but I'd like to use different fabric that I don't have to wonder if there will be enough to finish a big enough top. Had that issue with the last one.

Good luck on your project!

Beautiful work and I agree with rainsprite. Could you add some of the flowers from the center into the baskets? Or separate the basket blocks with the same leaves as in the center and make a vine? In my opinion, the flowers just look too controlled. Just my 2 cents.

So far so good.

Love the quilt. Love the applique and love basket quilts. I had one thought I'd like to share. Please be sure that your friend is OK with birds. I happen to love birds, I feed them, have some decorator birds in my house, and even put them on the Christmas tree. But, having said this, some people think they are bad luck. I only mention this because my friend received a quilt last week as a retirement gift and won't bring it into her house. She is superstitious and thinks they are bad luck. How sad that someone thought so much of her to make her a quilt and she doesn't want it because it has birds all over it. You just never know.

LOL love it so far

Great job!

Ha Ha - I haven't counted my quilt line up, but whenever I start to do the UFOs, I'll for sure start at least 2 more in the process - go figure! I am trying to get a grip on myself this summer - am working this week on an old one that I took apart last year to redo. I've pieced a back for it and started to mend the front, and soon I'll have it ready for Hand quilting (that's what I like to do on vaca or in front of the TV). Then I'm going to finish the pieced back on the donation quilt that I made with "ugly" fabric that came out cute after all, and then I'm going to get up my nerve and start work on the pile of quilts that are ready to be machine quilted. Your post just made me come out of the closet :) - so thanks for sharing and know you are not alone and you will indeed get past those "voices"

How weird! And PS - those baskets out of the shirts are SO FINE! I love them, and birds would be terrific too, IMHO.

LOL - You need to submit your post to a quilting magazine! :D

nice job!!!!!!

Nice blocks they will be great when finished.

Lea, you are so funny. Reading your post made me laugh out loud. I thought I had ghosts in my sewing room, when it was only my UFO's talking, no screaming at me. Do they ever stop?
Be sure to post finished pictures.

very nice!!

I would find a nice shirt fabric and sash it. I think that would work