Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums > Main
Fabric-driven quilts may be a thing of the past for me >

Fabric-driven quilts may be a thing of the past for me

Fabric-driven quilts may be a thing of the past for me

Old 05-13-2012, 05:37 PM
  #1  
Super Member
Thread Starter
 
jillaine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: California Girl exiled in DC
Posts: 1,337
Default Fabric-driven quilts may be a thing of the past for me

I love to buy fabric a certain way-- I'm attracted to colors and designs, and I buy up yardage. Then I figure out later what I'm going to make with it.

Sometimes it works, but lately, not so much. The quilts I feel best about are actually patterns I followed (or modified).

I'm sitting here with a bunch of blocks on my design wall, wondering: what was I thinking?

Anyway, frustrated.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]335210[/ATTACH]a
Attached Thumbnails dragonflysummer.jpg  

Last edited by QuiltnNan; 05-14-2012 at 02:28 AM.
jillaine is offline  
Old 05-13-2012, 05:43 PM
  #2  
Super Member
Thread Starter
 
jillaine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: California Girl exiled in DC
Posts: 1,337
Default

And I think this is how UFOs are born...
jillaine is offline  
Old 05-13-2012, 05:45 PM
  #3  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: South Central PA
Posts: 275
Default

I like your blocks but think they need a light color maybe in some sashing?
Sue
SueJ is offline  
Old 05-13-2012, 06:09 PM
  #4  
Super Member
 
Helen S's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Vancouver, Washington State
Posts: 2,113
Default

Have you tried adding either a very dark, like deep hunter green or eggplant, or very light, like almost white sashing to see what it will do for those blocks? I think maybe the brown throws it off? Love the fabrics, and I tend to buy that way too. I have a very nice stash now...just need to figure out what to do with it! lol
Helen S is offline  
Old 05-13-2012, 06:13 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
alisonquilts's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Winston-Salem NC
Posts: 659
Default

I get the "what was I thinking" thing alot, too. I have many fabrics that I love by themselves, but that don't work with anything else in my collection, or everything goes together too perfectly (because I keep choosing the same colors, because I like them so much), resulting in blandness. And how many times has a fabric I love looked awful when chopped into quilting bits (wrong scale, or directionality gets lost, or one color element that blends when the fabric is whole suddenly pops out disconcertingly)? Too many times. (Sigh.)

My sympathies.

Alison

PS I agree with Sue J that a light colored sashing would work well with your blocks. Putting them away and not looking at them for a few weeks might also help - my quilts never look as nice in real life as I expect them to, but sticking them in the closet to mature sometimes helps.
alisonquilts is offline  
Old 05-13-2012, 07:10 PM
  #6  
Super Member
 
Pat625's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: North Pole
Posts: 1,643
Default

Don't let this go to waste!! If you are not thrilled with it, add a sashing, finish it up and donate to charity,...I bet others will love it...I personally like the combinations you used
Pat625 is offline  
Old 05-13-2012, 07:15 PM
  #7  
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Boca Raton, FL
Posts: 93
Default

You are not alone in your shopping habits. I found this cool FQ it's black with a pink skull and crossbones print on it or maybe it is just skulls. I'm going to it into potholders with the print on one side and a larger version of the skull and crossbones in pink to match appliqued on the other side with pink binding. I've had this FQ for over a year now.

I think a green or purple sashing would look great with those blocks depending on which color you want to focus on the most.
LyraJean is offline  
Old 05-13-2012, 07:22 PM
  #8  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: dallas tx.
Posts: 5,172
Default

I wouldn't go white in the sashing. You don't have white anywhere in the quilt. I think INMO that if you go lighter to go with one of the colors you have already used. I would audition in a fabric shop or your stash. I'll bet you'll love it when you get it finished.
barny is offline  
Old 05-13-2012, 08:56 PM
  #9  
Super Member
 
mountain deb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Petersburg, WV
Posts: 1,512
Default

Originally Posted by jillaine View Post
And I think this is how UFOs are born...
I just love your quote!
mountain deb is offline  
Old 05-13-2012, 09:39 PM
  #10  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Cadillac, MI
Posts: 6,487
Default

I think sashing would lose your secondary pattern. Can you rotate the blocks so the purple triangles are lined up, then the green ones, rather than having the green and purple touching?

I often dislike my quilts at this stage and then like them whem they are finished. The red one I'm working on now is a perfect example. I'm still in the dislike stage, but I have high hopes I'll change my mind when it is finished.
irishrose is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
RebelDigger
For Vintage & Antique Machine Enthusiasts
5
01-22-2014 08:45 AM
J Miller
For Vintage & Antique Machine Enthusiasts
4
06-16-2012 04:44 PM
BuzzinBumble
For Vintage & Antique Machine Enthusiasts
20
05-24-2012 11:41 AM
Hosta
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
18
01-16-2011 08:07 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


FREE Quilting Newsletter