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.

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And I think this is how UFOs are born...

I like your blocks but think they need a light color maybe in some sashing?
Sue

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

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.

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

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.

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.

I just love your quote!

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.