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.

I've got one on my design wall right now. I saw a quilt and wanted to make something similar, even though it's out of my color comfort zone. Don't know if I don't like it because of the colors or what. I'll press on, sometimes I get discouraged at this stage but like the end result.

As far as your quilt, I like the colors a lot, but maybe there's a bit too much going on between the fabric print and the pattern. If you have enough fabric, I would remove the burgundy corners from a couple of blocks and replace them with the same gold used in the others. this way, the secondary QST design would be replaced with a square on point.
You actually don't have to unsew at this point, just cut some of the gold triangle and audition them.

Isnt that fabric line Lilac Hill? Maybe a lavendar would help.

oooh I do that all the time. Sometimes it might be awhile before I get it done. But someday I will do it. lol

Just finish it up and give away.

Your blocks look wonderful to me. I think it will be fine, perhaps you could continue on with the design and then choose a border pattern or fabric that pulls it together or makes everything else go BAM! Sometimes how we quilt them will also bring a fabric to the front or push it to the back. You never know this quilt may end up being one of your favorites once its all finished.

I think many of us go through these feelings when we are making the blocks. Then when we get the blocks put together they sort of come alive and we love them. Don't let this become a UFO. I love your blocks and your colors are beautiful. Take them to a quilt shop and audition them. I'll bet there will be something that will help you love them again.

I like your blocks too. Maybe you are being too hard on yourself?

I like the idea that was proposed for light sashing. I would also add borders of the eggplant and dark green. Thanks for posting- they are pretty and once you put them all together, the quilt will be terrific. Keep us up to date.

I learned from many books, magazines, classes, and talking to award winning quilters that it isn't the fabric design that comes first, it's the contrast of fabrics that comes first then the color way then the fabric design. Get one of the red and green plastic fabric viewing screens and you can instantly see the contrast in the fabric. I was surprised at what I thought was light fabric against med fabric were both the same contrast!

I too like what you have & agree sashing would work. Don't give up the blocks are too pretty for that.

Try setting them block=to-block on point before setting them with sashing. Also, how about trying snowball blocks between them?

I agree with some of the others, maybe a medium cream sashing? I think you definitely need a seperator to the blocks, but dark color wouldn't look as good.

That would too bad if it becomes a UFO as individually the fabrics are very pretty, they just need "something" to liven things up a bit. As others have suggested, maybe a different sashing in a contrasting or co-ordinating colour(s) to brighten things. Very pretty fabric though. Good luck in your search !!

I've never seen this tool but it sounds like a winner. Color value isn't always easy to see but makes all the difference in the final design. Your fabrics might be too similar in value so nothing really gives it the pop that makes you love it. You might also consult a color wheel for sashing suggestions. Sometimes a color that isn't even in the fabric but compliments it on the color wheel works. You've done too much work to quit now. Call it a learning quilt and do something you've never done before.

Anyone have a name or link for this red and green plastic fabric viewing screen??? I would be very interested in getting one. Thanks :thumbup:

it needs a dark sashing and it will be fine!

I think they're pretty, would be pretty with maybe a shade of green that matches for sashing?

I think these are absolutely beautiful! m

I loveeeeeeeeeee your fabric and your blocks. I don't know if it's my picture or not, but I don't see any of the brown/wine color in the print fabrics so to me it looks out of place. I think I would switch it out for the palest lavender in the larger leaf print. I also agree with irishrose that sashing would lose the patterns AND about trying it with matching the colors in the diamonds to see how that looks.

Hi! I am finishing up projects that my mother did not finish before she joined the angels. She made a top using this same block pattern. I added some sashing and a couple of borders before sending it out to be quilted. I was pleastantly surprised when the top was completed. I really liked it more than I had anticipated. Good luck finishing it.
Vickie

Those are beautiful blocks, so don't stop now. See nothing wrong with what you have started. Take a couple of days off and then come back to these blocks, or take a couple blocks and just leave them to look at for several days and ideas should come to you. At least it works for me.

How about adding an alternating solid block of the gold or burgandy (used in corner triangles) with th appropriate block. You could have 2 quilts.

I think it grows on one - in a good way -

This isn't as bad as you think. I bet if you played with the blocks some more, and added sashing, you would find something really nice that suited you. I think this could have a very elegant look once you find the right way. Good luck and have fun with it. It's all part of the joy of quilting.

IMHO--put them on point with the snowball block as Mkotch recommended or another nice set could be a stripy with the blocks either on point or straight.

Good suggestions from everyone. Really like the different fabrics. Maybe the second one has too many prints together? Too busy? Look forward to seeing the finished product. Don't quit now you have all of us wanting to see this beautiful quilt (know that it will be great). You have done such a good job on them it would be sad to not have it completed. BrendaK Lov, Love your avatar. Twins?

I like your blocks. Lots of suggestions. I was thinking set them on point with dark HST on the light and light HST on the dark blocks. You could also sash them in grouping of four blocks. The fabric is great and you've done great work piecing them.

wow... this is a LOT of advice. THANK YOU. I did not expect this. VM Rooks could you post a photo of the quilt you finished of these blocks?

I've put the fabric away for a bit. To mature. (LOVE THAT!)
But I'm glad to know that there is this wonderful set of responses that I can turn to when the fabric has aged enough. ;-)

Thank you, everyone!
-- Jillaine

When I was first starting to cross stitch, I made some mistakes on this huge project (I started BIG) and I didn't know what to do. I put it away. Then, after several years, and more cross stitching, I got it back out. I saw that I had done a lot of work, decided I could adjust the pattern (the mistake was in the flowers and actually quite easy to fix once I had some experience) and finished it. It turned out beautifully!

So, your idea to let it "mature" may not be all that bad of an idea.

I think they are lovely and will be curious what you decide to make with them.