How can I make this quilt better?
 

I made this disappearing pinwheel quilt a couple of years ago and then quit as I didn't like the colours. I regret using white with the light shades. If I could do it again I would use an ivory or beige and I would use darker browns/greens to contrast with it.

I am very temped to throw this out. Why work on something that I dislike right? Two years later and I still don't like it. However, I would hate to just throw it out. I'm wondering if there is a border that I could add that might make it a bit better, or more interesting?

First of all,I like this quilt! Not every quilt has to pop your eyes out...some are just soothing. How about an inner,small border of white and then one of the darker tones for an outer border?

That is definitely a keeper!!! Don't throw it out Lizzie3!!!!! I really like it..... soothing.

I agree with Francie yuhas..... a small white border then a larger, outer border with one of the darker tones.

I agree with the other comments. A dark outer border would really be beautiful.

I like your quilt too, but I can definitely understand where you are coming from. I made a quilt that I absolutely hated once it got to the stage yours is. It ended up languishing in my UFO pile for years, like over ten!! When I got my longarm I needed something to practice on and guess what got dug out of the UFO pile. I did like it a little better after quilting it. I still deemed it a WOMBAT (Waste of Money Batting and Time) but then my friend saw it and she absolutely loved it. I bound it up and happily gifted it to her. That quilt is pictured here: http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...rm-t77776.html

Moral of story, one man's trash is another man's treasure. If it pains you to keep it around as a UFO and you can't bring yourself to take the additional time, effort and $$ to quilt it then gift it to someone or sell it as a top on Ebay or ETSY or even here. You probably won't make what you have invested in fabric but it won't be a total loss. New longarmers will snap it up as a quilt to practice on. Or you can save it to practice FMQ on or if you someday get a longarm you can practice. The beauty of practicing on a quilt you abhor is you don't care if you ruin it!

Don't throw it out, there are many people who would love to have it even in its unfinished state.

I think it is very pretty. Seems to be a very soothing quilt. Definitely don't throw it out-finish it and give to a charity of some kind. I am sure quite a few would appreciate it. I also agree with the QB members that a dark border may perk it up if that is what you want.

When you get a darker border on as these above me suggested, maybe you will like it better.

I agree about the border suggestions but if you still don't like it why not donate it to the people in Canada that have lost everything to the fires.

I agree about the border and finishing it, because someone else will love it. However, I might enjoy adding a fairly large, colorful, appliqued butterfly to change the mood.

It seems like quite a few people like this very much. Maybe you could have a contest and just charge postage for the winner.

I agree with everyone. The quilt is lovely and it shows your masterful piecing....look at those points and corners.......too lovely not to finish. Border that up and get it quilted......I'd try to find a fabric that incorporates all the colors as mentioned above. You will be surprised how beautiful it will be once you finish!

I think it is very pretty - I like the subdued colors - I think it has an elegant air about it.

You may change your mind after you quilt it. Definitely finish it. It's subtle and lots of people like that kind of quilt.

I know you don't want to spend a lot of time finishing it. I would add three or four 3 inch borders around it in any of the darker fabric you have in the blocks. I wouldn't use any more of the background fabric

I would finish it for sure. I would flip the border suggestions, however, and go with a narrow dark inner border then a medium to light outer border. Finish it and keep it for an unexpected gift. With the colors you have chosen, it would work for a guy or a gal.

I quite like it...in fact I made a quilt with many of the same fabrics line last year. Different pattern but I loved the quietness of it. I put a milk chocolate colored border on mine and it kind of anchored everything. You could also use a steely blue or mossy green too. Don't give up on it though, it's lovely and you put a lot of work into it.

I agree with the first two who responded- white inner border to bring the white all together and then a dark larger border to frame it. It reminds me of a classic white shirt that just needs that dark scarf or jacket to pull it off. At the least, it will be off your to do list!

i like this suggestion if you absolutely have no desire to spend another minute or dime on it. In other words, if no amount of encouragement makes you want to finish it, then turn lemons into lemonade by having a contest here.

I agree with all the other posts. Take it to where you bought your fabric and have fun looking at darker prints. You will be amazed when you see the right print.

I have made several quilts in neutrals and white, and think they have a peaceful elegance to them. Your is lovely. However we all have different tastes, and if you just don't like it, finish it up quickly and give it away! It has a modern look, and would be great without a border at all if it is large enough for a throw or lap quilt. Just go ahead and sandwich it, do some simple straight line quilting, bind in one of the neutral quilt fabrics and gift it on!!!

This one is going to be a real winner once it's quilted. It would make a great quilt for a man. You can always donate it if you don't have a use for it, but definitely finish it.

I like the quilt. If it were mine I would do a fairly narrow white border, a very narrow dark border, pinwheels in the colors and size of the body of the quilt and then reverse the dark and white borders. Bind in dark. Maybe even white, dark, white, pinwheels, white, dark, white and bind dark but not necessarily the same dark as in the borders.
Just my 2 cents.

Whenever I have a quilt I just don't like, I finish it quick and gift it to someone who likes it. It is liberating to get rid of unfinished projects.

I'm with everyone else here. I really like it. But, if you wanted to have some color in the lighter areas, there are lots of tutorials on youtube showing how to use various drawing/painting media to add color. I've seen some that use Derwent Intense pencils (a form of watercolor pencil), other use fabric paints, etc. If you really don't like it but want to experiment with new techniques that would be one you could try.

But, really, I think it is very elegant as it is.

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I agree with everyone that the quilt is lovely. It has a modern, neutral feel. Very soothing. Border less or white and darker border would work, in my mind.

I'm not making any suggestions for finishing, because you have plenty already. I just want to say that I think it's a beautiful quilt, and I would not leave it unfinished - even if you just quilt and bind it. I love the subtle colors.

How about tea dying to give it a vintage look.

I would pull some of the slate grey/blue out with a border of the slate and smaller border of white then another of the slate color the same size as the first border.
Or you could just bind finish it and donate it.

I do like the potential. What I don't like is the distribution of what appears to be solid pinwheels (maybe small prints) vs larger prints. Visually it's not evenly distributed/balanced.

I'd be tempted to tear the bigger blocks apart and rearrange the order to see if i like it better.

Wow you are all making me feel a lot better about the colours of the quilt! I think I struggle with the colours as they are out of my comfort zone. Usually I make really bright quilts full of colour. I really took my time making the points for this quilt and was/am quite proud of that. If you all like this than I am sure I have someone in my life who would like it. I will take the suggestion of adding a small white border and than a larger dark border. I will just quilt it with simple lines to finish it off.


117becca - that is a good observation. They are little prints but I agree with you that it doesn't work as well as it could the way it is with the larger prints. Something I will keep it in mind for future quilts.

you will really love it when you add a dark border and quilt it.

I like your quilt! The borders suggested would add to it, but I think often, more than anything, it's the quilting that breathes life into the quilt. It's definitely worth finishing, or if you can't get past it, hand it off to someone who would like to finish it. It's a really nice quilt so far!!!

Finish the quilt then see how you feel. Sewing that last stitch has a strong feeling of satisfaction. Then you can decide what to do from gifting to keeping as a just in case.

You could always applique a large spray of flowers over the whole thing - use the quilt top as if it were just a piece of variegated fabric. I think it looks rather classy as is, though.

If it were mine, I would use a narrow white border first, say two and half inches. Following that, I would use one of the rich brown tones which appear in the pinwheels of your wonderful top. Bind the finished quilt in white, or pick one of the lighter browns/beiges. You've created something truly special. Don't give up on it just yet.

Your top really is pretty even if it is low volume in color. It is serene and comfortable to look at. You have received lots of wonderful suggestions. Please finish it so that it can be used by someone else if you don't like it after finishing it. It is only a waste if you don't finish it.

keep the quilt. add narrow white, then wider darker color then bind with tan.

Neutral quilts are awesome and this one is awesome. If you are tired of it just put a narrow white border and then another outer border and save to give someone.

I totally agree, it is very soothing but I also think the ideas for the border are right on !!