Need help salvaging this ugly quilt
 

I bought a Robert Kauffman layer cake package thinking if all the colors are from the same designer and already sorted as a grouping, how could I go wrong? Well this is definitely wrong. I didn't like it from the time I started putting it together. But it was the first time I ever used solids and thought if I persisted, it would get better and that when finished, my talented LAer would be able to add magic to give it interest and texture. But when I saw it spread over my friend's queen size bed to see how it would fit the size, I absolutely hated it... I have started taking it apart. But is there anything I can do with the blocks to make it better. Separately the colors are nice. Together they just don't seem to work.

The intended recipient wants something with teal -- has teal and brown bedroom.

maybe make blocks of four patches and use sashings. or turn each one on point and add squares...

I would use the squares that you have as corner units of a D9P, using navy as the four inner squares and a purple/lilac for the centre square.
Might be interesting.
Maybe do a test run with one 9 patch unit....

I think it needs a little bit of a "zinger" color to liven it up. I was going to suggest a very white white, but do you have that in there already? ....maybe if the zinger color was used as a thin sashing between blocks, which would be a simple way to add it. if you already have a bright white in there, I'd look for a dark fabric (a really dark teal?) for thin sashings, something to provide some contrast.

What is i5 that you don’t like about it? Is it the colors or is it the pattern?

It would look something like this if you used brown sashing. Does that look better?

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Quiltnan...you are amazing to whip this out. That looks awesome..

I love the colors in this quilt top.... Black sashing would be really dramatic.....white sashing would pretty too... Or yellow may be pretty too. Geesh...the options! The on-point with lattice someone mentioned would be cool too.

Another idea.... Use a solid inner border to break up the blocks...for instance: center of 4x5 blocks and place solid border..then another row of blocks...then a solid outer border.

I would try sorting the blocks: dark, medium-dark, medium-light and light. Then arrange them in a gradient. This might make it more cohesive.

This was one of the things I was considering, but when I tried out all the brown I have (mostly scraps) just to see how it would look, the browns didn't help. Yours looks better than the colors I had. Maybe I am going to have to take some of this to a fabric store to find a match.

I considered this too ... The white is really a Very light blue/green. I think the lightest colors seem to be dissonant in the blocks and would work better as sashing.

I should have done something like this. But now that I have the blocks sewn together, there are too many lights mixed with the darks.

Personally I would add a pop of golden yellow and/or orange. Take some blocks and replace one of the four sectionsi with the pop color. It doesn’t need to be every block, maybe about half of them. You might even be able to do only about a third of the blocks and distribute them sort of randomly around the quilt.

That is another good idea.

I'm with bjchad--some pops of color--like a goldenrod or a bright violet, would really make this into a very modern quilt. I'd do that without any sashing, mixing in a few pops of color into the blocks, then use 3 borders--about a 1-2" one of one of the teals (either the very light or the darkest), a VERY thin strip of the "pop" color and then a wider border of either the dark or the light (whichever you didn't use on the first one). I do think getting used to all solids quilts takes awhile!

Can you make a center medallion with blue/teal and brown and use the odd blocks as a wide border? Then find a teal and brown print as an outer border/binding? When I squint, I see the blocks you have as sort of a crazy quilt.

I haven't seriously "taken this apart" but I'm wondering if it's the placement of the pieces that is the problem. Can those be arranged so it's somewhat a pinwheel or whirligig design with the dark blue and the light making secondary designs? What does your pattern suggest for arrangement?

I think this suggestion would be good!

I don't like adding the brown...but I don't like brown in any form other than hardwood floors or furniture (LOL)

I think it needs pops of color....maybe some subtle prints..I don't know how old the recipent is...polka dots?? geometric shape - circles, visions of bubbles floating in the air...Sometimes a batik can give you that subtle prints

I can understand how you feel about your quilt at this point. It seems that the squares were put together randomly-which can be OK. However, when the squares got put together some of the dark color and some of the light color seem to be 'clumped' together. The randomness got lost and any definition disappeared into confusion. You mentioned that the recipient has used teal and brown in the room where it will be used. I think the brown needs to be addressed. I really like Quilting Nan's approach. It gives organization to the blocks. I think the use of borders would help a lot. I think your blocks have lots of potential but you need to be friends with your ripper. Please show us what you decide to do. Try not to be discouraged as you forge ahead.

I think quilts with solids look kind of blah until you get them quilted. I always like them better after they are quilted. If your friend likes the colors then I wouldn't change it. As a quilter if you miss prints, then find a printed fabric for the border, but otherwise don't stress, just finish it. JMHO

Hi DeneK, I have made one of these before. My blues were bluejeans. If you could make more blocks that have many colors and alternate them , it would add more interest. It would also give you two quilts;)

I am thinking what others are. A little sashing in a neutral color could break that up nicely.

I think what Nan's EQ rendition does well is continuity. In your photo, the blocks are randomly turned. In Nan's quilt they are repeated in a certain order. I think that would help. It seems just too jumbled to me. The sashing will help, too.

I made a Blue quilt a while back, too. I hated it at first. It was a "quartered stripe" pattern. A friend suggested I use white sashing and set it on point. I kept looking at it and did sash it in white. It helped.

I'm sure setting it on point would have made all the difference, but it was more than I wanted to tackle, as I am not very experienced. It's now in my UFO pile. I don't hate it as much as I did. However, I don't like it enough to spend $160.00 to get it quilted, either.

Sometimes, they just don't turn out like we imagined.

bkay

I think that QuiltnNan has it nailed. The brown sashing is perfect for a brown and blue bedroom.

I would start by not looking at the whole quilt (can be overwhelming).Start by selecting blocks to make a cohesive 4 patch (example - put 4 blocks together in such a away as to have the dark bits or the whites meet in the center). You may end up with 18 big blocks or maybe just 12 - doesn't matter. Then use a sashing that will stop the eye - either the dark blue or white, not a medium color. Depending on how many blocks you end up with, border it to make the size you want. If you only use 12 blocks, you can sew the remaining together and then cut them in strips (think a modified piano border) and use them to make it bigger, with a small border between the top and the border. I have found by separating and doing a bit of changing, I have turned a top from something I didn't want to work on into something I really liked. Good luck - I'm sure they will like it.

i chose the brown only because you said those are the colors in the room

It would make a perfect background for a simple appliqué design.

I like bjchad's idea

Try sashings made of a brown print? Or maybe a brown tonal batik? Or a brown applique in each square? Maybe a brown and teal Celtic applique that travels across the entire quilt?

I know how you feel, taking it apart and re-doing it. I had the challenge with an Album Quilt which I thought could be a lot better. So, I re-did it, and just have to tie it now. It just wasn't my best.
I also had a table topper with the Amish Pattern of a large center block, and all hand quilted. It had the cornerstones of Amish Blocks and looked really good.
Decided it could have been better so took it apart and re-did it. It was still pretty when I got it done.
Don't worry; I now just do my best work the first time!
Mariah.
All of the suggestion looked very good to me Can't think of anything to add.
Mariah

I actually like it. It's random and modern.

Did you have a pattern for how to put those blocks together? They look like they have lost their way and would be just gorgeous if put together as intended. Nan's presentation has all blocks exactly alike, but yours has some that are different. I would try four blocks and place them in different ways to see what pattern comes out.

And don't dismiss the brown. You could find a pleasing brown for the sashing and it may be stunning with these colors.

I like Teen's idea. Some together for a center and then a border around that, then more blocks around. It is busy. The eye needs somewhere to rest.

It's amazing how a black on white or white on black fabric can jazz up a design. If I were you, I would take every fabric color I had and start laying it out as a sashing. Especially look for contrasts. Or take one of the blocks to Hobby Lobby or Joanne's and hold it up to every fabric they have that you think you may like. I've had to do that before when I just couldn't decide.

Or, look through this Bing search engine Crazy Quilt with Sashing images. Maybe you'll get some inspiration. https://www.bing.com/images/search?q...ages&FORM=IGRE

Try a 3 part sashing....brown, teal, brown Sometimes that little bit of variance makes the difference.

If I were closer we could have a frogging party...rippit, rippit, rippit. I spent some time studying the blocks. If you look at the 4th row over the blocks make a saw tooth type design with the dark part of the blocks going vertically. If you have enough you could arrange them around a solid piece of brown or a brown print to form a square or rectangular design as a focal point in the center (or wherever you want it) and maybe do the same with the lighter colored blocks to fill in around the eye catcher area. Could even border around the areas with the brown to separate it like square outlines in 3 sizes. (Makes sense to me...maybe not saying it right) The brown accent would make it look 3 dimensional. Hopefully not too confusing to decipher what I'm trying to say.

Interesting you hate it because i don't think it's that bad. Have you considered doing some applique over it? Someone suggested snowflakes. But it could be anything.

I made a quilt one time called "Confusion" found it on the internet. It had the odd shaped pieces to make a square block and used different fabrics, which I chose shades of blue in small prints. The one suggestion I got from their instructions was to try to make colorways thru the quilt. In other words, try to match the white at the corners and sides to made a path thru the quilt of white. And the other colors. The pieces that look like a 4 patch help move the color to another shade. I am going to try to attach a picture I made of printing your quilt, cutting it into the little squares and arranging them so the white is near the middle, the lighter blue next and the darker colors toward the outside but touching its same color to lead your eye. I think you would need to make some more squares with

white in them to [ATTACH=CONFIG]585897[/ATTACH]make it better. The little squares were not exactly square so that is why they don't fit so well. I put a border on mine like a piano keyboard but in all the colors of the quilt.

[QUOTE=Jennifer23;7967358]I would try sorting the blocks: dark, medium-dark, medium-light and light. Then arrange them in a gradient. This might make it more cohesive.[/QUO
I would do this before anything else. Don't go thru all the work until you try this. I think it would be great and look very modern. And to me, quilting always makes any flimsy look so much better!