Really ugly blocks
 

Years ago, early in my quilting career, I thought I'd make an Amish style quilt. I pieced intense yellow and dark blue pieces into 9-patch blocks. Then I did some of orange with the same blue. They sat for decades. I'm now trying to finish up several UFOs of years' standing. I put a few of these blocks up on the design wall and studied them for weeks, but I can't decide what to do with them. The Amish make beautiful quilts -- this is NOT beautiful! I thought of cutting them up into quarters and mixing them with other quartered 9 patches to make a disappearing 9 patch. Then I thought, nah, that would still be ugly. Then I thought of cutting them into skinny strips and making a string quilt using them and other fabrics. But there are too many of the blocks and they would dominate the quilt. I don't want to throw them out, but . . . ??? Suggestions?

Picitures would be helpful.

I rather like blue, orange, and yellow together.

Maybe the blocks really are not for "you" and you'd be better to just let them sit longer, or give them away, than to get outright frustrated!!

Though posting some photos, might give others a better sense of what you are trying to work with and you might get some suggestions that can help inspire you towards an end result.

If you have a dog, they would love the quilt. Blues and yellows are about the only colors they can see.

When I make something that does not appeal to me at all i finish it. When I show it at guilt someone Will say they like it. So it goes in the donations pile. Fortunately Not everyone has my taste.

You can cut them on the diagonal and add a solid triangle. Have you considered sashing them to separate the divergent colors that do not thrill you? Yes, a photo might help our vision of your blocks.

I find once an ugly quilt has been quilted, it turns into a beautiful swan. 9-patch disappearing block changes the whole look of an ugly block also.

We really need a picture please. Have you thought of a double disappearing 9 patch? It would introduce another colour that might tone down your very strong colours. I think I'd try a light tone on tone or maybe something with a very tiny print.

Here is a pic of my double disappearing 9 patch. It was done with scraps but the pattern works well with solids too.

I made an "ugly" quilt for my dog out of scraps. Got it done, seems some of my friends really like even better than the ones I like!

If you belong to a Guild, place them on the donations table. Someone will love them or at least take them to feed their stash. Either way, you will be done with them.

reversible quilts are always good too. use it them as backing.

add purple and black colors to make a halloween quilt....

So many good ideas! How will you ever choose? ;)

And lime green.

I've been in your shoes, I finally put them on the donation table at a Guild meeting. They are gone, and I have an empty space to fill up with some other fabric I love.

Thank you, all, for your great suggestions! I love the idea of cutting the blocks diagonally, and the one of adding lime into the mix. I think maybe also white, and make it all into a sort of Jacob's Ladder. I'm off to cut blocks!