My Mom had similar experience, had a quilt top she just called the Ugly Quilt. Finally finished it up, and entered in the County Fair. Much to her surprise, she received a champion ribbon on it. We decided it wasn't as UGLY as we first thought. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I mean the Judge..

First, I would take off the mustard. Then, I would take the stars blocks apart, and scatter them instead of sewing them into rows. It would be a lot of work, but well worth it. It's a rainy day project and could also be done in the evening while "listenting" to TV It would be a shame to just abandon all the work you have put into it. The stars are beautiful. There are so many colors available these days for the borders. Alex Anderson's books are helpful.
She's a star person, and so am I. You did a wonderful job on your stars. Good luck. GiGi

I would take apart what I need to to get rid of the mustard yellow and rework it to a smaller size or use a different border that compliments the stars and is a bit smaller.The stars are great!

This is the way I would go too - since ther are mustard blocks showing in the quilt it just seems like the right thing to do - you could even use the part you cut off to applique in the wide borders between the stars

i would quilt it anyway! if you dont like it, donate it!
i see feathers between the rows!
katz

I agree with the ones who've said that if you hate it now, you'll probably always hate it! :D (I have a couple of projects like that)

I would take out the star blocks and set them with alternating blocks, either plain or pieced, and get a nice throw out of it or maybe a full-sized bed cover. :)

Applique something on those mustard coloured strips to break the stars being in a row....

I would take out the mustard and yellow as well as the light colored strips and replace with smaller strips using some darker shade using applique or stitching with a different color thread.

I agree with all about getting rid of the mustard color. I personally can rip out seams very quickly, partly from doing it a lot, and also because I use the OLFA point cutter. Once i get the first couple of stitches out it is a matter of holding it on my lap with the outer heel of my right hand, the left pulling upwards on the seam, and my right hand just lightly tapping the open seam (still holding fabric down with heel) with the point cutter. Goes soooo quickly and have never cut through material.

I'm a little late on this idea, but what about a good fabric pen and write some of your favorite poetry in the wide sashes?

I agree that its the mustard border that is not up to todays colorways. Rip it off and I'm sure everything will look so much better. If you STILL don't like it, donate it to charity, your guild , or a family member. I really think that once the mustard is gone, you will love it again.

I too would remove that gold fabric and use the gorgeous star strips with other sashing or strips. Good luck!

This was going to be my suggestion. Love the piecing of the stars.

We did a trade at our guild, bringing in UFOs that we were tired of. All were wrapped and then exchanged. Everyone went home with a new UFO. This really makes sense because we get tired of an item that's been around and run out of fresh ideas. Someone else might just love this (as I do!).
What I would do with this if it were mine, is take off the gold border and replace it with something that matches the stars and is more up to date. Then I would applique a flower or circle onto the remaining gold squares that I see are in the quilt. The flowers/circles would cover MOST of the gold so you wouldn't really pay much attention to it in the end. BUT I think I would save the border and use it as a binding to bring the gold back in but in a much smaller dose.

You know you can do thread painting on the mustard strips, it would change up the color...I wouldn't give up on it...your top is much to pretty for that...

I would remove the borders and then take another look at the quilt top. The borders are VERY 1970s -- I know because I probably used that color by the bolt. I love the current look of lots of white fabric with colors. If you can match the white and you need the borders, try adding a smaller white border.

If all else fails, you can send it me. It will look lovely in my guest room (minus the mustard yellow borders, of course). Have fun remaking it.

This would be a great charity quilt. You can tie it or practice your machine quilting on it and donate it to a needy group in your area..You will enjoy the satisfaction of doing this for someone who can't do this for themselves.

I LIKE THAT IDEA! I agree with the group, the dark gold around the border has to go.

REally like the idea of cutting off the mustard border instead of trying to take out the stitching. Good idea!

The stars are beautiful.....mustard is out (forever, I hope). I would rip, rip, rip off the mustard and salvage those stars in something more to YOUR liking! Make yourself happy!

Take the yellow off and add smaller borders of colors more in tune with the stars, then if you still don't like it pass it on to someone who does.

Maybe make the mustard color 1/2 wide and add anoter border color that s in the blocks. A newbie at this so its just what I would do...........

I agree get out the seam ripper get the top the way you want it. You wont be sorry and will be happy you were able to salvage a lot of work that went into it.

i've noticed that setting blocks on point really dresses up a few blocks when every other block is plain.

I agree. Can you cut it in half and finish it off, making two lap quilts...then donate them to a senior center, nursing, home or Project Linus? Someone would appreciate it.

Follow your instincts. Look through your stash and see if you have a print or prints that would help bring everything together. then modify the quilt with the print. By modify, I mean if you really don't like to rip out, cut down the big plain strips of the white and gold to be like a sashing of maybe two inches, and put the print(s) in between. If you have more than one print that will work and you like how they play off each other and the stars, use them alternately or choose one print to switch out the white and the other to switch out the gold. this would give it a scrappy look like the stars.
Good Luck! you can do it and make it pretty. I know it.

How about tea dying it? Would that tone down the colors you don't like? Finish it and then donate it. Some one would love it. That would make a great Hospice quilt. Or, if it's really big, is there a way to divide it into 2 quilts? Then you could donate 2 quilts!

I like it the way it is and would just finnish it, stiple and use it for a beautiful quilt to take along and picnic etc. Yes, dated with the mustard and fabrics but that all adds to it. Maybe I would tea dye it after it wa finnished to add to the nostalgic look. I would even use mountain mist or other fluffy polly batting to make it look 70ies done.

My solution for quilts I have fallen out of love with is to finish it up and donate it - as a new longarm owner, I have been taking in charity quilts to do as practice. I get better with each one and the charity gets free longarm services for now. I have also donated partially finished quilts to this same group of ladies at a community center - someone there falls in love with it and finishes it (either for themselves or the charity). I don't really care where it ends up as long as it is out of my life -- I recently donated a Christmas tree skirt that just needed the binding finished - not sure who will be enjoying this, but I didn't need it since my son gave me one as a gift and I had to keep his (I also like it a lot). Life is too short and there are a lot of quilts I want to make to keep something that is just "hanging over my head".

I signed up for a class to make a scrappy quilt - we all shared the pieces we had pre-cut. Needless to say all the cuts were not equal! There were a lot of chances for the quilt not to come together quite right. When the quilt was all done, I really didn't like it. I took it to our local quilt shop and was talking to one of the ladies there and she thought it was "beautiful". Boy, did I make her day when I just gave it to her. She still talks about it. She put a back on it and quilted it and donated it to her church for an auction - it earned over $150!

I agree with this, those plain strips could become beautiful with vines,flowers, etc. Then do the same in the borders and quilting can make it come alive even more.

If you really don't like it but don't want to waste it, how about finishing it for a charity donation? Check with local hospitals, or with the quilt guild in Waco (if there's not one closer to you). I'll bet they'd have suggestions for where it would be appreciated. It might be too big, but if that's the case, you could probably make two or more smaller quilts out of it. I'm thinking that the part in the front of your picture would be great for a man's lap quilt or even a baby boy. Someone on this board posted recently that there tend to be a lot more quilts donated that are suitable for girls than than for boys. You could pull out some of the star blocks from the middle area and use them in a different project, such as making yourself some pretty pillow tops. The guild might have volunteers who would finish it to donate. So if you really just want to get shut of it, just donate it to them to figure out. I'm just speculating based on activities of my local quilt guild, which is a charitable organization and is always looking for projects. The star blocks are great and you put a lot of work into this. Don't let it all go to waste, whatever you decide.

Why not finished it and donate to a woman's care center you will feel blessed knowing you are helping someone.

Remodeling the Qult
 

I agree with the others, Remove the mustard and fabric attaching the star strips and make a red, white, and blue quilt. Those are always very popular. I make them all the time for the wounded vetrans and the civillians always favor them over the other colors. You have a good thing going here. A sharp seam ripper will save the day.
If it is big, it will make a great quilt for anyone's bed. This is a greqt find and has tremendous possibilities.

I agree with Lori S.This is a good idea. Good luck. With an open mind it will be beautiful .:thumbup: Rowena101

Why don't you just tie it like they did in the an earlier time - the piecing is nice - If you don't want it - send it my way - I'll find it a happy home!!

I like all but the border. I would just replace that.

Why rip it when you can cut it. If you don't like the borders, cut them off. If you want to salvage the blocks cut them apart.Personally I think you could do some lovely quilting down those wide columns of solid fabric. If you are going to toss it anyway, cut out what you want and make pot holders out of the remaining. I do like the suggestion of donating it. You mya not like it but some homeless person would love it's warmth. Quilt it up and donate it to a shelter. I do like your stars! Nice work piecing all of it. Good luck!

I would take and finish it then donate to a family homeless shelter or save for home fire survivors. I know someone would be overjoyed to have it and you would receive the joy of giving. At least that is what I would do.

My thoughts exactly, Kathleen. Somebody will love it.