What would you do with this top?
 

Howdy,
This is a top I machine pieced in the early 1970's!!!!!!

It was made to fit a double bed tothe floor cover at the time & the yellow & gold fabrics were added to assist it fitting in with the bedroom decor, colors ambiance!!!!!!!!!

Well, now it just doesn't work at all for me! Not happy with the colors or why on earth the strips are so wide, not sure what I was going to put in strips that wide, I guess quilting designs.
I really hate to rip out all the seams, but doubt I would ever do anything with it as it is. It would remain an UFO!

So I'm open for suggestions, I forgot to measure it, but it is big. I also pieced a backing of light green fabric for it.

All machine sewn even the blocks.

I hate that I found it this weekend & had forgotten it for so many years!

Lots of work in this quilt to just toss. The mustard color is not my favorite today. Very popular years ago. May i suggest a fix. Machine applique (fuse then sew around) a large design possibly repeating the stars from the quilt. This will tone down mustards color and make it look like it si supposed to be part of the design.

Beautiful piecework. Love the star colors and design

I'm one who would take out seams, remove boarders then separate the stripes and see if you cam rework it.I am very familiar with a seam ripper-fabric costs too much! I once removed the stitching from a lap throw I had sewn years ago-completely finished but as my sewing has improved the worse it got to looking so I spent 3 hors removing the stitches only the find I had not cut the pieces and I ended with about 3 yards of uncut material to work with. So I'd say if you can see anything redeemable to you in your quilt top, really think a bout tearing it down or re-cut and material to your liking in. After all it's your quilt you can do anything you want with it.

Me too wendsy... It doesn't take as long as you would think to take it apart and reclaim those blocks for another quilt.

I once took a santa hanger apart three times before I got it right. But, it sure was worth it to have it right.

I'd take off the mustard fabrics and do some kind of vine with leaves, flowers and maybe bees, butterflies or birds in the long plain strips. And I'd have it longarm quilted.

If using the seam ripper has you just .. wanting to toss it back in the box. Consider slicing down the centers of each of those wide plain stips , leaving only 1 inch on each side. Insert a new row of ... something like a new row of stars in colors that would compliment the others.
I would also cut down the border fabric leaving only a very small amount, and add some of the new fabrics used in the addes stars.
If you don't find a solution sell it as many long arm pros are looking for unquilted tops to practice and then donate.

If you don't want to take it apart, donate it.

I would salvage what I like out of the quilt and make a new top. The stars look great, it's just that mustard yellow mixed with the whites that does it in. Good luck!

I guess I'm enough used to seam ripping that it doesn't bother me. If I were doing it, I'd rip the vertical seams...saving the strips of stars. Replace the pale yellow and mustard w sewn together variety of 30's prints about 2-3 in wide.

Yes, salvage what you can. The stars are lovely and really, it is a piece of your past. I certainly would not toss it or put it back in the UFO box. Now that it has seen the light of a new day, it needs to be rescued.

I think you should finish that quilt with everything in tact just as it is. When it is finished you'll be happy you did. Those are colors of the 70's when you did it and you should be proud of it.

Maybe trim borders to narrow and add a different wide border. Maybe applique flowers and add small bits of the yellow in the strips to tie it all together. It's a very nice quilt what ever you decide. Would like to see a picture of what you do to finish it :)

If there are any colors in the quilt that you still like, then rip it into strips of 2 or 3 blocks long. This will give you sections the width of the bed and as long as 2 or 3 rows of blocks.Make a few foot warmers out of them for gifts. You will probably have to lose most of the mustard gold fabric, but you won't have to rip all the seams at once. Border each warmer with the color most becoming to that section of quilt.

Not only have you saved that quilt top, but you've made probably at least 3 nice gifts for next Christmas.

I might remove the gold borders and add a different color borders, but I can see some beautiful quilting in those long white stripes.

This is exactly what I thought!! Just as a picture shows us a slice of the past, this quilt is a slice of the 70's.

But it is your quilt so do what feels right to you:)

Finish it and give it away or donate, a treasure to someone else

All those wide strips are really good to show off quilting! You could take the gold off if you don't like it that much, but looks good to me. Think of it just as another project and enjoy finishing it up for someone else.

Just exactly what she said!

Good suggestion!

Rather than rip out the seams, I would just cut next to them and throw away the seam! Yes, it's a bit of a waste but it's a lot faster.

Do some pretty applique in those wide stripes, maybe machine applique? Looks like it would work well for a queen size bed.

Applique something in the strips------------some moons??????????

Pick a color that you like and dye the whole darned thing, maybe greens?

I'd rip to. That being said if it's not your favorite thing. Swap out with a friend. If they hate cutting offer to cut out a quilt for them if they will rip for you! Quilting friends can have the strangest of relationships lol!! You'd even find members on the board i bet to do that kind of swap....Both benefit!

I like this but would remove the mustard boarder and find another one. Just my humble opinion

dye it-- paint on it--quilt it more--add applique---offer it for sale --i know i couldnt rip it up

Well, I love the stars. So, I would rip it apart, find something else to sash each star with and put it back together. You could use the yellow and mustard for the back if you can't bear to get rid of them.

I'm with ScissorQueen, take it apart and salvage the stars. If you have a stash, look to see what you may be able to use to create a new quilt top. That mustard has to go!

Hi,
I can't tell by the picture if the top's all quilted. If that mustard is a sashing only can you carefully cut it down to a small strip then add something to it?.
let us know what you decide.
dawn227

As a handquilter I can just see lots of lovely quilting with varigated thread in all of the plain areas. If you don't want it and can't bear to take it apart send it to me.

I think I would cut off some of the Yellow(gold)border to 1 each and add a flower border. I do like all the star colors.

Me too! There is too much work to just toss it and the stars are pretty. I couldn't live with the mustard yellow today. I did that back in the 70's

Would you consider cutting the yellow strips down the middle, reducing the size, making a strip of smaller stars to go between the large star rows? Cutting the mustard border down to about 2 inches? No ripping, because you will only stretch the fabric and spend way t much time on a not so pleasing quilt.

Since we can't see the whole quilt, I can't be sure, but I think I would get out the seam ripper and remove all the mustard color in the quilt, and take it from there. It looks like it could be a very pretty quilt without the mustard color. It would be a shame to give up on it, because so much work has gone into it, and it can be a lovely quilt.

Me , I would take the strips of stars and put them together with something else.

All hail the lowly seamripper. What a Tool!!!
If I had a item that I no longer liked, I would rework it. Why not remove the dark gold and replace it with something more modern? A new border that enhances all of those beautiful stars would be very attractive. Turn on the tv and unpick carefully. Start fresh another day.

Get rid of the mustard color, either eliminate the light stripes, or applique over them, save the blocks. :)

Thanking everyone for their suggestions!
I'm thinking I will remove the gold, it is the most offensive color I think! And maybe make the yellow strips narrower. Also most likely will add light blue or a rose color where possible to finish it up. I feel like stars for quilting will be the best. And yes it does bring back the 70's, butdefinitely doesn't fit in with my decor these days!

Thanks to everyone for their comments. Off goes the gold!!!!!!!

I would finish it up and keep as a quilt from the past. In 10 or 20 years you won't like todays colors either. Just like clothes styles and hairstyles. Just the way it is.