Really Ugly Quilt
05-05-2012, 09:26 AM
#34
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: MO.
Posts: 2,681
It is a lovely shabby chic quilt and when you add the borders it will be a very pretty quilt. Don't toss it or bury it in a ufo basket, I wouldn't take it apart either, just border and quilt, it is sure to find a home.
05-05-2012, 09:36 AM
#35
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Monroe, IN
Posts: 2,283
Is this still 'just a top'?
If so: There are things you can easily do with this, but it WILL require some work.
Keep telling yourself it will be worth it in the end.
1. First, take the quilt apart into blocks.
2. On the 3-strip block add a narrow border strip at the sides of the block like the graphic below. Use a much darker color that will accent your medium value fabrics, perhaps a deep/dark rose.
3. On the plain green floral blocks, add a deep/dark strip of perhaps the dark green in the leaves on 2 opposite sides of that block.
4. Reassemble the quilt as you pieced it before.
5. If you have any of the green floral fabric left, make a narrow border all around the top, about 2/3 the width of the cut strips in your blocks.
6. Add a dark green then a dark rose border.
7. Bind with the pale pink floral fabric which will be pretty against the dark rose border.
I’m betting you’ll love it after this effort because all you really need in it is contrast!
Jan in VA
If so: There are things you can easily do with this, but it WILL require some work.
Keep telling yourself it will be worth it in the end.
1. First, take the quilt apart into blocks.
2. On the 3-strip block add a narrow border strip at the sides of the block like the graphic below. Use a much darker color that will accent your medium value fabrics, perhaps a deep/dark rose.
3. On the plain green floral blocks, add a deep/dark strip of perhaps the dark green in the leaves on 2 opposite sides of that block.
4. Reassemble the quilt as you pieced it before.
5. If you have any of the green floral fabric left, make a narrow border all around the top, about 2/3 the width of the cut strips in your blocks.
6. Add a dark green then a dark rose border.
7. Bind with the pale pink floral fabric which will be pretty against the dark rose border.
I’m betting you’ll love it after this effort because all you really need in it is contrast!
Jan in VA
05-05-2012, 10:23 AM
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Ohio
Posts: 674
I made a top that I thought I would love, but it turned out so ugly (to me). It reminds me of my grandmother's awful flowered chinz sofa when I was a child. I don't know what to do with it. I have tried to find something to border it, but I have been dissatisfied with all the fabrics I have auditioned. I strongly suspect that is because I find the fabrics so awful when put together. I know, I picked them out and really thought they would be beautiful together . . . what was I thinking?!?! Was I just blind or does this happen to others, too. Does anyone have any suggestions or solutions? I can post a photo of it if necessary. Maybe there's someone out there who will love it, but I can't help but think this will be my first UFO. 
05-05-2012, 10:29 AM
#37
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Ohio
Posts: 674
05-05-2012, 10:56 AM
#38
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 830
Thank you all for your invaluable expertise and input. I will carefully consider each option and if I still think it's ugly, I'll send it to someone who will love it. I don't mind putting in the work, and I WISH I was young enough not to remember when draperies and sofas were made in the big floral patterns, but this just didn't work for me. I'll repost when I have decided on a solution and finished the borders. As for the quilting aspect, that's unfortunately something I don't do at home. As my good friend and class instructor says, "I quilt by check." I was already considering the red/rose colors and also red and yellow. You can't really see the yellow in the photo, but there is a beautiful shade of buttery yellow in the florals. I'll keep the faith and forge ahead. Thanks for your kind words, I don't feel like it's quite so hopeless now. :^)
05-05-2012, 12:16 PM
#39
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: S. W. Indiana
Posts: 7,484
There's no way on earth I'd rip that quilt apart. The "warm wishes" pattern is nice and doesn't need to be fixed.
05-05-2012, 12:21 PM
#40
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: S. W. Indiana
Posts: 7,484
One other possibility------ the square that is framed is the same as the square that isn't, which causes the contrast problem.
IF YOU HAVE more of the rose fabric available, how about FUSSY CUTTING a clump of roses for each framed block and appliqueing the fussy cut. You need to create contrast--------and that might do it.
IF YOU HAVE more of the rose fabric available, how about FUSSY CUTTING a clump of roses for each framed block and appliqueing the fussy cut. You need to create contrast--------and that might do it.
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