Ever have one of those block swaps that once you get the blocks home you haven't a clue what to do with them? This is one of those. This top is about nine years old. I never even finished sewing on the top middle leaf, one of the blocks I made (each of us made two). I made the other leaf as well. I never got into it, even when I was making it. I even hated my own blocks in this. I finished all the ones I had to swap but not the ones I was to keep; just wasn't in it. The colors where just too boring for me. I still don't like it, and I still haven't a clue what to do with it.Found it today when I was working on straightening up some drawers in my front room. At first I was like, "Oh yeah, I need to finish that before I unfolded it." Then it was, "Oh yeah, that one." Any suggestions on what to do with this? I am sure it is lovely to some; it is just too pale for me. I like bright colors and this has almost none of those. It is one of those quilts that haunts you for years. You have nice memories of the ladies who made the blocks, so you don't want to give it away or donate it to charity, so it just sits gathering dust.
Have you ever seen the dolls that are dressed with parts of old quilts for their clothing? You could do something like that...
ReplyDeleteor even uses parts of the squares and create a collage image...tea dye the portions you wish to use, and then add lace scraps, or cutout pictures, etc.
It could even be a fun thing for your girls to do, Cut out a size say..11 by 14... or an easily framed size..and let the girls glue baubles and copies of old photos to them.Something that is perhaps personal to them.
Or even use parts of the quilt onto a crazy looking pillow... where you just use a portion of the squares and assemble in a crazy quilt manner, then embellish with lace and buttons or tassles.
Another idea I have seen is to tea dye the quilt parts, cut out into a heart shape and make a wall pocket, attaching a twisted wire hanger embellished with a few beads, then adding a few bits of lace and decorations, it then becomes a wall pocket that you can put cards in, or usse to hold dry flowers.
Again, since the quilt isn't very old..I'd probably give it a little "age" if I was using it for something like the wallpockets or dolls, or collages.
How have I missed your site. Gosh,I love it. The quilts are beautiful!!!! You are very talented.
ReplyDeleteLaura
What about dying it? You could pick a brighter color and dye the whole thing and the color would be a bit different mixed with the colors that are already there...maybe a blue, then you'd get different shades of blue and purple and greenish..
ReplyDeleteI like the dying idea. I was thinking of taking the blocks apart and adding bright sashing to make it POP more.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing is you could use it as backing for another quilt so that you would always have it as-is to keep the memories intact.
Hi, Sunshine. It is so good to check out your blog. I have not seen it since before I left on vacation.
ReplyDeleteAh...first quilts. I am with you on the color scheme here. It is very medium. That was popular in the 80s and 90s, those medium country colors. I can't believe you actually finished yours!1 What a boost that you did it because of your love and affection for the women in the swap.
Well, I probably would not do a thing to it except put a label on the back and let my daughter use it for a lapquilt. I like the story that goes with it, so I would just make a label telling why the colors were chosen, how you felt about it, and that it is a true accomplishment to have finished it!!
I still have blocks from three swaps with the quilters I see. I have yet to make them up into three separate quilts as they are all different themes. It makes me think this might be a good winter proect while I am at home. Well, at least you have inspired me to dig them out and do something with them.
What a surprise to see my embroidered block on the site. I can't wait for the exchange with them. These will be lovely with homespun in a tabletop small quilt.
Sunshine< Each of the blocks is great! As with all sampler quilts you want each one to sort of shine so ( I hate to say this but...) why not take it apart and sash each block with an overall coordinating fabric but in a deeper hue than the quilt? That way each block is framed and I would do a simple binding for the edge in the deeper hue or maybe even one step deeper for more contrast. I like the patterns and the blocks, I think as is it just sort of all blends together too much for this style of quilt.
ReplyDeleteThis is a nice quilt compared to "the ugly quilt" I am struggling to finish for a "customer". You can't imagine what she picked in the way of color choices against my gently trying to steer her toward more "palatable" selections!
I have been thinking of taking the whole thing apart I was just hoping for an easier solution but it really hasn't shown up yet. I think that is what I am stuck with tear out. The ideas I have thus far are taking it apart and set a log cabin block, or a court house steps block, or nine patch, or even just a solid block in between each one and sash as this will add a lot of color to the quilt. It is just so blasted boring to me as it stands that I have to do something to it..
ReplyDeleteI like the framing each block idea. I think that the lower right maroony red is bright, and the blues would work together to add nice contrast and frame each of the blocks well! Yep, more work but the mostly beige backgrounds blend too much for your liking color! Maybe a window sashing frame idea, blue two sides with red the other two, or use only blues a dark blue two sides and light blue the other two. Make an outter frame maybe even of strips of all the colors represented if you have fabrics left over. Making sure to put that lovely maroon red into four hearts in each corner of the outter final frame to represent the love that all of the ladies put into this quilt.
ReplyDeleteAs I'm not yet done with my first-ever quilt I am no expert! But I see what you mean about the colors.
ReplyDeleteOn the needleworking list someone suggested rearranging the blocks or removing some of them. I also like the sashing idea.
If you remove three blocks I think it should be the brightest three, that is:
The bottom left with the bright blue, the center, second-from-top with the same blue, and the bright one to the right of it (right side, second row from top). See, I am so new to quilting that I don't know the names of the blocks).
You could make a simple little purse with those three blocks, small enough your "scarlet fever child" could use it :)
Definitely the one you have in center bottom should move to a corner, so the rest of the quilt can radiate out from it.
Like the other person on the needleworking list said (sorry, I can't remember who that was), I'd love to have the individual blocks and play with moving them around :) I do think sashing would help.
Sorry all my ideas involve taking it all apart, so much work, but I bet if you do you'll like it better!
peace,
julie