Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Decisions, decisions, always decisions!


After auditioning all the material I had enough of, I found all the darker fabrics didn't work against the blocks with dark fabric along the edges.

I decided to go with a medium light blue.
It does pick up the blues used in a few blocks.

All blue seemed a bit too much, so I dug out a scrap of flower print I had used in a number of the blocks, to use as corner stones.
I thought of fussy-cutting the print to put the sunflowers in the center but there just wasn't enough of that fabric.

Now I am beginning to join the blocks nd thinking about the empty triangles.

As I do not want to spend money on more fabric, I went through my stash of pieces large enough to do the job.

My original idea was using the blue batik flowers. I have plenty of that ... actually enough for using in a whole quilt at some future date.
I like the combination of blue and brown ...
actually my favorite combination ... but when I laid it out, the blue seems to over-power the browns.

Then I tried another batik in browns.
This has a lot of the same colors and a dyed border with green leaves.
Hmmm. Not sure I like the effect,










Last but not least, I found this piece of dark green.

The amount is just enough.

It contains the same pickle-type flowers in colors found in the blocks.

It brings out the greens in a few of the blocks.

It doesn't hide the cornerstones.

As I dug through my stash,it was sitting off to the side and seemed to keep saying, "Try me, try me".  Now that I have auditioned it, I am leaning toward using it. I don't have enough blue left for a border sashing but I might be able to piece something that would work.

I often think of quilters who follow patterns or even buy kits ... hardly making any decisions of their own. How is it that everything I do seems to call for decisions at every twst of the spool????

16 comments:

  1. Green is the best , lovely layout, and the colours all show so well together.

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  2. My vote is for the blue - it really makes the quilt pop. I suspect that you will get many opinions, depending on personal preferences. Whatever you choose, it is a stunning quilt. I really admire your ability to do all that hand work, and to hand quilt in your small space.

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  3. I love your sashing! You really have an eye for composition. From the photos, I am attracted to the blue triangles. Maybe that is because blue is my favorite color. But it probably looks different in person, and I notice that the green fabric has some blue in it that matches the medium blue sashing. I trust your judgement. As I said, you have the eye of an artist.

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  4. I think it's great that you're working on using your stash instead of buy new fabric. That's what I need to do more of.

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  5. That's part of the fun of it! I know how nice it is to get some stash used up.

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  6. Oh, the decisions. It's the struggle and the joy of it all. For me, once the decisions have been made, the quilt is not as interesting.

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  7. Making decisions is a challenge. If possible I would use time, and sleep on it. By leaving the three pieces of choice fabric out, looking at them from time to time, I'd grow certain of which to settle on. Good luck!

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  8. I dislike kits. I seldom follow a pattern all the way, and you can't change things up with kits. The green does pull out the greens in the blocks. It's looking good.

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  9. I agree with you about kits. Walking through vendors at quilt shows, it always depresses me that people are talking to sellers saying, I want to make this pattern, which jelly roll/charm pack/bundle works with this? I want to turn around, talk to them about looking at colors, at patterns, at enjoying the process of auditioning colors together. But I don't think the sellers would like me much if I did. They make a lot of money off of people's insecurity about picking colors. I look at fat quarter packs, and I've never found one where I liked every piece in it. Maybe half, at best. I shake my head, pick out my few single pieces, make my purchase, and walk away hoping someday they'll have enough confidence to make their own decisions.

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    Replies
    1. I am wondering if replying here will reach no-reply bloggers.
      I know also that I appear as a no-reply on some blogs. I am still trying to fix it but it may be more challenging than I can handle without a guru.

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  10. I agree with you about the green fabric. Great choice! I never followed instructions about fabric/color placements. That's the fun bit, that's what makes you. I don't like pre cuts packs either:)

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  12. choosing fabric from what you have .. and making it work is all part of the fun x I am amazed at the colour and variety I find in my stash .. I am sure someone else buys "stuff" and adds it with out me knowing!! Have fun x

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  13. http://anyonecandecorate.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/are-you-no-reply-blogger-how-to-fix.html

    My preference is for the blue but I can see how the green "works". So true about all those kits, what you are doing is what I call "proper patchwork" i.e. using what you have to create something new. It always amazes me when people what to make an exact copy of someone else's work but maybe they lack confidence to make their own design decisions or are afraid of it being "wrong", it all comes with experience doesn't it?
    Have a good weekend xx

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  14. It is always interesting that we can have so much fabric but can never quite find the right one! Well on on working through all your possibilities.

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