I love a scrappy quilt, and can usually pull from my stash a nice compatible mixture of prints. The project I am currently working on, Hill Country Baskets, is giving me a real headache. I swear I have cut enough fabric to make about four Hill Country Baskets quilts at this point in time.
The whole thing started with a kit. And you know me and kits. Usually I like about a quarter of the fabrics provided and end up swapping out the rest. A huge waste of my money, buying kits. If I tell you I want to buy a kit, remind me of that please. It's just me. I always want to personalize my projects, and resist working with something someone else picked out.
This kit was part of a class I took over the last summer. The fabrics were provided/selected by the designer and the quilt shop offering the class. They were fine. I just had to start messing around with them, thinking, if I took this out, and swapped that in, I would like it better. After about 100 fabrics going back and forth, I no more could tell you what was in the original kit, than I could fly to the moon.
Nothing seemed to be working to please me with these basket blocks. So I started eliminated color families. Took out the greens, put them back in. Out went the blues, and back in they went. The reds and browns were my only definites. Finally I put some of the fabric squares that were going to be turned into the basket blocks up on the design wall to get a feel as to how they "played together". I firmly decided the blues had to go, and then after about ten minutes, they were back again.
So, I took a photo, and looked at that on my computer. I decided the greys weren't adding a thing to the mix, and my goodness, will you look at that chartreuse? What was I thinking? The cockamamey stripes are bugging me too. They can be in my quilt only if they are all going in the same direction. Sometimes you just get a much better perspective if you take a picture and review it more dispassionately than when it is face to face with you on the design wall in your sewing room.
So truly, after hours of fooling around, these are the colors I have decided to go with. For now.
This project box is such a mess, seriously. How on earth am I going to keep all these pieces straight? And what shall I make with all the rejects? Do any of you dither around like this? Thelma, you don't need to answer that question.
32 responses to “Fabric Flapdoodle”
LOL, I’m thrilled you’re still trying to make that kit work for you! I think you’re on to something now!! I’m STILL decorating! Loved your post on all your quilts, and that ribbon on your LR tree, I didn’t even notice there were no ornaments until you mentioned it, pure genius!
LOL, I’m thrilled you’re still trying to make that kit work for you! I think you’re on to something now!! I’m STILL decorating! Loved your post on all your quilts, and that ribbon on your LR tree, I didn’t even notice there were no ornaments until you mentioned it, pure genius!
Choosing the fabric, for me, is the hardest part of any project. Keep on trying – I know that whatever combination you decide on will be a winner.
Enjoyed the tour of your quilts and Christmas decorations – especially the “Elf”.
Choosing the fabric, for me, is the hardest part of any project. Keep on trying – I know that whatever combination you decide on will be a winner.
Enjoyed the tour of your quilts and Christmas decorations – especially the “Elf”.
Dither. That is THE perfect word for it! Yes! I do it, too, unfortunately. I rarely buy kits, but my reason is that I already have such a massive stash that it seems counterproductive to buy yardage and then, too, buy a kit. Your basket quilt is coming along, regardless of how much more dithering you do! These things always seem to work out, don’t they? 🙂
Dither. That is THE perfect word for it! Yes! I do it, too, unfortunately. I rarely buy kits, but my reason is that I already have such a massive stash that it seems counterproductive to buy yardage and then, too, buy a kit. Your basket quilt is coming along, regardless of how much more dithering you do! These things always seem to work out, don’t they? 🙂
I like your “for now” fabric choices. They play nicely together and are interesting!
Yep, I right there with you with auditioning fabrics ad infinitum until I finally tell myself just to get on with cutting. One thing I also do is to squint my eyes and survey my group of selected fabrics to make sure I have a pleasing variety of lights, mediums, and darks.
Do you remember that Ruby Beholder that was sold 20 years or so ago? Its purpose was to show the light value of fabrics. Back then, I was looking at one in a quilt shop and an elderly lady paused beside me to whisper “Just squint and look at the fabrics. It will be plain to see which is light, which is medium, and which is dark.” She was right! Also, of course, what light value a fabric has depends on what fabric it is next to!
It’s another day of sniffling, sneezing, and nearly no voice. Bother!
Hugs!
I like your “for now” fabric choices. They play nicely together and are interesting!
Yep, I right there with you with auditioning fabrics ad infinitum until I finally tell myself just to get on with cutting. One thing I also do is to squint my eyes and survey my group of selected fabrics to make sure I have a pleasing variety of lights, mediums, and darks.
Do you remember that Ruby Beholder that was sold 20 years or so ago? Its purpose was to show the light value of fabrics. Back then, I was looking at one in a quilt shop and an elderly lady paused beside me to whisper “Just squint and look at the fabrics. It will be plain to see which is light, which is medium, and which is dark.” She was right! Also, of course, what light value a fabric has depends on what fabric it is next to!
It’s another day of sniffling, sneezing, and nearly no voice. Bother!
Hugs!
I think you are having that dark fabric problem again. Your choices are so much better. Civil war fabrics can be depressing to me.
I think you are having that dark fabric problem again. Your choices are so much better. Civil war fabrics can be depressing to me.
Love this post and your description of how you “dithered” back and forth with all your fabric options. I’m thrilled that you put the blue back in! Have only dithered on one of my quilts (in my 3 whole years of quilting) when I got home and started piecing the blocks, I knew I needed a different combo on one of the star blocks. It turned out great in the end and I was so happy with that decision.
Your basket quilt will no doubt be beautiful when finished!
Love this post and your description of how you “dithered” back and forth with all your fabric options. I’m thrilled that you put the blue back in! Have only dithered on one of my quilts (in my 3 whole years of quilting) when I got home and started piecing the blocks, I knew I needed a different combo on one of the star blocks. It turned out great in the end and I was so happy with that decision.
Your basket quilt will no doubt be beautiful when finished!
I totally share your “issue” with stripes! Lol I’ve given up trying to use them in a pattern where I know I’m going to hate them and instead use them for binding where I love them.
I totally share your “issue” with stripes! Lol I’ve given up trying to use them in a pattern where I know I’m going to hate them and instead use them for binding where I love them.
Your final (maybe) selection is lovely. One always thinks a scrappy quilt is so easy to pull together, but I find the same thing happening to me. What I think is a great scrappy palette becomes a mess, and I start swapping out one colour or pattern for another. It’s very time consuming, not just something thrown together. Even small quilts need to have pieces of fabric constantly changed until just the right combination comes together. It can get frustrating, but I love playing with the fabrics, so really enjoy the process. I don’t order many kits, but like you, I do change some of the fabric. I don’t want my quilt to look like everyone elses. Even though I will never meet the other gals who purchased the kit. Your basket quilt is going to be gorgeous, just like all your other quilts.
Your final (maybe) selection is lovely. One always thinks a scrappy quilt is so easy to pull together, but I find the same thing happening to me. What I think is a great scrappy palette becomes a mess, and I start swapping out one colour or pattern for another. It’s very time consuming, not just something thrown together. Even small quilts need to have pieces of fabric constantly changed until just the right combination comes together. It can get frustrating, but I love playing with the fabrics, so really enjoy the process. I don’t order many kits, but like you, I do change some of the fabric. I don’t want my quilt to look like everyone elses. Even though I will never meet the other gals who purchased the kit. Your basket quilt is going to be gorgeous, just like all your other quilts.
Nicole, I’m the same way about kits…I want to use my own fabric so I have to show HUGE resistance when I see them on sale! ;p
Nicole, I’m the same way about kits…I want to use my own fabric so I have to show HUGE resistance when I see them on sale! ;p
I’m such a chicken I guess. I LOVE kits. And although I haven’t made a lot of them yet, I love the fabric in all of them and the knowledge that at any moment, I can open it up and be ready to go. I’m scared to change out very much because I don’t have any confidence in my own taste and I want it to look good to others, and ultimately myself when I’m done. I’m getting better, but it is in the personality I think.
I’m such a chicken I guess. I LOVE kits. And although I haven’t made a lot of them yet, I love the fabric in all of them and the knowledge that at any moment, I can open it up and be ready to go. I’m scared to change out very much because I don’t have any confidence in my own taste and I want it to look good to others, and ultimately myself when I’m done. I’m getting better, but it is in the personality I think.
Taking photos does really help! I personally love the sprinkle of chartreuse and blue, but that is the magic of fabric selection and the amazing variety we are lucky to have these days–we can all please ourselves 🙂 I do dither a bit but don’t seem to agonize too long. However like you, I do prefer a controlled scrappy look and am not sure I could do an “everything but the kitchen sink” approach!
Taking photos does really help! I personally love the sprinkle of chartreuse and blue, but that is the magic of fabric selection and the amazing variety we are lucky to have these days–we can all please ourselves 🙂 I do dither a bit but don’t seem to agonize too long. However like you, I do prefer a controlled scrappy look and am not sure I could do an “everything but the kitchen sink” approach!
I dither. And I always have to have stripes going in the same direction. I will rip and entire quilt if I have to!
I dither. And I always have to have stripes going in the same direction. I will rip and entire quilt if I have to!
I’m a major dithering too, which is why I prefer kits. I usually use everything in a kit, unless it is really way out of my comfort zone. I like the colors you have but that pink seems out of place (although I’m really bad at colors). I would take out the pink and add cheddar or some mustard yellow, maybe even some purples to go with the blue (but I love purple). Love your baskets so far so whatever you do I’m sure they’ll be lovely 🙂
I’m a major dithering too, which is why I prefer kits. I usually use everything in a kit, unless it is really way out of my comfort zone. I like the colors you have but that pink seems out of place (although I’m really bad at colors). I would take out the pink and add cheddar or some mustard yellow, maybe even some purples to go with the blue (but I love purple). Love your baskets so far so whatever you do I’m sure they’ll be lovely 🙂
You are too hard on yourself Nicole! You make such beautiful quilts!!
You are too hard on yourself Nicole! You make such beautiful quilts!!
I think we’ve all been there, done that. Keep on, you will win and it will be beautiful. And if its not, you can give it away. Win, win!!
I think we’ve all been there, done that. Keep on, you will win and it will be beautiful. And if its not, you can give it away. Win, win!!
I think your final choice fabrics look great, just right! Isn’t Thelma one who likes to change out fabric that comes in kits too?
I think your final choice fabrics look great, just right! Isn’t Thelma one who likes to change out fabric that comes in kits too?