Sister's Choice Quilts

My interests are quilting, reading, cooking, family, decorating, and matters of style. I post regular quilting tutorials and book reviews of current fiction.

Pick Me, No Me, No ME!

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I have managed to squeeze in some sewing time this week.   (Thank you Eva, for taking long naps).  My Hill Country Basket blocks are coming along slowly.  I like the block pattern, but the fabrics are a bit dark now that I am living with them.  There will be a lattice separating the blocks, which I think will lighten things up a bit.  And you know what?  If after making a few dozen blocks I am not feeling the love, I will make this quilt a bit smaller.

But do you see that block to the right of the basket blocks?  That would be a Shiloh block.  Shiloh is a project I have been working on since December 2010.  Over the months I have made quite a few of the blocks for this quilt and love it to pieces.  Due to various circumstances, it always got put back in the project box and left to languish.

Well, yesterday when I was listening to the Dark Angel of Quilt Block Discontent whisper in my ear that the Hill Country Baskets colors were too dark, I heard another voice pipe up.  "Remember me?  Shiloh?  You always loved working on me, and said my colors were perfect.  Maybe you should pull me out of the box and work on ME for awhile.  Life's too short not have your heart sing when you sew".

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So I did.

44 responses to “Pick Me, No Me, No ME!”

  1. I think you will love the baskets after you get it together. The rich dark colors of the fabric are beautiful especailly for fall decorating.
    Kansas Trouble is my favorite fabric line…

  2. I think you will love the baskets after you get it together. The rich dark colors of the fabric are beautiful especailly for fall decorating.
    Kansas Trouble is my favorite fabric line…

  3. I agree that once you put the lattice in it will give those blocks a different ‘look.’ Meanwhile, work on the one that makes you happy rather than dreading a project you’re spending your valuable time on!! We’ve all had ‘those’ projects and why waste the effort if it’s not fun?!

  4. I agree that once you put the lattice in it will give those blocks a different ‘look.’ Meanwhile, work on the one that makes you happy rather than dreading a project you’re spending your valuable time on!! We’ve all had ‘those’ projects and why waste the effort if it’s not fun?!

  7. Listen to that Shiloh! It sure knows what it is talking about!
    I’m glad to see you back! It hasn’t been the best week in blogland, so I’m happy to see you back on Friday.

  8. Listen to that Shiloh! It sure knows what it is talking about!
    I’m glad to see you back! It hasn’t been the best week in blogland, so I’m happy to see you back on Friday.

  9. I think your basket blocks would look great with alternating unpieced blocks in a light print and quilt the basket in those blocks – that would really lighten it up.I love the colors! I agree with Patt that it will be great for fall decorating.

  10. I think your basket blocks would look great with alternating unpieced blocks in a light print and quilt the basket in those blocks – that would really lighten it up.I love the colors! I agree with Patt that it will be great for fall decorating.

  11. I think those baskets are going to make you very happy when the lattice is added. On another note, I, too have decided that if I’m not loving a quilt-in-progress, I move on to something else. Life IS too short, and I have waaaay too much fabric “stashed” to spend time on something I’m not enjoying.

  12. I think those baskets are going to make you very happy when the lattice is added. On another note, I, too have decided that if I’m not loving a quilt-in-progress, I move on to something else. Life IS too short, and I have waaaay too much fabric “stashed” to spend time on something I’m not enjoying.

  17. Sometimes you just need to step away. I am really loving the baskets but maybe they just photgraph better than they are in real life… they are photogenic? LOL!
    Shiloh is a love for me too. My daughter made it as one of the quilts in her dowry of quilts and everytime I go visit her she puts it on the guest bed for me to cuddle under. It is so beautiful.
    Hope you have a great weekend!
    BTW: I got my Halloween kit yesterday and you were right, the fabrics are GORGEOUS!!!

  18. Sometimes you just need to step away. I am really loving the baskets but maybe they just photgraph better than they are in real life… they are photogenic? LOL!
    Shiloh is a love for me too. My daughter made it as one of the quilts in her dowry of quilts and everytime I go visit her she puts it on the guest bed for me to cuddle under. It is so beautiful.
    Hope you have a great weekend!
    BTW: I got my Halloween kit yesterday and you were right, the fabrics are GORGEOUS!!!

  19. I agree Nicole! I was a bit of a stickler making sure that I always started my projects in order but it meant that often I was doing a project because I felt I had to instead of doing one I loved. After giving a pile of “Snippets” fabric that I had fallen out of love with to a friend who is completely in love with all things American Jane, I felt so good – sharing the joy of fabric and simultaneously being able to move onto something new that I loved. Shiloh looks great btw x

  20. I agree Nicole! I was a bit of a stickler making sure that I always started my projects in order but it meant that often I was doing a project because I felt I had to instead of doing one I loved. After giving a pile of “Snippets” fabric that I had fallen out of love with to a friend who is completely in love with all things American Jane, I felt so good – sharing the joy of fabric and simultaneously being able to move onto something new that I loved. Shiloh looks great btw x

  21. Oh! Shiloh has just the perfect range of colors to work on this autumn! I’m so glad you heard Shiloh calling to you.
    As for the Hill Country Baskets, perhaps mixing in some medium background colors or those “magic fabrics” that the Little Quilts ladies speak of on page 9 of their All Through the House book from 1993. Those magic fabrics are black, all types of plaids and stripes, bubble gum pink, purples, browns, mustard golds, and tan. Note, these aren’t solid colors, but tone on tones and prints.
    You know me, the scrappier, the better!
    Hugs!

  22. Oh! Shiloh has just the perfect range of colors to work on this autumn! I’m so glad you heard Shiloh calling to you.
    As for the Hill Country Baskets, perhaps mixing in some medium background colors or those “magic fabrics” that the Little Quilts ladies speak of on page 9 of their All Through the House book from 1993. Those magic fabrics are black, all types of plaids and stripes, bubble gum pink, purples, browns, mustard golds, and tan. Note, these aren’t solid colors, but tone on tones and prints.
    You know me, the scrappier, the better!
    Hugs!

  23. I love your Country Baskets just as they are. The baskets really pop on the rich dark background. A lighter color for the lattice will help balance the lights/darks. I would look for a color value somewhere in between your darkest and lightest colors in the quilt. I am confident that you will make the right choice when the time comes. The Shilo block is very nice. I don’t find it more appealing than the Baskets, but you are likely gravitating to these blocks because of the lighter colors. Maybe it would help to switch back & forth on each project. Do what makes you happy.

  24. I love your Country Baskets just as they are. The baskets really pop on the rich dark background. A lighter color for the lattice will help balance the lights/darks. I would look for a color value somewhere in between your darkest and lightest colors in the quilt. I am confident that you will make the right choice when the time comes. The Shilo block is very nice. I don’t find it more appealing than the Baskets, but you are likely gravitating to these blocks because of the lighter colors. Maybe it would help to switch back & forth on each project. Do what makes you happy.

  25. Love the Shiloh block. I recognize that fabric because I made my sister a quilt out of it-Arthur’s Attic or something like that I think. I have been having trouble getting my sewing mojo back after not sewing this summer. I think I am about to start some new Christmas stockings for something new and fun to do.

  26. Love the Shiloh block. I recognize that fabric because I made my sister a quilt out of it-Arthur’s Attic or something like that I think. I have been having trouble getting my sewing mojo back after not sewing this summer. I think I am about to start some new Christmas stockings for something new and fun to do.

  27. Yay – you got to your machine this week! I love both projects you are working on! The baskets could be kind of country Christmassy…..not sure how you decorate for the holidays… or it could be a cute table runner/topper too if you just need to be done with it! (what’s for dinner, by the way? LOL ;oD

  28. Yay – you got to your machine this week! I love both projects you are working on! The baskets could be kind of country Christmassy…..not sure how you decorate for the holidays… or it could be a cute table runner/topper too if you just need to be done with it! (what’s for dinner, by the way? LOL ;oD

  29. I don’t think your basket blocks look too dark at all. I love those dark, rich colors. Really like your Shiloh block too. I’m like Kathleen, if I’m not loving something I’m working on, I move on to something else. Too many projects I want to make & too much fabric to use. Sometimes I go back to it later, sometimes not. I bet you’re going to love that basket quilt when all is said & done though!
    Have a great weekend!

  30. I don’t think your basket blocks look too dark at all. I love those dark, rich colors. Really like your Shiloh block too. I’m like Kathleen, if I’m not loving something I’m working on, I move on to something else. Too many projects I want to make & too much fabric to use. Sometimes I go back to it later, sometimes not. I bet you’re going to love that basket quilt when all is said & done though!
    Have a great weekend!

  35. I love that line “life’s too short not to have your heart sing when you sew”! I am going to quote you on my Slow Sunday Stitching post if that’s OK with you?

  36. I love that line “life’s too short not to have your heart sing when you sew”! I am going to quote you on my Slow Sunday Stitching post if that’s OK with you?

  39. A change in project can be invigorating! Your baskets do stand out really well with the dark backgrounds. But I agree with you that a lighter sashing will brighten up the overall effect and tie everything together. It will be lovely!

  40. A change in project can be invigorating! Your baskets do stand out really well with the dark backgrounds. But I agree with you that a lighter sashing will brighten up the overall effect and tie everything together. It will be lovely!

  41. So glad to hear that you had a party, and that you pulled out a project that makes your heart sing. That’s the spirit! Hopefully those blues will ease away, and you’ll be back in the sunshine soon.

  42. So glad to hear that you had a party, and that you pulled out a project that makes your heart sing. That’s the spirit! Hopefully those blues will ease away, and you’ll be back in the sunshine soon.

  43. lol, i did the same thing yesterday…i wasn’t feeling the ‘love’ so i put one project away and pulled out an old friend. So glad i did! ;p

  44. lol, i did the same thing yesterday…i wasn’t feeling the ‘love’ so i put one project away and pulled out an old friend. So glad i did! ;p