I really wanted to get the blocks and lattices for the Ridiculously Cute Basket Quilt sewn together on my day off, but as you see, I didn't quite finish.
I got sidetracked with endless rearranging of lattice strips and block orientation. Do you ever do that? Honestly, if two similar fabrics end up next to each other, so what? There are so many colors and fabrics in this quilt I can't possibly go too wrong.
Nevertheless, I spent an awful lot of time messing about with the layout. I know some of you can relate to that! I just can't leave it alone. Even looking at the photo above, I want to move things around.
Thelma did a post this week about her finishes for 2010—Check it out, she did some great work. She also mentioned with some humility the quilts she started, but didn't finish in the past year. Not so many that she deserves to beat herself up, but some.
That got me thinking. I've got a few UFOs of my own… Remember these?
Beach Cottage. Nice enough I suppose, but so not me. I actually have this top sewn together except for the borders. I really should finish the top and give it away to someone who would appreciate it.
A Joel Dewberry project I want to do for Sara. I will get around to it.
Kitchen Sink from Scrap Basket Surprises. Love the pattern, but I am not feeling the love for those Morris Garden and Morris Workshop fabrics. They just don't want to play nicely together. I do have all the blocks made for this one.
This is Ashcombe, one of the Carrie Nelson projects I started in September when I took one of her classes in Illinois. I do like this quilt–the fabrics are all Civil War purples. What I don't like is the white framing around the blocks. Too stark. Besides, when I see Thelma's version of this pattern, it makes me want one just like she made. Not sure I will finish this one. However, if I find some bright and cheerful fabrics, I may start over.
58 responses to “RCBQ–Some Progress”
The baskets are looking good! I have a whole fat quarter bundle of simple Abundance that hasn’t spoken to me yet. I have also made a Morris quilt that I hated and have written Mr. Morris off for the future. Strange how some quilts that are so beautiful in my mind, are not in reality. But the reverse happens too. Guess we just keep on keeping on and find some we love.
The baskets are looking good! I have a whole fat quarter bundle of simple Abundance that hasn’t spoken to me yet. I have also made a Morris quilt that I hated and have written Mr. Morris off for the future. Strange how some quilts that are so beautiful in my mind, are not in reality. But the reverse happens too. Guess we just keep on keeping on and find some we love.
Baskets looks so pretty. Sashing looks great. You definitely cannot tell if there are two fabrics close together. I remember those UFOs! I am feeling the love for the William Morris Kitchen Sink. I think you should for sure look at that one again!! 🙂
Baskets looks so pretty. Sashing looks great. You definitely cannot tell if there are two fabrics close together. I remember those UFOs! I am feeling the love for the William Morris Kitchen Sink. I think you should for sure look at that one again!! 🙂
Some of the fun with quilting is just playing with fabrics and arranging strips and rearranging. Even though it isn’t done you’ve had fun with it!
Some of the fun with quilting is just playing with fabrics and arranging strips and rearranging. Even though it isn’t done you’ve had fun with it!
Oh, I hear you about the time scrappy quilts take to put together because of the endless rearranging that’s possible. At some time, you just have to start sewing them together! Quilts with same-same blocks don’t present this endless design opportunity (delay?!) but are also much less interesting. Again, your creative speed is wild!
Love your UFOs! Have you read of Susan’s 2011 UFO Challenge?
I’m off to visit Thelma!
Hugs!
Oh, I hear you about the time scrappy quilts take to put together because of the endless rearranging that’s possible. At some time, you just have to start sewing them together! Quilts with same-same blocks don’t present this endless design opportunity (delay?!) but are also much less interesting. Again, your creative speed is wild!
Love your UFOs! Have you read of Susan’s 2011 UFO Challenge?
I’m off to visit Thelma!
Hugs!
Happy New Year! I would finish that Ashcombe and tea dye it – that would do away with the stark white. Love your blog!
Happy New Year! I would finish that Ashcombe and tea dye it – that would do away with the stark white. Love your blog!
I truly understand the frustration of arranging and rearranging quilt blocks. I’ve driven myself nuts over it. When I worked I even offered to put up quilt blocks on a quilt shop wall and let it be interactive for customers to come in and rearrange. She declined. I then offered to PAY to have it done and she declined. Eventually I did it myself and now, as important as it seemed at the time, I don’t even remember which quilt it was. My sister doesn’t do scrap quilts exactly for this reason. It drives her crazy! Scrappy is still my favorite! Toni
I truly understand the frustration of arranging and rearranging quilt blocks. I’ve driven myself nuts over it. When I worked I even offered to put up quilt blocks on a quilt shop wall and let it be interactive for customers to come in and rearrange. She declined. I then offered to PAY to have it done and she declined. Eventually I did it myself and now, as important as it seemed at the time, I don’t even remember which quilt it was. My sister doesn’t do scrap quilts exactly for this reason. It drives her crazy! Scrappy is still my favorite! Toni
Your Mojo looks great! I made this quilt and its one of my favorites!
Your Mojo looks great! I made this quilt and its one of my favorites!
I am feeling sorry for poor Ashcombe! Don’t abandon it, please. How about switching that stark white for some caramel-toned fabrics? Or go crazy and put in some Civil War pinks? I think there is potential there…if you abandon it, send it to me!
Love the basket quilt!
I am feeling sorry for poor Ashcombe! Don’t abandon it, please. How about switching that stark white for some caramel-toned fabrics? Or go crazy and put in some Civil War pinks? I think there is potential there…if you abandon it, send it to me!
Love the basket quilt!
What I thought I was the only one that got distracted with layouts. sometimes I just want to kick myself for using up time rearranging and just go for it. Your UFO’s are wonderful. I like the purple and white quilt, very spring like.
What I thought I was the only one that got distracted with layouts. sometimes I just want to kick myself for using up time rearranging and just go for it. Your UFO’s are wonderful. I like the purple and white quilt, very spring like.
Glad to see some of those UFO’s… I was wondering what had happened to that Beach Cottage.
Glad to see some of those UFO’s… I was wondering what had happened to that Beach Cottage.
Nicole, it’s a law, a quilting law, no two like fabrics may touch when piecing a scrappy quilt….it they do, that’s the spot that will draw your attention every time you look at that quilt!
Remember how someone from our class used William Morris for Route 44? I would love to see that finished quilt….I’m about ready to donate my William Morris Collection to someone who will do something with it…..
Tea dying Ashcombe, what a brilliant suggestion, I think that look would go perfect with your civil war purples, do it, you must!!
Nicole, it’s a law, a quilting law, no two like fabrics may touch when piecing a scrappy quilt….it they do, that’s the spot that will draw your attention every time you look at that quilt!
Remember how someone from our class used William Morris for Route 44? I would love to see that finished quilt….I’m about ready to donate my William Morris Collection to someone who will do something with it…..
Tea dying Ashcombe, what a brilliant suggestion, I think that look would go perfect with your civil war purples, do it, you must!!
Whatever you don’t want to finish, send to me! Actually, I am making the Beach Cottage quilt out of the very same fabric; ou inspired me. I’m loving it.
Whatever you don’t want to finish, send to me! Actually, I am making the Beach Cottage quilt out of the very same fabric; ou inspired me. I’m loving it.
Oh my you are busy. Love the baskets, it’s been on my “to do” for a long time.
Oh my you are busy. Love the baskets, it’s been on my “to do” for a long time.
I think the sashing is GREAT on the RCBQ…I could not figure out yesterday what you were going to do. I love it. As far as the UFOs go…when I get to a point where I DO NOT LIKE the quilt I’m on, I would just the balance of the project away. For me, to even finish it and give it away, would be too much trouble. Besides, whoever you give it to would know you hated working on it and then they receive it? That wouldn’t feel so good. Give ’em away. Permanently off your back…blessing someone who maybe can’t afford such nice fabric and patterns. Do that, Nicole. You’ll feel better and voila…you’re back in the game with what you want to do.
I think the sashing is GREAT on the RCBQ…I could not figure out yesterday what you were going to do. I love it. As far as the UFOs go…when I get to a point where I DO NOT LIKE the quilt I’m on, I would just the balance of the project away. For me, to even finish it and give it away, would be too much trouble. Besides, whoever you give it to would know you hated working on it and then they receive it? That wouldn’t feel so good. Give ’em away. Permanently off your back…blessing someone who maybe can’t afford such nice fabric and patterns. Do that, Nicole. You’ll feel better and voila…you’re back in the game with what you want to do.
I love the Beach Cottage quilt!!If you want to give it away, I’ll take it! lol
I love the Beach Cottage quilt!!If you want to give it away, I’ll take it! lol
Why don’t you finish Ashcombe and then tea dye it or rit dye it to calm down the white? (I think that’s called “overdying”. Would love to see how it looks if you did that. By the way, how’s the house selling going or did you take it off the market? Ours was on for 7 LONG months and I never felt I could mess up the sewing room, so I was about to go nutzo….Then, we got TWO offers. Go figure! Hang in there.
Why don’t you finish Ashcombe and then tea dye it or rit dye it to calm down the white? (I think that’s called “overdying”. Would love to see how it looks if you did that. By the way, how’s the house selling going or did you take it off the market? Ours was on for 7 LONG months and I never felt I could mess up the sewing room, so I was about to go nutzo….Then, we got TWO offers. Go figure! Hang in there.
I love looking back at my UFOs and determining whether it’s an official UFO or just a longer WIP. I just refuse to add to my UFO pile. Last year I decided that if it’s a UFO, it’s because I have lost love for it and will never finish it. So I am determined to just give them away, AS IS.
I don’t want to look at them and feel guilty about not loving it anymore or ‘wasting’ the fabric or moving on. So I’m giving them away and not thinking about them again.
It’s like dating, why be with someone that doesn’t flip your skirts? While you are feeling guilty over dumping him, the man of your dreams can be walking by. 🙂
Too many other wonderful quilts I want to make to dwell on those that don’t do it for me.
Your Mojo is looking fantastic! I will not be making that pattern. I did the small version (Picnic) and still have nightmares about those baskets. I hated that project. I love how it turned out (I really do LOVE it) but making it was a nightmare. I had not done that much reverse sewing in a LOOONNGGG time. It my humble quilt. That humbling should last me a while. Maybe when I forget about it I might think about another basket quilt. Maybe.
And on the Ashcombe…. Lots of good suggestions on the dyeing. Depends on how much love is left on that one and how much time you are willing to invest. BTW: I too want Thelma’s Quilt.
Don’t think I had commented since the new year so: Happy New Year!!
I love looking back at my UFOs and determining whether it’s an official UFO or just a longer WIP. I just refuse to add to my UFO pile. Last year I decided that if it’s a UFO, it’s because I have lost love for it and will never finish it. So I am determined to just give them away, AS IS.
I don’t want to look at them and feel guilty about not loving it anymore or ‘wasting’ the fabric or moving on. So I’m giving them away and not thinking about them again.
It’s like dating, why be with someone that doesn’t flip your skirts? While you are feeling guilty over dumping him, the man of your dreams can be walking by. 🙂
Too many other wonderful quilts I want to make to dwell on those that don’t do it for me.
Your Mojo is looking fantastic! I will not be making that pattern. I did the small version (Picnic) and still have nightmares about those baskets. I hated that project. I love how it turned out (I really do LOVE it) but making it was a nightmare. I had not done that much reverse sewing in a LOOONNGGG time. It my humble quilt. That humbling should last me a while. Maybe when I forget about it I might think about another basket quilt. Maybe.
And on the Ashcombe…. Lots of good suggestions on the dyeing. Depends on how much love is left on that one and how much time you are willing to invest. BTW: I too want Thelma’s Quilt.
Don’t think I had commented since the new year so: Happy New Year!!
I love all your UFO’s and I am sure they will be finished sometime
I love all your UFO’s and I am sure they will be finished sometime
I love the baskets in Simple Abundance. I just finished a quilt top from those fabrics myself!
Your WIPs/UFOs just need to age! You’ll pull one of them out of the box in a year or two and think “hey! I can finish this! it would be just perfect for…”
Keep moving forward and you’ll come back around to loving them at some point.
I love the baskets in Simple Abundance. I just finished a quilt top from those fabrics myself!
Your WIPs/UFOs just need to age! You’ll pull one of them out of the box in a year or two and think “hey! I can finish this! it would be just perfect for…”
Keep moving forward and you’ll come back around to loving them at some point.
As someone already said..Tea dye the purple quilt. I think it will be so fun to see how it comes out, and u may love it!
As someone already said..Tea dye the purple quilt. I think it will be so fun to see how it comes out, and u may love it!
Your baskets are filling up nicely! I love the idea of tea dying the quilt that has the stark white – I agree it is bright, but coffee or tea would take care of that. Enjoy your weekend off! Can’t wait to read about the surprise – I have a son graduating this summer from h.s. and can’t wait to have the party – it’s been a LONG 13 years from K – 12!!
Your baskets are filling up nicely! I love the idea of tea dying the quilt that has the stark white – I agree it is bright, but coffee or tea would take care of that. Enjoy your weekend off! Can’t wait to read about the surprise – I have a son graduating this summer from h.s. and can’t wait to have the party – it’s been a LONG 13 years from K – 12!!
I’m lae in reading, but tea dying (and they do make a tea dye for those that are worried about what the tannins in tea will do to fabric.) I have used it on a quilt that had too much white for my liking and it toned it down without significantly changing the other fabrics.
I won’t tell you how many projects I have in progress or waiting for me to quilt them (DSM).
I’m lae in reading, but tea dying (and they do make a tea dye for those that are worried about what the tannins in tea will do to fabric.) I have used it on a quilt that had too much white for my liking and it toned it down without significantly changing the other fabrics.
I won’t tell you how many projects I have in progress or waiting for me to quilt them (DSM).
Nicole I dont know why you dont like blue in your quilts it is my favourite colour the blue and lemmon go good together I love it I have some of the blue and lemmon material you sent me All cut out and ready to go the trouble is I have lots of things to do First I will get to it soon.
Hugs Mary.
Nicole I dont know why you dont like blue in your quilts it is my favourite colour the blue and lemmon go good together I love it I have some of the blue and lemmon material you sent me All cut out and ready to go the trouble is I have lots of things to do First I will get to it soon.
Hugs Mary.
The basket quilt is coming together nicely. I spend a lot of time fussing with placement in scrappy quilts, but love them so much, I think it’s worth the end result. I agree with the others, go for the tea dye for Ashcombe. I love the way repro purples and tan look together!
The basket quilt is coming together nicely. I spend a lot of time fussing with placement in scrappy quilts, but love them so much, I think it’s worth the end result. I agree with the others, go for the tea dye for Ashcombe. I love the way repro purples and tan look together!
Be proud of 19 finished quilts. Awesome!! Inspiring to me.
Sometimes the others just need some re-motivation or some different fabric. The tea dye idea is worth a try for sure, better than ripping.
I loved Beach Cottage, and it could be a gift or be sold on ebay or start an etsy store.
Be proud of 19 finished quilts. Awesome!! Inspiring to me.
Sometimes the others just need some re-motivation or some different fabric. The tea dye idea is worth a try for sure, better than ripping.
I loved Beach Cottage, and it could be a gift or be sold on ebay or start an etsy store.
Some pretty good looking quilts in the making. Isn’t it sad when some of them quilt “speaking” to us. Remember my Miagia’s. Make it and give it away. These are too pretty to not keep someone warm. And your baskets are wonderful!!
Some pretty good looking quilts in the making. Isn’t it sad when some of them quilt “speaking” to us. Remember my Miagia’s. Make it and give it away. These are too pretty to not keep someone warm. And your baskets are wonderful!!
My favorite of your UFOs is the Beach Cottage maybe because I live in a beach cottage.But no my colors do you think I could do it in greens, shirtings and a hint of pink? What is the name of the designer and the pattern?
Is the surprise a certain Irish Lass by chance?
My favorite of your UFOs is the Beach Cottage maybe because I live in a beach cottage.But no my colors do you think I could do it in greens, shirtings and a hint of pink? What is the name of the designer and the pattern?
Is the surprise a certain Irish Lass by chance?
I love the Ashcombe. I don’t know how it “reads” in person but it almost looks 3D with the white frames. Finish it!
I love the Ashcombe. I don’t know how it “reads” in person but it almost looks 3D with the white frames. Finish it!
I would like to have the pdf file for the madeline quilt I love this quilt too and would love to make it for my son’s best friends wedding.
I would like to have the pdf file for the madeline quilt I love this quilt too and would love to make it for my son’s best friends wedding.