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.

Try It, You’ll Like It

Fabric

Isn't this stash of 1930's fabrics wonderful?  Just think of all the gorgeous things you could make with it.  What?  You never use 30's fabrics?  You have got to be kidding.

I hear a lot of people say "Oh, I never use 30's fabrics" or "No, batiks just aren't my thing" or "I could never machine quilt anything" .  At the clothing shop where I have one of my part time jobs, I hear women say idiotic things like "Oh, I just don't look good in blue" or "I NEVER wear skirts" or "Orange just washes me out". (For crying out loud, *everyone* can wear blue).

I would like to challenge everyone who makes blanket, no exceptions, I-will-die-on-this-hill statements to hold on just a minute.  Consider trying that very thing that you say isn't your thing, the color you won't wear, the fabric you pass by.  Try just a bit of it.  If you are leary of wearing orange–try some orange flip flops.  Orange is a great color.  Just wear a bit of it and have it away from your face.  You won't look like a traffic cone, I promise.   If you never wear skirts, just try one on.  Try a long peasanty one, try "skorts", try a knee length skirt  on with heels or cute sandals and a tee shirt.  Try a jeans skirt.  Skirts are the perfect thing to wear in the summer.  Skirts are dressier than shorts, but just as comfortable and more flattering on most of us.  Just try it.  Take baby steps.  

Didn't mean to digress here and start talking about clothes.

The same challenge applies to those fabrics or colors you never sew with.  Never use 30's fabric?  Need to make a baby quilt?  Think how sweet those green and yellow fabrics in the picture above would look in a baby quilt.  Adorable.  You aren't redecorating your house in 30's fabrics, you are making a baby quilt for goodness sake.  And you will be giving it away.  Don't deprive yourself of working with these lovely fabrics.

For years I avoided batiks.  "Nope, not my thing".  Then I got a job in an office with a lot of very laid back, environmentally aware, back to nature type people.  I had battered file cabinets in my office that needed some covering up.  You know what?  Batiks were the perfect fabrics to go with my new work environment.  I whipped up some table toppers (file cabinet toppers to be exact) and wall hangings, and my office is a perfect representation of the zen body products the company produces.  For half my day I am surrounded by batiks and you know what?  It works in that setting.

Think you can't machine quilt?  Just try machine quilting a tiny project–that baby quilt you just made with 1930's fabrics for instance (lol), or that table topper you made for Halloween.  

For the rest of the week, whenever you hear yourself say "I never….." or "……… just isn't my thing", I challenge you to take a plunge and try it anyway.

54 responses to “Try It, You’ll Like It”

  1. What a great post…I completely agree! I usually don’t use batiks, but I made a quilt from them that I love. And I’ve recently begun to machine quilt some of my projects…and hey, it’s not so bad!

  2. What a great post…I completely agree! I usually don’t use batiks, but I made a quilt from them that I love. And I’ve recently begun to machine quilt some of my projects…and hey, it’s not so bad!

  3. What a great post. I also try very hard to not use the word Hate. As in, I hate to carry an umbrella. It’s such a strong word and I will catch myself rephrasing to I really dislike using an umbrella. What a completely different statement, changes the whole mindset. Never is in that same catagory. Never say never…..a salesperson picked out a T I would never wear, when I came out with it on everyone loved it. I bought it, I wore it, (still uncomfortable in it) and got tons of compliments! So go for it! you never know what will happen.

  4. What a great post. I also try very hard to not use the word Hate. As in, I hate to carry an umbrella. It’s such a strong word and I will catch myself rephrasing to I really dislike using an umbrella. What a completely different statement, changes the whole mindset. Never is in that same catagory. Never say never…..a salesperson picked out a T I would never wear, when I came out with it on everyone loved it. I bought it, I wore it, (still uncomfortable in it) and got tons of compliments! So go for it! you never know what will happen.

  5. AMEN… I soooo agree!! There are so many beautiful fabrics to be appreciated for what they are. True beauty is in diversity and I consider myself a better quilter for being able to make pieces that I love with a variety of patterns/fabrics…not the same thing just on a different day.

  6. AMEN… I soooo agree!! There are so many beautiful fabrics to be appreciated for what they are. True beauty is in diversity and I consider myself a better quilter for being able to make pieces that I love with a variety of patterns/fabrics…not the same thing just on a different day.

  7. Very thought-provoking. I recently got wild and tried out orange color for my pedi. I actually thought it was a flourescent pink and when I got out in the daylight and noticed people driving slowly around me, I realized it was the *construction orange* polish. LOL

  8. Very thought-provoking. I recently got wild and tried out orange color for my pedi. I actually thought it was a flourescent pink and when I got out in the daylight and noticed people driving slowly around me, I realized it was the *construction orange* polish. LOL

  11. Nicole – you are so right! I have been bogged down by doing things the “right way” and have been afraid to make mistakes. I have justified avoiding machine piecing by thinking I don’t have the right equipment, I don’t have any quilt pattern ideas, or it just won’t work for me. Stupid! Sometimes we just need to give ourselves “permission” to do things outside our comfort zones.

  12. Nicole – you are so right! I have been bogged down by doing things the “right way” and have been afraid to make mistakes. I have justified avoiding machine piecing by thinking I don’t have the right equipment, I don’t have any quilt pattern ideas, or it just won’t work for me. Stupid! Sometimes we just need to give ourselves “permission” to do things outside our comfort zones.

  13. I have a ton of 30’s fabrics, they are one of my favorites to collect. They make such cute quilts. But, darn, I still can’t get into the batiks, no matter how much I’ve tried.

  14. I have a ton of 30’s fabrics, they are one of my favorites to collect. They make such cute quilts. But, darn, I still can’t get into the batiks, no matter how much I’ve tried.

  15. I did this recently with applique. And now I find it the most relaxing thing, to sit and prepare applique while watching my daughter.
    I collect the 30’s, so far haven’t done anything with them though. New project…..

  16. I did this recently with applique. And now I find it the most relaxing thing, to sit and prepare applique while watching my daughter.
    I collect the 30’s, so far haven’t done anything with them though. New project…..

  17. There are so many different SHADES of all these colors, that it’s a shame people won’t experiment and find the right one for them. And I’ve been pleasantly surprised trying on a style that I thought “wasn’t me”. I have been stepping outside my comfort zone lately with fabric choices I wouldn’t normally make…a lot of it thanks to you and seeing what you’ve done…I’ve been extremely pleased with the results.

  18. There are so many different SHADES of all these colors, that it’s a shame people won’t experiment and find the right one for them. And I’ve been pleasantly surprised trying on a style that I thought “wasn’t me”. I have been stepping outside my comfort zone lately with fabric choices I wouldn’t normally make…a lot of it thanks to you and seeing what you’ve done…I’ve been extremely pleased with the results.

  19. I LOVE the 30’s fabrics. For baby quilts AND for just a great old fashioned looking quilt. I adore the old farm house look. Though my house isn’t decorated in any particular manner, if it was, I would try to go with the farm house or country theme. If I could afford it, I would go by yardage of every single one of the great 30’s fabrics that have exploded on to the scene in the quilt shops. I did splurge a while back and get everything I needed for a king sized civil war era/underground railroad quilt but the colors are much more subdued for that one. It is going to be a beautiful quilt when I get it done though. As for the ‘Hate’ this and that issue…I don’t hate anything to do with fabric or quilting. I have my favorites and there are of course things that don’t appeal to me that others turn into magnificent quilts. But oh those 30’s at the top of the post…Beautiful!!!

  20. I LOVE the 30’s fabrics. For baby quilts AND for just a great old fashioned looking quilt. I adore the old farm house look. Though my house isn’t decorated in any particular manner, if it was, I would try to go with the farm house or country theme. If I could afford it, I would go by yardage of every single one of the great 30’s fabrics that have exploded on to the scene in the quilt shops. I did splurge a while back and get everything I needed for a king sized civil war era/underground railroad quilt but the colors are much more subdued for that one. It is going to be a beautiful quilt when I get it done though. As for the ‘Hate’ this and that issue…I don’t hate anything to do with fabric or quilting. I have my favorites and there are of course things that don’t appeal to me that others turn into magnificent quilts. But oh those 30’s at the top of the post…Beautiful!!!

  21. I for one could get totally lost in that 30’s collection…… I see a few I don’t have and they would look loverly in my Grandmother’s Flower Garden.
    Coveting your fabric from PA,
    Nancy

  22. I for one could get totally lost in that 30’s collection…… I see a few I don’t have and they would look loverly in my Grandmother’s Flower Garden.
    Coveting your fabric from PA,
    Nancy

  23. That’s right go for it people. Choosing fabric or clothes is not a lifetime commitment. Have some fun, walk on the wild side! 😉 Great Post!

  24. That’s right go for it people. Choosing fabric or clothes is not a lifetime commitment. Have some fun, walk on the wild side! 😉 Great Post!

  25. Hi Nicole,
    I agree with you about the need to experiment with new fabrics and colors.
    I have been collecting 30’s fabrics for a while now- I am not much of a pastel person but it is good to try working with new kinds of fabrics. As for batiks well I love them- the hardest part is to cut into them even though I plenty of them. I am always looking for the right pattern to use them in.
    We all need to stretch ourselves a little bit be with fabric or colors..
    Have fun playing..
    Warmest regards,
    Anna

  26. Hi Nicole,
    I agree with you about the need to experiment with new fabrics and colors.
    I have been collecting 30’s fabrics for a while now- I am not much of a pastel person but it is good to try working with new kinds of fabrics. As for batiks well I love them- the hardest part is to cut into them even though I plenty of them. I am always looking for the right pattern to use them in.
    We all need to stretch ourselves a little bit be with fabric or colors..
    Have fun playing..
    Warmest regards,
    Anna

  27. Love your post and loooove 1930’s always have.
    Anyway I thought I would or could never use Bali Batiks, but I have made a bag last week using them and love it too.
    cheers
    Christine

  28. Love your post and loooove 1930’s always have.
    Anyway I thought I would or could never use Bali Batiks, but I have made a bag last week using them and love it too.
    cheers
    Christine

  29. Goodness, that is a very tempting stash of fabric! When I first started quilting about 4 years ago I thought I would never use CW fabrics….too dull. Well, I have found as my quilting skills have grown my taste in fabrics has slowly evolved too. I haven’t worked with batiks or 30’s fabrics yet, but that is not because I don’t like them. I have them in my stash, I just have too many other projects on the go at the moment. I wish there were more hours in the day to sew! There are so many beautiful fabrics available……….I agree, get out there and try them all!

  30. Goodness, that is a very tempting stash of fabric! When I first started quilting about 4 years ago I thought I would never use CW fabrics….too dull. Well, I have found as my quilting skills have grown my taste in fabrics has slowly evolved too. I haven’t worked with batiks or 30’s fabrics yet, but that is not because I don’t like them. I have them in my stash, I just have too many other projects on the go at the moment. I wish there were more hours in the day to sew! There are so many beautiful fabrics available……….I agree, get out there and try them all!

  31. Just had to comment on the clothes part of your post. Some time ago you posted a picture of a black and white skirt from Talbot’s. I thought it was so cute – I went out and bought it. It has been hanging in my closet until today, when I wore it for my first day of work at a new job. Thanks for the suggestion!
    I also wanted to ask you about your “bendable bright light.” You had a picture of it on your blog a couple of weeks ago, and I think someone asked you about it, but I never saw an answer. Is it worth the investment? (I need all the light I can get!)

  32. Just had to comment on the clothes part of your post. Some time ago you posted a picture of a black and white skirt from Talbot’s. I thought it was so cute – I went out and bought it. It has been hanging in my closet until today, when I wore it for my first day of work at a new job. Thanks for the suggestion!
    I also wanted to ask you about your “bendable bright light.” You had a picture of it on your blog a couple of weeks ago, and I think someone asked you about it, but I never saw an answer. Is it worth the investment? (I need all the light I can get!)

  33. It has always been my motto to: “Challenge yourself to evolve”… that and “question authority”… but that’s another whole thing.

  34. It has always been my motto to: “Challenge yourself to evolve”… that and “question authority”… but that’s another whole thing.

  35. I love all those fabrics I would love to own something like that My problem is matching colours the never look right to me.
    Hugs Mary.

  36. I love all those fabrics I would love to own something like that My problem is matching colours the never look right to me.
    Hugs Mary.

  37. How true your post is. I started thinking only in country colours when I first started to quilt but now I like experimenting with other colours and combinations I would never have put together before. Just have to let your inhibitions go and see what happens. Love your blog.

  38. How true your post is. I started thinking only in country colours when I first started to quilt but now I like experimenting with other colours and combinations I would never have put together before. Just have to let your inhibitions go and see what happens. Love your blog.

  39. I am in desperate need of the Woodlin Greetings fabrics by Moda for a group project that I am involved in. I especially need the cardinals and the solid red and green and black. If you have this fabric or know where I can find it I would be most appreciative.

  40. I am in desperate need of the Woodlin Greetings fabrics by Moda for a group project that I am involved in. I especially need the cardinals and the solid red and green and black. If you have this fabric or know where I can find it I would be most appreciative.

  43. I belong to an online quilt group, and once passed up an annual block swap that was batiks, thinking I didn’t like them, and it was such a pretty quilt when all made up I kicked myself for opting out. The next year was another combo I never choose, black and white. This time I did it as a challenge and again was shocked by how pretty it turned out! A lesson learned. I like to try all sorts of fabrics but my best love is scrappy anything 🙂
    Now, clothes-wise, orange is one of my favorite colors and I wear it well, especially if it is in the coral family, which I think everyone can wear–either shades of coral pink or coral orange! I love to play “dressing room” with my DD#2; she stays in there and I bring stuff to her, many times things she wouldn’t have picked herself but loves when I do. Fun, fun fun.

  44. I belong to an online quilt group, and once passed up an annual block swap that was batiks, thinking I didn’t like them, and it was such a pretty quilt when all made up I kicked myself for opting out. The next year was another combo I never choose, black and white. This time I did it as a challenge and again was shocked by how pretty it turned out! A lesson learned. I like to try all sorts of fabrics but my best love is scrappy anything 🙂
    Now, clothes-wise, orange is one of my favorite colors and I wear it well, especially if it is in the coral family, which I think everyone can wear–either shades of coral pink or coral orange! I love to play “dressing room” with my DD#2; she stays in there and I bring stuff to her, many times things she wouldn’t have picked herself but loves when I do. Fun, fun fun.

  45. In honour of your post, I am wearing the blouse with the orange, and lime green stripes. Colours I don’t normally wear. HIP,hip, hurrah !

  46. In honour of your post, I am wearing the blouse with the orange, and lime green stripes. Colours I don’t normally wear. HIP,hip, hurrah !

  49. I don’t know, but that picture of all the 30’s prints sure makes me want to try something new. I’ve never been a big fan of 30’s, but that’s a gorgeous collection.
    I had to giggle when you talked about people not branching out and trying batiks. When I was at a retreat for two batik quilt classes, a good friend of mine was there and she hates batiks. She kept referring to them as “hippie fabrics”! Your post totally reminded me of that.

  50. I don’t know, but that picture of all the 30’s prints sure makes me want to try something new. I’ve never been a big fan of 30’s, but that’s a gorgeous collection.
    I had to giggle when you talked about people not branching out and trying batiks. When I was at a retreat for two batik quilt classes, a good friend of mine was there and she hates batiks. She kept referring to them as “hippie fabrics”! Your post totally reminded me of that.

  51. I agree it’s fun to try something new. I am in a mini quilt swap and the partner I was assigned asked for “bright colors.” Her web site was full of bright oranges and pinks and neon greens; colors I would never pick up. I’ve had a lot of fun making a mini quilt for someone else using these bright fabrics. Can’t say I’ll make a habit of it, but I know I can do it!

  52. I agree it’s fun to try something new. I am in a mini quilt swap and the partner I was assigned asked for “bright colors.” Her web site was full of bright oranges and pinks and neon greens; colors I would never pick up. I’ve had a lot of fun making a mini quilt for someone else using these bright fabrics. Can’t say I’ll make a habit of it, but I know I can do it!