First, the 16-patch blocks. They are just hanging on the flannel-covered design walls, not even pinned. So excuse their wonkiness. They have been trimmed to 8.5x8.5 inches, but it doesn’t look like it!
And I finished the teal Dresden. Got it all sewn down and a teal yo-yo made for the center.
And my last thing is always the improv blocks done with the leftovers bits and bobs (including countless HSTs). This is one of my very favorite things to do each month. This time I had enough teal (and white or white/teal) to make 15 8.5” square blocks. Again, they are just hanging on the design wall. I really want to find a cool layout for these improv blocks (that number 74 total so far this year) when the time comes to sew them together.
So now I am back to working on my Aria Quilt. I cannot seem to come up with a good layout. You’d think that was something I would have figured out long ago. But nooooo.... So, here is my dilemma (and its history).
I have this beautiful fabric, most of which is pictured directly below; yards and yards of the main print, 2 yards of the blue, a FQ of the next, 2 yards of orange and a half yard of the leaves on white. You will see the pattern I originally was going to use (along with added white). I did my daughter’s quilt in this pattern. (BTW, that post also show’s Alfie and Darla’s official shelter kitten portraits).
And then, months later I switched to the pattern below that I did my Helen’s Garden quilt in.
Moving forward another few months, DH Bruce said he would like it made into a bed quilt in the pattern I used for my son’s wedding quilt (minus the octopus and other motifs I added). So, I began cutting out blocks, using 1.5” white strips instead of the 2.5” strips.
And here I am this week, using trial and error on the design board to weed out the looks I don’t like, which is pretty much everything so far.
I am ALMOST ready to go back to one of the first two patterns. I have lots of yardage and could still get more of the light blue floral in pic #2 and the orange ikat-like print (XXX) in #3. Or better yet, I could just add in several other matching fabrics from my stash. The solid blue needs to be softer. This is a perfect case of what matches does not look good.
What would YOU do??? Help!
And while you ponder on that, why not join us at So Scrappy for Scrappy Teal Saturday?!
10 comments:
I love all your teal blocks, especially the photo of the leftover bits and pieces you are putting together! I wish I had some advice for you about your orange and blue block layout! I clicked over to all your other quilts, and love them all, but you are right, they just aren't exactly right for those fabrics. Keep trying!
great assortment of aqua scraps. The aqua dresden is beautiful and I think You had great fun putting all those aqua leftover together. Those 2 fabrics with big scale patterns are not playing well with the others, maybe because they are too busy. Have fun playing with them, you will find a good solution.
I'm absolutely LOVING your Ocean of Improv blocks!! Such wonderful AQUA goodness represented there. Good luck with the design challenges that have presented themselves on the other quilt!
Your teal blocks are amazing. Have you considered a different layout with a block like .... the twinkle star? Have the points be the little splash of blue - back grounds of the print fabrics and then use the oranges for the stars? Little pops of blue but it might tie it together? Good luck - I am sure you will come up with a solution that works for you.
I love the black/white prints in your 16 patch blocks. I think the problem may be value. You have two brights (a blue and an orange) that are the darkest values. The example shown in the book meticulously covers a full range of value from very light to very dark.
Your teal projects are all coming along beautifully. You do love that large scale print for the Aria. You seem to have two problems here. First, the other two quilts are basically alike in using massed prints which read as meeium to dark, contrasted with large areas of white. Neither of them have the large scale with white background. Second, you have no doubt seen a bright teal house or pink or orange. Your reaction is How awful, too bright. That's because the color they liked on a small paint chip is magnified about 100 times in strength on a house. Solution is to find a softer blue solid, put beside the bluish print and step way back. Then you can see how they blend rather than overpower. My idea is look at lots of patterns on Pinterest, save a bunch you like and see what makes them work. Lots of love.
Yummy teal blocks! As others have suggested, I think you just need to play with some additional fabrics/lights & darks to smooth out the quilt in progress.
As usual, I'm impressed (but you know that already!). As for the dilemma you pose - I, not being a sane quilter, have no real input, but...the plain blue is a bit much. Do you have any more turquoise in your stash that might give enough contrast and not be quite so bold? I'm just going by what's showing on my computer screen and that might not be 'true' to the colours in real life.
Love it all of course but the improv is my fav. I am already thinking about how to store and how to use scraps from the class I am taking. No wonder scrap quilts are so popular!! Oh, that blue matches so well and is so overpowering...good lesson learned for me. I still think blue would be good, just not so dark. I'll be interested to see what you decide.
xx, Carol
All of your teal blocks look awesome! I especially like your Dresden plate this month.
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