I have an entirely new appreciation for all those quilt pattern designers who crank out multiple patterns every year. My brain hurts from all the thinking I'm doing! I know for certain that I do not have a future as a pattern designer!
My dilemma: creating a medallion quilt for my very well-aged Minick and Simpson panel called Flag Day Farm, and I am having the hardest time coming up with possibilities that satisfy me. Here's a good laugh:
Click here for a 2010 post about this panel. I've had this in the incubator for a long, long time!!
I am limited, in part, to using just the Minick and Simpson fabrics I have on hand, which is mostly precuts - jelly rolls and charm packs, to be exact. As far as actual yardage goes, I have a neutral, a navy floral, a red and cream floral and a couple of fat quarters of another navy.
To this point, I have attached the flying geese around the center panel as well as a 2.5" strip of the neutral. I like what I've got. The next unit I will add is this navy triangle with star. The trouble is that it doesn't fit the sides of the center section, so I need to add some element to make it fit correctly. I've spent this whole last week thinking about what that element should be.
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| The star/triangle units just after cutting; these are sewn and trimmed now. |
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The units I've made are stacked here.
(I removed the setting triangles from the 4-patches; too white for this quilt.) |
I auditioned four possibilities yesterday. I am not totally enamored with any of them, so I am still pondering other options. You might give me some feedback or ideas after seeing these.
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| Option 1: red pinwheels on point. |
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| Option 2: 4-patches, darks horizontal. |
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| Option 3: 4-patches, darks vertical. |
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| Option 4: 4-patches, only blues vertical. |
I like the 4th option the best, but it seems too busy as the next element on this quilt. Like that neutral strip around the flying geese, I am now considering taking a strip of the red yardage to add to the triangle-star units. The red (hopefully) would serve to define that element before moving on out to the blue 4-patches on point.
This idea will have to simmer awhile today. I have classes this afternoon/evening. Hopefully, the eureka moment will come, and after a very long time in the making, this quilt will at last be a reality. And I will rest my overworked brain. *grin*
Happy Quilting, Friends!
I love the 3rd or 4th option, and adore the red border idea! Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteNumber four, most definitely. Will be interested in seeing what the red border does. You are going to have a beauty there!!
ReplyDeleteI think I adore the 4th option the best. It really catches my eye. It will be beautiful no matter which you choose. Happy sewing! Andrea
ReplyDeleteI like the flying geese and the neutral border. Just my humble opinion but why do you have to add any more elements other than the navy triangles/four corner stars to it. Any of the other options (1,2,3,4) all are distracting from the main panel. Your eyes are drawn to them instead of the beautiful panel. Why not add the strip of red to the triangle/star unit and stop there? Just my thoughts...
ReplyDeleteI'm bothered by the bright background color of the star blocks. I feel that they detract from from the delicate center panel. The flying geese are great, and the narrow border surrounding them might work well as the background for the star blocks. A neutral background for the star blocks would make the transition a little smootherJust my thoughts. Oh, I just noticed that background you used for the blue on-point border would be great! Whatever you decide, I know it will be gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteokay - re my comments above. I'm a newbie quilter and should have looked up what a medallion quilt is before adding my comment above. I looked it up this morning: a quilt that has a central motif and is surrounded by multiple borders. So now I get why you are wanting to add so many borders. I apologize for saying don't add more elements when that's the whole point of a medallion quilt. So... I've learned something new.
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