After finishing the Great Granny quilt, I was eager to begin something new. I'd had a grouping of three fabrics and a pretty good idea for how I'd use them. Or so I thought. As I made block after block, I realized that the quilt was not going to look as beautiful as I'd hoped.
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The three fabrics are long in my stash; I have had absolutely no plan for that print, and the three were not bought to go together. I just pulled fabrics, and with Sharon's help, we came up with this combination.
My idea was to make stepping stone blocks with the solid rose and white fabrics and then set them with plain blocks of the print. Here is a closer look at the print fabric.
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All of my pictures make the fabrics look darker than they truly are. I suppose more light and fewer shadows would have helped.
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I stretched the print fabric onto the design wall, and as I made the stepping stone blocks, I placed them on to create the chains across the fabric. It just doesn't really speak to me. It doesn't have any 'zing.'
I stopped making blocks and spent a day ruminating. What will fix this? Make it anyway, even if it is uninspiring? Select a different background? Make a pieced block rather than use a single fabric?
I really don't want to make pieced blocks just yet, so I dug around to find alternative setting fabrics. Here are two that I auditioned.
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This floral has a distinct 80s or 90s look to it, and I surely have had it that long. I do not have much of it. The dusty rose color most matches the rose in the stepping stones blocks, and again, the color in the photo is not true to reality. The upper left block and surrounding floral is the area that is most true to color. Shadows darken the lower parts of the picture.
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I put the two florals side-by-side; this gives me a good look for comparison. I like the lighter floral better than the darker one. I will dig around a bit more today to see if I find any other fabrics to audition. Maybe I will find some 'zing' somewhere in the depths of the stash.
That's why I have a stash!
Happy Quilting, Friends!
I love the feminine floral as the alternate block. It gives both a soft and dainty look as well as a bold trellis hovering above them. I don't doubt that you might find more fabrics to try.
ReplyDeleteI have used the lighter floral and will be sharing a reveal soon. I am so glad I had the good sense to stop before using the original fabric.
DeleteI like the 2nd fabric best of all, it looks lovely to me. The first print is very pretty but just didn't look right with the chain block. I've found that fabrics that just don't blend well with other fabrics are best using for quilt backings. Happy stitching!
ReplyDeleteGosh, you and I really do think alike! I was thinking the exact same thing about the original print - it'll be fantastic as a backing. And I am using the lighter floral; should have a reveal soon!
DeleteI prefer the lighter feminine fabric. For me the darker with yellow roses are too bold for the chains. If you audition more choices, maybe try something with a whiter or even lighter background. Perhaps the dark rose could be the binding. Interested to see what you choose. :)
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of finding something with a white background, but I didn't have anything. If I'd had a very light pink solid to put with my rose in the Stepping Stones, that would have been perfection; alas, I went with what I had. Use the stash - that's my mantra!
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