Lots of fun in the sewing room this weekend. I've been working on this quilt - it's my version of 'Vintage Spin' from Kathy Doughty's book 'Adding Layers' following her inspiring Modern Wedge workshop a couple of weekends ago.
Over the years I've enjoyed collecting fabric and making quilts, scrappy quilts being my all-time favourites. And you know, this quilt was supposed to be 'just another scrappy quilt' and like Megan here I just grabbed lots of fabrics, turned up at the workshop, and hoped for the best!
But it didn't all just come together and just magically work out quite so easily! Actually last week, my 'vintage spin' quilt was starting to look pretty chaotic at one point! And I really wondered if I'd ever get there!
I continued piecing the wedge blocks, creating delightful pairings of vintage-y pretty colour, and I got so close to the finish line... but then to top it all off, look...
... yep, spot the odd man out - sigh- back to the design wall bed!
I've been sewing for a few years now, but I must admit some things still don't come easily to me. This little number has been a bit of a design challenge, trying to get these blocks to all play nicely together! I wanted some sense of overall colour balance, so it was back to shopping my stash for other suitable fabrics, making up a few more blocks, reshuffling a few blocks around, and a few more photo shots - which really did help get a sense of how things worked together, or not!
While I've used quite a scrappy mix of colours, prints & textures, I did as Kathy suggested, and tried to get a subtle colour connection in each of my pairs of fabrics for the individual blocks. And there are three touches of very light value in these wedges now, which I
So if you are thinking about making something similar, I hope my photos and thoughts inspire & help a little. And yes, this quilt top has quite a few of my favourite fabrics in it now... don't think I'll be able to part with this when it's all finally finished!
21 comments:
Love the end result Linda. I also think that the quilt on chair photo, looks as though it belongs in a quilting book. Beautiful.
This looks amazing Linda. Hope we get to see it tomorrow night. I love the black and white spot choice for centres and binding.
This looks amazing Linda. Hope we get to see it tomorrow night. I love the black and white spot choice for centres and binding.
The colours go together so well Linda - it looks lovely and vintage-y. The centres look great too - you stopped at 16 blocks?? That's what I'm going to do I think.
So pretty, beautiful colors!
It's perfect! It was worth the extra effort. I have so many "orphan" blocks that didn't work in quilts. I also have a quilt, all quilted, in which I wish I had taken out that odd ball block. Your b/w centers help to organize it all. Bravo!!
Your re-thinking made a big difference to the final outcome. It looks lovely.
A beautiful quilt! You have made it so quickly. Lots of lovely fabrics, paired so well. Choosing them must have taken lots of time. No wonder you want to keep it - you must. I agree with Julie, the photo of the quilt on the chair does look like a book illustration.
The spotty fabric for the centre circles really brings the blocks together. I especially like the way the tartan fabric has created a ring effect between the wedges in its block.
Oh thank you! Yes, sometimes just letting a quilt sit on the spare bed for a few days while I “think” really helps. And I’m glad I used the b & w fabric now, it pulls it all together nicely. My 4 ‘rejected’ blocks will be going into a scrappy backing, so it’s all good. Linda
Such interesting and eye catching fabrics, your quilt top is looking good and the photo of it draped across the cosy looking chair is very inviting!
Thank you! That's good spotting, I hadn't noticed the ring effect until you pointed it out! Linda
It looks fantastic Linda!! You must be so pleased with it! How many spare blocks did you end up with? From the blocks I've made so far, I think my favourite block is going to be the odd one out so I'll have to figure out a way to make it blend in more. Thanks for the inspiration!
Beautiful! This quilt is on my bucket list. I am so happy you shared yours with Oh Scrap! It is inspiring to see!
The striped fabrics add some lovely movement to your wonderful quilt. I've done that triangle thing myself. It's a great trick for keeping the design balanced.
Thanks Maureen! Yes, I was determined to use a real mixture of fabrics! There’s three early Japanese fabrics – love the bright intensity of the colours in them - along with Kaffe/Amy Butler/ Anna Maria Horner/Denyse Schmidt, and a very old Laura Ashley! Linda
Great job - and thanks for explaining your process. I've done the triangle thing before but didn't realize I was doing it. This quilt is so special - you should keep it. I do love the black dot center - because it helps unite the fabrics. Oh - I see you are going to use it for the binding. Yes! That will be great.
Love this so much! You really pulled it together and made a beautiful quilt top. Love the centers!
Thank you for taking us through the decision and design process of this quilt, Linda. It is interesting to me to learn how others make choices about the quilts they're working on. I notice with my own block-making that sometimes a block with two fabrics can look great by itself but when combined with the others in the quilt, just doesn't work out. Maybe it happens more often when we're working by instinct or improvisationally than when we have everything planned in detail.
Your quilt looks so delightful -- it makes me smile to see it.
Thanks also for participating in the Quilty Inspiration link-up. I appreciate it.
Thank you Nancy! Yes, I can certainly see now that 'contrast' is the key here, and how the colour of a fabric is not really known until it is actually playing beside its neighbour!
Oh and I hope your 'quilty inspiration' linky party continues, it’s such a great idea! Linda
Linda
I have fallen in love with this quilt, I am a scrappy quilter so I just ordered the book from the library, amazing quilt
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