I believe it does, I felt her dreams in these blocks.
A few are the same size, most were uneven, which I trimmed, and a lot were stained with age. I need to come up with 2 small lap quilts from these. My first idea was to use an asymmetrical layout on the denim blue background. I think the blocks fade out a lot that way. So I found a much lighter blue gray ( very old Jinny Beyer fabric ), but I'm not sure that's it either. I tried scraps of the dark blue to border the blocks...whoa, that won't work. Forget the mauve, and there is already too much gray, and the red/burgundy is strong.
So I am throwing this out to blog land......HELP! All ideas are wanted, and just maybe one of them will give me the right inspiration on how to make this assortment match/work/go together for her boys. Thanks.
Happy stitching.
Update and additonal information: The blocks range in size from 7 1/2" to 11 1/4 ". See my problem? That's why some must have a frame/border added to them.
Tried black....everything looks morbid. Just white or muslin and everything looks dirty. But a mix that includes a little black and muslin could be the way to go. I am leaning right now towards a vetical strip setting and making it more scrappy. Freda suggested ticking stripe.....maybe even some shirting prints would help. Thanks for the ideas....love the input from everyone.
Hmm, beats me. I would've thought blue, too....what about just a white or a cream? I really don't know.
ReplyDeleteI found a BUNCH of fabrics (some that had selvages showed them to be "moda) at Goodwill a year or so ago. I figured it just had to be from some older woman's estate sale and because it didn't sell, off it went to Goodwill. Did her family even realize? Still, I felt very happy that I found it all--I kept thinking, if it were me, I'd really want another quilter to get it, you know? However, she had a lot of baskets & flowers cut out and marked for applique (needle turn?) that really aren't my style...not sure if I'll use them or not but I'd sure hate to "waste" all that work she went to!
Why don't you try black. Sometimes it makes the colors pop. Don't know what size the blocks are but if you have to enlarge the plan an alternate plain block for quilting could work. Good luck and the boys will like them no matter what you dol
ReplyDeleteHappy stitching, Marge
I like the blocks on the denim blue. Since the blocks are all different, I would try a scrappy background with some blue, black, cream and maybe even a touch of red.
ReplyDeleteBlack.
ReplyDeletethanks...keep the ideas coming. I tried plain black---it looks morbid by itself. white or muslin looks dirty. The 80's colors had a very gray undertone. But touchs of black and or muslin might work if I do a scrappier setting. Now I am thinking about a vertical strip setting. See your ideas have helped.
ReplyDeleteWhat about a pillow ticking stripe in chambray or gray?
ReplyDeleteThe Moda "Hometown" line comes to mind: http://www.fatquartershop.com/store/stores_app/browse_dept_items.asp?sid=56471061024425647&Store_id=499&page_id=17&Sub_Department_ID=2881&categ_id=2881&parent_ids=&page_no=2&sNode=&Exp=Y&Search_Dept=&Search_Text=
Great job taking those blocks apart. I went back and looked at the quilt and I'm thinking an attic windows type of setting might be interesting. Also in keeping with that era Marsha McCloskey had a line of fabrics from Clothworks that had a shirting type of background that might work.
ReplyDeleteLauraT
I have no idea but I know you will (with a little help perhaps) come up with a solution. Stripes do seem to be a good answer. The "lolly pink" just screams out from my monitor!
ReplyDeleteJust a thought! Why put frames around them? Why not just add them in their various sizes, to a background fabric - the modern, assymetrical way! They look okay on your design wall like that, so why not? A little adjustment (especially for the blocks on the left) is all that is necessary. You don't have to live with the results.