I pulled out these 5" blocks, made enough more to lay them out in an 8 x 11 configuration, and then scratched my head. How did I come up with the idea of red circles on green and green Xs on red? And so scrappy? I usually keep track in a notebook but I could find nothing about this quilt.
Then I tried to photograph the blocks. I've been trying for days without much success. (Note to self: Never lay out blocks where there is not enough light for a good photograph.)
 |
| too light |
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| too dark |
I don't know where this quilt is going -- maybe into the trash if I don't figure it out -- but I finally remembered what the inspiration was. Last spring my husband and I were driving past a hardware store with flowers on display on long, high steps. There was a section alive with the reds of dozens of varieties of roses. Bright, cheerful roses against their lush green foliage. A quilt popped into my mind and the photos above show the results. Hmmm.
I'm at a loss for the next step in this quilt. More blocks? The blocks as they are with a border or two? If borders, what colors? These blocks have been laying out for a week or two. If I don't make a decision in the next day or two I'll pick them up and put them away for another time (or, as I said, in the trash).
I'm thinking of starting a weekly link party (maybe Inspiration Sunday) to invite others to share their inspiration. Would you participate? I have such a small blog with a tiny following, maybe no one would want to link.... Or maybe quilters don't keep track of their inspiration?
Do you notice the sources of your inspiration for quilts, either before you start, during the process of making a top, or after you've finished a quilt?
I'm linking this post to
Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Scraptastic Tuesday at She Can Quilt
Let's Bee Social #85 at Sew Fresh Quilts
WOW at Esther's Blog
Thank you, ladies.
--Nancy.
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Sometimes you just have to let the ideas simmer. Settings sometimes take me a while to come up with, the blocks are easy.
ReplyDeleteAre those yellow center squares in the Xs? Maybe a thin yellow border with a larger outer border? Have to think more on what the outer border would be.
ReplyDeleteI would love to join an Inspiration Sunday. My quilts are always inspired from something, but I'm not the best at blogging about it. Maybe this and recommitting to the Process Pledge would help me document my work better.
Should I laugh or cry? I've been thinking along the same lines about an inspiration linky party called 'Pass the Source Saturday'! Terrible pun I know! I'd be very happy to take part in your Linky and hope that you'd get some links from my blog 😀 Over to you Nancy...
ReplyDeleteI like your blocks. I rarely have an inspiration source like you did with the roses. I'll have to think about why I start a quilt.
ReplyDeleteI personally like a funky quilt and find your block appealing, especially when reading the inspiration for them. They may show a bit more of a pattern if set on point...
ReplyDeletePlease don't throw your quilt away. If you don't want to work on it anymore, give the blocks to a quilt charity or the local quilt guild. They'll make it up to donate to a deserving person. You have put lots of work and money into it. Take a bit more time to make sure it gets loved. (I love the color combo. Someone else will, too.)
ReplyDeleteHugs
I hope you find something to do with them, even if it ends up being a charity quilt - they're so pretty and it would be such a shame to bin them. :) The link-up sounds interesting - I'm not sure how I end up inspired to make stuff, it just kind of happens, but if I had something more definite to share, then I would.
ReplyDeleteNNNOOOOOOO putting the blocks in the trash!!! Please promise! I hope you will finish this because I think the blocks look really cool together, but if you aren't feeling it please don't trash the blocks. Send them to me and I'll finish them. You know what they remind me of? The song Ex's and Oh's by Elle King, about ex boyfriends who have trouble moving on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uLI6BnVh6w Seriously, it's such a fun graphic quilt in Christmas holiday colors to boot. What's not to love? I don't think it needs a lot in terms of borders, etc. And the great thing about finishing a project that you're not completely head over heels in love with is that it frees you up to be more adventurous when it comes time to quilt it. Haven't we all chickened out at the last minute and gone with "safe quilting" for tops that we can't bear to risk "ruining" while we learn a new design? As I said, I hope you will finish this, but if you don't... Please email me so I can send you my address and reimburse you for postage. Think of it as Creative Recycling instead of sending your blocks to the landfill! :-)
ReplyDeleteI ran into this problem just recently, and I decided to let it go and leave it alone for the evening. The next morning I had my eureka moment the minute I woke up, and knew just what to do. I really believe that mood and inspiration can affect how a project turns out. I wouldn't throw it in the trash, but put it on the back burner if it needs to sit a bit… the inspiration will come back to you.
ReplyDeleteI agree, don't throw them away! Maybe let them sit for a while longer, or put them together as a charity quilt, or maybe pass them onto someone. I too use a notebook to scribble things down as I go, and I think 'inspiration sunday' sounds like a fun idea!
ReplyDeleteI think the blocks look great and I would put them together just as is, no border...but if I were going to do a border, I might do the same blocks enlarged, so that it looks like the center blocks have receded...Not sure if that makes sense! I would love to join a Saturday Inspiration linky party. Sounds like fun!
ReplyDeleteHi, Lori --
DeleteThank you for the encouragement. Yes, your idea makes sense. I had thought about making some over-sized blocks and putting them among the small ones but didn't go any further than the thought.
I hope I can get an inspiration link-up together in the next week or so.
Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment. I appreciate it.
I think your blocks look great. But if you do decide to abandon the project, I just blogged about a (quilty) orphan adoption event I will be hosting in September. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!
ReplyDeleteI don't always capture where my inspiration comes from. But if I do, I would be happy to link up!
I love the blocks and arrangement. I would not border, maybe bind with a diagonal stripe to keep it all fun and colorful.
ReplyDeleteDon't bin it please - it's gorgeous! Sometimes we start with a particular inspiration, but as we work things develop and change: it's part of the process. There's no written rule to say that the original inspiration has to be evident in the final outcome! If you decide to add a border you could consider using just one of the blocks (all the crosses would create a defining frame around the other blocks, or all circles would look good too). I love what you've achieved so far, and obviously Im not the only one!!
ReplyDeleteI really like it just as it is...if it were mine I would just make it a lot bigger!...at least 60 x 80 I'm not a border person so I rarely add borders.
ReplyDeleteDon't give up - they will make a great quilt or perhaps a hanging or runner!? Thanks for linking up to #scraptastictuesday
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy I hope these blocks are still with you, the photo caught my eye and I though Oh LOVE that quilt and came in to have a look. This is defiantly a mans quilt and one I would love to make. Cheers Glenda
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