Maybe it was a reaction but, more likely, a touch of impatience that stitching tiny red and brown 4-patch blocks made for slow progress for a large quilt that resulted in my decision to start a quilt with larger blocks.
I saw "Blue and Grey" somewhere on the internet several years ago and loved it but then forgot about it until Julie posted her version of the quilt six weeks ago, which reminded me of it. I reserved the book, The Blue and the Gray: Quilt Patterns using Civil War Fabrics, from the library.I love everything about this quilt except that 6" blocks result in a quilt that measures 40" x 47". I want a larger quilt, big enough for a nap or a bed, so I enlarged the blocks to finish at 9".
I tell you, 3½" seem huge after stitching tiny 1¼" squares!
It's rare for me to follow a pattern exactly. I change the size, I change the colors, I change one thing or other about the pattern. This time I've changed only the size, which means I've been on a search for a few more Civil War fabrics. It's been wonderful sewing with mostly all new fabric, but finding a variety of blues (in the shade I like), browns, reds, lights/mediums/tans/gold-ishes, and greys has been a little challenging. One almost-local quilt shop had just a few of each color but nearly no blues and no greys at all. Another less-local quilt shop sells mostly 1800s reproduction fabrics where I found several blue fabrics, two reds, and two lights.
I'm pleased to be starting a new quilt while I continue to cut, stitch, and press more blocks for Little Rubies.
I'm linking this post to Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts. Thanks for hosting, Myra.
--Nancy.
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Fun that you change things up, for I do too!! Love your start!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Julie. I guess changing things is one way to make them our own, put our personality/personal signature to them.
DeleteI think you are wise to start a fresh quilt on a larger scale. It helps to keep momentum and after sewing should be fun :-) Those Civil War fabrics are lovely. I don't have any Civil War grey stashed away, I guess it must one of the more unusual colours in those fabric ranges.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement, Allison. I know grey is popular with many modern quilters but it isn't a color I've used before. I have a few pieces of not many and didn't have any C.W. fabrics. I'll be interested to see how this quilt comes out.
DeleteI read your thread post with interest and realized I really don't give thread enough thought.
ReplyDeleteI can certainly see why you want to go bigger and those shades also appeal to me. Lovely blocks all!
Thank you, Jocelyn. I know I should pay more attention to thread and probably will from now on -- at least to be sure I have enough to finish a quilt.
DeleteIt's been fun to work on the bigger blocks but, of course, a fat quarter of fabric doesn't go as far as when making smaller blocks.
I love this quilt and have made a version of it. I also wanted a larger quilt and made extra blocks to make it a throw size. I was lucky at the time that Barbara Brackman had a line of fabrics with grays. You are right--they are hard to find! Have fun with your quilt!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Karen. I like your way of making a quilt larger, too, a way that I sometimes use. It's interesting to see how fabrics come into and go out of style and how even popular fabrics are in continue production for very long. How I wish I could find some of the older fabrics I loved and have used the last of. I'm enjoying making this quilt!
DeleteI 'blew up' a similar, simple 9 patch for my own bed, and actually went to 5" squares, which were on hand from the charity I was working at. It looked almost silly it was so big at the time, but laying on a king size bed it's in scale. Keep at it. It will be beautiful! I love that quilt, too.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Julie. It's interesting to think about scale in terms of a quilt on a bed (as opposed to hanging on a wall). There's definitely a difference. I'm enjoying stitching this quilt, even with a slightly slim variation in fabrics.
DeleteI've wanted to make that quilt, too, Nancy, but have never started. If I had any CW repro greys I would send them your way, but that is a color I really lack.
ReplyDeleteHi, Janet. I'm beginning to think C.W. greys are not really very popular. I'll use the fabrics I have and go for the look over accuracy of fabrics, I guess.
DeleteWhat a neat idea for cornerstones. I can see why you like it. Blessings,
ReplyDeleteHi, Angie. It is a neat idea for cornerstones but it's an idea I'll try for a different quilt. The placement was just to show size comparison.
DeleteI know what you mean about 3 1/2" blocks feeling huge - I've been working on my OMG quilt (the pieces finish off at 1/2") and I too felt like I was off to the races when I went back to sewing Snippets blocks. :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Marie. Those tiny blocks are the first I've sewn any quilt pieces so small. I don't think I am really used to them yet but it was still a surprise to sew the larger blocks.
DeleteYou just can’t go wrong with anime patch. Reproductions are getting hard to find in our area. Fortunately, I have a good supply, but don’t know if I have any gray!
ReplyDeleteHi, Jennie. I'm not sure what "anime patch" is -- but I'd like to know. Reproduction fabrics are relatively new to me so I don't have much of a selection here at home. I hesitate to buy online. One can never know how accurate the color is or how the fabric will feel, but I may have to resort to that since there aren't many stores around my area.
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