I have been playing with background/sashing fabric for the Baskets of Plenty. It didn't take me too long to realize that using hourglass blocks for sashing were a bad idea -- or at least more challenging than my brain wants to deal with right now. There was no common denominator for length and width of the blocks to use the same size hourglass blocks for sashing. I haven't yet abandoned the idea of using the hourglass blocks in a border.
Instead of hourglasses I've been trying out solid colors for sashing. Well, trying them out with my photo program.
I'm not a huge fan of black but I think the baskets stand out more vibrantly against black than the other colors. (I have no idea where to find a black fabric as black as in this photo above. And even if I did, it probably wouldn't be black after a few washings.) These fabric below are the only colors I already have on hand that could be used for sashing. The photo was taken without a flash so the colors are close to true. I'm trying to decide whether I can use several shades of a color. I think there's already so much variety in the blocks that adding variation in the sashing would just be too much.
Which means I can choose a color I have on hand that has enough yardage or I can buy fabric.
Another thing I want to try is putting borders around each block probably using light or medium fabrics. I don't think dark fabrics would add anything to the baskets. But we'll see. So many options and considerations when creating a quilt. I sometimes wish I saw it all finished early on but then I would miss the opportunity to play and explore.
I've am adapting one of Cheri's angel patterns to use at the top of the quilt. Her angel is too narrow so I'm widening the wings, still trying to create wings I like. No photos of her yet.
I'm so used to choosing goals that require me to make visible and specific progress on something. I have to keep reminding myself that there's no pressure to make any decisions about this quilt, that I'm just playing, trying alternatives, and enjoying the process. It's almost -- almost -- like not having a goal.
I hope you're having some fun, enjoying whatever you're doing.
--Nancy.
The baskets are absolutely lovely, and they do stand out against the black. That is a good choice, but I sort of prefer the reddish brown in the second picture. It's softer and I feel like the baskets are more the focus.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan. I thought black would be fabulous but when the fabric is actually next to the baskets, I like it less. On to the other colors.
DeleteI love how the Baskets stand out against the black, but all look good---please don't put green! . I'd been picturing Flying Geese sashing or some such and now I 'don't think it needs it.
ReplyDeletelove
lizzy
lizzy
Thank you, Lizzy. Your "please don't put green" gave me a chuckle. You wouldn't believe how often I think of you when I look at my green fabrics. Since I used green for sashing and borders for the Everyday Patchwork quilt I decided against green early on.
DeleteYes, I originally intended to make hourglass blocks for the sashing. I decided against them for sashing simply because the math doesn't work out. If I'd done the, they would have looked more like on-point squares because of the color arrangement I would have used. I'm still playing with the idea of using them in an outer border.
I love the idea of framing each block in an accent color, then sashing it in black. Bella makes some lovely solids, which can be found through whittles.com. There was another manufacturer of deep black, but I cannot recall who it was. P&B makes some excellent, high thread count solids also. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing your thoughts about colors for framing the blocks. I'm still playing with everything about these blocks and the quilt they will become!
DeleteI chuckle at you trying to *not* have a goal. You have some really good possibilities at hand for the sashing/borders. For me, I always tend to buy large pieces of solids that don't quite work, and therefore end up with a lot of solid this and that, but not always just right for the project at hand.
ReplyDeleteLOL, Cynthia. Well, I do really have a goal, which is an amount of time instead of a result. For me it's easiest to set a goal with a time deadline when it's cutting and sewing blocks, sewing blocks into a top, or even quilting. I'm a miserable failure if I set a goal to create something by a deadline, especially if decisions during the creative process are involved. Hence, the goal of an amount of time instead of some finish.
DeleteI rarely buy yardage of solids unless a sale is too good to pass up. Many of the pieces I have I didn't specifically buy, but found at a recycle center that's currently out of business. They operated on a membership basis with which members could take home anything and as much as they wanted. Sometimes I found that people had dropped off fabric which I was thrilled to bring home (and return if it wasn't all cotton). At this point I'm wondering whether a solid is the best idea for sashing for this quilt or not. I'm still playing....
I love your gorgeous baskets, great work!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karrin.
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