There's nothing like a photo to show me what my eyes don't see in real life. In person I see the colors as very similar. Ha!
I have 99 of 140 individual bow tie blocks made for this BowTie quilt. (Not all are pictured here.) Before I make the rest of the blocks, I need to make some decisions.
I'm considering a "fake" border around the edge by using three dark squares of fabrics per block. In the photo above I've just placed some darks along the edge of two sides to give an idea. Hmmm. Do you think this would be a good finish for this quilt? Or better just letting the 12" blocks end at the edge? Below is how I would make those edge/border blocks.
Another possibility is to include a "circle" or two of green/teal blocks. From the fabrics below. Maybe the two colors I'm currently using are boring? And teal only because it's in this one fabric. (But I'm all for reds and greens, in all their variations, together.)
Another consideration is whether I should carefully arrange the blocks or place them randomly. I've placed them now so that no two of the same fabrics touch. Where the four lights meet, each is different, and where the bow ties meet, each is different. Perhaps the lights should be in the center, then the mediums, then the darks? If so, I would need to be sure to have enough of each tone/shade.
And one last consideration is whether I should try to make each "circle" of bow ties in a similar tone/shade or fabric. A medium circle, a dark circle, etc.
It seems I can just hardly make anything simple and leave it. There always seem to be other options, considerations, alternatives....
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I'm always interested in others' views.
I'm linking this post to
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Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts
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Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework>
Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Thanks for hosting, ladies.
--Nancy.
I think the layout is great with non-matching fabrics separate from each other. I love the idea of using 3 squares of the same fabric to make your solid border. I think it's quite clever.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing your thoughts about the layout and edge blocks, Robin. I've made half of the edge/border blocks so I think I'm going forward with that idea. I have yet to decide the arrangement of the blocks in the center, whether to form "circles" or go with a spontaneous, unplanned arrangement. I really thought the fabrics were much closer in color/shade.
DeleteI like this layout too. As for the border, oh dear, I struggle with that myself all the time. I'm sure Robin and the others will have great suggestions for you, Nancy. I love the bow ties and want to make one of those too. Great to have a project at this stage.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jocelyn. It is great to have the top to this stage, though I still have about 20 blocks to make. Borders are always a challenge for me, too. Because MCC wants close to a specific size (60" x 80") I thought making the edge blocks look like a border might be the way to go, since it wouldn't add width or length. I hope it works!
DeleteI like the teal addition, and the border idea with the 3. Whatever you choose, trust yourself. You make good decisions!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your encouragement, Susan. I'm leaving out the teal, just because the only blocks I have left to make will go around the edge. But I think the two colors would have worked. Maybe I'll put them together on another quilt.
DeleteI love what you have done so far. Border options rather baffle me, must reread, lol. No green tho!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lizzy. I'm laughing at your "No green tho!" comment. As it happens, there won't be green but only because I only have edge blocks left to make and I don't think that's a good place to try to fit in a few blocks of another color.
DeleteI really like the bow-tie circles as they are!! Borders are so difficult for sure...nice work on these hugs, Julierose
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing your thoughts about this layout, Julierose.
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