This is leader/ender sewing but I have to keep cutting to have enough triangles to sew. I'm working on the warm colors first. Red stars on white, as in the first photo, or white stars on red? I have a lot of triangles to sew together before I have to make a decision.
And then there's Bramble Blooms. I finally finished stitching the brown borders on Monday. I got up Tuesday morning with the intention of cutting the arcs from tan/light brown fabric so I could begin stitching them but my indecision got the better of me. (Or maybe the quilt's not talking to me?) What fabric/color should those arcs be?
I tried red arcs and they disappeared against the brown. I tried green and the same thing happened. I pulled out some blues-leaning-to-teal but they looked awful. I finally decided the tan arcs would work after all, so I cut and prepared two. And they're also awful! Maybe it's the wrong tan, or maybe that color range is wrong (but which would be right)? Or maybe they're too big? Too high? Too wide? Or maybe the "legs" of the arcs are too wide? Or...? (For perspective, the top and side borders are 8" wide and the bottom border is 9".)
So this is where I am with Bramble Blooms. And after I finally decide the color/fabric for the arcs, I'll probably need to reconsider the fabric/colors for the "pickets." Or maybe small arcs all the way around. Or...?
We've had a week of sunny days and warmer temperatures. It's been wonderful! It almost makes me think Punxsutawney Phil could have been right this year and we'll have an early spring.
I'm linking this post to Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework. Thank you for hosting, Cynthia.
Thanks for reading and thank you for any comments.
--Nancy.
Your scrappy stars are just turning out beautifully--nice work!!
ReplyDeleteI think --(just me sayin')-- I like how the brown "disappears" into the border--the lighter tannish ones don't overwhelm the center....since it's not the final border that white seems too bright (if you can believe that from me!!).
You have to go with what "feels" right to you...I think it's hard though, as we have no idea what's up next...;000 hugs, Julierose
Thanks so much for your comments, Julierose.
DeleteI agree that the whites/very lights were too bright for that first border so I didn't use them. Everything's still in progress, which means I'm still deciding on some parts of the border. (Still!) I so often wish I could be objective when making a quilt. Sometimes I particularly like a fabric, or a color and will try to make it work. Definitely hard sometimes.
Love the scrappy stars and judging by the amount of scraps I too have, I should be joining in this project too. I like the word Dither as it applies to my Bramble Blooms too. I have tried many ideas for the border and none of them jump out and say yes. I love your improv arcs...novel and interesting. Fingers crossed you can get them right for you!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jocelyn. I think the stars will be fun when I finally begin sewing all the parts together. For now I'm making the hourglass blocks that will become the stars.
DeleteDither is a great word but one I'd rather not have to use to describe myself and my progress (or lack thereof) on Bramble Blooms. I was thinking that Audrey made a comment about what to do when none of the options specifically says yes. I'll have to go look it up again. I'm still in progress with applique. I hope it looks great by the time I'm finished!
The scrappy star idea is definitely a good one and I should follow your example with my box of scraps. The red and white stars look so nice. I like the idea of just doing arcs all around. But, that's a lot of work. I'm working on another applique project and I find it so helpful to walk away and come back periodically to see if I've come up with a better idea. So, as I see it, dithering is a positive aspect of quilting. . .
ReplyDeleteThose stars--they take a lot of work cutting the triangles to size. But I like them enough to continue making the hourglass blocks which will become stars.
DeleteI'm still working on and making decisions about the border, Robin. I wish I could see with fresh eyes every time I looked at a quilt in progress or a photo of the same. Sometimes I can but not usually. I think it would help me make decisions sooner. But as you say, that dithering is likely a positive part of making a quilt.
Your stars are great - I love the idea of leader-enders, but always get so anxious with the project they become a focus! For Bramble Blooms, maybe add some leaves and berries to the arcs? Pick up the red and green in the center to offset the starkness of their tans?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Katie. I'm like that too, eager to make progress and instead of a leader/ender, I have a work in progress.
DeleteI've appliqued some but am also still playing with possibilities for Bramble Blooms. Thanks for the suggestions for additions.
Sounds like you're having a fun busy sewing winter.
ReplyDeleteBB--maybe it's not the arcs, it's the brown? So hard to tell online.
Actually, I'm trying to clean out and clean up my odd stacks of fabric scraps, Lizzy. The stars and nine-patches are the result. Sadly, my scraps don't seem to have dwindled much.
DeleteOh, Bramble Blooms. Yes, maybe it is the brown. It was the only color that seemed to work but I wonder if I've painted myself into a corner, so to speak. Will I be able to recover from that width of darkness with the next, outer border?
Love your red and white stars. I like the combination of the tan color arcs with the brown borders. It's a soothing color combination. I guess many of us are dithering about one aspect or another with this quilt project, but isn't it a great learning experience! I'm currently in a quandary about my X corner blocks. Anyway, onward we lurch.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pat. Yes, I think tan and brown are soothing together, too. This is a great learning experience and I'm glad I joined the sew-along. Lurch is a good word for what I'm doing!
DeleteLove the Ohio Star blocks--the scrappier the better. As to white stars or red stars, I really love the look when the value placement changes randomly in a scrap quilt. I once made a scrappy Churndash quilt that way where 2 or 3 blocks would have light backgrounds and then suddenly there is a block or two with a light churn and a dark background. Personally, I love the randomness of that, and it truly has the "make do" look. But obviously you have to do what appeals to you.
ReplyDeleteI have no real input on the BB quilt. Again, you have to like it, regardless of what any of us have to say. I hope you find what clicks into place for you in the border.
Thanks, Janet. It's been fun to pair two triangles then two more to create the hourglass blocks. I haven't yet sewn any of the blocks into stars. I imagine they will become scrappier with both light and red backgrounds. I like the surprise of seeing both ways in a quilt, too.
DeleteI like your scrappy stars! Looks like you have plenty of scraps to choose from. Looking at you Bramble Blooms, I really like your 'pickets'. I was thinking maybe fewer arcs? Did you try pink, like your little dots? Or green as in your leaves? And I wouldn't change your center applique, I love your vase and flowers!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rebecca. I have no idea how many stars the scraps I have might make but I'm sure they'll keep me going for a good while yet.
DeleteI appliqued parts of the border and now have a few more decisions to make. I think the pickets are a go, I just need to figure out size, spacing, etc. Thanks for your kind comments about the center and your suggestions for colors.
Your stars are great, I really like your flowers. idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I'm glad you like the flowers.
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