I Know It When I See It -- #BraveQuilter

Are you like me?  When something's right it goes practically unnoticed: everything is as it should be and nothing calls attention to itself.  But when something's wrong it stands out like a sore thumb:  the furniture askew, the counter covered with crumbs, the crooked painting on the wall, that one weed that was missed.  Wrong practically screams at me, "fix me!"  When it comes to quilting, my imagination can't get past pins holding fabric shapes in place.  It's my misfortune that everything needs to be stitched down before I can see whether it's right or wrong, whether it works or not.  Then, when it all works together, I know it when I see it.

I chose the little butterscotch/gold fabric for the centers of the flowers, stitched them down, pressed the block, and took photos.  Here it is.

Don't those yellow centers stand out like sore thumbs?  The flowers seem say to me, "fix us, please fix us!"  I don't know if the color is wrong, the size is wrong, or the shape is wrong, but to me, those centers are like bulls' eyes, drawing my attention directly to them.

I thought little stars would be great in the centers of the flowers but I don't applique well enough, especially tiny pieces like they would need to be, to create and stitch stars.  The five-cornered centers seemed like they would be a great substitute.  Now I think perhaps not.  But maybe the shape's okay and I just need to change the fabric.  It's back to the drawing board for me.

To some it may seem like a big deal to unstitch the centers, choose and prepare new ones, and applique them in place, but I've learned that sometimes things don't work as I imagine they will and I have to make changes.  For me it's part of the creative process.  And I'd rather make the changes before I sew the next border.  The less fabric I have to hold while stitching those little centers, the better.

My #bravequilter challenge for June was to applique the pieces onto this 21" x 24" block and keep it flat.  I succeeded in those two objectives (even though I will probably unstitch those little butterscotch centers and applique other centers).  And I also managed to add one narrow border as a "buffer" between the center and the next wider border--and the block is still flat and square.   I call it success.  One of these months I won't have to set goals toward bravery!

I'm linking this post to #BraveQuilter Wrap Up Linky for June at Pink Doxies.  Thanks for hosting, Julie.

I'm also linking this post to WOW at Esther's Blog and Let's Bee Social #131 at Sew Fresh Quilts.

--Nancy.
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Slow Stitching Flower Centers

I finally decided on fabric for the centers and middles of these six flowers and I'm excited about them.  Two have the the first center stitched.  I'll finish the other four and then stitch all six middle pieces onto the centers.

I searched for small brown and tan gingham but did not find any, therefore the black and tan is it.  I think it will be fine once the next center is sewn.

Do your applique pieces get wrinkled as you stitch them?  Mine do!  After they're all stitched I'll press the whole block before measuring for the first border.

These flowers are from my Gwennie-Inspired Medallion quilt.  I'm still in the process of sewing the first border but expect to have it finished and sewn onto the center within the next few days.

I'm linking this post to
Slow Stitching Sunday at Kathy's Quilts
Moving It Forward Monday at Em's Scrapbag
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilts
Main Crush Monday (MCM #26) at Cooking Up Quilts
Thanks for hosting, ladies.

--Nancy.
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Star and Centers for Flowers

I've been working on my Gwenny-Inspired Medallion quilt.  This might look like a small star....

And I'm still trying to decide on the centers for the flowers in the basket in the center of the medallion.  The "perfect" fabric seems to be elusive -- or at least not in my collection.  Ha!

I tried several yellows and they looked garish.  Blues/aquas/turquoises looked bland.  Red won't do it because the flowers are all in the red range.  Brown was too dark.  I don't think I want solid black.  This checked black layered with this yellow/coral may work -- or not.  It works with the basket better than any of the other centers but I need to look at in the daylight, too.  I may finish the quilt and still be trying to decide on the centers for these flowers -- but I hope not!

Thanks for visiting and especially thanks if you leave a comment.

I'm linking this post to
Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework
WOW at Esther's Blog
Let's Bee Social #130 at Sew Fresh Quilts
Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Happy day to you!
--Nancy.
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Ideas, Please?

Last week my daughter asked me if I could find a quilt at a thrift store for her husband to use at the Children's Garden where he's the horticulturist. I told her I'd look, but I haven't found one.  I haven't been quilting long enough to have a supply on hand to give away but I thought maybe I could make one.  (It doesn't help that he could use it now, but he'll use a quilt whenever he gets one.)  I rummaged around and found these blocks that I made 10 years ago.  The flowers were my first efforts in applique so I could join the Airedale Rescue Quilting Bee.  The others were leftovers from another quilt (which is still waiting to be quilted).

I don't really have time to make a quilt from scratch because of the High Five for Brenna that I'm determined to finish by the end of March, but I thought I might be able to work with one of the sets of blocks above and turn them into a small quilt.  But what to do with them and how?!  It has to be simple, of course.  Alternate plain and pieced or plain and appliqued blocks?  Set them in sashing?  What kind of sashing?  What colors would work for either of these sets of blocks?

The flower blocks will finish at 8 1/2", the churn dash blocks at 7 1/2".  The final quilt can be about baby size.  It's going on a wall so the children won't be bundling themselves up in it or putting it on the ground for a play picnic, but dirty hands will touch it so white/very light may not be the best option.

All ideas appreciated!

By the way, I'm making good progress on the High Five but I'm going to have to push myself to get it finished by the end of March, especially when there are two weeks I won't be able to work on it much (because my daughter will be home one week and I'll be working again the other).  Quilt, quilt, quilt...!

I'm linking this to W.i.P. Wednesday hosted on Freshly Pieced by Claire from Sewing Over Pins.  Thank you, Claire and Lee.

Thanks and take care,
Nancy.
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