Saturday night I pulled all 21 Flowers out and laid them on muslin. Since I have averaged only one block per year, I am hopeful that this monthly linkup will help me kick this project up a few notches - maybe I can actually finish the quilt in my lifetime:-) Over the years, my tastes in fabrics have changed a lot, and my stash too of course. Although I really do like my blocks, I felt fairly disappointed with them all laid out together. I arranged and re-arranged. Then I pulled three blocks out to get a more cohesive look. One of those pulled happened to be my new block, the one I just finished. Aghh...
Then I got to thinking. I have been quilting a long time now. I am a make-do quilter, and I love the story a quilt can tell by the fabrics included in it. This gives me a strong passion for scrap quilts... Scrap quilts that require a large 'palette' of fabrics to draw from...
These blocks do tell a bit of a story for me, and I decided I am not quite ready to give up on any of them yet. I will 'whip up' a few more blocks that could help bring them together. Still, I may end up culling a few (thanks for the chuckle Liz!)
And Liz has a point: It is best to choose a bit of a color-way to stick with prior to starting a quilt. Way-back-when I had no plan. I just stitched up a block one year. I stitched up another the next year... And so on. I knew a few years into it that it was a bit off, and I'd attempt colors for the next block that I thought might help it out. Now I guess I just can't quite give up on that concept.
So, back to my old ways, I quickly packed them back up and selected fabric for my next flower.
(honestly, that muslin looks gray doesn't it? Next month I will photograph them on white!)
All this leads me to a bit of advice for all those 'fabricaholics' who are discussing Detox:
Nonsense!! Be always on the lookout! Fabric is essential to feed your palette! It can take years to gather fabrics for some quilts, and these are usually the most sentimental ones.
That said, I am forever in destash mode as well. When I make a decision to part with fabric, I usually keep a tad bit of it. I can't say how many times I have used these bits for odd projects, like BOM or swaps. Tastes change over time too. (I was anti-floral/anti-calico when I started my garden quilt!)
Speaking of destash, it has been a LONG time since I offered a giveaway!
On Tuesday, the 12th, I am participating in the For the Boys Hop. I prepared a BOY Bundle to give away in conjunction, but first I thought I would offer a GIRL Bundle:
Girls before boys ya know...
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Art Gallery Spellbound FQ Collection |
Lyn at What a Hoot for BOM's Away
Shameless, I know, but if you would like a second chance to win, leave a second comment to let me know you took a stroll at my new Etsy shop (and follow me there if you are so inclined - I have not one follower yet!) https://www.etsy.com/shop/RedLetterFabrics
In an effort to de-clutter my original Etsy shop and focus on handmades there, I am clearing fabric out and posting new fabric into this new shop. I have a ton more to post there as time permits!
