Sunday 10 February 2013

Sewing Out of My Comfort Zone


No no, not this! Anyone who is a regular reader will know this is very much in my comfort zone.  Yesterday, determined to ressurect the abandoned grannies before Helen reported me to Age Concern, I began chopping up 2.5" squares of scraps and today I began making blocks.  After a couple, I got out the old dears grannies and noticed that the new ones were looking much shinier - the white that is.  I thought at first that it was because the old grannies had been lying on the spare bed and perhaps the white had faded or they were just a bit grubby.


I decided to compare the white with some Kona Snow and yep, it was a perfect match. The block in the foreground is Kona Snow.

So why the sewing out of my comfort zone I hear you asking. Well disheartened by the fact that I only had a little Kona Snow and after reading Di's post about her Siblings Together quilt and a quick way to make HSTs from a layer cake, I dug out my Cabbages and Roses layer cake I purchased just over a year ago. I bought this fabric to try and use something different and of course it sat unused...well until today that is.

My sister in law who got married this time last year is expecting a baby girl next month. I wondered whether the Cabbages and Roses might make a nice baby quilt?


I chopped up some of the layer cake majoring on the blues and pinks and not so much the grey and assembled the pinwheels. This is so not me and I can't really tell whether I'm on the right tracks I'm unconvinced about the cabbage print and think that perhaps it ages the quilt...so what do you think?  Keep going, take out the red, dark blue, add more grey, take out the cabbages or go back to the drawing board? All suggestions welcome.

27 comments:

heart of charnwood said...

I think its a good baby quilt, the colours are soft and pastel, and once you quilt it, it will have a really lovely crispness. Keep going, and I like a little bit of grey, not sure on the red stripe, but i'm thinking with other soft colours around it, it should be ok! : )

Janet said...

The baby quilt looks lovely. I would keep the red and dark blue to a minimum but a little bit of it is great. And I love the fabrics you are using in the granny squares!

dutchcomfort said...

Maybe you can hang the babyquilt on the wall, have another look and take out what you don’t like. I think I see what you mean! It’s not you, and you will feel better if the quilt you make and give will be a reflection of you.
Over the years I learned that doubt is already an answer to your question!

Sunnybec said...

Try white sashing in between the blocks .... I like sashing :-) xx

Susan said...

How many more blocks were you intending on making? I never like just one of something (chocolate, cake etc!) so if you were making 25 blocks, two or three red would be fine!

Canadian Abroad said...

You are going to hate me but I am not sure that I like all the matchy pinwheels. I would mix up the HSTs more somehow so that the stronger colours mix in more, or form more of a pattern.

Sheila said...

My first thought was for more white so maybe try the sashing idea?

Catherine said...

Totally get your quandary. I think too that white sashing will make sense of it and that, like many quilts, the quilting will make it look like it was meant to be!

Mrs Flying Blind... said...

I'd go completely random! I am on commission for that HST method - 5p please xxx

Yon Quilting Wife said...

I like the pin wheels you have made but I agree with putting sashing in a pale colour. I like posts with my sashing. Looking good though.

Molli Sparkles said...

I say keep the stripes and solids and throw everything else out. A baby quilt doesn't have to be pastel and cute-ish. I prefer graphic and sophisticated anyday! Also, love the stripes on the pinwheels but it wouldn't look as disjointed if your stripes all went in the same direction. I think that would help them flow a bit more. Keep going, as you're right, this will help you grow!

Katy Cameron said...

Hmm, I have to say I'm not a fan of the line, which I think is skewing my viewpoint on it, sorry! Bugger on the grannies too!

Anonymous said...

such gorgeous blocks...white sashing would set them off nicely..

www.randomthoughtsdoordi.com said...

I sort of agree with Katy, above, and since we are friends, I know this is not you. Go with what Nicolette said and make something you love.

Sarah said...

Hmm. I see what you mean. Maybe the blue is just too dark? Dunno....

Prof. S (the enchanted bobbin) said...

My impulse would be to *try* a dark (and wide sashing) -- a deep blue or red or grey. I think a dark background might do some interesting things for the blocks (and cast the ditsy florals in a different light)...but it would take a little experimentation to see what might work. xx

Kris said...

I think you should do what your heart is telling you to do. Sewing something you don't love is a sure way to start a "never-to-be-finished". As long as you like it and are happy with it it will look wonderful! Thanks for the link too. I'm off to have a look at that. (I have a new layer cake calling out in the cupboard!)

jeifner said...

I think the fabrics are pretty by themselves. I don't think you necessarily need sashing. The red stripes stand out a lot more than anything else.

Charlotte said...

I think it is lovely just as it is. It looks timeless, and will be a fantastic baby quilt. Just imagine that teeny little creature all snuggled up in it! (eeek, I appear to be a bit broody!!!)

Sarah said...

I like the fabrics as they are. You don't need to take any out. I think it would look great with white sashing between the pinwheels. Just a thin one.

Dianne Neale said...

Maybe go with either more blue and red, or none at all? Maybe some sashing?
It's very pretty though, and perfect baby quilt fabric I think.

Janine @ Rainbow Hare said...

I think I'd lay them on a white sheet or plain coordinating fabric in a few different arrangements, such as spaced to see what sashing would be like, together to see about a plain border or leaving spaces to have plain or maybe other layer cake squares in between the pinwheels. I think this will be a lovely quilt - just not necessarily to your taste. The main question is probably whether it's the sort of fabric your sister in law will like.

Nat at Made in Home said...

Good on you for stepping out of your comfort zone. It is a bit too twee for me, but it looks like a perfect quilt for country living, so I reckon you are on the right track...

Run Quilt Knit Write said...

I have a quilt made with that very same fabric on my bed - and I LOVE it. The muted shades and the roses give it a really French country chateux shabby chic look - and I think in a way that makes it pretty timeless. I know it's outside your comfort zone - but I for one love what you're doing!!

Lisa said...

I'm not going to read anybody's comments till I comment... don't want to be influenced. I think this would make an awesome baby quilt. When I look at your picture the only thing I see is the red stripe though... I would take that out, other than that it is perfect!

Archie The Wonder Dog said...

I'd try laying it out on a solid to see what sashing would look like - I think that at the moment it's all a bit squashed up and it needs space to breathe...

Are you sure one of the grannies hasn't had an 'accident' and that's why the white is the wrong colour?! Or maybe they've been smoking...Hope you didn't make too many new blocks before you noticed the colour difference!

Collette said...

It is tricky as i adore prints like these vintagey etc but i think go with your gut. I would maybe go more scrappy with the hst but it is your creation. If you aren't happy don't do it. You can always send me the fabric lol x