4/12/11

A concession

It is quite possible that I might have to concede that the quilting can make a quilt.





This poor quilt wasn't much to look at, but add some flowers and leaves in green thread and it starts to shine. It's like the lack of contrast that was working against me gave me a blank palette to quilt on.


It was so hard to pull this top out and quilt it because I was so disappointed in how it came out. I was so sure that I had a great idea to use a fabric I've had for 5+ years and to finally prove "Rick" wrong.


Rick works at the local JoAnn's and when I was a beginning quilter and building a stash, I was always on the lookout for cheap, high quality fabric. I'd been burned a few times on bad runs and test runs that had unexpected results...imagine 6 yards of fabric that, when washed, revealed a bad weave that pulled on the diagonal, so instead of 6 yards, I ended with about 4 yards usable.


Anyway, there were four or five bolts of very bright floral fabric and I was absolutely certain I could make beautiful quilts from it. I think I paid maybe a dollar a yard for it and I bought at least 12 yards total. Rick expressed great disbelief that I would ever be able to use such bright colors in quilts. I can remember it clearly; how I felt like he turned up his nose at my beautiful fabrics and then said "you must make very bright quilts." But, I was sure I could show him. Anyway, I tried to use it once and it was such a total disaster that I didn't try anything else for a long time. Then, I saw the perfect pattern for these fabrics. I could use them with other fabrics from my stash for Linus quilts and move these fabrics I didn't care for on to new homes. Unfortunately, I didn't select the other fabrics very well and I again ended up with tops I didn't care for. But, in both cases, the quilting has made a huge difference.


So, that just goes to show me, quilting can make an awful top beautiful.


Unfortunately, I learned long ago that it can also make a beautiful top awful.


I walk the middle ground.


Lane

6 comments:

Paul said...

I hear you on this post Lane!!

Quilting is always the step where I truly hesitate... ESPECIALLY when I like the top. If the top is ugly, well, I don't worry so much, it most likely won't get worse.

But when I have a nice top that I have worked hard on, I am always worried that I will ruin it when I quilt it. So far, I haven't done that, but I know I will someday and that is why it concerns me...

Take Care,
Paul

Unknown said...

Wow, this turned out really nice. Of course, I never thought it was ugly in the first place. I guess what they say is true, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." I know the bright colors in this quilt will make a lucky child very happy!

Shay said...

I completely agree! Im so glad you're happy with the result.

I always think it's not over until the quilting (and washing) is done. It's amazing what quilting and washing can do for quilt.

So are you going to wander in to JoAnn's and parade this one in front of Rick?

Coloradolady said...

This quilt is beautiful. You may feel you walk in the middle, but I think you walk more on the "professional" side than you think. The quilting is amazing. I'd march right back into that store and see if Rick is still there and present this beauty to him and ask him "do you remember this "bright" fabric" Ha! It is lovely.

qltmom9 said...

That is really sweet looking! Could you, possibly, show us how you did that cute flower pattern??? I would LOVE TO learn how to save some of my quilt tops like that!
BRAVO!!!

Lucy (in IN)

lw said...

You make some really good points here. Now if only I could get enough experience to figure out how to enhance the quilts and not risk the quilts.