Sunday, February 23, 2014

Decisions! Decisions! I Need Help!

I have been talking about this quilt for so long and now I am pleased and thrilled to announce that I have finished ALL the blocks! All 64! Sixty-four! Six tens and four ones. Omigoodness! I've been teaching young children too long...

Behold and see!
Twirled log cabin blocks Paul & Leesa 
I wanted to try a more “artistic” (read interesting) way of photographing my blocks. I mean…how many times can you see a log cabin block over the course of months?

I’m so excited to start sewing the top together. Soon it will be a flimsy! Aspiring to be a quilt. I love that name “flimsy”; I just heard it a few months ago. I didn’t know what it was originally then figured out it meant a quilt top without batting & quilting.

I’m also working on my Spool Quilt as a leader ender. I had started it last summer then switched to the Sister’s Choice quilt blocks. I realized that there are a lot, many, many blocks to make for the SC. The Spool Quilt is much more manageable, as in less blocks in the quilt. I switched back to the Spools to get it done first. You can see some of the blocks and even a log cabin progress report here.

I asked for your help last week in finding more of the darkest blue fabric for the Log Cabin so I could continue with making blocks for a quilt for myself. You are wonderful people, do you know that? Well, you are! I found it at Thousands of Bolts. Yes the fabric AND at a bargain price of $5.95/yd. I paid $11/yd the first time I bought it.

I bought 6 yards of it. Just a teensy weensy bit overboard, I should say. I thought 3 yds would probably do, but that blue is the last two strips of a 14” block. I figured I’d buy a bit more to be safe…which I had done in the first place. And you know where that landed me. Hmmmm. I knew 6 yards was more than enough, but I love, love, love that fabric so much I thought of future quilts that could have parts of yummy blue-ness in them. My head started to swim. I clicked on the “Order” button, finalizing the 6 yards and thought, “Whooppee!”

Of course, my stash count next week is going to take a hit. But I’m sure all will be well over the months.

So thank you, thank you gracious readers. You sure are a swell bunch!
And speaking of your help and stash counts, I need another helping hand of your knowledge. I am participating in the HST BOM at Quilt Arts Design. (See the badge on the left sidebar.) I’m joining in a couple of months late, but figure I CAN do it. I know a cool, quick way to make HSTs and I love them.

HST fabric choice
Now here’s where your help comes in. I’ve always wanted to make a red & white quilt. I’ve chosen two gorgeous fabrics: one dark and one light. I think I need a third fabric for mediums. I’m not doing scrappy here, just the two materials above and one more.

Could you pretty please with a cherry on top, leave answers in the comments below and let me know what your experienced (or non-experienced—because we all can tell what we like!) answers.

Here are my questions:
1. Do you have any ideas for a medium piece? I’ve looked through my stash and have nothing. Should I choose a fabric with red, black and white that is medium? The red flowery/star fabric has black in it. What would you suggest?
2. Do you think I should have more than three fabrics, for instance: another dark, another medium (makes 2) and another light?
3. Could you come to a quilt store with me and help me pick the fabrics? Cookies provided!
4. Do you think I should go scrappy? I love scrappy. I thought just the unity of 3 or 6 fabrics would be fun.
I’m looking forward to reading your answers! You helped me before with my Spiderweb quilt borders, so I know I can count on you.

Have a lovely week!

Sharing with: Patchwork Times, Fabric Tuesday, Show and Tell Tuesday, Free Motion by the River, We Did It! Wednesday, WIP Wednesday, Needle and Thread Thursday, I Quilt, Fabric Frenzy Friday

17 comments:

  1. Love your log cabins laid out in the first picture. From the reader list it looked like you had started a new quilt.
    So glad you found your desired fabric. I've purchased from Thousands of bolts and only one nut... never been disappointed.
    Love the idea of a total red quilt. You have a dark tone on tone, and a small red print - don't forget that the background is white. - so I'm thinking a large print of red flowers would be an interesting addition...depending on your quilt pattern. (If you mentioned that, I missed it.) Hope this helps you out.
    Hugs

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    1. Yes, it seems like I have found a couple more BOM or work along parties to join. I have to be careful I don't crowd out my time for sewing on "what matters"! I like your ideas for the third print--thanks for sharing. The quilt is from the badge on the sidebar: Half-Square Triangles.

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  2. Hi, Quilting Nonnie! I just found you through Design Wall Monday. I'm not familiar enough with what you like to do to be able to recommend a particular fabric for your quilt, BUT I did have an idea for you. I just hopped over to Pinterest and searched for "red and white quilts" and look what I got: http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=red%20and%20white%20quilts&rs=ac&len=9

    If you scroll through those quilt images, paying attention to which quilts grab your fancy and noting the fabrics those quilters used, it should help you get ideas of what you want the "mystery fabric" to be for this new quilt. There are thousands of choices that would make beautiful quilts, all very different. The only one that matters is the one that makes YOU smile. Good luck!

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    1. Pinterest is a fantastic idea. I can't believe all the red combinations! I haven't scrolled through all but I'm sure this is going to be a huge help. Thanks for visiting! I hopped to your blog and saw your Jingle BOM-gorgeous!

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  3. IMHO, whether you need a medium red for your red & white quilt will depend largely on your pattern. I love two color quilts, and I usually only use two shades: a lighter (usually white because I cannot find a pretty white with a print that I like ... one of these days I'm going to do a two color quilt with a darker and then a lighter print) and a darker, although the Storm at Sea that I'm currently quilting has some lighter blues in it.

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    1. Oh, and I forgot to say that I cannot wait to see your log cabin flimsie. I'm going to make a log cabin for my oldest grandson ... the colors suggested were a blue, gold (I'm leaning toward a yellow-y gold) and red ... pretty much the colors you used. I'm more used to using blue in some very dark shades and some very light shades along with a red when making my log cabins ... I was worrying whether there'd be enough contrast between the blue and the yellowy gold. But based on the little snippet you shared, I'll be ok.

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    2. Yes I've done two color quilts, but never with just 2 or three fabrics. I love Storm at Sea and hope you having fun with it. I'm glad my log cabin might help with yours!

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  4. Are you using those two fabrics and white (or WOW)? Or just those two fabrics? I think your third color should be white, and the floral as your medium. Just a little white, to add sparkle. Not as much as a background fabric.

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    1. Well, that is a good idea! It might also be easier than trying to find lighter red. Thanks for the help!

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  5. Well, you certainly did find an interesting way to photo your log cabin blocks - that is a design in itself! I am much more of a fmq than a traditional piecer, so I am going to leave your questions to those with more knowledge than I. Good luck with the red and white.

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    1. I did rather like the twist on Log Cabin. Now if I could figure out how to make a block like that, without using 16 log cabin blocks!

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  6. Oh my goodness, this block is amazing. It is superb!! As for helping you with your deliberations re choice of the 3rd fabric, 'tis a bit tricky when one doesn't know what pleases your eye......happy searching. I am quite certain that you will come up with the perfect 'fit' for you!!

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    1. Truly. Everyone's taste is different. But ideas are good enough. Thanks for stopping by!

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  7. visiting from WIP wednesday. Goodness. difficult choices. I would need to see the fabrics and how they fit in. It also depends on the pattern you are making as to what will work.

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  8. I like the first pic as well. As for you questions. You might add one solid in as background fabric. Take those to your shop and place it on some and see what you fancy. Good luck!

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  9. Love your log cabin block.
    About your fabric...I made it bigger but it was still hard to see...from all the way from Australia it looks as if there is a greyish or pinkish colour in there, so that is what I would use for a medium coloured fabric to go with the red and white, rather than something with black. Scrappy is great too, but I just love the colour red and also am into the more traditional style of quilts. Have fun with your choices

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  10. I, too would use the white and red print as the medium and go for a white-on-white for the third though I prefer really scrappy in my own work and get bogged down if there isn't enough variety. Love the way you photographed the log cabin blocks -- caught my eye right away!

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I love comments. They make me smile and feel warm and fuzzy. To show you my appreciation, I try to answer everyone's comment. :)

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