Saturday, April 15, 2017

Multicolor Madness

The assignment for April at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge is to use our multicolored scraps. Last week I showed piles of multicolored 2" fabric strips left over from a couple of old watercolor quilts, all of them sorted from light to dark. I considered many design options for how to use those strips in an RSC quilt. I was very excited to begin on my chosen project. This is a pattern I have been wanting to make for several years, and now seemed like the perfect time!


Tranquil Treasures by Evelyn Sloppy
from her book Strips and Strings - 16 Sparkling Quilts

I started with the center blocks, using the lightest of my watercolor fabrics. The blocks are made in pairs, so I ended up with four, but only need three for the quilt.

The next group of blocks combine the lightest lights (Group #6) with the next slightly darker lights (Group #5.) There are eight blocks with this combination, followed by twelve blocks using Groups #5 & #4. 




It was at this point that I started having serious doubts about how this was all coming together. To tell the truth, I seriously hated it! My multicolored fabrics are a widely varied collection. There are bright, primary-color prints, softer jewel tones, and muddier earthy tones. In my opinion, getting them all to play together nicely wasn't working out so well.


Watercolor Fabrics, Group #3 Dark Medium
The watercolor quilts that I showed in last week's post are completely made up of 1.5" finished squares. The largest pieces in these blocks will finish at 1.5" x 7.5". It's much harder to hide the fabrics that don't blend in as well.

I continued on, hoping that adding some darker colors would help pull it all together. I like it a little better with the new batch of blocks added, but not enough to keep going with this. I'm contemplating throwing in the towel on this project. I'm not very happy with the results, and I'm not willing to put in any more time on it right now. 

I am linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on Saturday and at Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is more fun than Housework on SundayBe sure to check out all of the wonderful scrappy projects that everyone is sharing! 



Julie in GA

23 comments:

  1. I think it's looking lovely--a real glowing central portion in it. It is not so easy to blend those fabrics...nice WIP hugs, Julierose

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  2. I think it looks great! I would continue with it if I was you. Your going for an overall visual affect. This would make a lovely quilt. It would make a wonderful picnic quilt that you wouldn't have to worry about using because the fabrics would hid stains and such. It would make a good every day use quilt.

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  3. I THINK YOUR QUILT LOOKS FANTASTIC!!! no, really! it looks great! sometimes when a project is our own, we can't see the forest for the trees, so to speak. I think as you add each layer around the center, it will get better and better, and will blend and flow like you're looking for. keep plugging away (after a necessary break, of course!)

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  4. You are doing teriffic with your water color quilt. I have never attempted one.

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  5. I like the results so far! You're closer to the fabrics and can see how the colors and styles don't seem to play together well. For those of us looking at the photograph, we see the play of values and less of particular colors and styles. Maybe one more round of blocks will help...

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  6. I think it looks good. Maybe slip in some wow pops of color here and there.

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  7. Right now you can't see the forest for the individual trees. As my favorite teacher says "You won't be able to tell the difference on a galloping horse at dusk." Take a break and then continue. If you still can't see the beauty, send it to me!

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  8. Anytime you're not liking what's going on with a quilt, TAKE A PICTURE!! Students in a recent class were complaining their quilts weren't working. I took a photo and showed the makers otherwise. Sometimes it's just a matter of stepping back to get a different perspective. Re: your quilt in progress... LOVE it!!!!!!!!!!

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  9. I agree with the other commenters. Really scrappy quilts always make you go "hmm?!" from up close, especially during construction. It's when you step back and get the overall impact from a distance that it turns into a wow! I like what you have so far, but you can totally toss it aside and move on if you're not feeling the love.

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  10. Oh what you do with your fabric colors are amazing. Nicely done, Julie!

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  11. I agree also. The last photo is looking good with the center glowing. Take a break, so something you really like and then step back later. You may see it in a new light. But putting lots of quilting effort into something that does not feel good is not worth your time. They are only scraps, after all.

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  12. What is there not to like? It is beautiful. You are doing great with your colors.

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  13. In the pictures it's looking darn good. It's hard to work on something you're not in love with, I know. Will you be able to come back to it if you put it away for a bit? Will it be big enough soon to be finished off and given away? Someone with a less well developed color sense would appreciate the time and effort that went into it and be glad to have it. I feel your pain but encourage you to carry on!

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  14. Keep going! It already looks great! Seeing it from a distance does make the heart grow fonder.

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  15. I agree that it's fantastic. I understand that in person you may not like it, but the photos are quite amazing. The ombré effect is clearly there, and I don't see any fabric that sticks out like a sore thumb.

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  16. I think you should keep going. At worst, donate it to a charity and consider it a generous use of scraps and a lesson learned! But do keep taking photos to get the perspective and maybe you'll end up loving and keeping it, too!

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  17. oh please do not throw in the towel. I think that you have something quite amazing started here. PPPPPLLLLLEEEAAAASE keep going!

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  18. Please keep going!! It is coming together beautifully!! I would suggest using a reducing lens (looks like a magnifying lens - you can buy them in the notions dept). Quicker than pictures. This is going to be awesome - don't break our collective hearts!!! ;-)

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  19. I am with the crowd. This is beautiful Julie! Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!

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  20. It's looking really wonderful! Maybe leave it up on the design wall for a few days, then have a relook, you might be surprised!

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  21. Your watercolor design looks wonderful. I recognized that Easter egg print (centermost in the photo of your misc. multi prints). I made napkins out of that fabric and we used them for Easter dinner yesterday!

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  22. Don't throw in the towel!!!! Unless the photos are IMMENSELY flattering, this quilt is coming along wonderfully! You may never love it, but I can guarantee someone absolutely will. Just keep on sewing, sewing, sewing . . . (lynnstck[at]yahoo.com)

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