Two days ago I dared to venture out with 3 kids to look at green fabrics. One of my favorite fabric haunts will cut as small as 1/8", and carries name-brand materials for as low as $3.99 to $4.50 per yard for most everything. I am working on my modern Dresden quilt and thought it needed a little more variety. Maybe I was just feeling restless or even a tad insane. I went to Mardens anyhow. The boys were actually good, first time all week I can say that I was not cringing and appologizing for their rudeness in public. I sent them off to fetch me a couple more greens. At fifty cents, I could hardly go wrong if they brought me ugly #1 and ugly #2. Then I sent them to count the greens, and the yellows and even the holiday prints (about 900 bolts in all). All done without bickering and fighting while the gal cut a dozen bolts for me. Shocking!
So, I now have 20 whole Dresdens, 8 half Dresdens and 4 quarters. Turns out I think I mis- counted and really didn't need quite so many. It's no big deal, they sew up SO fast. I make 5-6 in an hour each morning before the chaos starts each day.
I only have one of the centers actually appliqued on though. This is where the slow work starts. The center took aboiut an hour to do because of all the scallops.
I got some background fabric in the mail (above). It's another case of something not looking exactly the same on the internet as it does in person. The one on the bottom right was mixed into the many tans (this is Michael Miller's Krystal line), and is actually much too peach in person for my taste. I've been playing with layouts to try to minimize the peachy-ness, but all of them appear to need more of the tan. Drat. As an aside...this fabric comes in loads of colors, and looks kind of like a batik, except that it is not a tight weave. I suspect it will ravel, and I would have liked a nicer sheen on the fabric, but that's just my take on it. With lots of quilting, it will probably be just fine.
That one above is one of the original concepts, but I don't really love the thought of doing all the borders and sashings and attempting to keep them straight and square. The next one is better, but is it boring??
Number 3 is where my current designs are migrating towards. I like the use of the criss-crossing and the bunches of 4 hearts that it makes. Not sure if I want the peach in there (or else I need more tan...).
Or, here's another concept, but it too needs more tan fabric. It certainly leaves plenty of dauntingly plain background fabric to fill with quilting.
So what are your thoughts?...Please give feedback on how you'd set the Dresdens.
So, I now have 20 whole Dresdens, 8 half Dresdens and 4 quarters. Turns out I think I mis- counted and really didn't need quite so many. It's no big deal, they sew up SO fast. I make 5-6 in an hour each morning before the chaos starts each day.
I only have one of the centers actually appliqued on though. This is where the slow work starts. The center took aboiut an hour to do because of all the scallops.
I got some background fabric in the mail (above). It's another case of something not looking exactly the same on the internet as it does in person. The one on the bottom right was mixed into the many tans (this is Michael Miller's Krystal line), and is actually much too peach in person for my taste. I've been playing with layouts to try to minimize the peachy-ness, but all of them appear to need more of the tan. Drat. As an aside...this fabric comes in loads of colors, and looks kind of like a batik, except that it is not a tight weave. I suspect it will ravel, and I would have liked a nicer sheen on the fabric, but that's just my take on it. With lots of quilting, it will probably be just fine.
That one above is one of the original concepts, but I don't really love the thought of doing all the borders and sashings and attempting to keep them straight and square. The next one is better, but is it boring??
Number 3 is where my current designs are migrating towards. I like the use of the criss-crossing and the bunches of 4 hearts that it makes. Not sure if I want the peach in there (or else I need more tan...).
Or, here's another concept, but it too needs more tan fabric. It certainly leaves plenty of dauntingly plain background fabric to fill with quilting.
So what are your thoughts?...Please give feedback on how you'd set the Dresdens.
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12 comments:
#3!! Would the maroony pieces be scrappy?
It's going to be great. I go with #3 more so, but I also like #4. They are a little out of the ordinary.
I like numbers 1 and 3 best, I think they're visually more interesting. I'd change the sashing on #1 a bit. I hate doing sashing, so I make "faux" sashing - I sew borders around each block, then sew the blocks together.
Can't wait to see what you decide!
I like #2 and #3. #2 will really show off the Dresdens and gives you lots of quilting opportunity, but #3 is a gorgeous blooming garden to me! I'm sure whatever you decide will be beautiful.
I think the last layout is the most interesting... also, the Krystal fabrics are pretty nice to sew with and I didn't find them too ravelly.
With the stunning quilting you do, the last layout would be spectacular. Can't wait to see your finished quilt!
I wonder if you could tea dye that background fabric and possibly get some of the orange out of it.
I really like #2 and #4. ;D You're going to get folks who like all of them, so it really comes down to what you want yourself. hehe
#4 is most interesting, it would be spectular with your quilting. Can't wait to see it finished....
Personally I wouldn't make dresdens. But since you asked, setting #4 is the one that show off the dresdens and leaves lots of room for your quilting.
#3 is beautiful! Love the way you went shopping for the fabrics, sounds like so much fun! A new follower.
I think 1 and 4 are the most interesting, and I'd probably go with 4 for the quilting possibilities.
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