PattyJo Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Quite awhile ago, I posted this same topic to see if any of you had heard of it. Since then I've gotten fabric from my DS & DIL that they got from all the friends and realitives. I'm this far in the process and have all the blocks laid out on the family room floor (hoping that the cat doesn't decide to use this as her race track) and thought I would post a picture of them all. I've tried to lay the blocks out trying to group colors together. As I have no choice over the fabrics used, I can only try and make sense out of them all. What do you think? There will be a narrow border of black, then another narrow border of purple and a final border of black. The backer is multi colored poka dots on a black background. I know that I'll be using R&S board of Chinese character traits on it for the quilting on the final border. The rest will be an all over of some sort. Any suggestions on what??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Oh Pat, I remember you talking about this special quilt a while back. I love your ideas for the border. As for the overall for the center, maybe allover clouds or swirling water. If you want it denser, a peacock/teardrop overall would add lots of texture. I don't know of an Asian themed overall unless you can find a ginko meander or something. My suggestion for arranging the blocks would be to place all the darks in the center and work out to lightest at the edges. You have so many blues! Perhaps cluster the same colors in the same area with the shades grading out to the lightest. Just my two cents--which is what it is worth!!:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted May 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Linda - thanks for the input. I know that it doesn't look like it, but I've spent the better part of the afternoon trying to get these blocks arranged..I was trying to get the blues together working into green, the reds working into pinks and then there are the yellow's and peach colors and don't forget brown and purple. What a challenge. I would be pulling out my hair if I had more of it!!! OH well, I'm going to try again to make some sense of it. One think that I noticed is that the picture really makes the darker ones show up better. So maybe I need to print out this pic and use it to determine the value better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Sounds interesting. I don't remember the original post, but I love the look of oriental anything. They look like little Japanese lanterns. My 2 cents: I LOVE Scrappy quilts. I sometimes want to organize and do colors of the rainbow--ROYGBIV, but I'm never satisfied. So, I just mix them up so no two colors are the same touching. Have you looked at Cindy Roth's website for Sashiko designs? This is a scrappy my cousin did, and she also cut out all the patches for me to make one. I started sewing and I'm playing colorblind as I match the squares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Hi again--please don't think I was being critical of your arrangement Patty It looks great as it is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted May 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Oh heavens Linda, I didn't think you were being critical at all. I was kind of sort of trying to accomplish the same thing but there are just too many fabrics that have multiple colors going on just to confuse me and you know that I'm almost always confused!!! :P:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 I Love snowball blocks. You can do so much with them. I like that these all have the same corners. What a great idea. I like the arrangement of color. I agree with texture for the body of the quilt...not sure what the chinese character board looks like. Can you mimic part of it for the body of the quilt? It will be fabulous when you are done with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewlinzi Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 A simple Asian thing to do... clamshells or pumpkin seed (like sashiko) or freehand water meander? The quilt is lovely - fab colours! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 It reminds me of an "Eye Spy" quilt I plan to make for a twin bed (for a grandchild). It will be from the packs of 5" squares that are all different. That is similar to what you are doing. I like the snowball blocks being coordinated with the same corner fabric. It seems to bring all the different fabrics together. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruthieq Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 It looks great! When arranging many colors, I like to make the photo black and white to see the values also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 I would arrange them on the diagonal (a diagonal light row then a diagonal dark row) if there were enough blocks, or in a sunburst out from the center (like Linda suggested). I don't think there is enough contrast or enough of each color to arrange them in 4 colorways. I see a swirly, moving all over on this one. What color thread are you going to use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 I like Teresa's idea of arranging them on the diagonal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted May 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Oh so many good ideas. I haven't started to sew them together yet, so I'm going to try the diagonal idea. So I'll start sorting them by lights and darks and see what I can come up with.......will post a 2nd pic when I'm done to get input again. Ruthie, thanks for the black and white pic. I forget that I can do that on my computer and that really does show up the value of the blocks. OK, back on my hands and knees. One day I am going to get a design wall, yes sir, I am....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted May 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 OK - I've been trying to put this in a diagonal order and I'm standing over this and looking at it and I just don't have enough light blocks to get a good looking diagonal, so I'm going to try and do the star burst effect. We will see...... I think that my DIL or DS will never know or care how this is laid out, but I do, so I'll keep at this until I can either find a good pattern, or my back gives out!!! We will see. I'll keep you posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted May 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Well, here is the new picture. I've also laid the purple border and black border & backing fabric next to it. I think I'm almost done (at least my back is) but I'll leave this laid out for the afternoona and see if there are any other suggestions. I have only a few really dark blocks a few more light blocks but they are mostly mediums so it makes it kind of hard to get the value distributed evenly and still try and get like colors close to one another. Anyway, I'm still open for suggestions on placement. Re Thread - I have some varigated ones that may work well, or I may just use purple as that is my DGD's favorite color and it will go with the one narrow border. The R & S Asian board is on their web site. I'm thinking of putting the 4 "words" one in each corner as an applique and then using my topper stylist I'll stitch them into the borders and echo around them. My DIL wanted an asian feel to the quilting in the middle and I like the idea of swirling water feel on the quilt. So those are my ideas at this point. I've had a cold for the last couple of days, and I thought my brain could work on this cause I'm not having to focus too much as I would on a customer quilt. Thanks for all the suggestions. Any other ideas or suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Personally I liked the way it was and I yet like this one as well. I think when I have a quilt like this I worry it to much...so when I just do it....it seems to just work. I agree a varigated thread.... Do you have one that had all the primary colors in it...or the basic ones. Red/yellow/greens/blue.... I see that one. I see swirls, mine were more rounded, but water ones I agree with as well.... your just like me....we stress way to much. Can't wait to see the finished...pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted May 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Bonnie - I have one that is lime green, raspberry red and purple. I think will do. And I have black prewounds for the bobbin. But first I have to sew these block together, attach the borders & do the applique before I put it on the machine. I can hopefully get this done in the next day or two. I'm not very fast. I guess that I'm not built for speed, but I'm built for comfort!!!!:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nineva Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Well now, Patty Jo. I wasn't going to jump in but I see things a little differently. I am thinking start with the four yellows in the center. Then surround them with a double row of red. Then surround the red with the blues and then finish off by surrounding the blues with the leftovers in a mix up of the lights. I guess I like drawing my eye to the center with the bold yellows, reds and blues. As you have them currently grouped my eye immediately jumps to the yellows and reds. Being the symmetrical person I want them in the center. You are much more arty than I so they may be just fine as they are. Just me. Hate to have you back on your knees. Whatever you decide, I know it will be the right thing for YOU to do. Can't wait to see it finished, girlfriend.;);) Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted May 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 OK Nancy - I'm sure glad there isn't a candid camera in the family room!!! I think that I like your idea too, so will try it. Onward and upward I always say.....later. I'll keep you posted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted May 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Ok one more pic to look at. I think that I like this one and my back is about given up...what do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nineva Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Now I see happiness. Yellow is such a vibrant happy color. Don't know if that is what you are trying to accomplish, but since the yellow stands out, I love what you did. It seems so balanced, unlike me ;);) Blues on one side. Pinks on the other. Lights around the outside. Very nice. But maybe too symmetrical for some. Personally I'm good with it. LOL Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted May 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Thanks for all the input and I agree with you Nancy. I never would have thought to put the yellow in the center. I'm going to start stitching this together this afternoon and will post pics after it is finished. All of your ideas were great. I love scrappy quilts too, but this one had so many mediums that if I didn't place the blocks just right, it was looking muddy if you know what I mean. This was a great solution to all of the "dull" prints that are in it. Ok, now to run to the grocery store and then home to start putting this puppy together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennan100 Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 You could arrange them in a dark to light way also. Start in one corner with dark and then wash the colors across and down to light. I think that would be easier to figure out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Buy Jove I think you have it....THAT's perfect...no more messing with it. And the thread you mentioned will be great as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PamelaA Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 PattyJo, I like all three arrangements but I have to admit that what Nancy said about the third arrangement being happy is right on the mark. Don't forget to show us the finished product. Pamela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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