So I thought about it for a while. I didn’t want to waste the setting triangles I’d already cut out because many of them came from some precious bits of fabric. So out came the seam ripper.
I decided to try putting one color (even though the fabrics were different) setting triangles around each block. That alone made a big difference. But the quilt was still too busy. There was no place for the eye to rest. Adding the sashing made the biggest difference. I chose a really pale blue dot as the sashing. I like that it’s neutral and spaces out the color, but because there’s a subtle pattern, it gives that ‘white’ space some texture. Then I added the red corner stones. They were the perfect punch of color to keep things lively. I think I squealed when it came together. (And I’m not normally a squeal-y person.) A HUGE improvement.
So lessons to share:
– Don’t be afraid to pull out the seam ripper. It was a pain in the moment (a lot of times I’m too lazy) but I’m so glad I did. The outcome is much improved.
– Neutral sashing can really tone down and unify a lot of busy prints and colors.
The quilting was done by Melissa of Sew Shabby Quilting. I mainly wanted an all-over stipple since the fabric and quilt design was already so busy. Melissa embellished with some cute flowers that tied it all together.
It’s fun to look at something so cheery now that blah, gray January is here. Fortunately this quilt lives close by so I can visit it often.
I’ve had thoughts of doing a similar project for a kind of Quilt-a-long from picking fabrics to finish. Obviously the pieced blocks would be different, but maybe a similar layout. Thoughts?
54 Comments
Melanie
January 12, 2013 at 8:03 amYes, double yes! I'd love to do a quilt-a-long with you! Especially if we'd start with picking fabrics. I always love your fabric choices, and that's still hard for me, as a rookie quilter. <br />This quilt turned out so beautiful!
Dawn
January 12, 2013 at 8:09 amI would love a quilt along, and you quilt is beautiful. I love the fabric choices.
wipgirl
January 12, 2013 at 8:10 amSuch a lovely quilt! Very bright and spring-like in those colours. And it's pretty great that you could shop your stash for the whole thing 😀 (Soooo easy just to buy that one more thing to make something perfect, isn't it?) <br /><br />(clumsy.chord(at)gmail.com)
dolores
January 12, 2013 at 8:22 amI feel ya….seamripping isn't a fav thing to do but some times you gotta suck it up and do it! Good for you!<br /><br />Isn't it lovely to have family that totally appreciates all that goes into a quilt?:) It is also fab that your hubby's family is now enjoying their new home and it's close by!!:)<br /><br />Yep….you do and QA and I'll be there…you know I will!;)<br />xo
Lisa in Port Hope
January 12, 2013 at 8:53 amlovely candy colors–good enough to eat! I'm glad your recipients loved it too.
Kathy Felsted Usher
January 12, 2013 at 8:55 amI love the block that could look like two kissing fish (row 3,column B or the third row down, second block in) I'd love to make that one with an ocean themed fabric and the two light blue "kissing fish" with some pretty batik fabric.
Carolyn
January 12, 2013 at 9:00 amWhat a beautiful quilt…it just says "happy" all over it!!!
The Gaertegang Homestead
January 12, 2013 at 9:17 amIt's just gorgeous, you should be proud! Thanks for sharing your lovely pictures so we could all enjoy it ❤
Svetlana
January 12, 2013 at 9:35 amoh, so very beautiful. And thanks for sharing the story of putting it together. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who sometimes has to rip out most of the blocks and redo them 🙂
~Niki~
January 12, 2013 at 10:12 amvery nice. lots of work into that one!
QuiltyGirl
January 12, 2013 at 10:16 amI really love how you pulled this together! The sashing is perfect, the cornerstones are perfect, it all just fell together so well in the end!<br /><br />I don't know if I have time for a Quilt Along, but I would definitely enjoy reading about it!<br /><br />(And YAY for using stash fabric! I have several fabrics to back and bind, and I'm determined to use as much stash as I can before I
Mary on Lake Pulaski
January 12, 2013 at 10:41 amAbsolutely gorgeous Amy! What a lucky recipient!
Erin @ Sew at Home Mummy
January 12, 2013 at 10:49 amLove the colors you used – and it came together beautifully, so great. And the quilting is awesome, too!
CathyK
January 12, 2013 at 11:02 amTwo words: YES PLEASE!!! <br />Also, that quilt is absolutely beautiful!!!
Cathy K
January 12, 2013 at 11:04 amWhat a charming quilt, and such a refreshing treat for the eyes!! Wow, you really pulled it together. I love everything about it!
Di~
January 12, 2013 at 11:12 amI love it! Good recovery, really! Happy colors and not one line! You've done a great job on it.
Bev
January 12, 2013 at 11:46 amThis is an AMAZING quilt! I love the colors and the fabrics and the setting! Good job! I just love it! Thanks for sharing! I'm a new follower and really love your work (can you tell)?<br /><br />Cheery wave from<br />Bev
the girlfriend gap
January 12, 2013 at 12:04 pmThis is beautiful! Thanks for sharing . janita
Terrie
January 12, 2013 at 12:15 pmlOVE YOUR QUILT !!! And I would love to participate in a quiltalong with you !!!!
felicity
January 12, 2013 at 1:30 pmThanks so much for sharing your process – I adore what you went with for the setting triangles. It's just a wee bit different and really gives the quilt character. The red pops beautifully in the cornerstones too. It's a beautiful quilt, Amy! 🙂
Cille
January 12, 2013 at 1:31 pmIt ended up really pretty. I can certainly understand why your MIL was happy 🙂 Actually I just started putting my BOM blocks together today. I made two of each so I have 24. I thought the quilt along was so much fun….
Katy Cameron
January 12, 2013 at 2:15 pmIt looks fab, no wonder you squealed! Glad your mother in law loved it too :o)
Heidi
January 12, 2013 at 3:21 pmI'd love a quilt along!
chris
January 12, 2013 at 3:41 pmLoverly…and such happy color combinations!
Helen
January 12, 2013 at 3:55 pmWaaau, it´s very,very beautiful!!!
Kirsty Kennedy
January 12, 2013 at 4:01 pmWhat a beautiful quilt! It looks amazing! Such great colour/fabric choices.
Claire Fisher
January 12, 2013 at 4:35 pmOh Amy what a lovely quilt and great story. I'm so glad your quilt is appreciated and loved and that you can visit when you want – that has to be a bonus! I'm in the process of making one for a colleague's mother, for her 80th birthday and am very keen to hear how it is received when the time comes.
stitching under oaks
January 12, 2013 at 6:10 pmIt looks awesome! Beautiful fabric choices and the layout looks great. What a wonderful gift!
Chris S
January 12, 2013 at 6:28 pmLove it!
~ Julie ~
January 12, 2013 at 6:56 pmWhat a beautiful quilt!!! The colors remind me of Pam Kitty! I would LOVE to do a quilt-a-long with you! Just tell me when and I'll be there! 🙂
Michele
January 12, 2013 at 8:27 pmI too love the vintage-y look. I think I can imagine your first layout attempt and I have to agree this way is so much better. Nicely done.
pizzaeater
January 12, 2013 at 9:24 pmI would love to do a quilt along. I would like a post or two on how to pick fabulous fabrics like you.
Gina
January 12, 2013 at 9:50 pmBeautiful quilt!! I love the fabric and the squares!
Cherilyn
January 12, 2013 at 10:07 pmBeautiful quilt! I would love to do a quilt along. Your quilts are all so fun!
diane
January 12, 2013 at 11:41 pma beautiful quilt and a lovely day to photograph it. You are a wonderful daughter-in-law to make such a generous gift.
Cindy
January 13, 2013 at 4:51 amBeautiful quilt, Amy! I love everything about it! I'm going in too many different directions right now for a quilt along but I too would love hearing about it! I love everything you do!:)
Tammy
January 13, 2013 at 9:12 amBeautiful. I am sure she loves it. I would …And I really love tha strawberry fabric…I think it is the crowning glory of that quilt…Absolutely gorgeous.conn_and_vans_mom(at)yahoo(dot)com
Chris
January 13, 2013 at 2:59 pmOh I LOVE it ! It is just so happy and the colors are bright and cheery without being obnoxious. 🙂 I wish I were your MIL..LOL 🙂 The aqua/blue outside boarder is just perfect..your quilt turned out beautifully!
jlk
January 13, 2013 at 3:57 pmA QAL would be so much fun! You should totally do it. I love the layout of this quilt. The triangle corners in the different fabrics turned out amazing.
Katelyn
January 14, 2013 at 12:00 amThat is a beautiful quilt! I would love a quilt along. I have never done anything like that and it would be so much fun!
Thimbleanna
January 14, 2013 at 7:49 amWow Amy, it's gorgeous! I LOVE the final setting — I don't think there's anything that a simple sashing can't fix — it's my favorite setting. Well Done!
Sinta Renee
January 14, 2013 at 12:44 pmI love your blocks and your setting… and the colors you used! It's so adorable… and the backing too!
Nedra
January 14, 2013 at 8:00 pmCongratulations on a finish! I love how yours turned out. I still need to complete the last block and put mine in a setting. I made extra blocks each month, so will have to play with it a little still.
Sewn With Grace
January 14, 2013 at 8:15 pmYes please, i would love a quilt-a-long!
Janice
January 15, 2013 at 2:51 amGreat quilt. Your MIL must be really pleased to get it. I understand what you mean about the reaction. I when I give to someone who is under enthused with my quilting efforts, it makes me want to snatch it right back. Thanks for sharing.
Sarah
January 15, 2013 at 4:30 amYour blah grey Januaru looks very beautiful this particular day! Look at the gorgeous blue sky with snow topped mountains, and even storybook puffy white clouds! The quilt is gorgeous. I love the fabrics.
Jen Styles
January 15, 2013 at 11:37 amI'd love, love, love to quilt along with you!<br />
trish
January 16, 2013 at 7:58 amI absolutely *LOVE* this quilt Amy and have visited this page dozens of time, looking at your colors and placements.<br />I am actually planning my "bees knees" blocks a lot like yours, with the white sashing and red squares between. However my blue and yellow will be flip flopped because I have a yard of yellow and a half yard of blue and I want to use those two fabrics from my stash.
trish
January 16, 2013 at 8:00 amps. Yes yes Amy! I would love to follow a quilt along of yours. :o)
Live a Colorful Life
January 16, 2013 at 10:22 pmThis kind of blows my socks off. So sweet and cherry. Very lucky MIL. Well, not only because of the quilt, but because of you for a DIL. 🙂 It's interesting to read about the process you went through to get it to this point. It's just beautiful!
Aunt Spicy
January 25, 2013 at 8:33 amI am totally in for a quilt along ;-)<br /><br />what fabric is your outer most border, I am dying over it!
Claire Jain
January 25, 2013 at 11:06 pmWhat an amazing quilt! Your photos are so lovely, too 🙂
Swedish Scrapper
September 23, 2013 at 3:58 amI love how this came out! And now, having read how you overcame the design issues, I'm really glad you showed us how! Thanks!
Virtual Quilting Bee - Sashing and Borders - Diary of a Quilter - a quilt blog
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