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Monday, June 08, 2009

What's On My Design Wall Monday

It's Monday and Judy at Patchwork Times has reminded us to show our design wall. This is my wall as of this morning. I am asking for some help with this one. If you enlarge the picture, ignore the extra business in the picture. :) (And please ignore the wrinkles......I should have ironed those before taking a picture!)

Way back in 2001, I was involved in a row robin with an online group. My row robin was titled Bamma's Flower Garden. One lady had some life issues and couldn't complete her row so I was going to do it. I folded the rows up, put them in a bag, put them away. All these years this has been on my UFO list and I've ignored it. Not totally ignored it, it's been nagging at me all this time.

When my small online group started the UFO challenge, this quilt was listed first. Guess what May's number was? Guess who just pulled this project out of the box? Guess when the new number will be called? Answers are One, Me, Tomorrow!

I don't know what to do to this quilt top. I have some of the background fabric left, just under 2 yards and I have quite a bit of Kona white. And lots and lots of other fabric. I even have some books! Right now it measures 60" across and the way it is right now, not sewn together, not quite 60" long.

What would you do? I think I need a row of white background between the bottom 2 rows. I also think I need something very green for the bottom row. And I'd like to add some borders to make it wider. What I really need is to get going on this so I can call it finished.

Help me please, leave me a comment with an idea or 2 or 12 and I will put your name in for a drawing for something fabulous. I'll draw a winner Friday evening. Thanks in advance for your help.

13 comments:

Cherold said...

Hi Girlfriend!

I think you need to add a row of trees...lots of green!
Hugs,
Cheri

The Sewing and Knitting Loft said...

Love those butterflies! I think the 2 bottom rows should be switched. Move the flowers up. For some reason, all of the dark yellow/gold in the row of blocks seems to have too much color in comparison to the rest of the quilt. Perhaps the row of white you mentioned would tone that down some? I agree, add some green. Good luck with this, what you have so far is really pretty and nice work.

Diane said...

Judy, Judy, Judy! I love, love, love the rows! Here's my very, very, very humble opinion:

I would rearrange the rows: put the yellow on point row at the top (they remind me of the sun), then the butterflies, then the embroidered row, then the PP tulips, then the applique flowers on the bottom.

Although it's hard for me to visualize, with this layout, you might not need any horizontal sashing. The backgrounds would be blue/white/white/blue/blue.

I would definitely add a green bottom border (maybe even grass fabric) below the applique flowers.
Then, I would add a strip of fabric that looks like sky/clouds above the suns. Then add wider left/right borders in the same blue as the background of the tulips/applique blocks - or maybe yellow.

I would leave it at that and use some kind of purple or lilac for the binding.

Just my thoughts.

LT Diane

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

I think you should put the suns - then the embroidered flowers - then the tulips, butterflies and then the last row of appl. flowers - with grass at the bottom. You culd make sashing of the blue to make it bigger - or even sashing of scraps of the colors you used in the flowers and butterflies.

It is a darling quilt - I love this sort of thing but never have made one.

So what are you giving away - the quilt - huh? huh? huh? Just checkin'. LOL

Sue H said...

Hi, Judy: I think the main thing would be to add another white row between the two blues at the bottom. The current order doesn't bother me, but it would be interesting to see what it looked like with the yellow blocks at the top as mentioned before. And I like the idea of some green at the bottom. I'd also try putting the yellow blocks all the way at the bottom -- the kind of balance the butterflies on top. I really like the butterflies at the top of the quilt. Good luck!

Susan said...

I think I would rearrange the rows...yellow blocks to the top, butterflies, tulips, white background flowers and then tulips. What about finishing it off with a white picket fence border all the way around or maybe just on each side and across the bottom?

Julie in the Barn said...

The yellow blocks need to move to the top. The butterflies are wonderful and would really be showcased better as the second row. Susan beat me to the punch suggesting a picket fence border. I'd frame the whole shebang in a grass-green wide border. It's going to be a springtime beauty no matter what you decide!

Sarah Vanderburgh said...

Hi Judy, This is my favourite type of round robin quilt! I love row quilts and have yet to make one. Here's some of my ideas, but I think others have already had some good ones. Like move the yellow row up to the top, then visually it will be pieced, applique, pieced, kind of going on. What about strips of green between each row? I think the delicate row of stitched blocks needs some grounding and the green would help the rows of flowers too. I like the picket fence idea. Maybe along the two long sides and bottom. And just some more blue at the top. I think whatever you decide it will be a great quilt. Thanks for letting us put our two cents into your work. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it all. I like the lilac binding idea too:)

Sue said...

Jude, I think you should switch the 2nd row from the bottom with the 4th row up then put the 3rd row , then the butterflies
then put more something with the blue bkgrd fabric for a top row.... maybe birds (since it would be representative of sky) then border the whole thing in either a grass green something or a darker blue than the sky blue. It's going to be beautiful no matter what you do with it, but if you were going to give it to me.... LOL that is what I'd want! Somehow the 2nd row with the blocks... just don't work with the whole thing... what were they thinkin???

Love ya,
Sue

Dena said...

Judy, I'm a little late in submitting my comments... I like the suggestion of having the yellow on top and adding a green row on the bottom. I seem to remember someone mentioning a picket fence... or did I imagine that?

Unknown said...

Holy Cow! First time visiting and I have to think hard! I agree with Diane and her suggestions. I like the idea of making it wider to "frame" the whole thing. It's a wonderful piece of work. Just a query, has it been on the wall a long time?....lol....

Unknown said...

Oh, never you mind...I went further down your blog...and there is another quilt...no worries.

Crys said...

Mom - the huge butterflies freak me out a little. That's all. TTFN ~C