Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Do your quilts talk to you??

Do your quilt blocks and fabrics you have been working with sometimes talk to you? Here is a conversation that my fabrics and I had this morning.

See above: I had gotten all the plaid blocks sewn together for my Jewel Box quilt. I had a large piece of Burgundy Big Plaid (BBP)...and was just going to sew a large border on of this and be done! Yeah!!! I would be done with the top!!! but then...I heard....from the quilt blocks and fabrics from my quilt....the fabrics started talking!! "Hey...don't you like us? After all, we as your plaids have been working with you in quilts for years...don't you, (tearfully)...like us? Why are you putting HIM (BBP) for the border...and so much of him", the fabrics said reproachfully. "He kind of takes over everything when he shows up in such large quantities!" the quilt fabrics said with a sniff...."after all, I am sure he is a nice person as a fabric, but BBP has such a huge personality...we can only take him in small quantities." OK, OK!!!, I said! All of you plaid quilt blocks stop sniffling and talking and yelling!!! I will not use the big 'Ole hunk of BBP!!!! OK?? But I think he would look nice as an accent border, what do you think, plaids?? "We agree!" said the plaids, "Small quantities of BBP are just great!!! How about you piece the rest of us plaids leftover from the middle of the quilt into a nice pieced border?" Good idea, I think...and everyone was happy this morning!!!


So....do your fabrics and quilt blocks talk to you? No?? Hmmmm....really?
I tried some other fabrics, in the spirit of using what I had...I can make quite a mess doing this, how about you??
TADA!!! All the plaid quilt blocks are happy...they are just waiting for a pieced border of their friends!!!



Have a fun day, all!!


Julie

23 comments:

RG said...

Oh yes Julie, quilts do talk to me too... specially about borders and when they think they're finished :-)
I really love what you've done and think it looks fabulous...
I bet a pieced border will make it shine!!
It's a stunning top so far :-)

Caron at Michigan Quilts said...

Yes, mine talk to me all the time! Some days I wish they'd shut up! I love your quilt, and it needed that border. Can't wait to see the next one!

Colleen said...

Julie, I loved reading this post! Yes my quilt blocks talk to me too, but usually they wake me up screaming at me in the middle of the night! The narrow border of the BBP looks so nice, I look forward to seeing what surprise is in store with the pieced border!
Thanks for sharing your creativity both in your quilts and the creative spirit of your blog. Plaids always speak to me and I know someday I will have a stash to work with!
Colleen

loulee said...

Oh yes, my creations talk to me.
Your latest creation is stunning. Love it.

Kat said...

How peaceful they treat each other now ! :D it looks great now..
I'm looking forward to the last pieced border...

Amelia said...

That border is perfect...it seems to corral the multitude of colors...like a mat and or frame on a picture.

Appalachian Mercantile said...

Quilts definitely speak to me. When I am custom quilting, I will actually lay out the next in line so it will speak to me before I quilt it!

Then, there are the UFOs that call for me....

And, there are the projects unstarted that talk to me and reel me in to their wicked web....start me....you know you want to....

LOL

Regina said...

Mine talk - especially when I am naming them, as I do with most of my quilts. They laugh at me - they mock me - they challenge me - but mostly they whimper when I am ready to give them away - excited to be going to a new home, but wanting to stay and snuggle a bit more with me.

Love the inner border solution - can't wait to see the pieced border!!

Mary Lou Casada said...

There's nothing worse than a bunch of whiney plaids!! LOL Yes, the fabrics speak, the quilt top speaks, and you only have to walk through a display or show to know that entire quilts will stop you in your tracks and have something to say. THAT'S why quilting -- even utilitarian, put-er-on-the-bed kinda quilts -- is ART!
LOVE it!
Blessings,
Mary Lou

Quilter Kathy said...

OH my goodness, you are hysterical! Thanks for the smile this morning! I would never admit that in public, but just between you and me....of course my quilts talk to me! I think that's why I have so many UFO's...we disagree on the plan, they won't be quiet, so I throw them in the closet!! LOL!

Lori said...

I think it is a good thing they spoke up! I have to agree about what they were telling you.;)

Yvette said...

WOW, WOW, WOW! I need to start listening to mine more. LOL!

Darlene said...

Thank goodness you listened to the plaids - LOL - the BPP looks fabulous. Yes, my quilts speak to me - LOUDLY, too. LOL

Thanks for the giggle, Julie.

Patty E said...

I have to keep my sewing room door shut to silence all of the voices calling out my name to come play. Can't tell you how often the fabric that started the quilt idea gets pushed out after I start putting all of the fabrics together. They certainly fight alot during the process (and even after). Your quilt is really cute and I can't wait to see the end result.

Nicole said...

My quilt blocks are complete chatter boxes. Recently they caused me to remake all the alternate blocks for a project I was working on! "No, no, no", they said. "Those blocks are too 80's looking for us! Take them away!" And you know what? They were right.

AnnieO said...

My quilts do talk to me but usually they are not quite so emotional. They are BOSSY!

Potpourri said...

Mostly mine are giving me the gears to finish them up!

Marlene said...

Great post to read at the start of my day! I have to say I think the blocks were right-it looks great with the accent border but too much as a wide border.

Kristie said...

As I said before, the Jewel Box is one of my favorite patterns. I think it looks wonderful in plaid. Plaid is just perfect for that pattern. Your border choice looks great too.

Have a wonderful day.
Kristie

Loris said...

LOL
My quilts prolly are talking but I'm usually not listening that well. Your 'group' there was onto something though. Can't wait to seem them pieced into a border :-)

Shannon said...

Your post is so funny. Yes my quilts speak to me also. The smaller border looks great.

Suzanne said...

I love the plaids they talk to me as well but I think what they tell me is of comfort and strength as they remind me of my Grandpa and Uncle two men of with great strength of character and loving gentleness.
My other quilts usually just whine that they are still ufo's lol.
I love your work Julie can't wait to see more!

Merilyn said...

Oh! yes, some of my quilts get quite talkative LOL!!! They will not hush until things are put right!!! If you don't listen they will be screaming at you for years!!!!!
We have no choice but to do as we are told.....

Puffins and purples!!

I was tempted by Puffins...a squirrelly breed!!  LOL!  This fabric was shared with me, and I have been loved these bright, candy corn colors...