First up, all the snowball blocks for the McCall's Mystery Quilt are now done and up on the design wall.
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| McCall's Mystery Quilt, From McCall's Quilting Magazine Jan/Feb, April/May, June/July 2012 issues |
The next step in the mystery is assembly into a flimsy. I've got all the blocks laid out on the design wall. No pictures because my camera decided to flake out when I tried to take one. I might just get this flimsy finished before Christmas.
The binding was finished on the Layer Cake Quilt Along project (aka Experiments in Paisley) last weekend, but I didn't get pictures till yesterday.
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| Moose on the Porch Layer Cake Quilt Along by Konda Luckau (Experiments in Paisley) |
Sometimes experiments in the lab don't come out as you'd like, but you still learn something from the process. That's the case with this quilt. I've never been thrilled with how this one turned out. The rules of the quilt along were to use very minimal background fabric and use just the layer cakes. I wished I'd broken that rule, the blocks might have come out better. The real problem I think is that there were two colorways in the layer cake and I don't think they play real well with each other.
In finishing up this quilt, I made it a goal to use up the the rest of the layer cake. I did that on the back.
The back also used up a brown black tone on tone fabric that I'd had problems finding a use for. It works great with these fabrics. Truth be told, I like the back much better than I do the front. This quilt will probably end up in one of the vehicles over the winter. It does get cold enough and icy enough here that it's not a bad idea to keep extra clothes or a blanket in the car during the winter months. So this will be a great utility quilt. With my luck this will be the only one of my quilts to survive into the next century. I hate to think what some historian would make of this one.
That's it for me this week. There's more stitching stuff to see over at:
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Monday Design Wall at Patchwork Times
Main Crush Monday at Cooking up Quilts
Design Board Monday at Bits'n Bobs
I see what you mean about the colours not playing well together. and I also like the back. We learn something with every quilt we make.
ReplyDeleteThe mystery quilt sounds like fun! Looking forward to seeing your finished quilt top! I love the way you pieced the back on the Paisley.... maybe the front will grow on you! Christine x
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the paisley quilt front and some of the colors not playing nicely. The back is very nice. Maybe you can just switch the label to the other side and tell yourself the back is the front and the front is the back, haha! I like the brown tone-on-tone you've used with the prints, and I like the quilting, too.
ReplyDeleteWell, of course, people will jump to the defense of your paisley quilt. I do see your objections to it, and I certainly understand how it feels to make a quilt that doesn't end up the way you'd hoped. Still, some of those less-than-loveable quilts end up being the most loved. I think it's mainly because they aren't our favorites, we can love them "hard"...if you know what I mean. It looks fine to me, and it's going to be well-loved as a utility quilt.
ReplyDeleteI agree too with the colors of your quilt. But I like the back. The dark brown background color does so well!! Great job!!!
ReplyDeleteHmmm - the back could be the true front and you used the left overs (blocks) for the back - would be my story.
ReplyDeleteGood save! I have found the same issue with layer cakes, that the different colorways don't always play well together. Very frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI find some jelly rolls and layer cakes hard to use. Whilst I agree some of the fabrics stand out for the wrong reasons I think the quilt looks great.
ReplyDeleteThe mystery quilt looks beautiful.
Helen
Ah, I'm not the only one who sometimes ends up preferring the "back" of a quilt to the front, then! Definitely see what you mean about the colours, but the back does indeed look fab, that dark brown really sets off the colours well. Totally agree w/ everyone else suggesting that you switch "front" and "back". :D
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh at your last comment! But really, I often find sampler quilts have the same problem for me....I don't find them very cohesive. I made one last year (ufo) and didn't finish because I realised I used too many colours even though I went by the instructions....I doubt I will make another. Technically, I haven't actually made ONE yet! Still, you are right...they are meant to teach us technique. Thanks for linking up to Bits 'n Bobs.....till next time.
ReplyDeleteThe back squares really look good - who's to say what's the back and what's the front when you have such a great reversible one? Love your header quilt too.
ReplyDeleteKate you made me laugh over your worries about the quilt you don't love being the one that lasts longest. We've probably all had thoughts like that. I do really like the back of the quilt a lot. You are right about the layer cake being the trouble on the front...it didn't have enough blendable fabrics. It will still be a welcome quilt to cuddle under though.
ReplyDeleteLove your back for this quilt. The fabrics look much better. I'm amazed you made a second quilt to be the back. I'de have found some cheap fabric, quilted an edge to edge and then donated that baby to someone! Have a great time with family and friends this T-day.
ReplyDeleteOh Kate, you made me laugh with your comment about this being the only quilt of yours to live on. Too funny! I too like the back better than the front - those squares work well with the brown. Sometimes the fabrics in layer cakes don't look good together - I have a Tula Pink cake that is hanging out in the cabinet because it just doesn't work for anything. Thanks for linking to MCM and have a great Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteI the front and back of your quilt, it is truly a two sided quilt.
ReplyDelete