the blue blog archives: rearranging deck chairs

There hasn't been much talk of my block of the month quilt here lately because, after completing half of the blocks, I was starting to get annoyed with some of the fabrics. The block of the month kits come all packaged from the store with instructions and small bits of fabric just large enough to make the block. I loved a lot of the fabrics and thought that I could live with some of the others, but as things progressed, I noticed that the fabrics I really liked weren't reappearing and those I didn't like kept showing up again and again. I spent some weeks shopping around for some reasonable substitutes for the duds and now am finally tackling the task of picking apart the finished blocks and adding in the new bits.

It was primarily the green fabrics that I was dissatisfied with. In this block, I've chosen to replace the green with some orange that appears in a later block.

Because this is last year's block of the month quilt, practically none of the fabrics is still available in the store, which means that I can't simply get more fabric and sew up a new block. I need to keep the parts of the old block that I do like by taking apart the block seam by seam, carefully removing just the pieces I'm replacing. So this Dutchman's Puzzle block now looks like this.

I'm switching so many things in this block that I had to completely take it apart.

There's the wishy washy green, the black with the almost flourescent fall leaves, and then that sparkly lilac in the corners. No, no. I couldn't go on. Not after that. So it too is in pieces, awaiting reconstruction.

Whether this will actually result in a new and improved block of the month quilt or I'm merely rearranging deck chairs on a sinking ship still remains to be seen.

posted by alison at 10:31 am | in it's the bom!

Comments

I agree with you on the Mosaic Tile block; that would have put me over the edge too.

Posted by: Beth at April 24, 2008 11:50 AM

I'm always odd-man-out, but I like the green in the first block! It picks up the green in the red block. Anyway, the whole thing is beautiful.

Posted by: Katherine at April 24, 2008 12:16 PM

I kind of love all the drab greens. I think drab greens mixed with brights are just so interesting. I love the contrast.

I'm glad you're making them the way you like! It's important for you to be happy with it after all the work you put into it.

Posted by: Lara at April 24, 2008 12:59 PM

oh my! that mosaic tile one IS awful!! eeks. ...does not seem like fun. :-(

Posted by: ruth at April 24, 2008 2:19 PM

You're so right about the brightness vs drabness. I know a neutral is supposed to highlight the others, but it was bringing them down. Go for the happy.

Posted by: Angie at April 24, 2008 2:57 PM

Wow, that's a lotta work. And I thought knitting was picky.

Posted by: Mary K. in Rockport at April 24, 2008 3:40 PM

I also like the drab greens but that mosaic tile block sets my teeth on edge - kinda like nails on a blackboard.

Posted by: Donna at April 24, 2008 3:41 PM

Ah, much better. I usually prefer my own fabric choices, too.

Posted by: quilterlee at April 24, 2008 4:36 PM

I kinda like the drab greens; I think they contrast well with the bright colors in the mix. I think a lot of quilting projects will have that type of mix involved, not wanting too much brightness to take away from the pattern of the quilt. On the other hand, I LOVE bright colors and I think that Kaffe Fassett fabric you chose is gorgeous. In the end, you should definitely do what makes you happy...you're the one working on it and you're the one who will be living with it. If it will make you happy, all that extra work will be well worth it. Keep going; it's looking great!

Posted by: Chancy at April 24, 2008 5:16 PM

Yeah, that mosaic tile block would not make me happy either. I did sort of like some of the greens that you pulled out, but I definitely agree that they were not working with the other colors at all. I would have put them with other muted colors, but some people think that my quilts are a bit boring because I don't use really weird color combos. I figure, what's the point of making a quilt if I don't like the colors, right? :-)

Posted by: Teish at April 25, 2008 9:20 AM

I like green, and some of them I liked, but on the whole, I think your choices are better. It takes a lot more guts to rip out a quilt than knitting, at least I think it does. I'm looking forward to seeing the new finished blocks. And as far as deck chairs... it's way more productive than some of the things I do :)

Posted by: Laurel at April 25, 2008 4:11 PM

Amazing how much frogging you can do in any hobby (I've frogged beading which is also a royal pain in the behind, so I can see how much work it was to unpick all of those blocks!).

Posted by: Seanna Lea at April 25, 2008 5:56 PM

Good for you for deciding to make a change! I have quilted for years, and I can tell you, if you don't like a project under construction, you will NEVER like it IF you ever finish it. Trust your instincts, and use what makes you happy!

Posted by: KathyM at April 25, 2008 7:38 PM

Sad that you don't like green. But taste sure is personal. :-)

Posted by: Bianca at April 26, 2008 9:42 AM

Oh to the contrary, Bianca, I do like green. I just didn't like the specific fabrics and greens that were chosen for these blocks. But as others have said above, they really did work with the other colors. I've had a heck of a time finding the same kind of greens in prints that I do like, but I have found a few. Green will return to the quilt!

Posted by: ALISON at April 26, 2008 11:17 AM