Monday 9 June 2008

Strawberry Crush Decisions (54)

I've been feeling a bit disheartened. Firstly, the dress that I had made looked awful - DH said it made me look like a nurse (Oh Matron, you are awful!!) and I felt completely frumpy, so that's been dismantled now. Then, my Strawberry Crush just didn't seem to work. I felt sorry for myself after all the excitement and the hard work and I felt upset for Bonnie if she heard that people were unhappy with the quilt. There's nothing wrong with Bonnie's part of it of course, the pattern's fine, but perhaps something as busy as that wasn't quite right for a mystery. The main problem was of course my choice of colours.

Anyway, here are a couple of  pictures. The first one is where I played with some sashing and cornerstones. I quite like the way it quietened down the busyness a bit, without completely losing the pattern. So I could do the whole quilt with sashings. 

The second picture is of the album blocks and the spinning star blocks set out alternately, but not on point. The colours don't seem quite as bright in the photograph as in real life. It's growing on me a bit set out like that, and having looked and looked and looked at it. Shall I just go with it, or shall I set it with the pale green sashings and corner stones as in the first picture? 

I just can't make up my mind - but perhaps some of the wonderful people who read this blog might have some advice.






18 comments:

Deb Robertson Writes said...

Hi Amanda, I think you should keep going with the quilt like Bonnie said. I've just finished mine, and I was SHOCKED at first, but it really grows on you. Why not trust the process honey, it might just surprise you!!
Hugs
deb xxxx
ps who said a man could judge a dress anyhow???? LOL!

Amelia said...

I have made clothes that I didn't like at all...so that has really almost stopped me for sewing for myself. Yet today, I finished a skirt with matching jacket...had used the pattern before and liked it.

For your quilt I much prefer the one on the right...it seems to flow better.

Let us know what you decide.

Amelia

scraphappy said...

I really like the straight alternate set. I don't know how the colors are in real life, but you can really see a strong diagonal line from the four patches which I think is very cool. How funny is it that a straight set gives you diagonal lines and the diagonal set gave straight lines?

Katie said...

I love your bright colors. Mine is a little pale.

Personally I prefer Bonnie's setting for the blocks. I know a lot of people are having trouble with it and aren't setting it on point. But I much prefer the "x" look rather than the "+" look. I also like the strong vertical "stripes" caused by the light colored squares. But that's just me. :-)

Amy said...

Hey dear----I must say that I prefer the "straight" layout versus the "on-point" layout. In fact, I spent a good two hours today unsewing some of my on-point rows and half-ablum blocks to have a full-size "straight" layout AND still enough blocks left over to start a smaller lapquilt. But......all of that is yet to be completely decided myself......

I really like your colors! And if you are anything like me-----in person (even though I LIKE bright colors) when I look at my quilt, I am wondering WHAT I was thinking with these bright colors-----BUT in pictures, the quilt really comes together nicely.

My vote--truly---is for the straight setting. I find it interesting that a "irish-chain" appearance happens with them positioned this way. Either way, there are so many blocks that you could easily make TWO smaller quilts!

Kay said...

I don't know how to really quilt but gosh, Amanda all your quilts are just so beautiful! I do especially like the one on the left. I rather like the white border around the squares. It makes them stand out more.

merete said...

I see where you're heading with your quilt! It seems as mine is growing on me, too, but as you, I've been playing around with a shashing and I do think I'll go for it since it, as you write, quieten down the mix of colors. I'll drop the border Bonnie added last, so I will still get a large quilt when I add the sashing.
There, I guess I've said it loud: I'd go for the sashing and the cornerstones you show us here :-)

And the dress, - better have the man tell me than the "rest of the cowd" out there thinking I've put on a (pretty-colored) potato sack *grin*

jjkjos@yahoo.com said...

I also finished Bonnies OC top and felt it was way to busy. I like your colors. I love the way that the sashing calms it down. Judy

Gina said...

I'm not going to be much help I'm afraid as I like both settings.
The more I study the photos the more I'm leaning to the one without the sashings.

I think It's a lovely quilt, so if you really don't like it you can always send it my way. LOL

love and hugs xxx

Candace said...

I'm with Gina, as I can't quite decide which I like best. I do think that it may look better than you think when it's done, whichever way you go, Amanda. I was looking at Bonnie's, and it was very bright, and a little iffy, in the before it was quilted pictures, but quite pretty (as usual for Bonnie's quilts) and more subdued after it was quilted. Sorry you had to do some taking apart on your dress, but it sounds like you have a plan.

Rhonda said...

Hi Amanda,
I really like the straight setting without the sashings. I think the sashings break up the diagonal flow of the 4-patches. Just my 2cents.

Cornfield Quilter said...

I really like your OC quilt! I wasn't real excited about mine either until I put it all together and now I love it! I think we all stepped out of the box on this quilt, using several fabrics instead of a few and just don't appreciate what we have done. It is a great quilt, be proud!

Colleen and Jason said...

Hi Amanda,

Oh, my sister in cloth! We are of like minds, yet again. I like your colors and I admit, I like the straight setting. Its easy for us viewers, we haven't stared at every little bit for weeks now, so we can see the big picture. (MY big picture can light the street at night!) Maybe you can use the green and blue (cornerstones and sashing) as borders? Maybe that will soften the overall look for your eye? I definitely like the "flow" of the straight setting w/o cornerstones and sashings, though it is busy (ALL of them are busy), I think it is a good busy. Good luck! Hugs to you! Colleen in California

Debbi said...

I really like your strawberry crush! I think you should go with the plain setting, the sashing makes it seem unconnected to me. I like how the light small squares make a pathway across the crush pattern. I'm also finding that mine is abit out of my comfort zone so I set it straight and that worked for me. It does really grow on you tho.

Debbi said...

I really like the crush setting. With the sashings it looses it's connection to me. I like the way the small squares make a pathway. I set mine straight and I like how it turned out...it was a bit out of my comfort zone with so much orange, but it has grown on me. I like your softer colors!

sewbeezy said...

Amanda, I really like the second photo of your quilt. The blocks look so pretty set together like that! It gives the quilt a nice "on-point" look without having to actually set it on point.

I was having a bit of problems with my color choices as well. Wasn't real sure I liked them....until I set the blocks together. I have 3 more seams to sew and my quilt center will be done. Can't wait to see what your completed quilt looks like!

Sandy said...

Really like your strawberry crush!

I chose the straight set for my OC just need to make some more blocks to bring it up to the size the intended recipient will want.
When it is set together it does calm down a bit, still bright but cheery ;-))

Sandy

Linda said...

Hi, Amanda. I think you should set it without the sashings. I agree that it grows on you. I'm still on step 5. I finished the 18 album blocks last night and have the corners and side ready to be sewn together. I do not like my colors at all but I'm still putting it together and hoping it will grow on me too. I will take pictures soon and show you. I vote #2 but it's your quilt and you have to live with it...hugs, Linda