Monday, January 25, 2016

THE NEW QUILT STORY

I have spent the last several days working on the quilt for the upcoming great grand baby.  I can't believe truthfully how much time FOR ME goes into the planning out of a quilt.  I deliberate back and forth not only on patterns and layouts, but colors and styles and "feels" of the quilt over-all.  And I find that I am quite wishy washy.  One minute I am convinced a certain pattern and color will work, and the next I am completely dead set against it, lol.  I haven't made a quilt in a while and honestly I had forgotten how bad I can be on these things.  My grand daughter really had very little to NO preferences or ideas on what she wanted, which in some ways seemed like an open highway to do what "I" wanted to do which excited me at first, but in the end made things more difficult as I kept second guessing myself wondering if what I selected she would even like.  After all we are talking a LARGE age difference here, lol.  She did mention a few times to me that she LOVES anything with animals as well, and really had no preference as to what kind of animals either.  Shopping together was really not an option, though would have "maybe" made things easier too, but between her school [full time] and work [part time] she is busier then you can imagine, and we live a good 45 minutes apart as well.  Sooo I was pretty much on my own..."I totally trust you grandma, and I KNOW I will be happy with whatever you come up with, and I am soo grateful," is what she told me and should have put my mind at ease, but it really didn't, lol.  I can't remember if I mentioned on my blog [and can't bear to take the time to check back, so sorry if I told you this already] that the jelly roll of fabric I ordered a little while ago finally arrived, and the minute I looked at it in person I knew that it was out, lol.  The fabrics are GORGEOUS....BUT! they are mostly dark, and not the tinest bit "babyish". So I decided to save that fabric for me [thank goodness I spent very little on it!] and went last week to the new quilt store by me.  Buying fabric online just doesn't work well for me.  I went into the store with almost nothing in my mind as to what I might want with the exception of knowing the color purple is what she wanted, and maybe something with animals.  Two hours later I left with what I thought I could work.  I started bright and early the next morning, and began by fussy cutting 4 and half in squares out of one of the fabrics to get 12 different squares mainly of animals.  Let me show you what a few of them looked like.

THE COLORS WERE QUITE VIVID....THIS WAS A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT TO DO THEN I ANTICIPATED, LOL.  SOME OF THE ANIMALS WORKED PERFECTLY INTO MY 4 AND HALF INCH RANGE, AND OTHERS NOT SO MUCH

THEY WERE REALLY PRETTY CUTE AND I DECIDED I COULD PICK UP THE PURPLE IN THIS FABRIC AND THE HOT PINK AND GO FROM THERE

So I then cut two and half inch strips out of the hot pink and purple fabric I bought and began framing the blocks.  I just kind of made this up as I went, lol, not really sure what I was doing.  Then, when I got them framed I connected them and let me show you what I ended up with...

MY FIRST REACTION?  I HATED IT!  LOL  WAY TOO DARK, WAY TOO LOUD, AND BORDERED ON EVEN "GARISH" TO ME.  NOT MY IDEA OF A NURSERY QUILT.  TO ME A NURSERY QUILT IS SOFT, QUIET COLORS, SWEET AND CUDDLY.  THIS WAS LOOKING MORE LIKE A PLAY MAT...SIGH.  BUT PURPLE IS THE COLOR SHE WANTED WHICH IS A DARK COLOR, SO I REMAINED UNSURE. I WAS KIND OF PLEASED WITH THE WAY THE PATTERN CAME OUT THOUGH, ESPECIALLY WHEN I JUST KIND OF MADE IT UP, LOL.

Soo I spent Friday dwelling on it to see if I might change my mind, and decided on Sat. to go back to the quilt store and get something totally different for the borders then what I had originally planned.  I figured if I went with lighter, softer colors I could tone down the feel of the over-all quilt maybe.  I found two lighter colors and thought maybe when I have it quilted I will use a light pink thread to do it with besides.  Here is the first border...



THIS IS NOT A GOOD PIC OF THIS AND TOO LATE TO RE-TAKE OF COURSE BUT THE IT IS ACTUALLY ALMOST A WHITE COLOR WITH LIGHT SPLASHES OF LIGHT PINK

POOR PIC FOR BOTH COLOR AND CLARITY BUT YOU GET IDEA.  I AM WANTING THE BACKING TO BE A SOFT, SMOOTH PALE PALE PINK MINKY HOPEFULLY, AND THEN I WILL BIND IT IN THE WHITE WHICH SHOULD LIGHTEN EVEN MORE.  ESPECIALLY IF IT IS QUILTED IN PALE PINK OR PALE LAVENDER THREAD.
And so I have finished this up this morning, so now I have to get it to the quilters.  Tomorrow I have an appointment to get my hair done.  Another dilemma, lol.  I have ended up just HATING my hair...sigh.  Not the color so much as the style.  It's WAY more work to get it to look decent, and honestly I don't like the way it looks MOST of the time.  She had it looking really good of course, but it hasn't looked the same even once since I have done it.  I think I like it blonder too.  Sooo of course I am in the process of growing it back out, and there is not much that it is more horrid then MY hair growing out.  It is as straight as a stick, and I manage to look like I  just need it cut most of the time. However I MUST have the roots at least touched up, and hopefully she can shape it up a bit for me so it doesn't look quite as forlorn as it does right now...sigh.  I WILL think twice before I cut it off again. Not that it was long before.  But it wasn't this short.

So I guess that wraps it up for now.  Our week-end was nice and relaxing and hope yours was too. Many blessings to you all!  Debbie


9 comments:

  1. Oh, the decisions required in really anything but sounds like you have really labored over this quilt. I like the softer colored borders and think they are "the icing on the cake." Yes, growing hair out is a pretty painful procedure. Good luck in the process!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Just love what you did with the quilt. The sweet little characters and the "softening" of the pretty colors with the pale pink and lavender. Beautiful!

    All the best with the hairdo. I know what you mean about things looking good for the day it was done and then not so great thereafter. That's my story as well.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think you have a winner with that quilt design! It is beautiful and one of a kind!
    I'm growing my hair out too! Kind of by accident! I haven't had the time or $$ to get it cut so I just kept cutting my bangs by myself. I told my stylist I will be in soon!!! As long as it looks good from the front - I can live with that!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I enjoyed this post for many reasons. It is just life. Yes, the blanket looks more like a baby with the light colored borders, however, my daughter (age 24) would love the bright colors. You hair...I am feeling the same about mine. I think I am going to just buy a cap. Have a great week.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Debbie...I happen to love how your quilt looks! You have no idea how much I envy you for your creativity! I'd give anything to know how to quilt...it's almost become a lost art.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think that quilt turned out nice. I like the bright colors. Oh, goodness, hair!!! It just drives me nuts about myself how much I spend obsessing about mine. I don't think I have been happy with mine since the Farah Faucet years. Not to mention I miss big hair. :)
    I hope you find something that is easy and cute.
    Have a lovely day Debbie.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Debbie, I love the focal fabric and love the bottom example with the light purple border. I'm glad you aren't hand quilting it because with kinky it would be such a chore. I worked on my practice squares today for the honor quilt and need to get back to my quilt for our bed. Hope you get a good cut and color tomorrow.
    Sending love your way!
    Noreen

    ReplyDelete
  8. The final quilt is so pretty and I think the two lighter edges do soften the whole affect but also make a lovely frame for the cute squares. Good job! I do so hope you are pleased with your hair tomorrow. I'm needing to do something different too. My cuts are only lasting two weeks and I have a standing 4-week appt. That means I am pretty shaggy for two weeks. Not good! See you tomorrow at the Hodgepodge.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think you did a great job of designing your granddaughter's quilt! My head would be spinning! I do better with a few limitations and not quite so many choices.

    Hair. Ughh. My regular stylist is on medical leave right now. I have had two haircuts since she left. One was horrible. The other was a "repair" job and a HUGE improvement, but there are still a few things that are different from what my regular stylist does. How could she leave me like that?! ;)

    ReplyDelete

I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!