I thought I might be close to having enough length to this leader/ender strippy I'm working on, so I trimmed it into sections. You should have seen this when it was all one length! Now, it wasn't always one length, I had it in several sections, but it still was angled at both ends. I joined them all together in one long length so I could cut the sections where I needed them cut, and not lose ALL the angled ends when I squared them up.
These segments are about 83" long and about 6" wide. I'm planning on 7 of them...that only gives me about 42" of quilt width, right? I'm planning on setting them with some fabric between them. What I can't decide is if the rows between the pieced panels should be as wide as the panels, or should they be narrower? Maybe cut the 4.5" or so?
Well, if I cut them narrower than I might need to piece more lengths of the leader/ender part. For a bed quilt I was aiming for 70 X 80 or so for the middle, giving me room to add borders and fancy it up a bit. I guess that just answered my question...if I make the alternate strips finish at 5" wide, that gives me a center that is 78X83 It will be an almost square quilt, but alot of antique quilts (that I love to replicate) WERE square.
Weeeeeeeeeeeeee! So now I just need enough leader/ender segments to finish that 7th strippy panel and I will be able to put this one together! Another "free" top that was nearly completely pieced while working on other projects! And that 2" bin of scrap squares that I keep by the machine doesn't seem to be dimishing by much either.
Not sure when I started this one....it was after I had enough 9 patches for the zig zag 9 patch I did earlier this year.
The other dilemma...do I use a shirting as a setting fabric? Or go for something authentically old looking that will show the quilting detail..like...a tea stain muslin color? If I use a shirting, feather quilting isn't going to show in there very well.
One thing I also like.....after studying antique quilts for years and years, I love what adding a strategic solid fabric does to the quilt. The solid receeds while the prints come forward. The solids don't upstage the prints, they give them a place to perform. Some people think you shouldn't use solids (that they will just read 'flat')...I think they are awesome places to set things off, and quilting detail shows really great in solids where it can be really hard to see in a print. Especially if you are recreating the look of authentic antique quilts. There is a place for solids!
Bonnie
9 comments:
Bonnie, I think all my comments to you say the same thing: How do you do so much? I love this quilt. Whatever fabric you use, it is going to be gorgeous! Looks way hard to me!
Judy L.
Well, it sounds like you answered your own question. I would have been intrigued to see a "border" print between the pieced parts. Like an old fashioned chintz....
Or maybe an appliqued vine or 6....
Never worry, what ever you chose will be great! (You haven't disappointed us yet.)
Wow -- I'm liking the red! The way you have the strips set out on your tan carpet gives us a peek at what tea-stain strips would look like. I think they'd be perfect to show off special quilting.
I like to sprinkle in solids,too. They just bubble up to the surface of my scrap tub sometimes, asking to get used.
Later today, I'l be putting up a pic of my chunky churndash. Probaby has a few solids scatered in :) Finishing up the last stretch of binding after lunch.
Hi bonnie,, This is fabulous !! I think a solid is a challenge. You know I like solids... Hard to choose with all those lovely prints we have, but the result is very antique, great. special for the quilting part. I also agree that a strippy old fabric can be very good. But I dare you out for a solid ;c)
LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT. I'm going to have to read up on this leader/ender thing. Anything to help me be more productive, I'm ALL for!
Thanks for the inspiration, Bonnie!
As always, another beauty coming right out of the scraps..*VBS*
It's sooooo nice to think that was born from what usually gets thrown away.
I have no opinion on what goes in between, I'll just wait and see what you decide..*G*
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
I have no idea what all that math was - glad you got that figured out, I'm no help there.
I'd love to see an audition of different fabrics (with all that spare time you have). Could you throw in some kind of rich true blue for me? Or navy or almost black? I'd love to see what that would look like. Gonna be stunning no matter what - it already is.
Ohhh Bonnie, this is such a wonderful quilt!!! My Nana and Great-Aunt made summer toppers (quilts, but no batting) with so many different GREAT old fabrics. Many of their lights were actually very subtle prints - look like maybe shirting fabrics from a man's shirt? Log cabins were a favorite of theirs and the only solids they used for these were the red centers. So, a subtle, old-fashioned print would be a possibility. Of course, anything you pick I am sure we are all going to LOVE!
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