Yesterday I had one of those experiences which I consider to be one of a designer's worst nightmares. I spent the day finishing the top for my Games We Play toddler/small lap quilt (Calypso fabric designed by Ro Gregg) and pushed hard to get it done. The quilt top is bright and cheerful and I thought it would be really cute and/or very cool. However, when I finished the last stitch and put it back on my design wall I was not sure I liked it! I was really disappointed. Somehow my vision and my finished top did not add up to the awesome quilt I expected.
Oh, what to do??? Such a bummer!
On top of that, I had assumed I would bind the quilt in blue to bring out the blue in the body of the quilt, but when I put up my blue samples I just did not "feel" them! Plus I did not have enough of any one fabric. I was pretty depressed last night!
Fortunately, I have learned over the years that when you feel stuck, or something is just not working for you, the best thing to do is walk away.
This morning I started working on another project - doing the pre-cutting of the Marblehead fabrics in preparation for starting work on my Wreath For All Seasons quilt this weekend. (Pattern available on my website, www.somethingsewfine.com or from www.quiltwoman.com) I spent most of the day working on that and got a lot accomplished. That was a satisfying feeling after yesterdays disappointment.
I got a thought about the binding of the Games We Play quilt top during the afternoon and decided to try it. The green accent borders have been bothering me but I decided to see what green binding would look like, and, by golly, it seems to work! I am liking the quilt top again and feel SO much better.
Most of the time Creativity is a blessing but sometimes not so much.
What do you think?
Definitely the green for the binding. Been there, done that! Made a quilt top for my niece for Christmas, finished it 10 days ago. Loved the design, loved the fabric group, hate hate the quilt. Too yellow: my niece wanted green. Sooo discouraging. Put the top over a spare bed and started a second one, loving the second one already; and it will be done in time for Christmas. Looking at the one I hate and thinking with some special quilting it might be okay. Lots of open space in it for some pretty quilting. It won't be for Miss Kacy, but someone may like it.
ReplyDeleteHi Mary - thanks so much for your comments. Much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you were able to make another quilt that you liked better for your niece. In my case that is not possible since I am working with fabrics from a specific line and can't use anything else. Plus - the quilt has to be finished ASAP! But I do like it much better with the green binding choice. Amazing how much difference a color change can make!