Stumped ....

I agree, and I've just done that. :) Thanks, Kathy!

Believe it or not, that's another idea that occurred to me -- the scrappy sashing, that is. I may have to play with that.

LOL! I guess I forgot to mention that we're getting a new sink and countertops. We still have no ice maker, but that should happen fairly soon, I hope. Yesterday the men came and chipped off all of the tile counters and removed the sink (it's in the garage for the time being). I'm hoping that things go according to plan and that we'll have new granite counters and a new stainless steel sink on Monday. Of course, then we have to get a plumber to come out and hook everything back up, so even Monday things won't be back to normal. Meanwhile, we're using paper plates, plastic flatwear and paper cups as much as possible; the bathroom sink is pretty small. ;) I washed the fruit and veggies I bought today in the bathtub. It's a "different" way to live. ;)

Thanks, Pati. I had originally planned to use black sashing, but I think the black block sort of ended that idea.

I like them!

I think you have set yourself a real challenge, it's not the scrapiness that is the issue, it's that you have equal amounts of colours across the colour range. There is unlikely to be one colour that works for everything, which means you have to use different colours and workout a layout that balances them in a logical way, or you have to go neutral. So within what you've already specified, I'd go with light neutral for the setting triangles and a dark brown for the sashing, though as one of the blocks is brown, that might not work for that block. If you definitely want to add sashing, you could add strips each block, which were the closest to neutral but still the colour of that block, which would give a similar effect to sashing. I'd then bring the colour back in for a stunning border of some sort.

Do you have Sharyn's book on setting? I'm thinking through the examples in there and the methods she used. First of all, she tries to think what the aims of setting are, what problem is she trying to solve, what does she need to do to it to acheive that result? so it might be making the quilt up to a particular size, losing one of the colour (say the blocks look too purple), draw attention away from a theme (one example the blocks started out as red white and blue, intended for a patriotic sampler, you'd never have spotted that in the finished design). With yours, there are still lots of things that can be done, but all the examples I can think of are very planned, a layout can be planned and scrappy at the same time. The kind of thing I'm thinking of is where sashing or setting triangles are modified in someway and when pulled together, extra designs are created at the intersections, so at each meeting of colours, you'd plan to have a design emerge that worked with those colours - this is a case when I'd pick up a colour wheel to work that out!

It's a good beginning !!! Mary/VT > >

Personally, I'd not use a sashing at all .... you variegated the colors (both "background" and foreground) that separatin' them would be a shame. They look gorgeous AS IS!! Most people try and fail to get the kind of movement that you've got goin' on there!! You did it without even tryin'!! :)

You asked!! :)

Hugs!! Connie :)

PS - If you REALLY don't like scrappy, I will make the ultimate sacrifice and take those blocks off'n your hands. No, really, no thanks is necessary - it's what friends are for! ;)

I was going to suggest purple, but Sandy beat me to it. Maybe different shades of purple. Gen

Is anyone else thinkin' 'bout Kramer (from the TV show "Seinfeld") washin' veggies for his salad in the shower while he bathes???!!

Not sayin' that's what you're doing, Sandy - that's just what popped in my tiny head!! :)

Hugs!! Connie :)

It never occurred to me someone wouldn't do that! If you don't have the fabric in your stash, it's harder, but I'd still do it with something I've purpose bought - one time, I bought 2 fabrics for a narrow inner border, I just couldn't decide, they were similar colours, both in the rest of the top, I laid it out both ways, photographed it, asked etc. couldn't decide and eventually changed my border plan to use both, so neither was wasted and both had a good amount of left overs for stash.

Always lay something out before cutting - the only time I wouldn't would be if I was following a pattern so closely that it wouldn't look any different.

With this one, there may be combinations of blocks and sash that don't work together, but the top can still be arranged to work out, looks like you've already got a good spread of warm and cool.

Cheers Anne

When I was making a Northwinds quilt for my sister-in-law to have following her scary surgery (from which she got good results!) I decided it would be blue. You can see it here:

My DH is responsible for the block arrangement, I think he did a great job.

Mary

They are lovely blocks! How about navy?

Boy, that's original Lizzy >gg< . In message , Lizzy Taylor writes

Your blocks are wonderful Sandy.

I think you have received wonderful advise here and I agree. You need to audition different fabrics with the blocks to see which one will work for the sashing.

I understand about being uncomfortable with scrappy. The first couple of quilts I tried to do scrappy were hard but I soon found the excitement of scrappy by coordinating the scraps.

You did a nice job.

Piece,

Marsha

On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:08:34 -0600, Sandy wrote (in article ):

I'd go through the stash and try out several different fabrics. Maybe some mottled "neutral" colors.

Maureen

Hmmm ... I do love shades of blue, including navy .... Thanks, Estelle!