It seems like all I am doing lately is flitting from one project to another and not making progress on anything. I loaded Quadrille on the longarm, and have been staring at it for days, with no plan on how to custom quilt it. The big reveal for Quadrille’s last step and final block is Friday. Would you like a sneak peek to see it on the frame?
Oh, you really didn’t think I’d give it away ahead of time, did you? Bwahahaha!! But you can see the lovely pink dogwood print I’m using for backing. The windows are open again, to let in the soft breeze and fresh air. I’m loading it with a bamboo blend batting called Quilter’s Dream Bamboo, a blend of bamboo, silk, cotton and tencel that is soft and lightweight for summer. So after I got it loaded, I spread out a bunch of Japanese inspired fabrics that I’ve now had since before covid, and still do not have a plan for.
Oh, yes, Quadrille is under those fabrics, all ready to begin. These Asian theme fabrics are just lovely, but I only have half-yards or fat quarters. Most of the prints are large, and would be lost if cut into small pieces for a traditional block. Some of them may work together, like the top two in this photo, with the purple and gold colors. I have only two with a black background. I like the koi fish, but wish I had just a bit more as the tips of their tails are cut off.
I found a book on my shelf that might help, Japanese Quilt Inspirations. Just in case you want to quilt along, I’ll try to pick one in the next week or two and get started on using up those fabrics.
On the cutting table, I am starting to figure out the color scheme for the miniature nosegays quilt I have planned. I have all the foundation papers colored to keep the pieces straight. The pattern for the miniature quilt is in Easy Paper Pieced Miniatures.
Now I need to decide on the fabrics. I like the floral print on the left for the borders and outer triangles around the nosegays. The lighter fabric on the right will be the center diamonds. I think the gold/yellow may work for one of the flower colors, but I have no clue as to the others yet. I was thinking of the green blender for the bases, but I am not sure if it will be too dark with the black background. This would be easier if I wasn’t trying to change so many of the colors in the original design. But I like green. So, the rest of the nosegay section needs six colors, or maybe just three if I mirror the same color on both sides. I don’t have any other colors to pull from the larger print, and I am a bit stymied as to what will work well. Pink? Red? Orange, maybe? Argh!! More stand and stare, and pulling fabrics this week. I may have to rethink these choices.
Now, back to Quadrille. I must decide on a quilting plan and get started this week. What are your creative plans for this week?
From My Carolina Home 
I feel your pain……coming up with designs utilizing Japanese prints that take advantage of their beauty is challenging!
Hahaha, your sneak peek is exactly what I expected! Patience, everybody. From a quilt with large images to the tiny paper pieced miniatures, I think you ‘covered’ everything!
Wishing you good luck coming up with your designs for the custom quilting and the Asian themed fabrics! Bonus! We gain brain cells thinking up what goes well with what!
Thanks for sharing!
I’ll be interesting to see what Japanese inspired quilt you decide on!
So many decisions to be made! My mind feels taxed too. Looking forward to seeing how you quilt Quadrille. How about using colors going from yellow through the golds and oranges for the miniature? I think the burnt oranges, rusts and even orange reds would be striking in there.
Also flitting, must be the weather, can’t decide if it wants to be hot or cold. Finished a sailboat quilt that started out as flags but needed a middle, so a sailboat pulled in. Then started cutting a pattern that said “cut the jelly roll in half…” yet I goofed and cut it length wise for 1 1/4 width strips! So…when in doubt WALK THE DOG. My poor dog is exhausted! (p.s. I have that book and have made 3 from it.)
I agree with Mary about the colors for your mini piecing. There different shades of yellow and orange in there. Looking at my color wheel the opposite is a blue or purple for a bit of a pop. Just a thought. I am like you when it comes to quilting a quilt. I have 8 now, one got done this weekend YEA. I took a 2 hr online lecture last week about what to quilt where it was very interesting and informative. Now I just need to sit down and get the backings and batting ready for my other 8 quilts.
How you keep it al straight is beyond me. But you do such a good job in design and in the quilting.
Your title pretty much says it all for me. Lots of projects, actually I do have some progress. Machine stitched the binding to a large quilt yesterday. If I can finish hand stitching it to the back in the next 2 busy weeks before leaving on a trip, I’ll finally have a finish to count as yardage out for Stash Busters.
Good luck with deciding on a design for the Japanese fabrics. Maybe something with large ‘ish circles to show off the prints?
I am in much the same boat, with 3 QALs all finishing up soon, and then 3 tops to be quilted. I flit back and forth, but I think I am going to finish one then the other right now. We’ll see how that goes!
You are keeping busy with a lot of projects. That is usually how I “operate” over here.
I have to have several projects because for some reason one single project makes me…. I really do not know,…. over focus? get bored? Anyway, I have 4 sewing projects going and several that are ignored all together
We have had nice days to be outside, cooler, but I am then either doing yard work or at daddy’s place, and then I focus on him.
Anyway, sometimes it feels like we are not moving ahead.
Enjoy this week. I am trying.
I have always wanted to do an Oriental 9 Patch Pizzazz. I have made one using winter as a theme, but the oriental fabrics called me. It’s been a lot of years ago, but I still remember the memory of it. lol
Maybe this time Quadrille just needs a nice pantograph. Sometimes we just have to move on! LOL!
Good luck coming up with a quilting plan for Quadrille. Hopefully the plan takes longer than the execution once you are ready!
It would be nice if the plan than you had when your eyes opened in the morning could actually be carried out through the day!!! Almost from the moment your feet hit the floor, life has taken over. So with a shrug of the shoulders you say ‘better luck tomorrow’.
I’ve had a few days like that recently. :))
Not the nosegays I’ve been contemplating on Conquerin Mount Scrapmor’s YouTube from earlier last year, but pretty also.
When I am stuck on colours, I go back to colour theory. For example, split complementary gives you red-violet (magenta) and blue-violet (periwinkle) for yellow–you could add different shades like pink, indigo, and gold to get six colours. Hope that helps!
This will be a gem, Carole! Can’t wait for the next installment!
Creative fun – I worked on two quilt labels on my embroidery machine and shared one on the Friends of From My Carolina Home Facebook page. I stitched it on my Scrap Dance Square Dance quilt tonight. The other I used as a lesson for a guild friend and got it ready for my Bonnie Hunter quilt that is out for long arm quilting. I also made 420″ of “binding with a flange” for that Bonnie Hunter quilt. Lastly, I took down another of my Scrap Dance quilts tonight, measured it, and pulled wide backing off of my shelf to get it ready for quilting. The backing is pressed, and I will need to square it up tomorrow, and give the Scrap Dance quilt a good pressing. All in all, it feels good to clear up a couple of long dormant projects. I just love the Japanese fabrics, and wonder if something like an attic window quilt might showcase some of the lovely prints. Good luck with the quilting!! Waiting patiently for Friday!
I totally get it. I have the hardest time deciding colors/fabrics too. Once I get past that step, it’s usually smooth sailing. I’m looking forward to the final reveal of Quadrille!
I am a champion at “standing and staring!”