I think I have quitled myself into a corner...send in the rescue team!

I tend to do this alot! But this time..it is with colors I don't even like! So...can anyone offer me suggestions? I bought 4 charm packs on Cyber Monday as they were 83 cents each and I keep trying to learn new things and try new ways and...I don't like charms due to the "uneven" number of so many different colors. But for 83 cents, I thought I'd try it and since I could afford several packs at that price.. I bought 4 packs. As usual...uneven numbers of the different colors. The yellow and orange have 5 shades each and 2 of each shade per pack. The green has 8 (or was it 9) shades and some shades have 2 each, some have 3 each per pack. Well, I thought if I migrate the colors I could make something of the mess of charms. So I made HST's so that I could have twice as many squares of each color.

So I did that and came up with this.....Attachment 96530
And now that I see the picture of it...I dont' like the pattern hardly at all! Looks like a crucifix in the middle and all corners pointing to it! Thankfully, the pieces are not sewn together...just the four corner sections and the rows of "arrows"... so I can change the design.

But this is only 42"x45". I want it bigger. What can I do to make it bigger? I don't like all three colors, but tried a solid of each and it took away from the triangles and points etc. The separating fabric is a yellow/white/black. I don't want anymore black in it as black with orange and yellow says halloween with some green slime! So...I can't use those solids. I tried just yellow....to pale. I have this similar print that is the separation...same colors and flower, just bigger........Attachment 96531

I have enough to make a border all around with this fabric, just don't think it is enough but could live with it but then what? If I put 4 inch border with this...(I think that is all the fabric will do)....then what? Any suggestions?

wow!!! take a breath. LOL

I have a suggestion if you would like a more modern feel...
Decide how big you want your quilt, then use solid white or tone on tone white to make up the remainder of that size. You can place your chunks of triangles where you want them, not necessarily symmetrical ( but that is ok too) the white in the negative space can be different sizes, whatever is pleasing to your eye! I can see it in my head, hope I am relaying what i mean so you can grasp it:)
I like the colors in your triangles, i just think the sashing fabric isn't working well with them...

What about a layout similar to Cyndi's quilt.

http://forum.missouriquiltco.com/mem...quilt-top.html

You could arrange the colors graduating from one color to the next going from corner to opposite corner of the quilt.

Maybe you could add in blocks of a coordinating print if you don't have enough HST's to make the quilt big enough.

I think it will be pretty.........it you are too frustrated with it right now.......it's best to take a break for the night. :)

The colors in the triangles are really pretty. I also would use white and create the extra width and length you want. Be modern and dont worry about matching. Just move things around until you like it. But really, best to buy what you like so when you put it together, you like it then too.

You always do good work, so dont doubt yourself so much. I am looking forward to seeing the end result.

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Originally Posted by coffeebreak

I tend to do this alot! But this time..it is with colors I don't even like!

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I guess my question is "why did you buy colors you don't even like?"

If you don't have someone in mind for it, donate it to some group - I'm sure a kid would love it!
Just a thought. :)

I actually like your color and blocks. I think you could play with it adding white and other solids to make it bigger. I would suggest you walk away for a while and come back to it when you haven't been looking at it so much. Sorry I am not much help, but worst case scenario you could turn it into a baby blanket and donate it.

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Originally Posted by buckeyequilter

I guess my question is "why did you buy colors you don't even like?"

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Because I am trying to get out of my tailored, structured, matching only, specific, over-organized box! However, I can't afford to waste money, and these were 83 cents per pack...and okay, I don't actually hate these colors...they are okay...long as I don't have to wear or use them.. and I am using the... "just cause I dont' like the colors, doesn't mean someone else won't" theory to try to help me get out of this stupid box too....they are okay, just don't keep them around me very long!!!

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Originally Posted by quiltingtrish

If you don't have someone in mind for it, donate it to some group - I'm sure a kid would love it!
Just a thought. :)

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I donate them to my church,,,,always someone there that needs one. THat is what I intend for this one..which is also why I chose to work with colors I am not very fond of...and they were cheap so I wouldn't waste money should I not be able to make them work properly..

The only change I suggest is to turn the four corners 180 degrees so the points are going out, rather than in. That would also put the arrows all together and the border around the edges. Then adding more borders would make sense.

I like the colors and the effect.

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Originally Posted by Carah

I actually like your color and blocks. I think you could play with it adding white and other solids to make it bigger. I would suggest you walk away for a while and come back to it when you haven't been looking at it so much. Sorry I am not much help, but worst case scenario you could turn it into a baby blanket and donate it.

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This has been laying on my living room floor for over a week now...and my knees hurt from crawling around rearranging!!!! I initially had the white on white that is the other half of the HST as the borders, but it looked to pale and drained out. That is why I wanted something else and chose the small yellow/white/black print. But yeah, it'll stay there for a few more days... I look at it nearly everytime I walk past. Hopefully something will click...eventually!

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Originally Posted by LRM

The only change I suggest is to turn the four corners 180 degrees so the points are going out, rather than in. That would also put the arrows all together and the border around the edges. Then adding more borders would make sense.

I like the colors and the effect.

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Ah, yeah..the points going out would illusion the quilt as bigger....eye follow and all that. THanks for that suggestion!

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Originally Posted by coffeebreak

Because I am trying to get out of my tailored, structured, matching only, specific, over-organized box! However, I can't afford to waste money, and these were 83 cents per pack...and okay, I don't actually hate these colors...they are okay...long as I don't have to wear or use them.. and I am using the... "just cause I dont' like the colors, doesn't mean someone else won't" theory to try to help me get out of this stupid box too....they are okay, just don't keep them around me very long!!!

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Ok....well if I were you then I would just do it up, not worry too much about it and donate it.

I signed up for the Craftsy 2015 Block of the Month....not going to make the quilt but did learn about choosing colors....that might be helpful to you with your color placement.

Good luck.

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Originally Posted by Kgrammiecaz

The colors in the triangles are really pretty. I also would use white and create the extra width and length you want. Be modern and dont worry about matching. Just move things around until you like it. But really, best to buy what you like so when you put it together, you like it then too.

You always do good work, so dont doubt yourself so much. I am looking forward to seeing the end result.

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Thanks for the compliment. I have more of the white i used for the HST"s...they were the sashing that are now the yellow/black/white print because just the white made iet look to pale and washed out. B ut maybe using them around the whole quilt with a yellow binding might work. I'll check that out! THanks!

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Originally Posted by songbird857

I have a suggestion if you would like a more modern feel...
Decide how big you want your quilt, then use solid white or tone on tone white to make up the remainder of that size. You can place your chunks of triangles where you want them, not necessarily symmetrical ( but that is ok too) the white in the negative space can be different sizes, whatever is pleasing to your eye! I can see it in my head, hope I am relaying what i mean so you can grasp it:)
I like the colors in your triangles, i just think the sashing fabric isn't working well with them...

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I originally had the same white on white that is the other half of the HST's as that sashing..but it just looked to pale and washed out... so I added the small print. But I am not thrilled with that other print as the outter sashing...so I just might go ahead with the white/white matching the HST's and if it is pale...maybe (hopefully) it won't be pale to someone else! Thanks for suggesting

If you are going for bigger, I would also flip the big blocks of the hst's to point out - leave the sashing where it is and then add another border in the same fabric all around. The blocks of hsts will appear to be floating out. :)

I like the colors and that you are pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. That is what I have been doing with the Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilt - no control and didn't know what it would look like when it was done. Has been a fun journey. I am behind, but will continue onward. :)

I like Pam's idea. I have this one stored and really like the design. Just need to get back to it. Use the 'cross' for the borders and plain for the sashing..

Attachment 96547

If you want to practice I would donate to some of the charity groups. They except just the tops.

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Originally Posted by pcbatiks

What about a layout similar to Cyndi's quilt.

http://forum.missouriquiltco.com/mem...quilt-top.html

You could arrange the colors graduating from one color to the next going from corner to opposite corner of the quilt.

Maybe you could add in blocks of a coordinating print if you don't have enough HST's to make the quilt big enough.

I think it will be pretty.........it you are too frustrated with it right now.......it's best to take a break for the night. :)

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That is exactly what I had in mind when I bought the charm packs! But there wasn't enough charms. If there were either four colors with 5 shades each it would have helped alot, but with the odd ball number of shades for odd number colors etc... I could have made it work better. Just one of the reasons I hate charm packs! I bought these since they were do cheap hoping it might calm my hatred of the stupid little things!!!LOL!!! Didn't work!

Ok, here's my two cents..............first off, great deal on the charm packs, secondly, if you donate to your church, keep the cross effect. You may not "like" the design or be that keen on the colors (someone else will LOVE it), but basically you're primary goal is to "loosen" up your approach/control to layout and color choices. If they aren't sewn together, as others have suggested and with links, flip those puppies all over the place to try and match a design that catches your eye. Loosen up, and let go, control is NOT what's needed here, you need to let your mind soar a tad. A simple 1/4 turn can make all the difference in the world! Be a kid, relax, let go, have a mental recess! :D

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Originally Posted by songbird857

I have a suggestion if you would like a more modern feel...
Decide how big you want your quilt, then use solid white or tone on tone white to make up the remainder of that size. You can place your chunks of triangles where you want them, not necessarily symmetrical ( but that is ok too) the white in the negative space can be different sizes, whatever is pleasing to your eye! I can see it in my head, hope I am relaying what i mean so you can grasp it:)
I like the colors in your triangles, i just think the sashing fabric isn't working well with them...

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Building on songbird's suggestions. ..... I agree that the sashing doesn't work. Leah Day once made a modern quilt where she randomly dropped blocks on the floor, and then built up the negative space around where the blocks dropped. Doing this, your current blocks don't all have to fall horizontal or vertical. In addition, if you have the colors, or can afford to buy a little more material, you could add large solid strips of the three colors scattered around as well. How about 3 borders - one in each of the three colors?

Do you know how to make wonky blocks that look tilted? I'll see if I can find instructions. I know how to do it, but I am not sure I can explain it correctly.

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Originally Posted by Carrie J

Ok, here's my two cents..............first off, great deal on the charm packs, secondly, if you donate to your church, keep the cross effect. You may not "like" the design or be that keen on the colors (someone else will LOVE it), but basically you're primary goal is to "loosen" up your approach/control to layout and color choices. If they aren't sewn together, as others have suggested and with links, flip those puppies all over the place to try and match a design that catches your eye. Loosen up, and let go, control is NOT what's needed here, you need to let your mind soar a tad. A simple 1/4 turn can make all the difference in the world! Be a kid, relax, let go, have a mental recess! :D

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Yes, you are so right! Loosen up! I need to do that and I am trying. Being so organized and specific makes quilting hard!!! I don't have a problem with the cross look....it just looked weird when I saw the picture. It was kind of like when I made (what I called) a Crooked Pinwheel quilt...the pinwheel arms were a little longer (made with HST's) and bent at the ends to make it look crooked. I thought it was so cute and loved it...and then someone said that they didn't like it cause it looked like a (german) swasticka..... that was 3 years ago and I have not been able to make a "crooked pinehweel" since... because that is now what I see! When I saw the pattern of the cross, the colors made me think "vampire"! Weird I know, but in the picture..that is what it looked like. Laying here on the floor...I have to really look just to see that there is a cross in the center!

Within the instructions for this quilt are the instructions on how to make a wonky block. They start at the point where the grey material is added to border the block. Think of the grey as the negative space.

You would border your current large blocks with something like 6" strips (or larger if that seems better), and then when you go to square them up, you do it at an angle. That causes the inner block to look tilted. Because of the size of your blocks, you probably won't be able to square with a square ruler. No problem, it can also be done with the standard 6" X24" as well.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

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Originally Posted by Sylvia H

Building on songbird's suggestions. ..... I agree that the sashing doesn't work. Leah Day once made a modern quilt where she randomly dropped blocks on the floor, and then built up the negative space around where the blocks dropped. Doing this, your current blocks don't all have to fall horizontal or vertical. In addition, if you have the colors, or can afford to buy a little more material, you could add large solid strips of the three colors scattered around as well. How about 3 borders - one in each of the three colors?

Do you know how to make wonky blocks that look tilted? I'll see if I can find instructions. I know how to do it, but I am not sure I can explain it correctly.

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Thanks for the suggestion. I don't think I can do that... I am just starting my quest of "de-organizing"...I'd be drinking by the end of the hour if I did anything so randomly as you describe!!!!! LOL!! I did try the three solids, laid them out as sashing/borders...but although the colors matched some of the same shades in the HST's... all the light shades were drowned out by all the dark shades and it looked bad.

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Originally Posted by Hulamoon

I like Pam's idea. I have this one stored and really like the design. Just need to get back to it. Use the 'cross' for the borders and plain for the sashing..

Attachment 96547

If you want to practice I would donate to some of the charity groups. They except just the tops.

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That is kind of what I was going for when I bought the charms... a migrating of the colors. I have seen them before and like them. But.. I bought 4 packs thinking that'd be enough and if they were better organized it would have been. But three colors and 2 had the same number of charms and one had twice the nbrs...etc. It was a HUGE struggle for me just to not be so exactly migrating of the shades! I started out being exact, but then purposely started "loosening up" in the migration...I did okay, I think!

What if you took out the sashing, keep the center block but move what you see as a crucifix to the outside, then add multiple borders, maybe thin borders in your main solid colors and a wider border in the white. Then you could do scrappy binding using all the colors. I can see it in head, bit I am sure I am saying it well. Does this make sense?

I think your piecing looks terrific and the colors are fun! There are some really cool modern quilts with geese around. I think the a Moda Bake Shop has some. I seem to remember one that was mostly white with the geese flying up one side. Very cool.

Stop beating yourself up......anyone that can make that many triangles and not lose the points is a winner in my book. You've gotten a lot of good ideas here, try some out. I bet you never colored outside the lines when you were little, too, huh?

I think it looks fantastic!!!
I L O V E it!!!!!!

I read you post last night but didn't have any suggestions. But then I was surfing craftsy & saw this table runner pattern (I hope the copy paste works)

Kona Cotton Pure Color Table Runner on Craftsy Supplies!

This layout reminded me of some of your pieces. So maybe it could spark something for you.

I love your colors but can understand it being hard to work with colors you personally don't like. I've been stuck putting together a top for a philanthropy project. I didn't even buy then fabric, they gave me the kit but its really hard to get motivated.

I'm also very impressed by all the HST & flying geese. Those are both on my hit list to tackle this year (haven't made any yet)

I don't like the cross in the center but your flying geese are perfect!! Usually I don't like neon colors either, they are just outside my comfort zone, way too bright for my liking. Maybe replace cross with an hourglass made with small print? It seems like you need to have a print somewhere in here to pull it together-- Or sashing in gray? Thanks, now you have MY head spinning over this!! I feel your frustration. I know you just want to decide and get this project behind you.

Would love to see what you finally decided on this.
I think your layout is fine!
Agree with above comments regarding flipping HSTs to point outward - more glorious!
And also agree with a different sashing. Maybe a darker green or really step out and use a neutral dark/navy blue for sashing and a thin border and the a 4 inch border of the print you showed.

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Originally Posted by jjkaiser

I don't like the cross in the center but your flying geese are perfect!! Usually I don't like neon colors either, they are just outside my comfort zone, way too bright for my liking. Maybe replace cross with an hourglass made with small print? It seems like you need to have a print somewhere in here to pull it together-- Or sashing in gray? Thanks, now you have MY head spinning over this!! I feel your frustration. I know you just want to decide and get this project behind you.

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Grey? Now I hadnt thought about that! I have got yellow, green and orange solids to make borders and use the extra HST's as a border (they won't be properly migrated... just there) but it looks very bright and wow..just THERE and bright and, well... bright! Did I mention bright?!!! But If I put a grey in there it might tone them all down. I'll give it a try! Thanks for suggesting

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Originally Posted by bhaggerty

Would love to see what you finally decided on this.
I think your layout is fine!
Agree with above comments regarding flipping HSTs to point outward - more glorious!
And also agree with a different sashing. Maybe a darker green or really step out and use a neutral dark/navy blue for sashing and a thin border and the a 4 inch border of the print you showed.

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I do need a darker color to tone it down...just to bright! Someone mentioned grey so I am going to try that. And I did flip the points..it does look better.. and no cross as I took out the other row of them. I'll do a pic when I get the grey in there.

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Originally Posted by jjkaiser

I don't like the cross in the center but your flying geese are perfect!! Usually I don't like neon colors either, they are just outside my comfort zone, way too bright for my liking. Maybe replace cross with an hourglass made with small print? It seems like you need to have a print somewhere in here to pull it together-- Or sashing in gray? Thanks, now you have MY head spinning over this!! I feel your frustration. I know you just want to decide and get this project behind you.

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Thanks jjkaiser... I took the cross out all together! One row of FGs in the middle and the other points going out...so far!

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Originally Posted by KROQnK9s

I read you post last night but didn't have any suggestions. But then I was surfing craftsy & saw this table runner pattern (I hope the copy paste works)

Kona Cotton Pure Color Table Runner on Craftsy Supplies!

This layout reminded me of some of your pieces. So maybe it could spark something for you.

I love your colors but can understand it being hard to work with colors you personally don't like. I've been stuck putting together a top for a philanthropy project. I didn't even buy then fabric, they gave me the kit but its really hard to get motivated.

I'm also very impressed by all the HST & flying geese. Those are both on my hit list to tackle this year (haven't made any yet)

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KROQ...HST's are my fav peice to work with. A simple turn and so many possiblities!!! And FG's are kind of the same thing.. They are my fav pieces to make and worth with. Every time I find a block I like, I break it down into HST's even tho the pattern doesnt' have them at all. Works most every time! And they are SO easy and fast! Just get a little assembly line kind of thing going and you have dozens done in no time!
Thanks for the layout idea...

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Originally Posted by bkthomas

I think it looks fantastic!!!
I L O V E it!!!!!!

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Thanks so much!

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Originally Posted by Granny Fran

Stop beating yourself up......anyone that can make that many triangles and not lose the points is a winner in my book. You've gotten a lot of good ideas here, try some out. I bet you never colored outside the lines when you were little, too, huh?

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Thanks for the laugh Granny Fran!!! and no I didn't color outside lines! It was not an option! I love making HST's and FG's...quick, easy and fun...get a little assembly line kind of thing going and dozens are done in minutes!