Monday, October 11, 2010

Sometimes it’s the parts that are greater….

A couple of years ago I made a quilt that had some really super sections to it and I just loved the colours (green is my favorite colour!) but somehow as a whole it really didn’t seem to work.

So after dragging my feet for months and months…(after all who really wants to cut up something they’ve gone to considerable effort to sew together!)….armed with a long ruler, a piece of chalk and a rotary cutter (to say nothing of a stiff cup of tea!), I did the dreaded deed!  And it felt good!!  The little parts looked quite relieved to be on their own!

so this was the original:

greenhouses k 300 

and here it is divided up:

green houses separated Arn’t they sweet?  You can see them one by one on my other blog with sizes and prices and all. (The colours arn’t dimmer, it’s just the difference between a professional camera and a little point and shoot).

Sometimes if a quilt doesn’t feel right, give it time..maybe not 2 years! – but give it some time, and keep looking at it, and with luck you’ll figure out a change that will really improve it.  I’ve trimmed them down – my quilt Overlook was Vastly Improved by taking off the top section:

overlook72dpi Overlook (before beheading!)

overlook230dpi Overlook (after the Big Chop)

And I’ve even thrown them in a dye bath!   The Really Awful Ones usually go to the thrift store – a comfort for some poor little kitty somewhere.

So..what d’you think?  Are those little green houses and trees better separated…or not?  My fingers are crossed!!  But I doubt I’d ever sew them back together (not my fingers!! the little quilts ….)

– I’ve got my eye on one of those little pieces for myself!

If you have been, thanks for reading!    Elizabeth

8 comments:

Melissa ;-) said...

I think you were a very brave soul, but I do like the little quilts better!

Deb Lacativa said...

I've done and plan to do more..very liberating actually. The Humane society has had quite a few cat hammocks from me..dog beds too.

Jackie said...

Fascinating! and Bold! But I do see the difference; some of the smaller bits went un-noticed in the larger piece. Hooray for your keen eye and strong will!

Elsie Montgomery said...

Terrific solution! Very nice results. There were too many interesting places in the bigger quilt and now they each shine in their own space.

Marni said...

Much better! The little ones are wonderful. How did you figure out where you wanted to cut? Whatever you did, you found just the right places.

Elizabeth Barton said...

Thank you for the positive comments and for not saying I should have left it as it was!!! I decided where to cut by laying it out flat and looking for the good bits with an old picture frame...then I just chalked lines and cut along them, staystitched the edges, chucked away the leftovers, added interfacing and sleeves - voila! 6 little quilts!

TALL GIRL said...

They are all much improved...not that your work needs improving but you know what I mean! I have done the same, often painting over supposedly finished work. Personally I don't think it is so much about bravery; after all it is only fabric and not one's liver, but about finding interest in the work by taking a chance! Bravo.

Guila said...

Elizabeth, I'm visiting your blog for the first time so come a little late to the party. I agree with the previous posters that your "restructuring" job works beautifully. I have an observation regarding the green quilt and Overlook. Both started with broader expanses of sky - It looks like when you cut up "green" you also eliminated a great part of the sky.