I wiped away the weeds & foam. / I fetched my sea-born treasures home... Ralph Waldo Emerson







Saturday, January 28, 2012

Pink Lemonade Auditions


 Hi! Today I am "auditioning" yellow calicoes for my doll quilt...
 

Yes! I am caught up, more or less, and have all the blocks made.
 

I love this quiltalong, from Lori at Humble Quilts...so fun.
Here is the antique inspiration quilt again:
 
Humble Quilts

And here is Lori's adorable version...
  
Humble Quilts


 Here's my choices:
 

I thought I'd want the cheddar-y yellow[far left] but it didn't work at all....
This is the closest to both the original and Lori's version; it's brighter than in my pix. It makes my tiny blocks ''pop'' without overwhelming them...
 

Looks good?


But I had the notion I don't exactly want a pink and bright yellow quilt, whatever will I do with it?
So I tried this odd black and purple repro...Oh my, no! And, tho I don't have photos, I also tried two wonderful antique fabrics :one was tan with tiny figurals in red and black; the other a classic tiny sprig shirting, black on white. Again, no. Not bad, just---blah?
 


So okay I have a print. But I'm not so fond of foulard type calicoes, they lack sweetness and charm for me. This is my absolute fav, below, a violent chrome yellow and black tiny floral. It doesn't 'pop' quite as perfectly, but I love the very old fashioned-y Pennsylvania Dutch look of it, just so out-there bright, who cares, we like it! look. Must be in my genes, lol.
 

So now again...choices.


And then the back! A feedsack? I have my eye on a cutie on eBay. Or wildly busy Prussian blue repro surprise? Both?

Not quite what I had in mind...but I like them!






And then of course I'll need a story: Who made this quilt? Why, when, where...whose mama sewed it, what dolly slept beneath it. Ideas? Scenario? Anyone?

Note: I found the cheddar yellows and chrome yellows at a site called: Common Threads . They were fast and efficient, great selection of antique-looking fabrics. However the new to me manufacturer of many of the yellows wouldn't be one I'd actively choose again. All their yellows faded noticeably when pre-washed. And they were ''finished'' so crookedly that the grain is about 4" off, so I am losing quite a lot of fabric when I square things up. Not sure how the foulard will cut, if it is printed crooked? Which may be a deciding factor for the other print.....

notice #1, and #3?
these are antique/vintage fabrics
that held their color perfectly!
Have a great weekend!

love

lizzy


self-portrait 8, January 12


gone to the beach...

Note: two inspiration photos and block design kindly and generously shared with permission form Lori at Humble Quilts . Thanks, Lori!