Color Stories ~ Choosing Fabrics

Good morning! The sun is out and it's a beach day, so I am typing fast. Yesterday was cold and rainy,

...and I spent an enjoyable hour or so choosing fabrics for the Fall sewalong on Humble Quilts. This year Lori is inspired by a shop in France called Sajou here and her fabrics have a French theme too, from French General https://www.frenchgeneral.com/.

I look forward to this sewalong every year, have only missed one or two since I began following Lori's blog. It's always a mystery [we do not see the design until the end], not my fave, I like to know what the heck I am making; but the results are always great.

I have NO French General fabric. Well, one a small piece of monogram print in taupe. I am not a FG fan. I love the designs but find the quality of the fabric, with its odd pearlescent sheen and surface printing off putting. But. Love the look, so I went though Fat Quarter's offering. here Yes, lovely, but probably out of my budget, so back to the  quilt room to see what I could find.

I love imagining my tiny quilt and finding pretty fabric to make my version. This is a big part of my motivation to quilt. We need a central ''medallion'' fabric, a focus fabric. [Will we be featuring this or appliqueing on this? Do not know, it's a mystery.]

I found probably enough reds for a Christmas red quilt. One medallion choice is a Santa toile, the other is  a Birds toile.

Coordinates, light/ medium/ dark. Stripe. Dot. Sprig.

As I studied Lori's post I realized I have a blue Jacobean toile that might make a blue version--or how about this large scale seashell print?

 How about a Pug?

Here are a few coordinates. I have other blue projects going and didn't want to disturb the blues unless I make my little quilt in blue. You get the idea though, I think. The blue lower left doesn't work, etc.

When I pulled out the seashell print, I saw this great black and white, very large scale print with vintage vegetables, how fun.

I keep modern and large prints on that shelf and immediately threw together a cool and different black and white story. I love it. But  not for this quilt.

So there I have it, three ideas and the start of the sewalong. Maybe.
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People in blog-land often muse about why they blog. I blog because I like to take photos and write; I like the diary aspect, as Blogger keeps one's posts forever unlike FB , gone tomorrow; I like having a record of my life, my projects, my little beach world; I write in memory of my mom and our weekly letters and shared journals.
But a blog is also a great tool for a quilter. I took photos of each color grouping and as I post them here I will get a better sense of what works, what doesn't and what I love in each colorway. For example, the blue above, or below, you can see the bright roses print does not work, but depending on the mystery design, I'll keep it in for a possible pop of needed clash.

I also belong to groups on FB. Why? To share interests---quilts, antiques, pugs. I try to participate if I bother to belong. And maybe I am sometimes too enthusiastic.
I posted pics on FB of my three color groupings. I thought the idea of choices found in one's stash would be interesting to other members. I have noted that members mention they have problems choosing fabrics, a ''chore'' that I dearly love and probably the main reason I  quilt since I don't like to sew and my kids despise quilts.  I meant well. I wanted to share.

I immediately got a rude and snippy comment that reduced me to tears on a cold rainy Friday, home alone [sob!]. The person  said,"Get a grip, it's only a 20" project."  Well that shot me down bigtime. Burst my bubble,indeed.

Mommy?

Funny how just the wrong words can spoil your fun.

I took my post down immediately. I felt so stupid and I hate feeling stupid.[as do most of us.] And the truth is, I could expend as much effort on choosing and sewing a patch on my daughter's jeans : boro? linen turned? slapped on top? Match the denim or use a pretty print? How about velvet?
I don't want to get a grip, what's the fun in that?
I sadly spent an hour putting the fabrics back on their shelves, in their bins. I'll see how it goes, but right now, I am off to the beach with Bitty and my admittedly horrible hand quilting. Talk to you Monday.

Many thanks to everyone who ordered hearts from my etsy shop! You're the best! Here they are in their pretty packages.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...