Here's the top.....finished! Yay! It's about 76x86......a good size on it's own, no borders.
It's actually darker, more like the 2nd closeup pic. I think the sunlight from the window was fading it out a bit in the first pic. I'm just in love with it! Thanks Bonnie Hunter for showing us the original in an antique shop, and giving us the challenge/nudge to use our big florals. I'm so glad I did! This is going on my bed when done! I thought for a backing, I would use the florals in big sections......they are just beautiful fabrics, and should really be used and shown off. I like that it will be totally reversible, too.
So, while I was making the florabunda quilt......I decided I needed to do something else for my leaders and enders. Up until this, I have been sewing together 2" squares of my thrift store shirtings......any two squares together, then those together as a 4 patch. Not caring if the pieces were light, dark, whatever! A totally scappy 4 patch......and I had been making these for at least a year, and now have a drawer full of 4 patches. At least 400! So during the florabunda quilt, I thought I should make something of these 4 patches. Here's what I came up with......a little red sashing and a black cornerstone creating a 9 patch block.
I put 7 blocks together while doing the florabunda quilt, and I'm just loving them! But I need to really think about how these blocks will come together......I tried a few versions of sashings. Above is just straight black.
I just don't know. I think they all pretty much overpower the blocks. But as I'm typing this, and looking at this last pic......I'm looking at the blocks on the right with no sashing between them......and I kindof like THAT look.......so maybe I need to do a light shirting as the sashing. Hmmmmmmm. What do you think? I would love your thoughts or suggestions on it.
I'm going to keep making the blocks as leaders/enders.......until I have at least 20! Then we'll see what happens!
Have a great week!
regan
Floribunda looks great! I love mine, too. Have you decided how to quilt it? I'm struggling with that.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love your shirting 4-patches! So fun and scrappy! I like the look of the black sashing with red cornerstones, but you are right--the blocks themselves kind of recede. Give a light shirting a try--and maybe throw those red cornerstones in and see what that does.
The Floribunda looks great! I like the shirting with a very simple sash or frankly none at all. Just the blocks along would make a great scrappy.
ReplyDeleteThe Florabunda is gorgeous! I love yellow in quilts, but some people are scared of it. It almost makes me wish I had a bunch of large florals in my stash. The 4 patches are great, too. My first "like" of your sashing choice was the black with red cornerstone, but when I got to the end where you were liking no sashing, I think I agree. I would sash with more of the same, so it doesn't look so much like 9 patches, just a whole quilt of 4 patches. You are right, that any "fussy" border detracts. I'm loving it, though! Great job.
ReplyDeleteYay, Florabunda! Beautiful! Love the shirting 4-patches. My favorite is the black sashing with the red cornerstones. Maybe with a red outer border? I'm sure whatever you decide on will look great!
ReplyDeleteYour florabunda is just lovely! I did pink and yellow, and I'm so pleased with the way it turned out. Yay for Bonnie :)
ReplyDeleteI do like the black in there.
ReplyDeletemaybe what I would try is 9 blocks(of 9) together and then the black sashing, great quilt! love the florabunda quilt too, glad you finished it~
Kathie
I like the black with the red cornerstone or no sashing at all and just continue the red with black throughout the quilt and then do something fun for the border (maybe a black red then back stripped border framing the quilt...
ReplyDeleteFlorabunda is wonderful, especially with that lovely aqua in it! Your leaders and enders project is very creative. I like the on point plaids set in between the sashed blocks.
ReplyDeleteOh Very cool! Love your florabunda! It's perfect for spring! And the leader ender quilt is so awesome too! Whatever you do with it, I like it!
ReplyDeleteBonnie
Your first photo of the thin black sashing looks best to me. It really brings your eye to the little black post within the blocks. Curious to see what you decide! Fun Floribunda, too :)
ReplyDeleteThe florabunda looks fabulous and I like your idea for the backing.
ReplyDeletePersonally I like the red sashings and black cornerstones. It's more quiet. The black sashing adds the pzazz and looks great with impact. They all look good, what look do you want? Great idea, very effective.
Love the Florabunda. I want to make one too and have pulled a piece of light green solid to use. I'm shopping my stash and I don't think I have enough yellow (maybe I should look closer).
ReplyDeleteLove the 4-patches. I like the black with red cornerstones maybe with a strong border, but I think I would see what it looks like with a light sashing before I decide. My vote is for a sashing, a plain one.
Your lucky I'm on the other side of the world or I'd be tempted to run off with your Florabunda quilt, hee hee. I can't tell you how much I love it. The pattern and fabrics are all so wonderful! And the shirt patches are so cool too!! I like the strong graphic effect of the black sashing with red cornerstones. ( ps Is it your birthday around now sometime? .. Happy Birthday if it is!!!)
ReplyDeleteFlorabunda YAY!!
ReplyDeleteTurned out great--I love that aqua block.
I love the look of overlapping grids--I've done that before (9 patches), but not with plaids--watch for that one to show up on my blog--great idea of using 4 patches.
Florabunda looks great!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the second project. I like the first choice the best - great scrap quilt and that red and block make it pop!
Your Florabunda...is breath-taking!! Awesome...really pretty!!!
ReplyDeleteFun, secondary...leader-ender quilt too!!
hugZ,
annie
anniesrubyslipperz.com
Kudos to you for finishing your Florabunda top. Wow, is it a beauty! Love the interplay of the fabrics. It reminds me of a ray of sunlight coming through a window. Enjoyed seeing the other quilt, too. I seem to like the sashing with the subtler red strips and black cornerstones the best but they're all nice options.
ReplyDeleteHi Regan! The Florabunda turned out so cool, it has so much depth to it, like peeking through the rays of sun! Oh gosh I couldn't decide on your other one, my eye liked the black banner with the red cornerstones, but then I also liked the red with the black squares arranged to look like diamonds (even though I know if wasn't your favorite). Something about that pattern is pretty to me. ~Lili
ReplyDeleteI do love these quilts you do... so many little pieces.... just awesome...
ReplyDeleteHugz