I'm having a little bit of a quandary. Do I stop at four blocks, sash and add a slightly wider border than is in the pattern and start on making a more true to the pattern version of swoon using Anna Maria Horner fabrics? Or do I carry on and make this scraptastical quilt with it's full 9 blocks as intended? Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the scrappiness but will it be too much as 9 blocks? Or am I just being impatient to start on pillows for my bed?
Here's a really rough mosaic of 9 blocks. Except it's the same block repeated 9 times, because I couldn't be bothered to take more photos.
Actually, when I look at it like that I really like it. I might have just answered my own question.
Or have I?
Input welcome. You can even say you think my blocks are the ugliest things you've ever seen and I should burn them. I may disagree with you and call you a fool, but honesty (as long as it's not like super mean honesty, you know, don't be nasty to me, I'm sensitive, but I can handle kind honesty...constructive criticism...CONSTRUCTIVE though, ok?, this isn't a chance for you to say 'oh yes, your blocks are ugly and so are you and you should shut the heck up lady because you make me sick'. Please don't say anything like that.)
113 comments:
Power through it. It looks great!! I love the Habitat.
I like the scrappy better without sashing like in your first photo of all four. (Totally not an option you gave, I know.)
I like it. No matter what way you do it I bet it will be nice looking.
Please finish the scrappy version! They are a lovely unique take on the block and I think they will make a beautiful finished quilt.
I love love love scrappy quilts, but somehow I think the swoon block looks better in a two-tone colour palette. I'd stop at 4 scrappy swoons and move on to AMH swoons. Lush!
(PS... hi! I've only just added you to my reader and i'm really enjoying your blog so far!)
Although I personally struggle with scrappiness...I think you should go big!:)
lookin' good!
I think the nine blocks look the best. Also, the blocks are so bloody ugly that you should just send them all to me.
Scratching my head wondering how to CONSTRUCTIVELY say...They are great! Go for it!
My first instinct is to stop while your ahead. But yes go big and lets see what happens.
http://richardquilts.blogspot.com
I LOVE your blocks! My *opinion* is to stop at 4, but I think it's a personal aesthetic thing so you're going to have to make your own decision. When I see the 9 it just seems too much for my taste. However, I'm willing to bet you finish the 9 and I will love it and be forced to eat my words, so go for it!
The look in Snoop's eyes says it all. "Don't stop now!" Nine would be really cool!
It looks delicious! But even numbers give me a headache.
I think you should stop at 4, start another one and glue the dog to the scrap one because he looks so cute on it.
What if you did the sashing between the blocks in a different color, like maybe a burgundy sort of shade? It might break up the scrappy look a little to make it easier on the eye. :)
I'm going with making 9 but ditching the sashing. Just a thought, I really like it without the sashing though.
I don't speak quilt but I do speak dog...and that Little hors d'oeuvres of a dog is as cute as a button. I love those ears.
What's the purpose for it? That's how I'd decide. Do you want a(nother) bed quilt? if not -- keep it with 4.
I like it scrappy too and I would do all nine. It depends how keen you are to finish and get on with the next one!
I did the painter's squint eye...9 blocks with neutral sash...:D...keep doggie on quilt at all times for color balance. Just my humble opinion, your mileage may vary. :)
I would do all nine and make the sashing wider to give the scrappiness some space. In my opinion if you leave out the sashing the scraps would just blend into each other, because you didn't choose certain colors for one block and something different for the other. I think you wouldn't see the actual pattern as well anymore. But this is just my humble opinion. Just don't let this end as an UFO
Take care
Segelfliege
(thebanana(at)web(dot)de
Well, I would leave this stunning scrappy one at 4 blocks ... I think it just sits right. It's so beautiful, I think I'd find the 9 blocks would lose some of that scrappy order. if that makes any sense?
Then I would move on to the AMH!!!
The full 9 definitely - why even bother asking!?
looks fab! Keep going, unless you have too many quilts that size (hahaha! like that is possible!)
Definitely keep going. Its going to be a beautiful big scraptastic swooning triumph!
I like the idea of maybe a solid for the sashing if you're going to go bigger. Another idea would be to do some random sized scrappy blocks.
Yes, it looks great with nine blocks. Go for it!
My grandmother always used to say "if you don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything" (not necessarily to me) so I'm not sure I should comment.
JOKING
I like 9. Go big I say.
But then if it was me I'd totally stop at 4 because I'm L.A.Z.Y.
Just sayin ;)
Listen to your bunny friend: 4 blocks is ok! Give it away and start on something that you enjoy more. :)
stop ... now!
love the randomness, love the size
; )
not sure if that helped at all ...
Scrappy looks great but if you dont feel the love as much finish off the 4 then go grab those AMH fabrics and rekindle that love :) Your win win no matter which way you go!
I love these blocks and think the larger version looks amazing, if these were mine:-) I would use sashing but add some small darker solid stars at the sashing intersection points (is that called a cornerstone ?) to give the eye somewhere to rest and also to help define the edges of the individual blocks.
It's quite funny to read through all the comments as you get lots of different opinions. It looks like you're going to make that decision all by yourself :-)
I love it and think you should continue until you have nine blocks but that's just my humble opinion.
Right, I'd better go swooning now...
Even if these were really ugly (RELAX they are SOOOO not), you have to commit now! Go for the nine, I dare you! I love huge quilts and with the four it just seem a little, well unfinished to me. But whatever you decide to do, I am certain the quilt will be to your usual fabulous standard!
I like the way the 9 blocks look but I think I like it because it is the same block repeated. I think if I imagine the 4 different blocks extended to the 9 block pattern it's too much. So I say stop at 4.
Just for variety - could you do one even bigger one (making fabric if you have to!) and place the others on two sides of it ie top and left hand side - you may need one more smaller block then!
Love assymmetry! Love scraps! Love it so far! :)
I would go for the scrappy nine then start the other blocks and make one like that to. Go on you can do it.
Stick with it. It's gorgeous and I only wish I could be so original (I'm all but copying the exact Swoon quilt because I love it so much just as it is and had a fat quarter set of Ruby sat screaming to be cut into!)
The variety of opinion suggests you're going to have to go with your gut feeling!
But your blocks are beautiful and I think that the 9-block shows them off to best advantage whereas to me they look a bit lost in the 4-block config. (I like "in your face"...)
I love it, either way. So if you feel like stopping now, why not. If you carry on you might get fed up with the swoon and never make those Anna Maria Horner blocks, and I sure would like to see those! :-)
I love the scrappy blocks and I think they would make a terrific quilt (9 blocks). Love scrappy swoon with habitat, it looks like abstract art.
I love more "traditional" swoons, actually the pattern is so awesome I still have to see a block I don't like, loks good in any fabric!
Keep going...please!
I LOVE the scrappiness to them! Keep going, its going to look great!
I love it I would keep going
I really like the scrappiness of them and I think that 9 looks better than 4, so I think you should keep going.
But if you think it will be too much, what about making it like a giant 9 patch, with 5 scrappy, and then 4 blocks that are really calm, maybe solids?
That might look really rubbish though, I don't know what I'm talking about half of the time!
I love the scrappiness of them but I actually really like the 4 blocks together without any sashing between them. Whatever you choose it will be fab.
I say do both! 9 blocks scrappy, then another quilt 9 blocks of AMH. I'm cheeky like that considering I'm currently wondering if I can stop at 4 blocks ;-)
You could make all nine & send a few to me... No? Okay then I say keep going because it looks very very cool!
I never would have thought it up, but the longer I look at it, the more I like it. I think you should finish it. You can always do another more traditional one if you want to.
I LOVE the scrappy AMH blocks, love them. If ever I get round to making my own Swoon, my plan is definitely scrappy - I think I saw one scrappy Swoon block on Two More Seconds blog ...or Stitches and Scissors?, and just loved it. Go you, hope you decide to go the whole 9 blocks of scrappilicious Swoon. cat.
Definitely go scrappy all the way. So many of the people doing Swoon are choosing the single line route. Yours stands out as unique and pretty damn cool looking this way. You are nothing, if not unconventional
They don't work for me because of the low contrast... But "It's your quilt."
With that said, all of the seams are perfect, so it will keep someone warm & that is the purpose of a quilt!
Oh nine, with sashing, for sure! I love the 'texture' of the background fabric. I think I double dare you to bind it in something unusual. I have no idea if it would work but I like the idea of something with a bark-cloth or vintage kimono silk feel. You know something heavier and maybe a bit slubby. But hey it's your baby- and as we all know- babies are NEVER ugly! x
Dang girl you've done it again... my favouritest swoon....
It doesn't take that much effort to finish it off. Keep going, I like the mock up, it will look even better in real life!
Absolutely cracking up - these blocks are awesome. You really should go through with the full 9 and make a big beautiful quilt!
well, you've started, you might as well carry on right? I love big quilts so go bigger! but Katy, it's your quilt after all, if you are not enjoying the process then either take a break and divert to something new or sash it and be done! Either way, it's too darn pretty!
what good is 4 blocks to you?? , get down to it and get it finished, Its fabulous
gorgeous, the nine blocks will be briliant
Keep going, keep going!!! Yours are the blocks I've been admiring for their artful scrappiness! They've made me want to make mine scrappy, despite knowing it will be harder than just matching up identical prints.
GO FOR IT!
I wouldn't say anything non constructive (I hope, but will I succeed?)
I saw your block and I loved them! It's very scrappy which makes it LOUD, but the background is sooooo soothing!. Yes, really nice.
The flaw in the photograph of the 9 blocks lies in the fact that those 9 blocks are exactly the same. 9 blocks of different scraps would really shout at you. Well they would at me.
So I think I would stop at 4 blocks.
If you'd sash them the quilt would be bigger (sashing + border of the same background fabric?)
Well, I think that's what I would do.
(Have I succeeded in being constructive?)
I love the scrappy blocks. Especially the four where they are all different. The 9 where they are all the same is a bit blah, but the four actual blocks?? Really striking!! I like them and would love to see more! It is different and different is always fun! :) Hugs.
love them, the calm color background makes the scrappiness not too fussy - make sense? keep going!
Burn them ? Don't be silly - even the strangest blocks (or ugly ones) become a beautiful quilt once the quilting is done ! I think this one will be great !
Carry on and finish it! But if you decide not to, could you pretty please send all of your pre-cut pieces to me, so that I can finish it? Thanks.
I would do the 4 blocks with a big wide border. Or the nine. Or the nine without sashing. I don't know, I can't decide. How helpful am I! I love these blocks.
I'd go for the 9 with sashing. 4 without sashing just doesn't seem enough. Really interested to see how the 9 would look - think you have the makings of a very unique quilt here.
Don't cop out now!
Oh, I'm sort of in the same quandry as you. My Swoon blocks are entirely scrappy as well with a small pindot background and I can't decide if I want to do 3, sash and line them up off center in a field...or...if I do 4, sash and add border like you suggested.
I really like your blocks, they are very quirky and fun.
I totally empathize with wanting to move on the the next project! It is really beautiful as it is, but I think you'll be happier with the 9 blocks. More of it to love!
I love the scrappy without the sashing BUT only for the 4 blocks, I think. When I think about it for all 9, it makes me feel like you will actually lose the design the scraps make. I am in love with all 9 with the sashing, though and think you should do it.
That said, I DO also think making 4 and centering them on the quilt (in their own sort of block pattern) then making 5 more blocks out of different fabric to flank them could be really cool. I am not much help, I know, but can you make one block out of the other fabrics, take a photo and create a photo quilt of what that would look like? Then you can decide if it's what you want to do. You can use the one block as a mini somewhere if you decide to stay scrappy.
I really love the scrappy blocks in all their scrappy glory. It's funny, though, the more of the amazing pictures I see of everybody's blocks, the more plan for my next swoon. Really, can anybody make just one?
I vote to go with option #1! do something different that is totally you. who says you have to make the pattern exactly as is.
Dianne
I choose 'or not'. 9 would look good.
Love the blocks, but they don't look as swoonish as I thought they would. I think they are great, but I see them with a sashing and border as a small quilt. If they were mine a red print sashing and a gold border. OF course I would have to lay that out to check if I loved it. It looks good with scraps to the monitor, but electronic color variations may be lying to me.
I would go for 9 blocks - only because you have to make them not me ;) So much easier to say it.. It does look good though!
oh my goodness, this made me giggle. I think 9 blocks is where it is at. I am just about done fighting this cold so I can get back to the sewing room. I was sneezing so much I was afraid I would cut off a finger or two.
I like the idea of just the 4...But maybe instead of putting the 4 blocks in a 2x2 layout like suggested for a baby quilt, maybe put all 4 in a single row in the middle of all the beautiful negative space. And really let the scrappiness shine. And that would also make it a very nice length :)
9 blocks, with sashing. the eye needs a place to rest and there's something about being, how shall I say, "neatly chaotic" that suits you. Sort of like...if your desk was a raging mess you'd still know exactly where the tape dispenser is.
go big or go home.
i love it, but i really want to see your AMH version too. Now that you told me about it.
Just my tuppence worth, but what about making half the blocks with a reverse colour scheme? Use the habitat fabric for the star block in the centre, and use dark scrappy fabric for the outside of the block.
The blocks need space to really shine, IMHO, no matter how many more you make (or not). Have you considered a non traditional setting to give the eye some places to land? Have fun, no matter what!!
What do you love most about this project, the block design or the fabric? Block design = stop now and proceed to AMH. Fabric = make all 9. You're already so deep in Scrapitat you might as well go for it.
First off, your scrappy blocks look fantastic! I like the idea of doing 4 with sashing and wider borders. If you plan to use this on a bed, the 4 could be the centerpiece on the top of the bed. The borders would just hang off to the sides and end of the bed and you could have pillows at the top. I dunno...It would look totally awesome as a 9-block quilt too though! I made two Swoon pillows a while back for my daughter and they're so ginormous and don't really get used, so I'm thinking of taking them apart and making a quilt (would have to do QAYG). **sigh**
I think your 4 together look fantastic, and I could totally see it as all 9. I don't think you get the full picture of that in the mosaic mainly because it is the same block shown 9 times. My eye pulls in the left (darker) side of each block & I don't get the picture of the quilt blocks themselves and it looks a little mish-mash which is deceiving.
Puppy! Sorry, I'm easily distracted.
I can't give you an opinion coz I'm just not a scrappy girl. Well, unless it involves fists, and the situation really warrents it. Like if someone came into my house and tried to steal all my yarn or my part-made quilts. Sorry, distracted again.
I say go with what you like and don't care if it's no one elses cup of tea. I can admire other peoples visions even if it's not something I'd make. Dare to be you.
Um, I think I got disrtarcted again, where was I? Oh yeah, puppy!....
Well would you like to start the other one? I like this but I like the pictures of the more uniform ones on flickr as well. Is this a size that would be useful (the 4 blocks)?
Cute puppy what does it think? Looks like it likes scrappy.
I think the biggesst impact is the sashing. It doesn't really matter whether it's 4 or 9 as long as you add sashing like you did in the layout for the 9 blocks. That said, I don't think the full quilt is too much, it looks like a very scrappy quilt. However, I would love to see you play with AMH, so I am tempted to sway you that way! ^-^
Well if you have a lot of background fabric left, you could send it my way! I think it's fun as a scrappy quilt though I also like two fabric plus background blocks. Make it 4 if you need a small quilt (or are getting tirede of scrappy) or 9 if you need a big quilt! I know, not much help, also I've liked everything you've ever posted.
Lisa
Lalexander733 (at) gmail (dot) com
Not everything in life fits into a nice little 2-color scheme! Keep the scrap. Make it big. Live life largely!
I vote for the 9 blocks!
I like the scappy 9 blocks. I would however calm it down perhaps by framing each one in a dominant solid. This will also bring out the beautiful colors of your fav scraps.
Hallie
Looking good at 4 blocks, but if you stop will you later think hmm.. would have been better bigger?
I love your style! Your wild fabrics are so fun! I agree w/ stephmabry - sashing! frame each one in w/ a dark fab then each one will look more individual. BUT, I think it should be 2 wide and 3 long to be a throw to snuggle under! (this is my first comment and I am UTTERLY addicted to your blog!)
Keep going is my vote! I would do all 9 blocks like this. I don't think the scrappiness is too much because all of the values are so close to each other and the background. The contrast overall is very soft even though there are lots of colors.
I would go for more scrappy swoons ...
My thought with the scrappy version is that you are losing a little bit of the design detail from the non-scrappy versions. Not that it's not cool, just a little less defined looking.
Do you even have to ask my opinion? You must forge ahead! This will be the most awesome giant quilt EVER! Or, pack up all your remaining fabrics, send them to me and I'll finish it ;)
Love it in all its scrappy goodness! Onwards, ever onwards...
finish it!
Keep on keeping on!! I love it, Katy. I think a scrapalicious Swoon will be amazing! I love where you're headed. Don't stop! Is that enough to tell you my opinion?
the 4 Blocks are fab, but I have to say looking at your mosiac, it has to be 9 blocks - to release its full awsemomeness - I think if you stop at 4 you will always regret it.
Don't stop. Just don't do it. Keep going.
I think it looks pretty awesome.
Your mocked up quilt looks great to me!
I made 9 blocks myself after feeling like I'd been sewing HST's and flying geese for an eternity after 4 blocks. But then I made the 5th block and the deal was sealed and I had to make 9. Now I'm in the phase where I feel like I've been quilting for eternity.
Sheesh - why did I forget.....The 9 block one is more than twice the square inches to quilt as the 4 block one.
Oh totally nine blocks! Your background fabric reminds me of parquet flooring. Is that the right word? Maybe you could rotate the blocks to take advantage of the directionality of the background fabric.
I saw a couple comments about sashing. I wouldn't do sashing- too overwhelming.
Love the scrappy look you've got. Go with it! Besides, sometimes when you make a quilt out of just one fabric line (even AMH!) it just looks flat. My one wish for the scrappy look: lighter background or darker scraps around the edges. Some of the block looks lost because the contrast isn't high enough. You are going to all this trouble to make this fantastic complicated block...show that mother off! :)
don't you dare stop!
when I see this I think of a collage made of newspaper with colored adds. I really like it and can imagine it in 9 blocks, for sure.
you should definitely go on and finish. already, it's very original and beautiful...you wouldn't want something that blends in with all the others out there, would you?
I would say definitely definitely go for it. It is crazy gorgeous.
It's WONDERFUL and so you! POWER on girl...
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