I looked up from the sewing machine the other day to see two very different types of quilt blocks looking back at me from the design wall and it struck me how not only does my taste change through the years, but also, that there are lots of different aspects to my 'quilt personality'. The one thing that does seem to be consistent is my love of scrappy and using up every little bit.
Every now and then I dive into the shoe box that is my
Pineapple Tidbits with the hopes that one day there will be enough blocks to string together. Part of me thinks that I will always have this shoe box on the go because I'm always topping up the scraps in the zip lock bags that hold the strips. That's okay. It's a classic pattern with a rich, traditional feel and even when mine is finished there will always be someone that can use a quilt.
And then there's another side of me that is drawn to the newer, cleaner, more graphic - dare I say 'modern'? - patterns and fabrics, like these
Scrappy Log Cabin blocks. Very little of my stash falls into this category, but there is some, and more every day. It's clean and simple and completely different from the more traditional side of me. I'm more selective in picking these fabrics because I don't have the same comfort level mixing them as I do with my more traditional prints or rich, large florals. There are a range of styles that appeal to me that fall between these two extremes but seeing them together on the wall got me thinking about them. Do you have multiple personalities or is it a pretty consistent taste for you?....M
Oh I am with you on this, I definately have multiple personalitys with fabrics! I totally get what you say when you dont feel comfortable mixing those moderns, me too!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. There's the comfy steadfastly traditional side to my quilting and the newer, more modern bent. I have so much fun trying to combine the two--pushing the boundaries. I think where the lines blur with me is when I can add applique.:) That and the scrappy look seem to be my bottom line no matter what style I am working with!
ReplyDeleteFor me, I tend to lean toward the reproduction Civil War fabrics and a pattern that uses a lot of scraps. Lately, I have been stepping out of my box a bit and trying out those bold, colourful modern fabrics and have acquired a small stash. I've been following Rita at Red Pepper Quilts. She has a wonderful way of putting those bright modern fabrics into very simple, and somewhat classic, designs.
ReplyDeleteMy projects are varied as well, I love trying new fabrics, new techniques, etc etc so at times it's hard to pin down what my style is! Scrappy appears to be my ultimate look though!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like many Quilter's have a split personality or should we say, a willingness to try and experiment with new things. I guess I do too. Both the traditional styles and the brighter cleaner modern fabrics seem to have a place on my shelf.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely in the split personality group too!
ReplyDeleteYes, I too have varied tastes. I like to try new techniques and styles but usually end up with muddy and/or saturated colours and more traditional quilt designs! Love both of your quilts and they deserve to be finished!
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