I tell my students all the time that the success or failure of a quilt depends on the fabrics selected.
Of course, you also have to use it to its best advantage. It you have fabric that has such a terrific design, you'd be a fool NOT to show it off. I have the same print in green on a cream background, so I was wary about using this one. But when I needed five or six more blocks, I knew I had to use it - but differently than the other box.
I was surprised to find some of this fabric at the bottom of a bin somewhere, but there was a long strip about six inches tall. However, with a little judicious cutting and stitching...
This is another piece of fabric I found folded up at the bottom of a bin. Guess what I did with it?
Can you say "fussy cut?"
Again, you have to see the potential in your fabrics.
I've been avoiding this fabric since I started making the boxes. The background of this fabric is BLACK. Not exactly in line with a Christmas quilt. Or was it? With my back up against the wall and my fabric options limited, I decided to go for it. If I was lucky, the casual viewer would think it was a dark green.
OF COURSE I fussy cut this too.
OH, do you see that gold ribbon?
That's not only NOT a Christmas fabric, I salvaged it from this strip set I sewed over 15 years ago.
I bypassed this fabric from my stash several times since I started this quilt. but I needed a green fabric that was NOT a boring blender, so I pulled it out and made a box.
I also decided I needed another bird.
11 comments:
It's these boxes where you've had to push yourself and get creative with fabrics that are the most interesting in the whole quilt!
Megan
Sydney, Australia
Just love this. And that bauble on the bird's wing is soooo perfct
OH that gold 'ribbon' is just perfect with the birds on black fabric! Years ago a friend gave me some Christmas fabric for a tablecloth. It had black as the background, and was quite striking. Not my idea of Christmas fabric at all. It took me several years to use it.
I can hardly wait for the next addition to this quilt...
Love the new bird. New boxes look very festive.
That striped/banded fabric is a treasure! you could make another box out of the other bands, or put together just the "in-between" stripes, maybe horizontally, or use it for a ribbon.
With the birds on black, it's all about context. Made into a box, on a Christmas quilt it becomes a Christmas fabric very easily.
A Christmas quilt absolutely does not have to have "Christmas" fabrics - great illustrations from your stash. My Christmas quilts are a mix which makes them, like yours, SO much more interesting to look at.
The cardinal block does look green for the background, but you also have the green leaves and pine needles that help bring that forward. The gold strip helps as well. Lovely as usual.
Playing with fabric can be so so much fun. Especially when you find just the right print and can use just the right part.
As always, gorgeous and creative work. You've challenged me to find a use for that same birds on black fabric. It's both fun and instructive to watch your process. Thanks for taking the time to share it.
I have a hard time fussy cutting fabric, as it seems like "waste", but whenever I've forced myself to do it, I'm always glad. You're so right - it's just fabric, and I use my scraps, so it's all good.
Lovely use of your fabrics! Thanks for the reminder to make our fabrics work harder.:)
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