Wednesday 14 December 2016

Surprising myself

Anyone who reads this blog sooner or later comes up against my preference to go large. Habitually I find myself wanting/needing to impose a lower limit of around 60" square.  But yesterday I looked at my little shirt-circle quilt, currently 52" each way, and decided to stop. 

This wasn't an easy decision. I wanted, really wanted to keep going.  I tried out all sorts of different ideas - more borders, more squares of shirting, a sort of piano key thing, but guess what?  When I stood back and was honest with myself none of them added anything at all, beyond size.  I couldn't come up with a single option that convinced me to carry on.

I could/might add the little blue strip you can see at the bottom but in the fullness of time a binding would serve the same purpose.  I have left it in this picture just because it makes it easier so see the quilt against the dark floor.


Maybe stepping away will lead me to a solution I can't find right now, or maybe I am really done but I can't pretend I am entirely comfortable with my decision, so if I am missing anything obvious, please feel free to point it out to me (as long as it doesn't involve making more little circle blocks!) 

31 comments:

Libby in TN said...

It's a good size for someone sitting in a chair.

Avid Quilter said...

A lovely lovely quilt. What amazing work you do and have put into this. Ive been following along. I think it looks fantastic as is. Size is super. Nothing else needed... great job!

patty a. said...

It is hard for me not to make a quilt bigger too! If you are not in a hurry to get this done, then setting is aside with the possibility of a solution could eventually arise won't hurt anything. That blue plaid would look good for binding if you end up calling this piece done.

Yvonne from Quilting Jetgirl said...

I think that setting it aside to ponder is a good idea. I don't have any brilliant suggestions at the moment for expansion.

Paulette said...

It seems done to me. But if you're not comfortable with that decision, setting aside for a while might be a good idea.

Monica said...

I have felt like it's done, too. A fun binding and you're good to go. After it's quilted, of course! I think you have someone nearby who is going to love it!

Janie said...

Many possibilities for sure.
I'm slowing down for Christmas; Baking cookies, talking to friends and relatives, eating cookies, playing with grandchildren etc.

audrey said...

I really, really love your border work! It's perfect and yes, it frames the quilt and gives it a stopping point. I'm one that likes to make larger quilts too and it's terribly difficult to stop sometimes when a quilt is not as large as it could/should/might be! lol I've been gifting more of my smaller quilts lately because they do finish up fast when I get to that stage and who says I have to give away a generous bed sized quilt anyway?

audrey said...

And I did want to say, that brown and pink together with the cream and pops of green. I'm in love.:)

Marly said...

It's lovely, and unless your really need a larger one for on a bed I'd just add the binding. I love the dark squares in the border. I like the sophistication the borders bring to the pink and blue centre.

em's scrapbag said...

I think it looks fabulous as is

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

Looking great! It 'seems' finished to me, and that little bit of blue plaid binding links up nicely.

Ariane said...

I think its the perfect size. I would just bind it with the blue plaid. It's going to be beautiful.

Cathy said...

It looks finished to me too and oh so beautiful and rather striking with that border...but I know what you mean about size...I love big bed sized quilts and sometimes make them too big instead of going a little smaller.

If it was me I would set it aside for a few days. Think about it and think about it one night just before going to bed. Go to bed. Have a good sleep. Magically, then if there is something more to be done with it the answer will be there in the morning. (Well, it works for me most of the time to solve any sort of problem that requires creative thinking from working out a solution to a computer program (my job) to finishing up a quilt).

Mystic Quilter said...

It's a beauty, and looks so good just as it is without anything further added. Having said that it is your quilt and perhaps if you leave it until after Christmas and go back and have another look all will become clear!

Béa said...

It's beautiful like this, I love.

Kaja said...

I can't reply direct as you are a no-reply blogger, so I'm hoping you check back; thank you for your lovely comment. I'm glad you've enjoyed watching my progress and that you like where I ended up with this one.

Catherine said...

I like the blue at the bottom because it links the border with what's going on in the middle and contains it and it looks right proportionally. But photos don't always capture what's going on in real life, so I'd say go with your instinct - I know whatever that is it will be perfect!

Kathleen said...

I think if you set it aside and come back to it, you will find you are done already. It looks great!

Doris Perlhuhn said...

Love the dark border. And I cannot imagine how to make it larger. It's good this way I think. What about a dark binding so there would be no optical limit . Just a thought.

Doris Perlhuhn said...

Love the dark border. And I cannot imagine how to make it larger. It's good this way I think. What about a dark binding so there would be no optical limit . Just a thought.

Unknown said...

I'd curl up it it any time if I didn't already have a quilt that I use for just that.

Sue McQ said...

This quilt POPS!

Rachaeldaisy said...

It's funny how quilts have a mind of their own and even if you want them to be bigger they just stop. This one looks just right to me.

Mary Marcotte said...

If this quilt is saying she's done there's little else that will make her happy. Well that blue for the binding would. :) Go with your instinct; it's perfect as is!

Ann said...

Because I like large quilts, too... What if you added the light blue and then a zigzag border? The circles remind me of Japan, perhaps the rising sun theme. I can't think of anything that would fit that theme though.

Kate @ Smiles From Kate said...

I love the design of the quilt Kaja, in my opinion the only way to increase the size would be to add more centre blocks, making it 5 x 5 rather than 4 x 4, or whatever. Apart from that it looks finished to me and beautiful as it is.

Lara B. said...

It really looks terrific just the way it is Kaja and that is a nice, utilitarian size. The only way I can envision making it larger would be a scrappy border of your light blues.
Merry Christmas to you and all your family!

Wendy Caton Reed said...

I think it is delightful just as it is! I love a good circle quilt and this one surely is wonderful!

Stephie said...

Something really obvious is that a quilt doesn't have to be 60" square, haha! Go on, live dangerously and see what happens. I think it's far better to reach a 'design conclusion' than aiming for a specific size, unless it's for a specific bed of course!

PaulaB quilts said...

I don't share your compulsion to go big. On the other hand, my fabric has gone big so I am trying to buy only what I need for my projects if I can't make do. Your circles quilt looks complete to me, except,that I think lighter binding like the blue would help to contain the outer round. The black areas tend to float off the edge into the floor, if you see what I mean. It's a lovely finish.