Friday 17 March 2017

Getting stuck...

Well, this has been a slooooow week. I've been well and truly stuck, though I think I've got myself sorted out now.

What seems like ages ago I added the chunk at the bottom here...


 then swiveled things around... 


...and added a couple more rows.  Then everything came to a grinding halt.  I tried all sorts of things, including  going back and making a load of extra strips, but nothing pleased me.  So I put it all back in its box and let it stew for a day or two.  


In that time I came to think that maybe my strip sets needed to be a bit longer. I was still making them the same sort of size that I had started with, but now that the sides are longer it all ended up looking too bitty.  Luckily I could just add a bit to some sets, though I've run out of two fabrics, so anything using those will stay the size it is.  

Here's a less cropped view than usual, to show how it looks when I'm working. Mess all over the floor.  Ho hum.


I'm working on two sides at once now (left hand and bottom in this picture).  I want to manage how I use the remaining fabrics and this lets me juggle things more effectively I think.  As always, looking at the photos gives a useful perspective.  In the picture below I can see too much brown in the bottom left - I need to add some blue, I think, and maybe sneak in a bit of green too.  I'm also thinking I might shunt things over to the right and let the vertical lines from the side carry on down.  


For now though, it's back in the box for the weekend.

15 comments:

Yvonne from Quilting Jetgirl said...

I'm glad you were able to find a path forward. I don't know why I am often so surprised to see how well a photograph can help me spot things I am missing with my eyes. I know that... and fail to use it as a tool when I get stuck.

Glen QuiltSwissy said...

sometimes getting stuck is just what you need!

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

It still looks great. Keep going.

Nifty Quilts said...

Yea! It's coming together nicely.

Anonymous said...

I love your process! It's like watching a kaleidoscope. I feel as though I'm often trying to grab a favorite instance right below the kaleidoscope image is changing. It's fun that photos capture that moment.

There is no way or layout where your quilt isn't beautiful. I personally love the way the two longer green strips in the middle end up perpendicular to each other.

I hope you have a great weekend. I'll be raviolo'ing this weekend...it'll lead to a boring blog post for sure. lol.

Aloha

Hunter

Marly said...

I think it's growing really nicely; I can't offer any advice, except to rest and look at it again after the weekend!

Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow said...

Getting stuck and having a rest will give you a fresh perspective :)

Monica said...

I don't know, you don't look very stuck to me. It is fantastic! From the start of this Chinese Coins challenge, I've been thinking about housetop quilts, and it looks like you are headed that way. And it is so interesting how the greens look like they are behind the light greys. It's going well, Kaja, but maybe you just need a break. It's not a race!

audrey said...

The amazing thing about your quilt is that is looks like it should be oh-so-easy and yet, it's obviously such a challenge to make it look that way! Your quilting is genius. LOVE this one so much!

Ann said...

In an improv class I took a few years ago, the teacher suggested making pieces larger as we moved out from the center. You've hit on the same idea. Like Hunter, I'm taken with those long green strips near the center. And the way you almost create a new plaid with your sets. Very interesting, Kaja.

Lynette said...

Nice problem solving - I don't know that I would have come upon the concept of going with larger units. I love the power of letting a project marinate when it stalls - also the power of the photo for seeing it with slightly different perspective. That effect made me spend all my sewing time yesterday picking out and repositioning squares in the center of a quilt that I was almost finished with final borderwork on. ::sigh:: but I'm MUCH happier with it now. :) So, thank you, camera.

Janie said...

Lots of fun with arranging and color. Thanks for sharing.

Mystic Quilter said...

You know what they say - Good Things Take Time!

apiecefullife said...

It is looking good. My thoughts: don't overthink it.

patty a. said...

There is a lot of time spent thinking about design issues in improv work! I find spending the time just thinking can produce a solution or at least a new direction to try. I think your quilt is turning out great!