Thursday, April 12, 2018

Broken Dishes--Oops!

John Denver sang a song,
"Some days are diamonds,
some days are stones."

The same can be true with some of 
my quilting efforts.
I've been working on finishing up
some older projects and I must admit,
sometimes in my hast I miss 
paying attention to some details.

One phrase you hear in quilting making 
is there is no right or wrong design.
It's just whatever makes your own heart sing,
creating your own song.


That may be true, but what
if you finish a quilt
and you're just a bit disappointed.


I finished sewing my broken dishes swap blocks.
 from 2016, organized by
Barb from Fun With Barb.

The quilt went together beautifully. 
 The blocks had been perfectly sewn
by lots of dfferent quilters.

I set the blocks together with some lovely new
French General fabrics.
Atelier de France

Debi,  my machine quilter, used a simple over-all
 feathery pattern.

I loved how it looked.
It kept the focus on the fabrics and the blocks.


But there is something that can happen to dishes.
They can be broken or shattered.



After sewing the whole quilt together
and finally hanging it on a vertical plain,
(I only have a design floor)
I could see that my design idea of having the blocks
and the alternating squares forming
perfect radiating diamonds was shattered.

Hmmmm.
I felt very disappointed.

Instead, the darkest ring had two different looks.
My original paper drawing didn't 
show how the reds in the blocks
and the darker red setting block
would react with one another.


 I didn't even see what was happening
until after I had sewn  it together.

Well, it's done.

It's not my usual 
uniformed, structured, balanced style,
but it does remind me 
how I feel when a favorite plate, bowl,
or dish slips from my hands,
shatters to pieces 
and then can not be put back together again.


Well. in reality, 
I'm not shattered by the quilt's finish.
Disappointed?
Yes, a little.

It simply took it's own path
and created something new and different.

Some quilts are diamonds
and some quilts are _______
(well, unique)
Until Next Time-
Kyle



26 comments:

  1. I think it is beautiful that way, but your thoughts about it certainly do agree with the title; just a reminder that recovery can be made after our mistakes! ---"Love"

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  2. It is beautiful. Life takes its own path, so did your quilt. To my of thinking it took the right path. Hugs

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  3. Kyle veo tu edredón diferente y me gusta.
    No se ques lo que tu pensabas, pero resulto genial

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  4. It's a beautiful quilt Kyle, but I'm sorry that you are disappointed.

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  5. This quilt is beautiful with gorgeous fabrics and wonderful blocks. Unless you hang it on a wall it won't be noticeable. Draped over a chair or folded on the end of a bed or better yet tucked around someone you love - you will enjoy all the fabrics, your lovely swap blocks and the quilting. The border fabric is fabulous! I love your beautiful outdoor pictures!

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  6. Well, I think it's beautiful...so there!! I know how it can be troublesome when it doesn't come out the way you expected; we gotta take the 'bad' with the good (though that beauty is not bad!).

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  7. I think it is beautiful too. Different but pretty. The fabric you used is lovely and I think it looks very nice.
    A perfect quilt to snuggle in on a cold winter evening!

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  8. Ah, I see your frustration! How annoying. I guess design is like inventing, you have a lot of prototypes before you find something that works/you love. Perhaps this could be version 1? Still it will keep someone warm and they are lovely fabrics.

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  9. This is a perfectly charming quilt Kyle! I know you are a bit disappointed that the design didn't work out quite the way you hoped, but all those delicious French General fabrics in legion with the donated blocks, it's really very cozy and warm, and just plain pretty! I'm sure anyone would love to wrap up in it, or see it on their country bedstead. In my world, it's definitely a keeper!

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  10. What a lovely quilt...I love it!!

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  11. I love that John Denver song, and now I won't get it out of my head. My kids and I used to sing it all the time when things didn't go as we hoped.
    But you have made an unexpected discovery of a new design element. I think you should copyright it quickly, before someone steals it from under your nose. If symmetry was your goal, it may not appeal to you as much as it will to those of us who are always a bit off kilter. I like it!

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  12. I'm sorry you are disapointed but it's a very lovely quilt, I love it. XXX

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  13. It is odd how something can look perfect in your mind but when it comes to reality it is so different. I can see what your mean but it is still lovely and will be enjoyed.Yes, you have discovered something new!

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  14. what a great process post. I think it is lovely quilt, but I understand about having your own vision and having it miss.
    I'm a little surprised you don't work with a design board. I'd be lost without mine (and I get lost with it too).
    Those french general prints look fabulous with the BD blocks. I've been playing with mine this week too.
    I second Janet's comments.

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  15. I think your quilt is lovely and the French General fabrics are fantastic! I understand your disappointment with the outcome especially when you were expecting it to look totally different. I guess you can say this was a great asymmetrical learning experience :)

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  16. Sorry that it did not turn out the way that you originally planned but it is still a lovely quilt. It reminds me of looking through a kaleidoscope and seeing a beautiful jewel-like pattern :)

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  17. I have had disappointment with a finished quilt but find there is always someone who thinks it is wonderful and I gift it to them.
    Speaking of broken dishes. I bid on some on the Goodwill auction site and some arrived broken. Darn. They were to go with my folk art quilt looking dishes.

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  18. Thank you for sharing. I can understand your disappointment - but when you are snuggled under it and grateful for the warmth - who cares?

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  19. It might not be quite how you imagined but it is still a lovely quilt and it is unique - I've never seen that layout before and I like it!!

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  20. I can understand your dissappointment but the quilt is still lovely. My design wall is a simple white sheet with a bamboo pole to hang it from. But if you put your blocks on the floor it might help to look through that little thing you put in a door to see who standing in front of your door. It shows the whole quilt in miniature and I think you would have picked up on the design before finishing it.

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  21. Oh Kyle, I understand you and I'm so sorry for your dissappointment.... Your quilt is unique like that ! And it's beautiful with gorgeous fabrics ... xoxo

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  22. I love it and I suspect it will grow on you over time.

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  23. That's interesting Kyle, I wonder if you were to put a lighter background square at the tip of the diamond if it would trick your eye and give the effect you wanted.

    It's still a lovely quilt, I'm sure many of us have flipped thinks inadvertently and not noticed until the top was done. It has some lovely memories for you to enjoy.

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  24. I've made quilts that weren't as nice finished as I expected them to be. I use a design floor too, when the dog lets me. But over time, I grew to love them. And if not, they made nice gifts. Your quilt is beautiful - it may not be your usual style, and sometimes when you try something different, there is some risk that goes with the reward.

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  25. It is still a very stunning quilt. I have one or two that didn't turn out quite as I had envisioned but it is like you say....they are unique.

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  26. Thank you for sharing. I can understand your disappointment - but when you are snuggled under it and grateful for the warmth - who cares?

    HolidayPalace

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