Getting all dressed up

Did you ever start to get dressed and realize that you aren't satisfied with what you are wearing and how you look? Then change outfits several times?  Come on now, I will just bet that you've done it more than once.  I know that I certainly have.  On many, many occasions.  If it doesn't feel good, or look right to me at that moment,  I just won't wear it. Often I must change my top or my pants or my shoes several times before I am dressed for the day. Same thing with Posy here: This is where she began
I thought she was just a bit too plain Jane.  No pizzaz.  She needed some flowers to surround
her log cabins.


Something was just still not quite right.  I loved her new look, but kept thinking that something was missing.  Plus the thought occurred to me that she might be more useful in a queen size.


 I could add borders.  I considered charcoal and ivory when I snapped this picture with the top laid out on my tile floor.  It looked pretty cool.  But then when I actually added large triangles around the actual quilt, she screamed NO NO NO.  Way too contrived. 



So I tried making some other types of blocks - large blocks so that she could be a queen size quilt.
Now she shouts
HELP ME, I AM BEING OVERPOWERED BY GIANT LOGS AND POSIES.   Okay, got the message, she just does not want to be queen size. She is just going to be what she wants to be.  So I tried once again.  The thought occurred to me that she began as my experimental version of the Gee's Bend house top. This brought me around to another thought, "make more Gee's Bend style blocks for the border."  After trying big chunks, big strips, wavering between no border/yes border, I made lots of improvisational, free pieced blocks, using only the scrap fabrics from the background.  I trimmed these blocks to 6 1/2 inches in width and left the length whatever it happened to be.  Got all those placed around the quilt and thought to myself, STOP THIS MADNESS.  And I went to bed. 


Got up this morning still obsessing.  I remember a posted comment from Margaret suggesting that I have the posies spill over into the border.  "Why not give that a try?"I think   Now I am back to making more posies and leaves.  And if this doesn't work, I will  have quite a few blocks to make into another quilt.
So here she is trying on a few new posies.


 She is still not totally happy with what I have done to her.  Still a bit unsure of herself and her new look. Is she a bit overdone?  Sorta like way too much lipstick and rouge.  Perhaps I should let her rest for a while and go play/obsess with some others.   Anyway, she isn't scheduled for any public appearances any time soon.  If this look doesn't grow on us, we can always try something else. Tomorrow is another day. 

8 comments:

  1. Ha..Ha.. That sounds like my story!
    I love the last picture of the quilt. Love how casual the border looks. In my view, this quilt looks effortlessly dressed. The border is a perfect extension of the main quilt. Margaret was right on the money with flowers spilling on the borders!

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  2. I like the latest version. Lots of movement and energy. But I wonder what the Gee's Bend gals might do, hmmm. Maybe they'd keep adding large pieces like on the original version? I do love those smaller blocks though. I can imagine hearing the Gee's Bend gals' enthusiastic response as they look at this one, no matter what you do!

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  3. I think she looks fabulous! Not too much lipstick or rouge at all! I really like the border blocks too. It brings it all together. Nice work.

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  4. LOVE IT!!! YES U AM SHOUTING!!! LOVE IT!!! I could even see some of the solids from the inside finishing off around the outside...FABULOUS!!!! you Rocked it out Mary!

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  5. It's beautiful-did you fuse or applique the flowers to your blocks, or use some other technique like paper piecing?

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  6. I absolutely love what you've done with it!! Just beautiful!!

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  7. Fabulous quilt, Mary! Happy Christmas!!

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  8. Patty AshworthJanuary 16, 2011

    I think what you quilt on it will tie it all together. I do like this one, but the flowers are floating over the background. If that's the effect you wanted, you did it well! I don't think you need more applique. You could try something that "links" the flowers together like a vine? (Don't mind me too much, I'm reading blogs and having fun with the eye candy this morning!)

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