good books

After visiting Jacquie's blog  I  must  talk about it. She is working on this incredible minimalist quilt and had referenced one of my favorite artists.   I have been drooling, slobbering through Quilt Artistry ~ Designs from the East by Yoshiko Jinzenji for months and months.  If I ever decided that I would resale this book on eBay I would have to note that it was a bit crinkled and looks as if it had been dropped in a tub of water.  Then a couple of weeks ago, I received Yoshiko's latest book, Quilting Line + Color.   It is going to look the same way in no time at all.  Of course these are two books that I will never part with. They are so soothing to page through.   Even if you don't like the minimalist style, they are both worth checking out, in my humble opinion. 
I have had some wonderful linen and cotton fabrics laying on my cutting table waiting for the right moment. They have been there for about, er, ah, well, judging by the dust, 6 months.  As much as I would love to make a quilt for my bed in white Jinzenji style, like this,


it would never, ever do.  With two cats and a husband who, although they love all my quilts, they just don't seem to get the fact that I would like to try and keep them clean.   While the four or five colorful quilts that are currently piled on our bed


don't show cat hair, grease, coffee and food stains, an all white quilt would not survive.
I learned that lesson from a previously white matelasse.   Let me rephrase:
I would not survive the stress of constantly trying to keep it clean.
As you can see, I don't even bother making our bed anymore. 

So back to the fabrics that I am going to use ~~~ I think ~ ~~  My bedroom walls are greige.  They've been that way for er, oh, um, a couple of years, or more.  Waiting for just the perfect complimentary bed coverings.  Currently the bed quilts are in a constant state of change, as is the wall decor.  Why is it that I can always give a quick and easy opinion when a friend asks for decorating advise at her house, and I can never make a decision at my house?  Do you have that problem?  Sorry, I am rambling around again.

So here are my fabrics:

Linens with a few Kona cottons.  Various shades from charcoal to pale gray.

What I would really love to use would be this:
 All white/oatmeal/neutral linen. Perhaps add bits of deep grays here and there. Then lots of lovely stitching.


Sigh...........

Maybe I could settle for something like this:


That just might hide all the cat hair and coffee stains.  Ya think?

Maybe the answer would be to make  the grays quilt for my bedroom. Wait a minute!
A light bulb moment. I can throw in some bits of hand dyed and shot cotton in terra cottas, turquoise, eggplant, fuchsia etc, etc, etc.

 
It may not have such a cool serene feel, but in the long run, I think I might like it even better.  Maybe I am not too much of a minimalist after all huh?   I am not too sure how long I can live without lots of color around me.
  I could always make the white/neutral quilt for my minimalist daughter's bedroom/guest bedroom.  It might stay a bit more clean if it is only used a few times a year.  Plus, I'll still have the books to drool over whenever I feel that urge. 
Thanks for helping me work through all that.  And if you have a chance,
be sure to check out Jinsenji's books. 


9 comments:

  1. I love how you talk your way through this dilemma--the quilting looks so pretty on the simple white or off-white quilts, but I'm realistic and know that the cat would probably throw up on a pristine white quilt. Gray is such an under-utilized neutral, and colors look so great with it. The shot cottons are becoming my favorite solids, next to my hand-dyed, of course. Look forward to seeing what you come up with!

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  2. Quilting Line + Colour is sitting in my mailbox in Edmonton, I'm in Victoria...so sad. I can't wait to read it. You sound like me...living without colour???? I don't think so. My daughter recently suggested I make a monochromatic quilt...huge challenge for me. I don't think It will happen.

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  3. i love the white, oatmeal and linen. but you know i love subtle and neutral.

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  4. I think you are going to make a real beauty with those fabrics! that log cabin is pretty amazing... Can't wait to see what you do!

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  5. So glad we could help you! LOL!

    I'm lovin' that neutral log cabiny quilt! Hmmmm...what if......

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  6. Oh the log cabin! As much as I love colors, I really like that quilt!

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  7. you just made me buy a book. now waiting for Quilt Artistry. beds are supposed to be made? I love how yours is set up - that would be perfect for me. I still get too freaked about the cats ruining the quilts to do that, but I so have to get over that. Esp now that Howler is no longer peeing on the bed. (that's the cat, not my husband hee hee hee). oooooh, yes, include bits of drama. love the bright bits o color!

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  8. I love the shades of gray!!!!! Thank you for making me feel more normal. Four dogs here...and I have a few quilts that rarely ever make the top of the bed because I would need too much medication to survive. I thought it was just me. Ahhhh to be normal again.....
    Deb M

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  9. Isn't fantastic to live with an abundance of quilts! You are blessed.

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