Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Crazy Love

This is Crazy Love, which I pieced in January 2002, Jill Luigs machine quilted, and I completed in October of that year. This is basically the free-pieced letters L-O-V-E written over and over and over again, altho my name and the year are in there too.

This was very scrappy tho and I didn't pay any attention to making the letters look like letters, tho you can spot it here in the detail. These just look like crumbs.

I really blew it with the choice of border. I loved the red and white batik and used it altho something like this would have looked so much better:

This one is a failure, but I learned from it. It needed more light fabric (a common failing in my work) and it would have worked better if I'd put the letters into groups to make blocks and then sashed them, like Hot Crazy Love or my as yet unfinished crumb quilt. I was actually looking at this to see if I liked the center well enough to cut off the border, take out the quilting and redo it, possibly cutting up the top and adding sashing, but the truth is I don't think it's worth the time and effort.

Another lesson learned: beware the background you're designing on. I loved my black flannel design wall, but it made everything look much brighter than it actually was. A horrible beige color or gray wouldn't have been so misleading.

After something like this I can understand a bit why some people make quilts from kits - you know you're going to like the finished product. I'd be bored silly, but that's a different problem.

My Vegetable Bean Soup with Pistou (a Jane Brody recipe) turned out excellently the other day. By the fourth day of eating it I'll be tired of it, but not yet.

My sweetie and I just finished re-watching the fourth season of The Sopranos. He actually agreed to watch a couple of episodes every night, rather than our standard once a week. He likes to savor the shows while I love to binge. Watching them so quickly means I can remember the plotlines better. Anyway, it's been excellent and I wish I could reach through the tv screen and slap some sense into Bobby B: "Keep away from Janice!" Onward to Season 5.

13 comments:

Nellie's Needles said...

This may be one worth passing on to a young girl who would ablsolutely "love" it.

Unknown said...

Well I like it Tonya!

Judy said...

When the current season was about to start, we hit the video store and rented the entire thing and watched it over again from Season One. I watched non stop. Hubby was watching until about Season 4 and then got sick of it. I was all caught up because they were running the past season on tv at the time.

I won't spoil the Bobby and Janice thing for you.

Finn said...

Hey Ton, actually the quilt isn't bad in it's own right...certainly not to the place where you've evolved.
I agree with your critical points, altho I still like it. Never gave any thought to the color of the design wall...point taken..*VBS*

Hope the 'furries' are behaving better and more happily...mine seems to be making progress.
I opted for perle cotton in a medium violet for the coins, and will orient it vertically, with fans going across the narrow way. I get each row done quicker, but there are more rows..*VBS* Those fans are habit forming. Hugs, Finn

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous Absolutely beautiful with all of the hot pick and white and words. It could not be more perfect. Thanks for sharing. I keep coming back and just gazing at it.
Ruth

Quilting Pirate said...

it's very natural for us to be drawn to medium tones verses the light ones, so while you have learn this lesson, keep in mind most quilters make the mistake.

I think it turned out nicely. I love the quilting!

Duyvken said...

I actually really like that you have to look closely at it to make out the words. But I can understand being disappointed that it didn't turn out as you had hoped. The quilting is lovely though, those squiggles are very 'loveish'.

Marisa said...

This quilt is awesome...the colors are great together. Just enjoy it! It's finished!!!!

Clare said...

I tihnk it is great, but I do see what you mean about the letters. The border material is gorgeous.

Lily Mulholland said...

Tonya thanks for sharing your 'mistake' with us and pointing out what you like and don't. Good point about the plain border fabric versus patterned. We really need to build some 'relief paths' into our quilts don't we?

KZiggy said...

I think that this blanket is beautiful I love it ... great job I may have to stop by and check out your quilts more often I love this wonderful

atet said...

I have to say I like it -- but, I see your points about the contrast and the borders. I kind of like that it *looks* like a crumb quilt, but on closer inspection you see what it is. But then again, I like "hidden" messages.

I have problems getting enough contrast in my quilts at times -- love those hot, bright colors but I have to remember to include their darker and lighter cousins. BTW -- it seems we may know someone in common -- did you used to live in/near norhtern Georgia?

Quilts And Pieces said...

Actually in a way this crazy love is a success - I like how at first glance it may look like crumb blocks, but when you take a second look you see the Love quilting and the Love letters.

Although quite pink and red for me, I like it!