Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Wow,What a Difference

Both Kim and Diane (not CA girl in Oz Diane, but another) suggested that I try a printed fabric border. What do you think of this?

I like it. May still play around with other prints in my stash (sorry, no Kaffe Fasset fabric here) to see if I find something I like even better. This isn't the best picture because it was taken with a flash.

I was trying out very subtle tone-on-tones and batiks when auditioning borders. Nothing busy. I wanted to make the center stand out the way it does in an Amish quilt. But that just didn't work like I wanted it to. This is a fabric that I bought a bunch of many years ago (maybe 10) because I loved it. Now it seems way too formal and rigid to me so I don't mind using it here. My fabric tastes have definitely changed over the years.

Pokey in a scrap basket. By the way, that's my sewing machine covered in a batik cloth a friend brought me from Bali. I cover the machine so kitties don't play with the thread and to theoretically protect the machine from dust.

My baby has a scratch on her nose and she's not quite as well-groomed as she should be. She and Lily used to be so sweet together, with the cuddling and grooming, but it just isn't happening here in Paris. I'm still hoping that works itself out.

Kristin (not Kristin L - the other one), I've really enjoyed getting your comments. I'd love to see what you've been working on. I highly encourage you to start a blog so we can interact even better.

Blogging has certainly caught on since I first started my own two years ago. I'm thinking we're at the point of needing longer nicknames for our comments. Like I should be Lazy Gal Tonya R. I'm not sure where I would change that. Anyone know?

For those interested in quilt restoration, Sassenach Kim has posted an excellent tutorial for replacing a patch.

I'm going to whine a tiny bit now. Allergies are killing me and I'm too whimpy to call a doctor. aaagh. Anyone want to come be my personal assistant and take care of details like that? You can live in a cupboard and I'll toss in a baguette every once in a while. Heh heh heh.

Speaking of baguettes, I'm trying to go without for a couple of weeks. I knew I was getting out of control when I ate an entire loaf by myself at one sitting.

26 comments:

Candy Schultz said...

Have you considered a darker fabric for the border. That would make the orange peels stand out.

Joyce said...

I like the blue although it would be interesting to see it with a darker fabric. I can't believe how many quilting blogs there are now. I could spend all day just reading them. Those baguettes are certainly lethal when combined with cheese. It's impossible to stop eating until they are gone.

Anonymous said...

A patterned fabric is the way to go! Personally, I'd go for a big Kaffe-like floral, but that's just me. The detail in the orange peels can definitely handle a large scale border though. I like the suggestion to try darker too. It's pretty good as is though.

As for names, I actually changed mine recently to Kristin L because I was noticing other Kristins out there in quilty/crafty blogland. I'm not going as far as Musings Kristin L though.

I'd make phone calls for baguettes, but you'd end up with everything in German, not French.

The Calico Cat said...

I think you need to change you "display" name in the dashboard....

Quinta da Quilter said...

Love it more with the turq. patterned border!

Anonymous said...

OK i love that fabric even more than the bright border in the last post! love it!!!

Donna said...

the blue border is lively with the "amish" centre... just the right tone I think :-)

To change your display name go to the dashboard on blogger then click to edit your profile (Top right area) you'll find a spot that lists your display name part way down that new page :-)

sophie said...

You're not out of control ... send a French person to the boulangerie to pick up baquettes for a pot luck dinner and they are quite likely to return with one for each diner. As long as you're not slathering them with yummy French butter and jam, they're not so bad for you either--I was never thinner than when I lived in France...

McIrish Annie said...

I like what you did with the orange peels, but arent' they blue?Heh!

and I always love Pokey!@!

Hedgehog said...

Love that fabric with the orange peels. Love French baguettes, too. :)

Anonymous said...

We had a problem with 2 cats not adjusting to new surroundings. Scratched noses, fighting, yeowling and midnight fight club re-enactments. I ordered a product on the internet (search for best deals and overseas shipping) called Feliway. It is cat pheromones and worked like a charm for us. We ordered the plug into the wall variety but I don't know what kind of electrical outlets you have in France. We had to use transformers for American electrical appliances in Germany. You can purchase spray pumps of Feliway also and maybe this would be a better solution. We could tell when the outlet plug-ins needed to be changed because the cats began to fight again.

If you google Feliway, you will get lots of hits and there is a huge price difference from one vendor to another.

Good luck. When we travelled in France, everyone had their own baguette for a mid-morning snack. We thought this was the norm :)

Kathie in Washington state

Unknown said...

Go with the patterned Tonya - it looks terrific!!!

Diane said...

Wow, indeed! The print border looks great. I agree with others that you could probably go even darker, but at this point, you already have a great fabric. Sometimes there is no "correct" answer--just a different one.

Dianne said...

That patterned border looks terrific, Tonya. I am intrigued by the suggestion to go darker, too, though...can we see what THAT might look like?

Interested by the suggestion of that Feliway stuff. Let me know if you try it. Patch, our grey and white cat, always has a scratch on his nose because he and Frank, the pale orange tabby, are always mixing it up.

And "real" baguettes...oh, yum! But I like them slathered in butter, of course!

Mary Johnson said...

I like this fabric for the border too.

As Amy said to change your name in blogger - go to Dashboard, edit Profile, change Display name.

Unknown said...

I like what you've done with the border--looks super.

jmb_craftypickle said...

I like this fabric border better, but I have been being a sucker for black prints lately~

Quilts And Pieces said...

Just a quick hi, I LOVE that fabric as the border! I love the whole thing!

Nellie's Needles said...

I, too, like that patterned border fabric with your orange peels. It feels happy. If it isn't used on top, it would be a good backing.

Anonymous said...

Am I the Kristin you refer to? I've been putting my name in the "other" category and it takes my blog name, but I guess it never shows. I do have a blog: knitonequilttoo.typepad.com. I'm coming up on my 2 year anniversary too!

Anyway, I love the new border as well! I don't know if this would work for you, but I often see if I can sneak in just a little bit of orange, cheddar or yellow when I have those colors and it really make the whole thing pop. In this case I might do a very narrow inner border in such a color.

Clare said...

I agree with Joyce. Could we see it with a darker fabric? Too right about the blogs. I try and try to keep up but every day there seems to be another one to add to the list. I'm starting to delete if there is no change in a month!

Don't, just don't, try pain au raisin or beignettes. They will be your downfall!

jovaliquilts said...

I love the turquoise fabric, but I think this print works better in the quilt. Is the purple border deliberately incomplete? I love seeing all the options, so I second everyone's motion to try out a darker fabric. You get to make the hard decision, we just get to have fun looking!

This is probably the wrong time to tell you this, but there are two books out that are guides to the best boulangeries in Paris. I know because I own them both! (Not that I like bread ... ) I'm so surprised to see all the comments about butter. It was when I lived in France that I learned to eat bread *without* butter. It was never on the table at restaurants (there was always salt, pepper, and mustard). Has that changed? When we were there the last time, we each ate a demi pain at breakfast, but we lived on the 6th floor without an elevator, so we walked it off!
Cheri

Tazzie said...

I'm there ... I'm there ... I'm just packing my bag ... I'll be your assistant ... honestly, I'm there!
*hugs*
Tazzie
:-)

Anonymous said...

Hi,thanks you so much for the link on your blog and for visiting mine. i am retuning the gesture. i find the reading here very pleasant and informative. i love pokey and that fabric from bali, and the quilt is great.i think i might have chosen a darker color for the border to make the jeweled center more of a focus, but this works fine too.
i look forward to following your work and thoughts.
best regards, jude

Finn said...

Hi Lazy Gal Tonya, neat change...you are too much of an up and comer now, leaving me in the dust back here!
I really like the border you are trying today, and love the whimsey of the incomplete border...very liberated! Keep up the great work. Hugs, Finn

Tanya said...

What a cute kitty!

Love your colors (as always) on this zig-zag quilt!

Hoping your allergies clear up!