Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Sashing Auditions with Pokey

I'd love to have a smaller project to hand quilt in the hot days of August, so I thought of whipping together a wallhanging out of leftover Hope blocks. These blocks are 7" when finished since all of my little squares were 4" to start. Okay, so a 4x4 block quilt wouldn't be small small (and I'd have to make another 3 blocks) but it would be smaller than the Halloweeny monster quilt.

I auditioned sashing this morning with my usual Pokey helper. Some Cherrywood turquoise. I love the color, as always, but it doesn't seem to do much with the liveliness of this quilt. Almost makes it boring. But maybe that's a good thing?

Okay this one's not boring:


This is a madras plaid I bought in Paris. I love the colors and it makes it feel homey.



A dark violet batik. Eh, don't like it. That is, I love the batik, but not as sashing here.

This Moda Christmas Red really makes the blocks stand out. I like it, but this almost seems like the cowardly choice because it's so easy.

Hmm, kinda like this busy reddish print too. I bought it to border another quilt, but I could get more.

I dunno, can't make a decision. Guess I'll go pull freaking paper off the back of my quilt top for the rest of the day. That's what I get for stringing on paper foundations. hmm, I do have some of those blocks leftover. Wonder if that would work out as sashing?

Edited to add: I completely forgot to mention - I got the Hope Strings Eternal top all pieced yesterday. That's why I'm now pulling out the paper. It's a big mess right now, that's for sure.

59 comments:

Yuki said...

Great blocks! I like the dots for the sashing. Pokey looks happy. I hope she is enjoying better health.

ttfn :) Yuki

Beena said...

Oh, Tonya! I love the fabric choice in the second and third pics. Maybe Pokey does, too!

Anonymous said...

I really like the turquoise.
It makes the "hope" blocks pop. Pokey looks good on all of the fabric!

Kim said...

All pieced? All those strings? How large did it come out? I'm still planning one for Lily done in squares and these string blocks are just ticket to finish it off.
You are gonna have to listen really hard to hear which fabric the little hope quilt tells you to use as a border.....I certainly love them all!
Happy sewing

Brenda said...

I like the solid red and the red print and the madras, but you have lots of good options pictured.

Rosalyn Manesse said...

I vote for plaid. As you know, I adore wall hanings

Knitting Auntie (aka Sharon) said...

I love the ones with the "circles" design....the red is ok too, but those circles just sing...

Sarah said...

i vote for plaid - love the color!

stitchinpenny said...

Okay - I like the purple which you don't like even though I don't usually like purple. In my mind it pulled some of the colors to a brighter place by the contrast it created. But my second choice is another you easily discarded - the bright print. I liked it because it has something in it to complement every color, but doesn't match anthing. The fact that it shows as a light gives all the bright letters more strength to me.

Victoria Findlay Wolfe said...

Plaid. fab!
not that your asking. ;-)
the turquoise is very you.
and the last photo with the red kaffe print is kind of nice too.

Sidney said...

Love the madras plaid...

Nancy said...

I agree with Pokey.... the Madras brings out the blue in her eyes without being flat like the first blue that was auditioned.

She has excellent taste by the way.

Hugs!!

Joyce said...

I like the circle fabric in the second picture for the sashing. It keeps things interesting..

Deborah said...

Do we get to vote? I love the dots, then the plaid.
Thanks for sharing your way more interesting life than mine.

Anonymous said...

Oh, my hear just sang at the plaid. It gets my vote.

Lee D said...

For what it matters I like the turquoise, then the purple and then the red...brings out the letters

Quiltdivajulie said...

Of the ones shown, I like the turqoise plaid!

The red would be my second choice (only because, like you said, red seems too predictable).

SewCalGal said...

Absolutely beautiful. Quilt too, but the cat may be my favorite!

Thanks for sharing. Certainly made my day!

SewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

Kristin L said...

I vote for bubbly dots or busy red.

Marj said...

I think that you should sash each block in a seperate color. You could also alternate solid and print when setting the blocks. I love all your bright colors and am sure whatever you decide to do will be just beutiful.

Missy Ann said...

I love picture 2/3. It stops just short of making my eyes bleed - which makes it a winner in my book. My first quilt was a Halloween one that was so loud you have to yell to be heard when you're in the same room with it. ;)

floribunda said...

I'd vote for the red print -- but the dots and the madras are also fun! The solid colors are... too solid!

antique quilter said...

now I would pick the red, too safe
pick the madris you bought in Paris it looks amazing with these blocks!
not safe and it looks wonderful!
yes thats me saying that!
Kathie

Twisted Quilts said...

My vote is for the red or the busy reddish print.

Dena said...

You could always do a two print sash with one of the prints being quite narrow. Maybe use the red and turquise... or the red with the circles? Lest we forget, which one does Pokey like best?

Kristin Shields said...

I love either of the circle prints, perhaps the red one more. You are really going to town aren't you?

Unknown said...

I love all the options, but the one that has to stay is Pokey. Pokey just seems to belong in this quilt. By the way, I was working on some of your wonky houses as in Quiltmaker magazine. I made 4 today. Very fun!

Holly said...

Love, love, love how the Hope Springs Eternal looks! And for these left over blocks - option #2 is my favorite.

Sara said...

I like the turquoise, I think it makes them pop the most. My next choice would be the plain red...

Nat Palaskas said...

I like the first and the second. The first is very Tonya blue. The second is a kind of nice bubbles. But which one does Pokey like? The one she sits on the longest! Doesn't help right LOL!

Anonymous said...

Tonya,
I think after Hope Springs Eternal, nothing makes the hope blocks pop as much. How about some sort of orange print? Or have you had enough of that with the Halloween quilt? I think all of your choices for sashing would make a great quilt. Maybe what you need are sashing cornerstones-that would add a little more separation. Pokey looks great against all the backgounds. :-)

Lois

di said...

Oh the Madras -please, please, please - I love it!!!

Cher said...

so much fun to see your various fabric ideas..it will be fun to see what you end up choosing. yikes on pulling out paper! oh well, at least you can watch tv while you do it.

jmb_craftypickle said...

I like the dots and the madras...These look great! I am glad that you have enough for an impromptu series. What fun! Have you seen Warehouse 13 at all?? It is cheesy, but I like it.

Hedgehog said...

I like the madras plaid, but the turquoise isn't as dull as you think - you've just gotten too used to it as a neutral! Have fun!

Quiltbirdie said...

Personally, I love the madras.

dee said...

love the turquoise...and the cat.

Millie said...

i like the blue plaid!

rainey said...

I love woven plaids so the choice is clear for me.

What I love even more is knowing that other people are using them. In my area I can't get them anymore. All the shops say that there's no demand anymore so the manufacturers won't make it.

I see you bought yours in Paris. ...not an option for me. :: sniff ::

Mary said...

I like how the dots blur the lines between block and lattice.

Linda in NC said...

Lookin' good! Definitely use a print/plaid for sashing. The solids/reads-as-solids calm things down, yes, but they all seem like they're "too safe" with the wildly fun blocks.

ForestJane said...

I think I'd double sash it... a skinny turquoise, purple or red for the outsides of the sashing, next to the hope blocks, and a thicker strip of the dots for the inside. ;)

More work to have pieced sashing, but I bet it'd look cool.

Laura said...

I am lovin' the dots!

Melissa Lemmons said...

I really liked the circles in the second option. The colors complemented all of your Hopes.

Anonymous said...

I like the plaid and the turquoise.

-Holly

Unknown said...

FWIW, I really like the Moda red background.

Liz in Kansas said...

Well, if you were going for a vote it looks like you should be pretty confused by now! I guess the real answer is that you can't go wrong whatever you choose! Personally, I'd go with the plaid. And I'm not even a plaid lover!

Yuki said...

Have you decided yet?? I'm anxious to see what you do. Just love Pokey and your blog, too.

ttfn :) Yuki

YankeeQuilter said...

Another vote for the madras plaid...like that a surprise from me! I'm in a turquoise zone right now anyway....

Paula said...

I love the plaid. Your hope blocks are amazing!

Anonymous said...

If there's a vote---I love the turquoise followed by the red!
Barbara

Tanya said...

I like the busy red the best! And the second circle one! Of course I'd never have the courage to make a quilt with those but I can really see you with the lively and fun fabrics!

jacquie said...

wow...it's hard to choose...they all look pretty great...i'm a bit partial to the dots! can't wait to see what you decide.

Anonymous said...

I like the bright solids best. What says HOPE better than red???? Something about the busyness of the prints up against the blocks, not so much... But the suggestion of a small border of a solid *then* a print, that would probably work great, too.
I LOVE it no matter what you do!

Nancy said...

Just read your post Tonya, hope I'm not too late to comment. I LOVE the effervescence of the big dots in photos 2 and 3. Just seems perfect in combo with the positive vibes of "HOPE".

Vicky F said...

Hi Tanya,
You probably have your mind made up by now.
But just to throw in my two cents:
I like the red/bubble print best (last photo) and the turquoise plaid.
What does Pokey think?
Vicky F

Carol E. said...

Madras! It sings. And here are hugs for the cyberworld's favorite cat, Pokey: {{ }} Lily looks awfully sweet there, too.

ilovebabyquilts said...

I like the last one, the red millefiore. It seems the most "hopeful".

Leah said...

i love those big colorful circles. what fabric is that??