Tuesday, 3 December 2013

Carsick - A Work in Progress

I'm not even sure where to begin. I finished all the blocks for my son's Scrappy Trip quilt during our Sew-In but didn't have enough space to lay them all out that day so back into the box they went. 

I laid them all out this morning and was quickly reminded of this post and this post on Molli Sparkles about the scrappy tripalongs/scrap vomit quilts out in the blogosphere. Now, I took no offence when I read his original comments -- we all make a fugly quilt now and then and I know Joshua knows that. It's how we learn and how we get better. I also think that some fugly quilts are more loved and cherished than some prizewinners -- to each her/his own, I say! 

Sad to say, but I think this scrappy trip is joining the ranks of the fugly. I was hoping that the greys and purples would organize the scrappiness, but alas, I fear this whirlwind of colour cannot be tamed. 

Not from this angle:


Or from this angle:


Maybe move some blocks around? Uh-uh.


Back to this angle? Nah.


Maybe if I try it from over here? Sigh.


Gravol anyone?

I'll keep playing with the arrangement of blocks, but I am not making more blocks in an attempt to make it better. This is going to get sewn together in some fashion and used for my son's bed. It will be used for sleeping, for making forts, for catching vomit when he's sick (and hopefully not when he first receives the quilt ;) ), for snuggling under when he's reading and probably for a bunch of other things I haven't even thought of (and/or don't want to think of!).

I'm going to embrace the fugly and I dub thee Carsick! ;)

I'm linking in to WIP Wednesday at The Needle and Thread Network and to W.i.P. Wednesday at Freshly Pieced. Thanks Monika and Lee for hosting such great linkies!
Right Click to Save ImageWIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced









What are you working on this week?

42 comments:

  1. M-R, why don't you try putting a common sashing between all the blocks. White perhaps. The common colour will give the eye a place to rest. You'd be surprised what a difference it makes. Similar to an Irish chain. You may have to down size the quilt to accommodate the sashing...or not :) The squares themselves are amazing!

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  2. I was thinking the same thing..I was going to suggest trying grey sashing and maybe a larger diamond shape layout?? The beauty is in there...just need to find the way to bring it out :)

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  3. i agree...there is no place for your eyes to rest...a common sashing may help

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  4. Well, I actually like this riot of colour. It is a bit on the red side but then again so are many things, like sunsets. Thank you for sending me over to the Molli Sparkles blog, I am going to have to follow it now, he is too fun.

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  5. As long as your son likes it ; )

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  6. I did not comment while you were making the blocks as this is my least fav pattern. Looks a bit like pixelated from the solids but ... way to busy for orderly matching freak like myself.

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  7. I think this quilt will be perfect for your son. All the happy colors, and spots will not show so easely. :-)
    I knitting christmas dolls for the moment. Need to make 3.....

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  8. Keep the blues where they are in the bottom photo and change out a few of the bottom yellows with the upper reds... I think that should do it. :)

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  9. I really like it! An awesome kids quilt.

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  10. Ah, M-R. I wondered about all those blocks as you made them. It does have motion, but wear, fading, luving... Time can make the all the difference. I think this quilt will be making you smile! ;)

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  11. I love the name! but honestly it doesn't even come close to rating as fugly. When i saw the snippet in my email I thought you were making something that would fit in the modern section of an art gallery. i like the version that distributes the yellows pretty evenly. I think you've got another fantastic quilt!

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  12. I am guessing that your son will love it with all of the crazy colors. I like the quilt and definitely would not call it fugly.

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  13. I actually really love this quilt. I might rearrange some of the blocks, but I think it is fun and would love to be snggled up under it!

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  14. I like all the colour! What if you arranged the blocks to one large radiating diamond?

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  15. Any way round you just can't help but love all that colour! :D

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  16. Although it might be more trouble than it's worth, what about putting the blocks on point? I know that nulllifies the whole diamond effect, but maybe the elimination of diagonal lines will calm it down a bit.

    The individual blocks are visually appealing on their own. It's a shame they don't work as well together.

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  17. I don't think it is fugly at. all. I think it is a gorgeous riot of colour.

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  18. I love the rainbow of colors too. And I like the randomness of the colors. So fun to make. And it will make a lovely quilt for your son's bed. So beautiful and useful all at the same time.

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  19. I think it looks great. it reminds me of legos. bright and perfect for a child!

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  20. I think it looks like Legos too. Nice & bright, would probably keep me awake at night I think, but lovely for a brights lover. Try a neutral sashing to keep down the carsick feeling. :-) Well done, all the same!

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  21. I love it. I vote leave it "as is", no sashing.

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  22. Love the *Carsick* quilt...nothing wrong with a boatload of color! Community right next door to me is Charbonneau, OR :) Keep on quilting on...it's ALL GOOD!
    www.sewcraftychick.blogspot.com

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  23. If you want to give up on it I'll take it! I love this quilt. Its happy!

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  24. I love how colorful the blocks are. I think that I also would put a white sashing in between.
    I don't like the name vomit---car sick I can handle LOL

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  25. lol i thought it was beautiful!!

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  26. I LOVE this quilt top. It is so fabulous. It is bright and graphic and eye catching. No sashing please.

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  27. I like it just the way it is. But, hey nobody asked me. I like all the bright color I guess there is just something about it that I really like.

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  28. I agree with Knottygnome....I just love it M-R. It does remind me of Lego too and a prism of some sort.

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  29. Some parts look clear and others look fuzzy. I don't know if it's just the picture or if it has that effect in person because of the color combos. If it's in person too, maybe put the 'clear blocks at the top and the 'fuzzy' blocks at the bottom. I think that that would be cool..

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  30. I love the colors and I think this is a perfect boy to man quilt.....My thought, is it will age well.

    I found when making this quilt, that for a few blocks, I "unsewed" one edge of a block and resewed that strip to the opposite side and it helped with the flow in the Big Picture....does that make sense to you?

    Another thing you can do that is an oldie idea from the 90's....you can over dye the top. Use a tan dye or color you want to enhance or tone down the colors.

    Personally, I think you need to walk away, come back and sew up your blocks another day...don't over think it. It looks great!

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  31. Awwww...it is NOT as bad as you think, MR, and I don't think the name of the quilt matches it. As some have already said, adding sashing would be a way of taming the colours but then it wouldn't be an Around the World pattern. It does look like giant pixels. If your son likes it that's all that matters.

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  32. So funny but i like it, it is VIBRANT!

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  33. I looked at it and thought to myself that if you made half of the blocks in all grays and whites and then put them in either columns or rounds with the colorful blocks, it would give it a completely different look! but i don't know if that was worth mentioning, since you (understandably!!!) feel done making blocks for this quilt!

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  34. Loud? absolutely. Ugly? I don't think so. Lots of good ideas out there, including the gray sashing. Leave it be, or take it as a chance to experiment. Someone suggested over dyeing. You could also go with bleaching. Or leave it be. I personally like it just the way it is, but do whatever makes you happy. If it does not make you happy now, it will grow on you at some point. Maybe when it comes out of the wash after catching vomit of it. ;)

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  35. Just a thought, what if you scrap the trip around the world pattern and turn all the blocks so they run the same way? It might make it look like a psychedelic string effect. Maybe...

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  36. I think it will grow on you. Quilting it will change the look entirely too.

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  37. Well I like it! That is the nature of scrappy trips. It is made from amazing fabric and will have the most important thing......snuggle power!

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  38. I like the blast of bright colours. I'm sure your son will, too. I made an ugly quilt for my son and he loves it :)

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  39. I love the techni-colour effect. I'm sure your son will too!

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  40. Are you kidding? This quilt is awesome! Love it! It is perfect as it is.

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  41. I feel bad for you. All of that work and a dissapointing result. If the blocks were on point and you could tame the quilt by using quieter alternate blocks.
    You know this can be a back of a quilt, if the person really likes all of the boldness of this quilt side.
    I have a horrible quilt top in my bottom drawer, its been there for 13 years.It may eventually live inside of a quilt as filler. Bad color choices when I was a newbe, its not loud, its dull, drab and yuk.

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  42. I love it! I also love the name!

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