Persons who sew know that feeling of “something is just not right.” It might be the colors, it might be the design, it might be a combination – but we know we are not happy with some aspect.

Oh, we might try to convince ourselves that maybe if we just continue, the concern will fade or blend in.

So, we foolishly continue to sew – all the time knowing that once that feeling hits, it would behoove us to just change the stitch length to 4 stitches per inch, because eventually, we are just going to take it apart and “fix it.”

The Jelly Roll

A jelly roll caught my eye because it was the perfect colors for my teenage daughter’s new “sophisticated” bedroom colors (mint green and dark purple).

MS Excel Works well for Quilt Designs

The simple modern pattern I sketched, measured, charted, re-charted, remeasured and stitched had only two “rows” of squares for a more modern “sophisticated” look.  Using coordinating white prints from The Stash as the background, the inner section went together quickly.

Then that feeling hit!

The top was all but complete when I finally succumbed to the need to red0 it.

Too Much:  Matchy-matchy colors and overly busy patterns

The colors of the jelly roll were perfect for her room, but the overly-busy designs of the fabric just did not work.  The matchy-matchy fabrics made the quilt top look too prescribed.

I just kept telling myself that with all the white, the patterns and colors would become less of an issue (all the time knowing I would be ripping seams before too long!)

A quick perusal of The Stash located some fun fabrics that contrasted nicely – and coordinated with a painting she was creating for over her bed.

Once the color issue was corrected, I realized the dimensions of the quilt top were closer to that of a table runner than a bed quilt!  (So much for all those measurements and dimension calculations!)

So, more seam ripping!!

But after resizing – the second row of squares did not fit.  Geometry, where x + (x+1) = y and all that.

So more seam ripping!!

So, the second row of squares was replaced with a stripe – which served as a visual separation between the two coordinating but dissimilar white-on-white print fabrics.

With 2.5″ jelly roll fabrics, the 2″ stripe of rectangles should have been perfect – it was not.  Too big.  Too busy.

Rip again.

The stripe was reduced to 1″ and the fabrics joined into the stripe at 45 degree angles.  Much better.

Completed Quilt Top

I love the expanded color palate – especially after the greys of the MMQ (and luckily, so does the daughter!)

One of these days (years), I will learn that once that “it’s not quite right” feeling hits, sewing should cease.

Quilt with color inspiring Painting

This photo includes a corner of the modern art painting she is working on – it will hang over the bed on a very purple wall.

The original jelly roll fabrics were brightened by contrasting fabrics from The Stash.  The green and orange in the lower stripe is a Marimekko Giraffe.  There is also a very small section of Laurel Burch Giraffe fabric in one corner (see last photo below).  But it is the blue tonal print (4th square from top left in photo above) that really highlights the painting.

Detail of Squares and Stripe

The two coordinating whites are visible in the photo to the right. The white inside the stripe is a hexagonal snowflake print.  Outside the stripe the same white-on-white is a ivy vine print.

Remaining jelly roll fabric and pieces of the other fabrics will be cut into pieces to create the binding.

Corner detail. Two whites and a giraffe!

But applying that binding will have to wait until my longarm quilter has completed her magic!