I ran across a notebook yesterday, one that accompanied a Round Robin quilt back in 1996; it was full of questions designed to reveal the personality of the quilt maker. The first question in the notebook is today's topic:
What are you favorite type of quilts; has your style changed over the years?
What I wrote down in the notebook thirteen years ago and how I feel today are still the same! I love multi-fabric, or "scrap" quilts, the more fabrics the better for me! I am drawn to traditional patterns, stars and baskets are two of my favorites. I love pieced quilts and pieced quilts with appliqué. My love of appliqué has only grown since 1996; but, I have to say that my style hasn't really changed, only my fabric selections. I wrote in the notebook that I loved the muted reproduction fabrics and now I am drawn much more to novelty fabrics and bright colors for children’s quilts and beyond!
..and sew, let's talk...
Life is Good!
20 comments:
i like green, yellow, and brown sunflower love quilts :P
I am a mixed up person, in that I just adore scrap quilts with that old faded out fabric look - like something your grandmother might have made and its been in the family for years. But when I go to make a quilt, seems I am always drawn to use bright colors with dark backgrounds. Still scrapppy though - lots of color and fabrics. I definitly am drawn to the geometric repeated quilt patterns, like log cabins stars, etc. I forced myself to make a quilt with soft color value fabric that I loved, but find now, half way through, I am bored with it.
Ahh shucks, I haven't been at quilting long enough to change- up. June will be my Four Year Quilty Birthday. I started in reproductions because I'm an old soul, traditional by nature. Even as a baby I'm told I was a happy happy baby with an aged spirit. I feel like Benjamin Button sometimes!
I have always been attracted to very traditional patterns and colors. A couple of weeks ago, I needed to change out my quilts at Chelseas on Trade Street for spring and found I have very few springy type quilts. They are all autumn hues and reproductions. (I know...no surprise there.)
I started quilting 8 years ago. I still love brights and novelties and don't work with applique. I was not one to work with muted colors but I have an ongoing project that has those. I love scrappy quilts more now than I did then. Pastels seem to bore me as do repros, although I have made a few tops with them.
My tastes have changed over the years too and probably are reflected in several ways. I used to decorate with dark, country type colors and prints and you would have seen that in my first log cabin quilt (still a UFO by the way!). Even though I still like quilts made from those colors now I'm drawn to the new bright contemporary patterns. I'm sure a lot of that has to do with the popular trends and also the availability of better quilt fabrics, not just whatever the local discount store fabric dept. carried! Twenty years ago I would never have thought I'd pay $8 - $9 a yard for quilt fabric! But aren't they pretty!
Another good topic, Mrs G! Thanks!
I also love scrap quilts. And my taste in fabrics has also changed; I'm looking for stuff that is bright and cheery and will look good in my girls' rooms. I have moved away from very small pieced quilts into larger blocks and more simple designs.
thanks again for the Tuesday chat :)
Had to go looking for my little notebook, too but it wasn't packed too far away. That round robin was one of my most favorite quilt endeavors. And in my notebook, I found that I listed two kinds of quilts as my favorites back then: Red and green applique quilts and scrap quilts. Well, my red and green quilt is still a UFO and is fast approaching it's 20th!!!! birthday! It is so time to finish that!
I still like applique but have now gone on to more than red & green and have gone on to use more and different techniques, including machine work. And yes, I still like scrap quilts but I think I'm more into learning new skills, trying new techniques, new rulers and gizmos, even flirting with landscapes and art quilts.
I think the bottom line is that there is so much in the world of quilting so it's ok to try a little bit of everything and there's no way one should ever get bored.
I am a traditional girl too. I still love two color quilts. If I only made two color quilts with stars from now on...I would be satisfied.
I am like you in that I love scrap quilts because they really tell the history of the quilter and her family. My grandmother and mother made many scrap quilts and I love the hear the stories behind them all and have tried to write down where fabrics came from to preserve the info for future generations. Right now I am working on several quilts that use really bright fabrics. I love Kaffe Fossett fabrics. However I haven't turned my back on traditional styles. I am also working on an applique and repro fabrics quilt. Sounds like I need to stop writing and start piecing! Have a great day!
I've looked back through my UFO's and I still love them all, but I did get awfully tired of pastels during a king sized construction! I love scrappy quilts and I am happy to say that now I love applique quilts (and I can make them).
I started out very traditional - the only way you could quilt 40 years ago when I started doing this - the only background you could use was muslin! Now the more fabric the better! I love to see how fabrics interact = and even with that I like to stick with rich colors. I want my quilts to be mine and not a copy of someone elses. Piecing and applique - love to do both. There just aren't enough hours in the day!
Well, when I started out, I was very traditional and everything had to match my home decor. Now, I am all over the map! I am much more into color, color, and more color, but still appreciate a good traditional Moda fabric line!
I am not sure where I fit in...I do like to try new things and love all colors, but 2 things I DO NOT like , applique and paper piecing BLAHHHH
HI Mrs. Goodneedle,
My color preferences have changed and gotten brighter- I have always liked color. In the beginning,I chose more traditional colors and now my fabric preferences are batiks and bright florals. I love medallion quilts and quilts that over all patterns. I tend to choose patterns that are more complex than my beginning quilts - though I do go back to strip piecing as a break from the complex patterns. I do not make primitive quilts, use civil war fabrics or applique though I can admire others quilts that use those designs and techniques.
I love scrappy quilts - the more variety the better.
I have not designed my own quilts but rarely make a kit. I like to choose my own fabrics and often change the design by adding borders to make the quilt my own.
I do like paper piecing, making bargello and convergence quilts. I love circle quilts and quilts with heart designs but have not yet made the patterns with circles and hearts in them. My lists of quilts continues to grow...
Great topic Debbie,
Have a great week,
Regards,
Anna
My tastes have evolved over the years. When I was growing up, my mother quilted a lot and though she taught me when I was in high school, I never really liked it and did not think it was "cool" at all. I did however make a couple of quilts inbetween college and marriage but the quilts were in colors that would make me cringe today even though I still have them and my children use them on their beds. I definitely did not care for scrap quilts but since just buying special fabric did not exist or at least not in large quanities, you did not have much choice. However, in the past few years, I have came back to scrap quilts as my favorite. Definitely has something to do with going back to my roots I think and having a greater appreciation for what once was.
I have always loved traditional quilts and especially applique quilts. I prefer fabrics that are muted but for some reason I am doing things lately in bright fabrics.
Sometimes I wonder about myself. I think I must go through mood swings with fabric choice...like with the seasons? My most favorite is traditional....love country style for sure and if you toss it in a tea dye bath all the better. But then every now and then I have a heart tug for something uplifting and rejuvenating like gorgeous spring colors. You know what is really hard....is all the wonderful choice we have as quilters these days! I also have a sneaking suspicion that someday when I get that first grandchild I'm going to start loving novelties!
We seem to like the same thing, Mrs. G. :-)
I think my style has definitely changed over the years. I used to make only the 'traditional' quilts. Now I love the pre-cut fabrics, and the simplicity and fun they bring to quilt design. I used to be drawn to old-fashioned florals, but now I love bright, happy fabrics, novelty, and Civil War fabric.
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