Running Warm and Cool
Well, here goes...an illustrated brain dump. The Tea Towel Challenge project has me challenged, all right.
So the initial plan was do to another round of drunkard's path blocks but in the cooler colors of the flowers Miss Tea Towel Tess is standing amongst, waiting for, oh, I don't know, the six o'clock train. Whatever. She's been there a long time, anyway, and I'm thinking her ship ain't ever coming in, but what do I know? Perhaps the prince on his steed is indeed galloping right over the horizon. And how many more metaphors can I mix? Oh, if you only knew...but I digress.
Let's get a reference point for starters. This is the first iteration. I felt good about things to that point.
Then I started making purple and green and light DP blocks, but when I put them down where I imagined they'd be...well, I'll go ahead and say it. Ick.
Not working for me, against the warm toned first round.
So I tried partial cool/partial warm around the center. Which I thought I might like, until I saw the photo.
Meanwhile Tess waited patiently.
But I did like the cool colors of the second batch of blocks, so I tried putting them all closer to the center in place of the warm.
And I liked that a lot too. Hey, a woman waits long enough, she's bound to change her mind, as Tess knows.
(Can you just imagine the whole argument going on in her head? "Oh, I love him...but where the hell is he? He said 6:00 and now it's 7:45 and 30 years later. He always does this to me. Why do I keep letting him do this? Oh, but I love him, and I'll keep waiting...forever even. Or until it gets dark. Then I'm going home to take a hot bath, screw this.")
Ahem. Where was I? Oh yeah, so then I thought I'd cut something apart. Oh, keep your hair on. Just a wee bit, a couple of blocks.
My thought was, how about if we introduce some warm color back in, maybe in the corner blocks? Just a glimpse, a smidge, a tease.
Meh.
All right, back to square one. Bring the warm colors back and maybe just do the cooler ones at the corners in a different config.
Not bad? Or am I delusional at this point? And I'm not sure what I'd do in between along the sides to fill in. Maybe make "made" fabric from the entire scrap pile left from the DPs? Mix warm and cool? Then again, it could be a big hot-and-cold mess.
Or, I could reverse the scheme and put the cooler DP blocks back around the center, and move the warm blocks to the corners in a similar manner to the last photo. I haven't tried that yet, mainly because it involves seam ripping.
Oh, for the love of Tess, I don't even know anymore. Thoughts anyone?
13 comments:
I like that very last arrangement best too. It sets the panel off best. Maybe a fabric of the lighter blue of the blue on blue between the corners?
I like the last arrangement to with the purple blocks on the upper left hand corner. Maybe the tan background color to fill in?
I like the last set up.
As I was going through and you took out the oranges my head was screaming 'no-no-no'. I love the way the oranges offset the blanket Tess carries. I like the purple corners better than I thought I would as I was anticipating it as an option. What about a solid tweedy neutral tan fabric to fill the sides?
I am sure you will come up with a fabulous plan to set Tess off as she waits
Isn't it interesting how much of a challenge these tea towels are. Your post reminded me A LOT of my own process. I took many photos as I arranged and re-arranged. It definitely helps, doesn't it? I thought I was going to like the cool blocks surrounding the tea towel, but for me, it made the charming lass and her tartan wrap disappear and all I saw was the lavender. I like the last arrangement with the purple corners ... how about filling in the sides with some string blocks that include both cool and warm and neutral fabrics?
Of all the possibilities I like the last one best . But I do think you're going to have to be very careful about what you put between those purples to set it off ...Like you I really have no idea what I'd do at this point!
Hmmm.....Maybe she is waiting for Sherlock Holmes......I will bet he has the answers? As for me, I am with the majority liking the last layout best.
Aside from feeling completely justified in my own thoughts as you confirmed for me, I am going against the pack. I like the purples surrounding Tess with the solid corners..or, that last arrangement could really rock too :)
I definitely like the warm colors in the center. I think your cool corners (that bottom photo) is the best option. I would suggest you do a piano key border in between with hot & warm.
xo -E
P.S. Loved Tess' internal dialogue. My advice is that any man who makes you wait isn't worth the time of day.
My impression, is that I like the warm, and I like the cool, but I don't like them together. Pick one and don't use the other - at least not on this project.
And that's my 2 cents!
I love the way the last arrangement makes the center and warm blocks look like they are floating! I would try a green like the green in her skirt in between the purple corners - I think it would look great! Oh, and I do like the arrangement with the cool colors only - it seems to make her plaid stand out more than any of the other arrangements.
And by the way, she's waiting for Jamie! She came back in time 200 years for him, and he can't be bothered to be on time - but he's worth waiting for....
Hmmm looks like you've got a lot of possibilities there. I"m kinda thinking that instead of a purple as your second row, you might want to think about sticking with the warmer tones.. deeper than the tans of that first row of drunkards path... perhaps more of an gold/orange/red that is in her skirt and the stripes of the first row of drunkareds path... with only a wee bit more purple in the stripes. Of course that means a whole bunch more blocks to make...
Can't wait to see what YOU decide.
Some people just do not understand quilting. Part of the attraction is puzzles like the great one you have here. When you are pondering this you are not worrying. It is like a mental vacation.
Her flowers are remind me of the Blue Bonnets that are starting to pop up down here in Texas. I'm in love with them!
I agree with one of the other gals about the last one being my favorite.
I was solidly in the "purple! use the purple ones!" camp until the final photo, which is just right. Love your lovelorn lass in the heather, she's going to be even more charming when it's all done. Plaid for the remaining borders?
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