I have had some interessting conversatiosn the past weeks months ... some shorter some longer. Basically we all agreed that there are "quality comments" missing, that we are ready to post a "I like it" and never go into the reasons. That we rather leave no comment at all than a negative comment.
And something - that I fnd untterly amazing - the fact that the big bloggers don't tend to make mistakes - do they collect pictures of each step in their creation and wait till it's a beautiful finish before they start posting about them? and if it doesn't turn out nicely they hide it, maybe in the broom cupboard of an estranged great aunt?
Anyway I thought I would do a little something on the lines of -- I don't like it because: -- with one of my own quilts (though admittedly I'm a teeny tiny blogger and ilike the tinyness because I can actually answer all the comments I get and make return visits). My first one - well my first big finished one.
It's the result of the Beginner's Quilt Along in 2012 at the Quiltign Gallery. So yes it's a complete beginner piece - but that doesn't mean I can't take it apart ... so what I see now that I didn't see then -
What I like about the quilt:
And the others - feel free to attack, take apart, critique to your hearts content - I can take it - next time i might try the whole thing with an UFO so whatever you say will actually help me finish it, because I like arguing about why I do somethign the way I do it ... even if it's just silently shaking my head at suggestions and deciding that they won't ever see the light of day if I have to say something about it.
And something - that I fnd untterly amazing - the fact that the big bloggers don't tend to make mistakes - do they collect pictures of each step in their creation and wait till it's a beautiful finish before they start posting about them? and if it doesn't turn out nicely they hide it, maybe in the broom cupboard of an estranged great aunt?
Anyway I thought I would do a little something on the lines of -- I don't like it because: -- with one of my own quilts (though admittedly I'm a teeny tiny blogger and ilike the tinyness because I can actually answer all the comments I get and make return visits). My first one - well my first big finished one.
It's the result of the Beginner's Quilt Along in 2012 at the Quiltign Gallery. So yes it's a complete beginner piece - but that doesn't mean I can't take it apart ... so what I see now that I didn't see then -
- the second row has too few of the sort of light blocks, there is too much red and apricot
- the left uprigth corner block and the tiny hour glass block (rigth side second row) are too intrcate in combination with the other blocks ... they just seem off, out of balance.
the original fabric pull - the yellow went elsewhere
- the thre fabrics on the left are too cold - there is the red background and the orange sashing, I should have stuck with th warmer apricotish-colours to the right - just look at the picture below the contras between the warmish red and the cold light purples - lavendars - outch
What I like about the quilt:
- there is a lot of orange and yellow in it, which I have come to know assort of avoided colours, I think the only less used colours is probably brown.
- the points match
- I made it! I mean I actually did finish a whole quilt. That was one pretty amazing feeling.
- The back - well just beacuse and because there is brown in it, but also the red from the front, and you can't really go bad with a backing ...
- the orange and red absolutely glow in the sun
And the others - feel free to attack, take apart, critique to your hearts content - I can take it - next time i might try the whole thing with an UFO so whatever you say will actually help me finish it, because I like arguing about why I do somethign the way I do it ... even if it's just silently shaking my head at suggestions and deciding that they won't ever see the light of day if I have to say something about it.
And I decided to try one of the linky things - maybe you have a quilt somwhere that you aren't happy about or one that you don't know how to finish, well if you are confident enough to show it two brains can probably come upt with more ideas than one ...
Sort of a disclaimer -that above there is all my genuine spur of the moment totally and absolutely subjective opinion - I don't do objective where quilts are involved. I either like them or I don't.
Well i don't see the details of the quilt so i don't see what is wrong with it. But here's my 2 cents worth. I like this one because it is an abundance of bright colours. That the contrast isn't super doesn't bother me. You can see the patterns in the blocks and its nice and big. I am known for unusual fabric combinations. The so called big bloggers quilts i like to see the quilts but i tend to only go there once. When they post the end result of the finished quilt with tons of pictures. And when i leave the page i forget about the quilt. Because they do not capture me, they do not excite me. The quilts are a little too perfect for me. The quilts i come back to are just the ones that are well .... not perfect and that is why i love them. I look at the quilt and see something different every time. And if my opinion is asked i will give my honest opinion. I would say what i would do differently but i will still love the quilt not because it is perfect but because it is just a little off.
ReplyDeleteoh and what you find ouch ... red with lavender .... when i saw that block oh i like that combination .... just wouldn't have used solids. I am not a fan of solids. I like prints, big and small.
DeleteHey Leo, Your very brave (and funny). I agree with you on the first point. the first and second blocks of the second row need a little of the lighter fabs to balance the colors. You could maybe just appliqué some on ?! I do think the scale of the spool block (#2 block second row) is a little bigger than the other blocks but maybe with a little light fabric added it would not seem so. On your second point, that part does not bother me and maybe if those other two blocks were more balanced with the others it would not be as noticable?
ReplyDeleteAs to your 'likes' I agree with all of them. I will say that color is mostly subjective. We all Experience color differently. You like those strong colors, for someone else that might just be way over the top! My mother use to wear orange lipstick, I thought it was ugly (mostly because I was not a fan of orange back then) but in retrospect I realize it really suited her. ( I love my mother I just did not like her choice in lipstick!)
I think blogs are mostly about affirmation. Maybe that's why people stay away from more concrete observations. I will say when I like something, I will try to say why I like something or why it 'works for me' but people rarely ask for real critique so brava for asking those questions! cheers, cw
I really like this! It has lots of my favourite colour (yellow) and lots of my second favourite colour (red). If I had made it I might not have used lavender, because I don't love lavender (as a colour - I do love the smell). But honestly I actually like it in the finished quilt because it provides contrast. I get what you are saying about the two blocks with smaller pieces - but I might not have noticed that if you hadn't pointed it out.
ReplyDeleteI really like this quilt. I specifically looked for it because it was my favourite from your 'Finished Quilts' page. I don't think a quilt has to be perfect to be lovely. I tend not to comment on things I don't like, because beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I do give comments on how I would do something differently sometimes, if I think it is constructive. This quilt, I like FULL STOP :)
ReplyDelete