Saturday, January 25, 2014

Uninspired Baby Quilt -- Needs Help


A coworker is having a baby girl and I asked about the colors.  Yellow ducks on a pale grey background was the answer.  I thought I would whip up some cute little yellow nine patches and mix them in with a bit of grey.  Still not feeling it though.  Maybe I'll have to sleep on it a bit.  I'm not good at "modern",   Yellow and grey screams modern to me.  Am I trying to be too traditional?  What would I do to fix this up?  Asymmetry, negative space, ducks?  Help?  Any and all suggestions most welcome.  

26 comments:

sophie said...

I like where you quilt design is headed, but would consider adding more variation of grays and including some golds to the yellows. I would also consider adding some other colors, too, in small amounts, while still letting the yellows and grays be dominate. A few years ago on the block lotto, we made Bonnie Hunter's pineapple blocks with the fabric guideline that each block must contain yellow/gold and gray and those scrappy blocks were some of my favorites. (you can see some of them here and a few of the quilts that were made from the blocks here.

StasaLynn said...

I like the color combo - maybe on point would be different and maybe lose a little bit of that modern feel.... and maybe add some grey to the nine patch blocks.

I think you are doing a great job and your co-worker is going to love it!

Andra Gayle said...

I would consider taking out the darker grey and mixing in a fabric that has yellow, grey and maybe ducks. Good luck finding that though...

audrey said...

You could put a brighter gold square in the center maybe? Good luck getting it figured out--the colors are good.:)

Dasha said...

Sash it maybe? I would use a tone on tone grey though, and perhaps cornerstones yellow & grey 4-patches? I think you need a little contrast in there - maybe some darker yellows, Cheddar? I like the idea of it being on point. How about making those grey squares into snowball blocks. You could still put them on point.
In any case, is the mum-to-be a modern girl? She might like it to be a modern quilt.

Kylie Lloyd said...

You could consider using all your cute yellow blocks and make a duck shape with a grey background

Amanda said...

You could carry on as you are going at the moment and then appliqué some large yellow ducks over the top. Or use your yellow and grey blocks to frame some pale yellow blocks and appliqué bright yellow ducks in the plain blocks. Looking forward to seeing your solution.

Marly said...

I agree with Kylie and Amanda, it needs DUCKS. I would go for one enormous duck, rather like the inflatable duck that's been floating in various harbours for the past couple of years. It could be pieced or appliqué. Maybe someone reading this has a pattern that's quick, after all you don't want to be spending too much time on it.

Ellen said...

I could be way off base because I very often get stuck with my designs and have to try many different ideas, but for some reason, I think I would like to see some green.

Maybe a large applique of a rubber ducky that is resting on grass or something like that.

There have been many great ideas shared - hopefully you get it all figured out.

Sarah said...

I agree with Dasha, a tone on tone grey would work. But I also love the idea of adding ducks. It's looking good though!

Karen Smith said...

I'd keep it just like you have it and then do the quilting with yellow thread in an interesting design to brighten the whole thing up. You could make the quilting the star.

make.share.give said...

I like it just the way it is. I'm really into gray, yellow and pink right now.

Elly D said...

Lots of great ideas already here for you Angela :) But I'll throw in my tuppence worth. Yellow ducks on the grey squares and then snow ball the corners. Good luck with what ever you decide. I'm sure it will be gorgeous.

Deb A said...

Good suggestions. How about sashing 4 of the yellows with light or dark grey and then doing a light/grey checkerboard around that to make a 'block'. Then a light grey block with a duck of some kind in there?
It will be cute no matter what you decide. I'd also throw a little blue in there - maybe as the plain block so the duck is on water?
Good luck.

sewyouquilt2 said...

I would take the yellow squares and sew them together and cut out duck shapes.
then I would sew the grays maybe light in center going out to dark and then applique on the ducks.
still modern and I think would have the softer edge to please you.

Katie Z. said...

I might mix some white with the grey. I don't know which I would replace, light or dark, but white often goes well with grey and yellow.

Quilter Kathy said...

I think ducks are a must! And maybe a fabric with yellow and grey as a blender?

Vic in NH said...

Add a bit of red. Or orange; bright highway safety cone orange! It needs something to be the accent color, that's all.

Vicki W said...

I like the idea and I like your plan. I think you may just have mis-matching yellow and gray. Try auditioning some different shades of gray or some brighter yellows.

Char said...

What about making HST's with the two shades of gray?

Terri said...

I'd say it's the darker grey messing things up. (Grey means dull to me - I'm just NOT modern, I guess.) I'd use a much lighter grey in the dark grey spots, or ditch the grey all together and use a color you like. After all, it is a gift from you.
Hugs

Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures said...

Add some white to brighten it. I just did a bed runner in yellow, gray, white and I love it. Yellow and gray is a modern color combo. Maybe a more modern pattern would suit the design better. Mix in some prints with yellow gray and white. Any how it's always fin to be challenged.

Lori said...

yes, I agree, a large yellow duck appliqued on the quilt would be perfect.

Jo said...

I agree, I think the grey is too dark & I would put a lighter one in. Maybe a patterned fabric with white, yellow & grey. Then add one or a few applique ducks.
Have fun

Karee said...

Try pulling out the dark grey and inserting a white with yellow & gray print/stripe/etc to lighten it up. The dark grey adds heavy definition, try the opposite for light definition.
Also, I would pull the center up and to the right. Perhaps you could add one or two of the dark greys into the lower left newly expanded area.
Did that make sense?
And the center square white with your yellow 9 patch used for an initial? K or B.

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