Now take a look at my version:
I know, what happened; right? My version isn't quite in the same category as Eileen and Linda_J's.
M'Liss Rae Hawley's instructions in her book, "Fat Quarter Quilts", says the following:
"One of my favorite fat-quarter quilts, Road to Ireland was a happy mistake. The blocks came out the way I planned, but not the setting. (My planning consists of marks on napkins, ferry schedules, and the like.) So I rearranged my blocks, and I love the result.
The Road to Ireland setting looks best when there is high contrast between the road fabric and the six fat quarters."
This seems fairly common sense to me and yet as you can see, I have missed the "high contrast" part. Perhaps I concentrated too much on the planning stage of making marks on napkins and too little time on the choice of my contrast fabric.
The good thing about this quilt is that it was made entirely from my stash--that part of the plan worked. However, if I had even switched the placement of the red and green fabrics I think the design would have shown up better.
This quilt stalled at the unfinished top stage for years and I finally quilted it up in November 2005 as a practice piece on my long arm.
However, all is not lost. This quilt is currently in my mother's quilt collection. My mother is willing to adopt any of the quilts that I make--especially those that I don't particularly like. In fact, she watches this blog on a regular basis to scope out quilts that can be nabbed in the future!
Maybe when you look up close (like your single block pic) you could have used more contrast, but in the long view of the whole quilt, it looks fine, everything shows up. Like your mom, I'd make room for it at my house.
ReplyDeleteSmart woman, your Mom.... It looks like a quilt I would pull out at the end of January----after I'm about sick of the gloominess of winter. It would cheer me up.
ReplyDeleteMelanie
Norma, I don't see a thing wrong with it! The colors are bright and cheerful. I should find the picture of the first one Lois did that her mom didn't want her to give away. It is soooo different than the one she made for her mom.
ReplyDeleteAt least it is easier for her to preview the quilts and you know she gets something that she will like.
It looks like a tricky pattern to pick fabrics for... but I do like your version, even if you aren't thrilled with it! No wonder your Mom watches your blog to scope out quilts that need nabbing!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Evelyn
Maybe not what you planned, but I like it... It could come to my house if your mom runs out of room... :-)
ReplyDeleteIt looks nice too, just not really like the other roads to ireland. I have the book too and want to make one too as soon as I have some quilts out of the way.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing different versions of the same pattern. Yours looks great. I have both those Fat Quarter books and like several quilts in them.
ReplyDelete