Just last night, I was drooling over this "Rocky Road to Kansas" quilt, made in 1930, pictured in
Gwen Marston's Liberated String Quilts book.
This book is one of my absolute favorites, for the amazing collection of old string quilts shown.
 |
| Grey shot cotton |
Some months ago, I made about 150 kite shaped "string" pieces with
Victoria's 15 minutes play method. I was going to use them in a spider web quilt, but then changed my mind. Ah-hah! I could use them for a "Rocky Road to Kansas"quilt! I looked up instructions for the block before I went to bed last night.
This morning, I woke up to a beautiful "Rocky Road to Kansas" block on the
NYC Metro Mod Quilter's blog! Hmm. Something must be in the air. THEN, Nadia at
Multicolored Pieces wrote about the "rocky road ahead" in Tunisia.
OK, I got it! It's time to start this quilt!
They say, "Great minds think alike." So I'd like some help choosing the setting fabric from your great minds. Here are several auditions, none that I'm really thrilled with. Any thoughts on these or other directions would be welcome. Thank you!!
 |
| Kona "Cinnamon" |
 |
| Olivey Shot Cotton |
 |
| Vintage Turquoise |
 |
| Kaffe Fasset Red Chard (generously gifted by Mary K.) |
 |
| A Kona Green, not sure of the name. |
 |
| Kaffe Fasset disappearing act |
47 comments:
I liked the grey shot and the kona green. I think you need a plain to have somewhere to rest, and to show off the strings too.
I like the vintage turquoise.
You had a lot of signs that the quilt needed to be made. I love, love Gwen's book too. My favourite is the Kona green but there are others that look great too.
I like the grey shot cotton, it really makes the colours pop! I also like the vintage turquoise, its very cheerful!
I love seeing all those options, but my favourite is the vintage turquoise, there's something about that combo that makes me want to snuggle up in it and read a book on a rainy day. The kona green makes the colours snap crackle and pop which is great too!
I think the prints are a bit busy but the plains go quite well. Yep, that quilt is calling you.
ok this is just so funny, I have this quilt book out on my table and wanted to make this quilt too! I have two big baskets full of scraps and started to make my own fabric and then will cut the kites from them (along with petal shapes for you know what quilt :) ) and here I wake up and your working on this quilt....
I am so tempted to say the red that was gifted from mary, lucky you!!!! since we both love red, but the last one kaffe fasssets disappearing act fabric makes the fabrics pop but still has the "nifty" look to it!
hmmmm I am still thinking that red would just be a fun background and that some of the kites will just blend into the fabric is not a problem to me...
Kathie
Hi, LeeAnn. Thanks for mentioning my post. I wish I had illustrated it with a "Rocky Road to Kansas" but I didn't have any on hand. Anyway, if you want to emphasize the string blocks, the gray or a darker gray seems to me a possibility. Have you considered black or a black print?
best, nadia
Since you're asking, I'll give my opinion too. I love that vintage turquoise! That would be great - would really give the look of some of those vintage string quilts. However, I think my 2nd choice would be the cinnamon. I think I like it best of all the "plains".
Happy quilting!
That book is my all time fav too.
Kona Green or the Cinnamon because I think you need a solid background to show off the strings. Otherwise it will all be too busy.
I've been thinking what to do with all my scraps. I think I might just start one too.
I think I will vote for the kona green! Nice work!
Turquoise! Turquoise!! Turquoise!!!
Can you hear me chanting!
Love this quilt. Thanks for this gorgeous inspiration!
Good luck choosing! Every single one of those backgrounds look good to me for different reasons. My choice would depend on where I was going to display it.
That's going to be be one heckuva quilt! Have fun!
I have always liked the RR block, these scrappy ones are wonderful.
I am in a solid phase, so really like the solid choices for the background.
Not so easy to pick just one favorite, but I like the secondary design that pops out of the Kona Green....strong graphic.
I love that string quilt book too! I vote for the vintage turquoise. it suits the scrappy kites. good luck choosing, since I see all of us commenters have different opinions.
Such kismet! I LOVE the vintage turquoise- what a happy and wonderful combo. The olive is a distant second for me. Have fun sewing!
another vote for that as an absolute favorite book. I have to admit, none of the auditions sings to me. what about a solid true red???
I love picking fabrics! Of your choices, my faves would be the two prints - first the caramel one, then the turquoise. Then did a quick search of images, and found one with solid orange setting fabric, and solid gray sashing, that was fab! It was on barbara brackman's blog, fyi. Whatever you choose, I know it will be nifty! :)
I'm in the Tonya Ricucci camp - Moda has a good red solid, I believe it's called "country red". Love the strings.
Okay, Tonya beat me to it, that is exactly what came to me RED!
...and you don't have to use just one red ... use your red scraps just not busy ones :0).
This is gonna be a beauty!
Happy Sewing
I really like the two red backgrounds. They are so cheery. This is going to be a wonderful quilt. Can't wait to see it.
I'm thinking RED. I'll have to follow your story a bit closer with all the others making this block. Looks like a fun quilt.
Immediate reaction: needs bright red. The vintage turquoise is pretty neat.
Love that book too. Like the Kona green best but what about a pale lavender?
I like the warmth the cinammon brings to the blocks. Second choice is the disappearing act fabric.
Vintage turquoise or the last Kaffe...the gray shot cotton is nice...but then it looks Australian! (Nothing wrong with that, but it is a "look"...one I'm about to use I might add...) Whatever you pick will be fun. xo
I am going to be no help at all. I like all your choices. The blocks are wild so it is really up to you whether you want a very busy, vibrant quilt or whether you want to feature the blocks themselves. I think you are on a winner either way.
Duh look at the picture.....I said red like I had an original thought...you gotta go with Gwen's lead on this one right?
Happy Sewing
I'm with Tonya, too, and think the red Gwen has in the pic would be great! I also think maybe a chocolate brown, with a slight pattern to it, could be really beautiful against those kites. Just a thought!
I think part of what you love about the quilt pictured is the red. I would choose a red solid. If you want a brighter look I love the turquoise but in a solid.
As far as I see your kite-blocks, I would say definitely a solid fabric. Red would be "typically you"!
Following my own stash, it would be for me a blue, either a vintage turquoise or this Amish dark but luminous blue.
Each one has its favorite colors!
Hmmmm, Nifty red sounds like the popular choice to me. But then that Nifty vintage turquoise is tempting. I've used a sandstone (woven with blue & orange thread) shot cottons with scrappy quilts and love that look as well. Whatever Nifty color you decide, will be just nifty best. (did I overdo it on the word nifty?)
I like the look of the solid and my preference is cinnamon red or a brighter red.
Yikes! How to choose one!! They each are cool and tell a different story. My vote is with the vintage turquoise.
A great start for another beautiful scrappy quilt! Love the inspiration quilt with the red solid background. That would have my vote, too...
I like the grey, but I think I'd love them on a solid red!
Vintage turquoise gets my vote!
the turquoise ROCKS!!! Although I love red. the grey is nice too.. turquoise though, makes my skirt fly up! wahoo! FABULOUS!!!!
Vintage turquoise. I have the book from the library right now. It's great.
The vintage turquoise sings a song!
I think a red will be very nice, but looking at teh pictures again I would go for the grey. It will give the quilt a vintage feel!
I like the grey, it is very popular right now, or a solid.
Of the choices offered I'm liking the dark Kona Green. It doesn't compete with the string blocks. Second choice grey shot cotton.
My string bins are overflowing so I'm planning a spiderweb as a new project in 2012. I'm very curious. Have you decided on a background? My favorite is the vintage turquoise, but they all look good.
LOVE the vintage turquoise!!
Yup, bright true red like in the original quilt....
Post a Comment