If It Feels Bad, Don't Do It

I'm in the midst of making a string of charity quilts, and my latest one gave me a bad feeling, as in "ICK".

This little guy is a lap quilt for someone sitting in a wheelchair.   I had no plan in mind when I started, as you can probably see.   Each individual bock was sort of fun, and I played it by ear as I cut strips and sewed one hunk to another.  And to tell the truth, I used some of my less than favorite material, since I'm trying to use up my stash this year.  When all the blocks were sewn together, I hung it on the design wall, stepped back, and felt not so great.  

I started on my second lap quilt, but my eyes kept going back to this one.  Every time I looked at it, I felt bad.  I just couldn't give it away.  I was tempted to throw it out, when I remembered a piece of advice I'd read: "If it's too ugly, you just haven't cut it small enough."

This is my "after".  I cut the top in strips of varying widths, and interspersed it with long vertical strips of a light Kaffe Fassett.  I would have used more of the Kaffe, but I only had one fat quarter.  

Now your eye has a place to rest and the lightness gives it a little breathing room.  Not my best quilt, but at least it no longer makes me feel bad.