Saturday, May 6, 2017

Revisiting Chinese Coins II

Without progress on my Chinese Coins II for the past month, they came off the wall to work on the Mini Trip Around the World (TOW.) And look what happened.

Chinese Coin layout

While I didn't like the red boxes together, This arrangement alternating red boxes with slightly longer blue coins has possibilities. The sashing is a small scrap of dark olive that sets off the bright colors well. I was sure more fabric about this color lurked in the stash boxes... but I was wrong.

Although this plan didn't work out, it broke the drought and I sewed several sets of Coins. Many of my coins measured from six to eight-inches long. I haven't made a Coin top laid out vertically so they are purposely set to get my mind thinking the right direction.

Monica at Lakeview Stitching and I are both inspired by Nettie Young's Stack Bricks. Like both of them, I'm planning wide sashing. It's interesting to see the variations we each bring to this design. Monica recut some hourglass blocks into several improv blocks but she retained the tall rectangular outline of the block.

Chinese Coin sets

Mine are turned ninety degrees; wider than they are high. Without really planning, I ended up with a light side and a dark side. Originally I laid them all with the dark on top. That made too strong a horizontal. Now they alternate. They almost look square as they float behind the sashing.

Because these strip sets had lots of blues and pinks, I was absolutely certain my second choice for sashing would be perfect. {First choices was a remnant here.} So I cut several strips. Wrong-o. Again.

I was amused to note my sashing has the same colors as Monica's. She planned her colors better; the browns and tans, fit the cornflower blues. {Someone in the States didn't keep her eye on the scraps.} Somehow my coins became greener. The quiet color saturation of both these sashings attracts me but doesn't work with the stronger, {more acidic?} strings. This sashing won't make the grade either. It looks like Retro Mama meets the Groovy Gal.

Plaid sashing for Chinese Coins II

Back to the drawing board.

Enjoy the day, Ann

18 comments:

Quiltdivajulie said...

What if you use a mixture of fabrics for the sashing strips? Perhaps some of the original, some of the one shown here, and then some others for good measure?

Julierose said...

Sashings can be a tough decision--with everything going on in Coins it's lots of try-outs I think. I like the dark & light areas a lot hugs, Julierose

LA Paylor said...

best laid plans.... it's always, always a learning moment with color relativity. Each project teaches us.

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

This is such an interesting post, a 'work in progress' but looking good so far! I even quite like the pink sashing, maybe with a mix of something else?

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

p.s. thanx for the links! I love nettie's quilt!

Ann said...

That's a possibility, Julie. It just seems that the sashing may need to be a stronger color than I originally thought.

Ann said...

Thanks, Julierose. I like those dark/light areas too. I just wish I'd kept the sashing in mind before sewing all of them.

Ann said...

Exactly. I think I'll learn a lot from this project.

Ann said...

A pink may be a good sashing. I love your quilt. It's especially interesting that we both started with the same inspiration quilt. I imagine all three will be quite different in the end. Won't that be fabulous?

margaret said...

am wondering about black for the sashing I use it quite a bit as it does make colours pop. Liking what you are doing here a great way to use up scraps

Mystic Quilter said...

I always procrastinate when it comes to the sashing! I think your idea of trying a stronger colour would be worth a try, I do love your setting.

Ann said...

Typo. Monica and I started from the same point structurally. You and Monica have similar fabric starting points. I love your soft, large-scale florals. Such a springy, happy mix. They make you want to snuggle immediately.

Ann said...

Yes. That might be good. In fact, like the dark olive I used above. Thanks.

Ann said...

Thanks, Maureen. I do like mine but think I like Monica's even more. Love her fabrics.

Monica said...

Well, yesterday I was busy sewing together Nettie (1/3 done), and I admit I started the next challenge already! So much discussion here! I have two thoughts for sashing. Since your quilt seems to be the inverse of mine, with blue in the blocks, maybe try gold or brown in the sashing. I agree with Margaret's instinct to go very dark in the sashing, but my preference would probably be for dark brown. Brown makes light blue look amazing!

Also, what if you lined up the lights and darks in the blocks across the row, and then used Julie's idea of different sashing fabrics for contrast? You could alternate light and dark sashing in the horizontals. I really like how the different sashings are working in mine. They may not have been that clear in my jumble photo, but they're there!

patty a. said...

Oh I like that plaid sashing very much!

Ann said...

I have some ideas but haven't started the next challenge yet. I thought this one would go together more easily and quickly. The sketch you sent has good ideas. I like the alternating sashing fabrics and using different fabrics vertically and horizontally. Unfortunately the rest of the "choice 1" is on the the back of my spiderweb quilt.
I've used blue/brown combos before. They are lovely. My problem with this quilt is that the Coins read green.
I may save these sashings for a future quilt and try something else here. If I'd left the sashing up while making the Coins, this might have worked out.
Thanks for all the help and advice. I hope yours continues well. It's going to be a beauty.

Ann said...

Me, too. I may need a place to use it more effectively. Still trying to work it out in this quilt.