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Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Dixie Diary Layout and Setting Concept

I decided on my layout a couple of months ago for the Dixie Diary BOM, but I wanted to wait until all of the blocks were completed before finalizing it.  I am use a light cream on cream graphic fabric for the sashing, light and/or embroidered pieces for the corner stones, a darker tan for a small inner border and a piano key border, also incorporating some embroidery pieces. I don't know what I will do yet for the largest outermost cornerstones yet.

Here's the concept laid out on my dining room table:

 Does this layout work well?
Proposed layout of blocks


Updated option:






Cornerstone, sashing, piano key border concept




Cornerstone, sashing, piano key border concept



The sashing is 2", the inner border will be 1" finished, and the piano key border will finish at 4".

In my desire to try new things, I decided to do this piano key border, something i have never done. Currently I my plan is to alternate "keys" of light and dark. Is that too regular? Should I mix it up more - couple darks, couple lights few dark, etc.?

I think I like this - it will be a wall hanging in my bedroom. Should the piano key border stay or go?

All opinions are welcome!

6 comments:

  1. I like the piano keys a lot - they work to keep all the bright colors cohesive. It is a surprise that there is not much contrast between your cornerstones and your sashing material. It just never occurred to me to try it but maybe it works to keep your blocks and the embroidery in them more the focus.

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  2. Thanks Cheryl - I have been wondering if the cornerstones are too light - I've gone back and forth on it. I do not want bright colors there because I do want the blocks to remain the focus. My original idea was to use the darker tan as the sashing and the graphic print as the cornerstones. Or reverse that as seen in the updated picture.

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  3. I think the cornerstones are better kept constant i.e. the embroidered ones are too random somehow. That said, I then reverse my thought by saying I'm not sure if having every second piano key in the pale sashing fabric is working for my eye. It seems too much pale and I would like to see you "mockup" the piano key border avoiding the pales and see what you think. It's as if the blocks are going to escape out through those pale spaces whereas a medium to medium-dark border would contain the quilt better.

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    Replies
    1. The more I look at the tan cornerstones the more I like them. And I am convinced not to use the pale sashing in every other piano key. I had not considered leaving them out all together, but I like that idea. Then perhaps I will add some embroidery in the outer cornerstones with the pale background. I'll have to see how it looks. I have a dresser scarf with 4 identical corners that could work. Thanks for the input -- it really helps.

      Regarding the piano keys, then. Do I keep to the fabrics already used in the quilt top, or do I just need to keep in the same color families? Bonus question!

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  4. My bonus reply/suggestion is that you don't have to use only the fabrics from the blocks in the outer border. You could add others with the same...h'mm what is the word I want...density? volume?no, those words are not exactly what I want. Perhaps I'm trying to say value - even if you gather in some new colors if you try and keep to similar values it should all work. Just my thoughts. And yes, I like the tan too.

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  5. I love the idea of using the embroidery work. I've been blessed with vintage work from several relatives so I'm storing the idea for use later!

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