The Orphan Block Project: Hilda's Blocks
Today's orphan blocks are from Hilda. Hilda is awesome! She mostly makes quilts for newly diagnosed diabetic children, newborn to teens. She accepts blocks and tops from other quilters and then finishes them to donate. What a lot of work! But what a great way to help these kids.
Hilda sent blocks that she made from gifted fabric...fabric that is way outside of what she usually uses. And when they were completed, they just didn't speak to her. So she sent them (and also some extra fabric) to me and I'm really happy she did.
Because, you see: these fabrics are way outside of what I usually use too. The blocks are lovely...I love the star pattern and the asterisks and the woven blocks...but the fabrics are just so not "me".
And that's okay. I'm really enjoying discovering beauty in quilt blocks that are different from mine and appreciating the specialness of something someone else made.
I'm tempted to make a quilt with all these blocks together...they match so well and there's lots I could do with the extra fabric Hilda sent.
On the other hand, I'm tempted to try to turn these blocks into something more "me". Like, make similar blocks in different fabrics and try to make them "go" together? Or cut them up somehow? I don't really like the sound of that, though. Is it even possible to turn these blocks into something more "me"? Is that disrespectful to them? They clearly have a personality, a mood...should I enhance it or try to change it?
I feel it's more respectful to keep them as-is. Plus, there are lots of quilts I like that have a more subdued color pallet. But the challenge to make them seem different is appealing. What are your opinions on this?
Thank you for these blocks, Hilda! They are definitely giving me a lot to think about and adding quite a bit of fun to this project!
Hilda sent blocks that she made from gifted fabric...fabric that is way outside of what she usually uses. And when they were completed, they just didn't speak to her. So she sent them (and also some extra fabric) to me and I'm really happy she did.
Because, you see: these fabrics are way outside of what I usually use too. The blocks are lovely...I love the star pattern and the asterisks and the woven blocks...but the fabrics are just so not "me".
And that's okay. I'm really enjoying discovering beauty in quilt blocks that are different from mine and appreciating the specialness of something someone else made.
I'm tempted to make a quilt with all these blocks together...they match so well and there's lots I could do with the extra fabric Hilda sent.
On the other hand, I'm tempted to try to turn these blocks into something more "me". Like, make similar blocks in different fabrics and try to make them "go" together? Or cut them up somehow? I don't really like the sound of that, though. Is it even possible to turn these blocks into something more "me"? Is that disrespectful to them? They clearly have a personality, a mood...should I enhance it or try to change it?
I feel it's more respectful to keep them as-is. Plus, there are lots of quilts I like that have a more subdued color pallet. But the challenge to make them seem different is appealing. What are your opinions on this?
Thank you for these blocks, Hilda! They are definitely giving me a lot to think about and adding quite a bit of fun to this project!
Comments
Post a Comment