Friday, February 21, 2014

The Extra Pillow

Time was when two sofa pillows total was plenty on our two sofas.  Then, Genevieve began perching on the end of a sofa Sunday afternoons, joining her father and me for reading and napping.  She needed a pillow to lean against.

It was a plain olive green pillow, and I decided to dig deeper into my scraps and make a cover for it.  I am so pleased with this side.  I love it.  I was thinking "rich red" and I love the results.

It's not shown in the photos, but I installed a dark zipper along one of the purple edges so the cover can be removed from the pillow.



But I'm not very fond of this side.  I handquilted a large spiral on it in green perle cotton. I can't quite figure out why I don't like this side.


Walk with me down this rabbit trail that will lead back to the patchwork: I was thinking of outfits this morning as I dragged my market cart home through the slush.  How some people match up all their colors very carefully and that bores me.  Then some people put on such a random assortment of clothes, styles, prints, and colors that I'm confused:  did they just put on the nearest things at hand?  This train of thought led to a new, helpful metaphor for myself:  I want my clothes and patchwork to be in harmony.  I am blending several notes that are beautiful together, not the same (matching) note over and over, but also not a fist-thump on the keyboard with discordant notes.  Occasionally there's an unexpected grace note.  Harmonious.



I'm not ready to ditch the time and fabric that went into the un-harmonious side of the pillow.  I am pondering what else to do to it to make it blend or burst forth or turn into more than the sum of its parts.  Any ideas?

15 comments:

MDiskin said...

Can you applique something red (like a heart or another easy-peasy shape) over the 2 dark green rectangles at the bottom left in the pic?

I think it just needs a little more red to make you happy, right? :)

Tracy said...

I actually like it a lot. Perhaps it's too much green for you?

Hazel said...

I like that side too. It's more 'floral' looking than the other side- maybe that's what you don't like?

And I think mixing colours can take confidence. I'd love to wear (for instance) a skirt with mustard coloured tights and green or red shoes, but I would feel too...conspicuous? As though I'd tried too hard and not quite pulled it off? I'm not generally bothered by other people's opinions, beyond hoping they think I'm a decent human being, so I don't know why this bothers me and why I end up playing safe. (An eight year old girl at school once asked me if all my clothes were green and brown!! I did wear pink the next day, just for her!)

Rebecca said...

I wonder if all the chartreuse is reading as "matchy" to you. I bet MDiskin is right about the fix if that, indeed, is the problem. I like that side though. I think the 70s green calico provides a lovely surprise.

Simply Steph said...

I think it needs a flower pin to bring in more rounds to balance the squares.

helene said...

Funny, but I really like that spiral side. Nice job!

Lisa said...

I have two thoughts:
one - you maybe will like it in spring/summer? when looking at cool greens will make you feel cooler. ?
two - Did you mean you'd take it apart and make another backing? if you did mean that, maybe just cutting it down to a center section and making a solid colored sashing around in white or something?

Alica said...

Hmmm...I'm thinking that the side that you refer to as "unharmonious" is my favorite! :) But then...I'm a green fan! I think maybe it just needs more red instead of pink for you to feel better about it. ?? Maybe some red piping on the edge?

Anonymous said...

I like the green, I like that is different from the other side. But in my non-professional and humble opinion - what sticks out is that piece of fabric with the white back ground and the orange flowers. Orange in all the pink and green? I think if you had used a piece of the green fabric with the pink roses there you would have been golden. All in all though, I think its cute.

Unknown said...

Very cute, maybe you could sell things on Etsy???

Unknown said...

I forgot, time to add some pillows covers to Etsy? :)

Ayrie Joyce said...

What about some embroidery - crazy quilt style to give it some more unity?

jenny_o said...

I do prefer the red side since I'm not a big fan of green. Could you rescue that side by adding a patch of red within each of the larger green rectangles? (the light green ones)

Or add red/burgundy running stitches in those same squares? Maybe several sets of parallel lines?

The red side is stunning, in my opinion.

Sew Blessed Maw [Judy] said...

I really like the pillow.. BOth sides..
My suggestion[which is the lazy side of me,ha]. Just turn the pillow to the side you like, and no ever sees the other side..

Alexa said...

Hallo there, I think it might be the piece in olive with the pink orchid? Flowers. It needs more red or the tartan on the edge. Whatever you do it will turn out fine. You have such happy colours around you...and yes navy and black do go together.
Nice to visit your blog again, I haven't been back for a while as I've been working on a blog of my own now that I've retired .
Kind regards
Alexa from http://www.Alexa-asimplelife.com