Changing Fabric/Fabric Color After Quilt is Complete
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1
Changing Fabric/Fabric Color After Quilt is Complete
Hello,
I am a novice quilter and new to this forum. My boyfriends mother, Sharon, makes beautiful quilts, and so me and my boyfriend asked Sharon to make one for us to give to my sister and her soon-to-be husband as a wedding gift. We will pay her for costs as well as her time that she put into making it.
It has been very difficult finding the right color pattern, especially since I live 1.5 hrs away from Sharon so our communication has been via texts. We finally decided on the color scheme, but now that the quilt is coming together, the colors look very different from the pictures, and I know my picky sister will not like it at all. I have no idea what to do because Sharon is such a sweet woman and potentially my mother-in-law.
Is there anything that can be done either by me or a professional quilter to remedy the situation? Is is possible to somehow modify the color of one patch, so the colors fit better? Any embellishments that you would recommend?
This is a picture of the quilt so far, Sharon wants to use the same dark green fabric shown as the border. This picture looks closer to the actual colors than the ones I received from June via texts.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]347538[/ATTACH]
Any ideas would be appreciated! Thanks!
I am a novice quilter and new to this forum. My boyfriends mother, Sharon, makes beautiful quilts, and so me and my boyfriend asked Sharon to make one for us to give to my sister and her soon-to-be husband as a wedding gift. We will pay her for costs as well as her time that she put into making it.
It has been very difficult finding the right color pattern, especially since I live 1.5 hrs away from Sharon so our communication has been via texts. We finally decided on the color scheme, but now that the quilt is coming together, the colors look very different from the pictures, and I know my picky sister will not like it at all. I have no idea what to do because Sharon is such a sweet woman and potentially my mother-in-law.
Is there anything that can be done either by me or a professional quilter to remedy the situation? Is is possible to somehow modify the color of one patch, so the colors fit better? Any embellishments that you would recommend?
This is a picture of the quilt so far, Sharon wants to use the same dark green fabric shown as the border. This picture looks closer to the actual colors than the ones I received from June via texts.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]347538[/ATTACH]
Any ideas would be appreciated! Thanks!
#3
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 3,257
My advice would be to go ahead and pay her, as planned, thank her profusely and if you think your sister won't like it, keep it yourself. Tell Sharon you fell in love with it and couldn't part with it. That quilt is too close to being done to change much. Plus, see above post.
#5
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: California
Posts: 14,723
My advice would be to go ahead and pay her, as planned, thank her profusely and if you think your sister won't like it, keep it yourself. Tell Sharon you fell in love with it and couldn't part with it. That quilt is too close to being done to change much. Plus, see above post.
#7
Selecting fabric for a quilt is so hard. I always fear that I won't end up liking the finished quilt, even when I can actually see the fabric in person. That is why I ask the person I am making the quilt for to select the pattern and the fabric. That way they get what they asked for, and everyone is happy. It is too late for that...sort of.
You could do what suern3 suggested, and keep the quilt. Then you could share with your sister a few simple patterns that you are comfortable making...even as a beginner, there are some you can enjoy making. Have your sister select the fabric, and then make the quilt yourself. You could tell Sharon that seeing the quilt she made inspired you to make one for your sister yourself. If you are unsure of sandwiching the three pieces, perhaps Sharon could do that part for you...for pay, of course.
I really feel for you. Making a quilt is not cheap, and now you have a quilt you don't really like. Have you seen it in person? Maybe it will look better to you in person. Sometimes the border sort of makes the quilt.
At any rate, welcome to the board. I am sure you will get more advice. Folks here have good ideas.
Dina
You could do what suern3 suggested, and keep the quilt. Then you could share with your sister a few simple patterns that you are comfortable making...even as a beginner, there are some you can enjoy making. Have your sister select the fabric, and then make the quilt yourself. You could tell Sharon that seeing the quilt she made inspired you to make one for your sister yourself. If you are unsure of sandwiching the three pieces, perhaps Sharon could do that part for you...for pay, of course.
I really feel for you. Making a quilt is not cheap, and now you have a quilt you don't really like. Have you seen it in person? Maybe it will look better to you in person. Sometimes the border sort of makes the quilt.
At any rate, welcome to the board. I am sure you will get more advice. Folks here have good ideas.
Dina
#8
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Piedmont Virginia in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mtns.
Posts: 8,562
My blue isn't your blue.
Her red isn't his red.
The Joneses yellow is more orange the the Smith's.
Nobody sees color just like the next person; therefore it nearly always behooves you (how about THAT old fashioned word!) to pick/choose/buy your own fabrics when you are having someone make clothing, quilts, drapes, chair covers, or baby things for you.
Let this be a lesson learned, keep the secret "close to the vest" - as they say in card games - and let your potential MIL believe it was perfect. Someday, years from now when you are as close as her daughter, you can tell the story and all have a great laugh about it.
Jan in VA, who makes commissions for people who are always required to be present when the fabrics are purchased for their quilts.
Her red isn't his red.
The Joneses yellow is more orange the the Smith's.
Nobody sees color just like the next person; therefore it nearly always behooves you (how about THAT old fashioned word!) to pick/choose/buy your own fabrics when you are having someone make clothing, quilts, drapes, chair covers, or baby things for you.
Let this be a lesson learned, keep the secret "close to the vest" - as they say in card games - and let your potential MIL believe it was perfect. Someday, years from now when you are as close as her daughter, you can tell the story and all have a great laugh about it.
Jan in VA, who makes commissions for people who are always required to be present when the fabrics are purchased for their quilts.
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Bosque County, Texas
Posts: 2,709
This is a very dangerous and hard to do solution. Ask your future mother-in-love for your scrap fabrics. The colors that your sister will not like and that will keep her from using the quilt can be recolored if your are super careful and have some experience with coloring fabric. You will need to experiment on the scraps first. Find the product that works for you. I would recommend you check out the ones available from Dick Blick. When you find the product that produces the color you want, sew a small quilt section, top, batting middle and back complete with some quilting stitches. Practice coloring the fabric until you can color only the top fabric with no bleeding to adjoining fabric and no bleeding to the bottom fabric. This is very difficult, but it can be done. Considering the patience needed you probably need to have at least a week to accomplish this after you decide on the product.
There is a good chance of a ruined quilt if you have less than a perfect result. This is usually only done by someone with considerable painting experience or fiber art experience. I recommend you really think long and hard if you haven't done something similar to this before. It is quite hard.
There is a good chance of a ruined quilt if you have less than a perfect result. This is usually only done by someone with considerable painting experience or fiber art experience. I recommend you really think long and hard if you haven't done something similar to this before. It is quite hard.
#10
It would be easier to remake the top than to change the color!! She may suprise you and really like it. If not take it back, keep it and get her a Walmart quilt that she can return if she doesn't like it! (Was I sounding harsh here?)
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
AngelinaMaria
Main
12
10-10-2012 02:51 PM