Friday, January 28, 2011

disconnect

There is a serious disconnect between my stash and how I decorate my home. I've known this for quite some time, but for some reason, it's been bugging me lately.

Here's a pile of stash fabrics that I acquired last month when shopping with my sister at Bay Window Quilt Shop. Love that store! The sale they were having was quite good, thus the tall stack. (It was my end of the year add-a-little-to-the-stash-before-I-have-to-be-good-again hurrah.)
In contrast, this is a photo of my couch.
The pillows are made from the Glace line by Moda. Anything by French General or 3 Sisters would fit perfectly in my home, but I certainly don't stash (or rarely even buy) that fabric. Instead I buy bright orange and aqua. Yellows, pinks...anything bright. Does anyone else have this problem? It just seems a bit strange to me.

I had a fleeting thought, which would be more expensive to replace: my furniture or my stash? I quickly realized that it's definitely best NOT to contemplate that one...

94 comments:

taylor kate said...

i have a friend who loves really bright playfully colored fabric, and i can only assume her home decor doesn't look like that by how she dresses and carries herself. it's ok to have a taste for home that doesn't match all of your quilts! :)

Clair said...

Not all bad. You do have other rooms in your house. :)

leigh said...

I have the same problem. There are just so many great fabrics out there. My problem is I like solid quilts better, but I love all the printed fabrics. So I have a harder time using the printed ones but I still buy them. And they just keep stacking up. I need to find some littler projects to use the prints on and use up some of the stash.

Kristy said...

Yes, I would agree, don't contemplate that...the husband surely needs no ammo in that area here! ;)

Leila said...

I know how you feel. I live in a 100 year old home with beautiful woodwork, lace curtains and some stained glass. I love my home, but it is hard to work "modern" bright fabrics into the decor. Just do it! The couch is a neutral color it could go with anything. :)

monika@mysweetprairie.ca said...

My whole house is earthy brown, saddle brown, brown sugar brown, and red. NOT modern fabric colors at all. I can add orange and white and yellow for accent into the mix. Generally, modern quilts stick out like a sore thumb in my home.

~M.

Radmall said...

This is completely me right now--and I've recently decorated (finally) our main living space--I could easily put in blues, some red, some green, some orange some brown. So I'm not particularly limited. But it's all jewel tone, nothing really bright. Subtle and understated. I've been trying to make pillows for my couch for the past month and just haven't been inspired by my stash... and it's exactly what you said. My stash is loud, obnoxious and lovely that way. But it's so NOT my house.

Sara said...

I have that feeling sometimes too, but I think it is because our hubs aren't always open to bright and sassy colors--just saying though:)

Sarah @ FairyFace Designs said...

Yep, I have that problem too!! I love pinks, oranges, lime greens, turquoises... None of which appear in my decor!

Trisha said...

I think that is pretty common. That's what is fun about quilting. You get to explore all your tastes and you can have a color extravaganza but that doesn't always work for decorating.

Katie @SwimBikeQuilt said...

But I think some David Walker Robots would make such great pillows for your couch ;)

Linda in Arkansas said...

Oh I have that problem too. But I want my quilts to be functional so I try to buy what I will use and the other colors I make and give away. I did my room in turquoise so that really helped me.

Amanda said...

Interesting. I've been contemplating that as well... I wanted to make a few nice throw pillows for the bed- no matching fabric. Lap quilt for the couch- no matching fabric. Boo. I think we need to rebel and change our furniture! Life is too short to not enjoy our decor!

Impera Magna said...

No, my stash doesn't resemble my home decor...well, some of the fabrics (chosen to go with the house) do... but over all, very different fabric live in my stash. Maybe that's why I like quilting... I get to play with lots and lots of different fabrics without having to redo all the decor.

C. Jaeger said...

My fabric purchases are where I go wild...so, no...my fabric stash doesn't resemble my home or my clothing at all. That's okay. I LOVE that I can have fun with fabric. Enjoy yours!

Tivoli West said...

You could make furniture covers out of your stash and then they would both match. :)

byneedleandthread said...

i have the exact same problem. my stash and the quilts i make are funky bright things and our apartment is beige, brown etc. I think when decorating i thought things needed to be "grown uo" which for some reason means brown. and if you look at my fabric stash i have barely any brown because i'm not really a fan. weird but glad to see i'm not alone.

Cheryl Arkison said...

No problem with this issue in my house, but you've seen my house!

carol said...

I know exactly what you mean. I have an off white couch, and love seat and taupe carpeting. The walls are taupe.......dark brownish/black furniture. Sort of boring, I suppose, but my stash is NOT! I love brights....LOVE them!

Tammy said...

LOL...you are funny but so right. Best not to contemplate!

Jennifer Mathis of Ellison Lane said...

I am the same way. My couch is red and the colors in my house are not the same as my stash. My stash is full of pink, aqua, orange, green etc. One of these days I am going to redecorate...

Vicki @ DottyJane said...

Same here. Neutral house, bright stash! Maybe that's why I'd rather be in my sewing room:)

Shannon Wallace said...

LOL Thanks for this post! I am a beginner at this whole quilting/sewing. I thought my problem with my stash not complementing my home decor, it was because I'm a newbie! LOL My home is in country/primitives, but I rarely buy that style of fabric bacause it's super hard to find. Plus, all of the other fabrics are such fun! :o)

Carmen said...

I don't think it's strange at all. I'm attracted to fabrics (and buy them, too) that I would NEVER decorate my house with.

Anonymous said...

That is soooooo me! After a recent large purchase of colors that won't go with my home, I have reconsidered my buying. I am instead working on things that I can use in my home for a while. I give too many beautiful quilts away just because they don't match my decor.

Sherri said...

Your post describes me too. In fact, my sister-in-law gave me the perfect solution a few years ago. I used to only buy fabric that would "match" my house...but I loved so many others---the brights, the moderns...anyway, my sister-in-law said simply, "Buy what you love...it will all work out!" So...while I still sew to match my decor...I'm slowly turning some of the rooms into ones that match some of the more bright fabrics I buy!

Jenny Squawk said...

Looking at my stash and home decor, I don't have that problem. Then again, I've had my style called mish-mash eclectic and bright. My living room sofa set is primary red and tweed.

Love your stash and decor even if they don't go together!

Tanya said...

That's me. I have a friend, though, with all white furniture, white walls, and she buys very colorful accessories. That is the way to go. But, in my house, it is best to have dirt colored furniture. Maybe when the kids are older.

Bingaling said...

I love Bay Window Quilt Shop, too! That is my mom's local quilt shop...and I love to visit it when I go home, too!

You certainly wouldn't have to replace the furniture...but how about switching up the pillows or quilts on the back of the couch for the season - bringing in those brights in spring and summer?

rosehippo said...

Bright colors still go with that couch!

an encourager said...

You have a rainbow personality! Lucky! :)

Dolly said...

I have quilted for about 30 years, and don't have ONE quilt that was ever made to 'coordinate' with my home. I've often thought that there must be some sort of DISCONNECT with me, too .

I just buy what I like and make what strikes me, and then when I look at how it matches anything I've got, it's like I'm waking up from a long sleep !

Unknown said...

I feel ya! I just bought a fat quarter of Central Park (Kate Spain) because I love it and feel like I'm the only one left who doesn't have it. When I got it home all I could think was, "what the heck am I going to do with this??" I'm thinkin' placemats.

Suburban Stitcher said...

OMG!!!! I'm exactly the same. Cranberry, mustard, and olive green (think Williams Sonoma/Pottery Barn circa 2002) all over the house and my quilts are pink, aqua, red and green! Definitely don't match each other ;)

Laura said...

I've been contemplating this a lot lately. My home is not 'crafty-friendly' in decor. I'm truly wondering what I'm doing. I seem to make and give and seldom keep anything for my home. I can't figure out right now how to compromise the homemade and formal-ish look. I know it can be done, homemade doesn't equal low quality; I just can't figure it out for myself. My fabric closet looks nothing at all like my house. I love the bright, bold, cutesy fabrics too!

Audrie said...

I have the same problem... but I'm not sure I'm going to bother reconciling the two because like you said, it'd be rather expensive! hehe

Tracey Jacobsen said...

I've chosen to stash French General for my living room decor, and just finished a quilt in the Rouenneries line (that was way too long in the making)...

It's a good compromise. I'm going to try to do bedrooms in the modern quilting fabrics, with neutrals for decor... 'cause as of now, there's sadly still very little in way of decor.

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

How boring it would be..
I've actually hear quilters say they can't make a quilt or use a fabric they like because "it doesn't go with their home decor."
I buy fabric I like and make quilts out of it. So there.

Thimbleanna said...

Boy, oh, boy, do I feel your pain! I love the bright, happy colors and buy those fabrics, but they won't go ANYWHERE in my home. I would love to crochet a granny, but I want to do it in those happy colors, but I know it won't match anything I own. That's a LOT of work to not be able to match anywhere!

MariQuilts said...

Oh dear, I feel like a fish out of water reading all the comments....my quilts and my house are pretty connected, colour everywhere, but not in my wardrobe...I don't want to look like a quilt...so I'm pretty neutral there.

Connie said...

Oh me to, can't use those color but i do like them and love your pillows and the color in them. HAPPY SEWING!

Stephanie said...

I have the same issue here. I love to buy lots of bright colors & bold prints. The little bit of decor we have in our home is mostly simple/plain and anything but bold.

Ann Marie @ 16 Muddy Feet said...

You don't need new furniture, you just need bright colored quilts to go on the backs of them and hung on the walls, and it will all blend together.

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

I just stumbled over here from I don't know where and I am sure glad I did!!!!!
I've spent HOURS wandering around and having some serious eye candy.
Thanks so much.
I can tell I'm going to be digging out my sewing machine and learning a lot from your tutorials!
Thanks so much!

Kari V. said...

Just do your thing and if that's living in a earthy colored house and making bright modern quilts, so be it. If you really love bright colors, don't be afraid to add more color to the rest of your house.

V and Co. said...

craigs list and ikea. that is all. :)

Anna said...

Crazy thought but I am just going off the colour of your sofa and assuming the rest of the room has neutral colours. Make or redo your sofa pillows by making one side the "3 Sister" colours and the other side is the orange/blues. Do the same with your blanket. When you want to make your room bright and colourful, flip the pillows showing orange. When you want more mellow and warmth, flip the blanket and pillows to the other side with the reds and browns. When you redo the pillows and blanket, make sure the edges have a wide margin of neutral colour (beige/white) so the colours you want to hide, won't be shown as easily. This method still required you to buy more fabrics but I am sure I don't have to twist you arm for that. 8) Hope this helps

ecuakim said...

I have this problem too. The thing is, I love my home decor and I love bright cheery fabrics and never shall the twain meet. So. I carved out a little space to be my "studio" in my house. I actually just rearranged my furniture in my bedroom, which gave me about 10 feet of wall space. I put a little bright aqua sewing desk there (painted myself) and I framed some of my favorite bright fabrics on the wall above it, along with a matching aqua shelf that holds folded fabrics and ribbons. I love it. Every time I pass my little happy, creative space I smile. And then I sit down and sew to my heart's content!

saralynn said...

well with the grey the bright colors would work it would look pretty nice i think

and best not to contemplate that idea =P

Annalia said...

Your couch seems pretty neutral. Personally, I think those bright colors could be right at home on it.

I was looking at my house last year, thinking about how I was OVER my neutral furniture and and sedate colors. After letting everything ruminate for a bit, I found some nice compromises sort of bridged the gap between what I liked 6 years ago and what I like today.

Miss Hillbilly said...

I quilt all bright and bold. Our home really isn't decorated much but if it were my husband would want darker colors. I tend to wear earth tones all of the time.

Unknown said...

I'm so glad you're the same as me - I buy loads of fun fabric with bright colours, I make scrappy quilts, I am a bit obsessed with buying orange fabric. My house is more suited to French General or stuff like that. In my head I'm making quilts for the imaginary house I'll have one day - it's an abandoned shoe factory, big lofty space. When the owners left (they went bust, were chased out by men in suits) the old shoe lasts were left, and the cutting tables and the big cabinets that held stuff in. It's so big the kids ride bikes round the main living space. It's lovely - full of bright, scrappy quilts. Now I just need to win the lottery and I can go buy that warehouse.....come over when I move in, you'd like it. ;)

Kathy said...

You are exactly like me. My house is, well, pretty boring as far as decorations and color goes. But I love, love, love, to sew with bright colors. Wild colors, fun colors, anything exciting. In my next home (wish, wish) I will decorate with bright fun colors and leave the neutrals behind!

Kathryn Laughton said...

Yes, I have to also admit that my eyes gravitate to "girly" fabrics, cute contemporary motifs like Aneela Hoey's Sherbet Pips, bright botanicals and sweet lollipop themes. My house is minimalist black, white, grey and red. Hmmmm....

tarabu said...

Of course, if your home were full of orange and aqua and pink you'd probably by three-sisters for your stash - I think you've just revealed your own personal ying-yang of textiles. For me, it's clothing - my quilts scream in yellow and pink and sea green, but I'm hard pressed to find a blouse or sweater in my closet that's not brown, black or greay - I think the farthest I've gotten is a black blouse with aqua trim!

(P.S. - my verification word today is 'logic' - I wonder if that's a suggestion or reassurance?)

Craft Geek said...

I do the same. Bright crazy colors, baltics especially, are what I love to work with, but house is very calm in color, and my clothes are mostly black.

The bright colors just make me feel happy and remind me of warmer times, it being winter right now. Its a dose of spring and summer that you wrap up in.

Unknown said...

i cant same the same i use all colours in my home that reflect me i think and the same in my sewing projects. I think mabe its about having the confidence because what you do in the home you have to live with but sewing projects you tend to sell them, but i also think mabe the brighter fabrics you use are to do with the inner you, your little bold side ;-)) I may have just written a whole load of rubbish and you may think what is she talking about ;-)) Enjoy your weekend, dee x

Connie Kresin Campbell said...

I seem to do the same thing! I'm really into all the bright fabrics and my home is all neutrals. I just bought a new off-white comforter set so I can use my fabrics for fun things in the bedroom. Have fun quilting and I love your pillows.

Vivian said...

There is no disconnect. Back in 2008 Annie Smith of the "Quilting Stash" Podcast interviewed Renae Haddadin (an award winning long-armer) and Renae said:

"When I first started (quilting), I wanted the color of my quilts to match my house because...I want a pretty quilt on my couch....now it's even gotten to the point that I don't care so much about the finished quilt as much as I care about the process itself....it doesn't have to match my house, it doesn't have to match anything, I just want it to be exciting at the time I'm putting it together".

And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that!

Liz Jimenez said...

I have the same problem! I would much rather the rest of my decor catch up to my quilts than the other way around. Maybe in our next house... :-)

Ms. De said...

Haha! I had to laugh when I read this because I had just said the same thing to my mom last night!! My house has color, just more muted and yet, I keep buying the brights!! Like one of the comments said, I just love being my sewing room with my bright colors ~ it makes me very happy :)

Anina said...

Your couch looks pretty neutral to me. Won't pillows made from stash fabrics look just great on it?

LuAnn said...

I have the same problem. I think maybe a lot of us are afraid of color in decorating our homes. Those pieces of upholstered furniture are hard to disguise....whereas we can just fold up a bright quilt and stuff it away in a tote bag, and it's out of sight.

Lucy said...

Lots of younger gals have decorated their homes with the fun colors and it makes me want to redo the entire house. I sit and stair at my beautiful furniture thinking I should just invest in some white or cream slip covers. But then I'd need new area rugs. They are pretty dark too.

It never ends...Maybe someday :-)

Roxanne said...

I've noticed this about myself too. For me it extends beyond fabric...I had been keeping all the things I really loved in my craft room instead of spreading them around my house. I'm trying to slowly change this so that my whole house reflects the things I love - which makes me love my home even more I think! One thing I did was to put big jars of vintage wooden spools in my family room instead of just decorating my craft room with them.

Shirley Pando said...

I say, just whip up a few colorful pillows with your stash and call it a day!! :D

Annie said...

I think lots of us have the same dilemma - this website might help solve both your problems at once lol!


http://www.squintlimited.com/furniture/bespoke/upholstery/chairs/22/

I love their stuff - if only I was a millionaire!

PatSloan said...

I put what I make up, no matter the style.. on my 'coffee color' or 'pumpkin color' walls... it works!

Kelli said...

I thought I was one of the only ones with this problem. When I bought my furniture 6 yrs ago I picked out a colorful and PLAID couch and loveseat. I still LOVE the design but it makes it impossible to match with the fabrics I like. Maybe a slipcover would solve me from the different fabric/new furniture dilemna...

michelle said...

That same problem is why I rarely keep any of my quilts! I look at it as being able to indulge my sense of color exploration without being inhibited by an enviornment that relaxes me. I could never live comfortably in bright primary colors, but that doesn't mean I don't love them!

Quiltgal said...

Exactly the same problem here. I finish a quilt and then say, Who will I give it to because it does not fit with my decor.

Live a Colorful Life said...

And this is why I have decided to go with a more neutral scheme. Because I have fabric ADD. I love it all, I jump from one to the other. So I'm seriously contemplating recovering two chairs. Okay. Let's be honest here. I'm not contemplating at all. It's a "given" in my mind. It's my husband who is still mulling the idea over. and over.

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Milica said...

When I am in the store the bright colors draw me in like the bad-boy at the high school dance. The "appropriate" fabrics just look so "boring" and I skip over their more subtle loveliness to fall for the bright and flashy. (ah, how life repeats itself...)
I like my more subdued decor. It works for my family so I am not planning to change it. I am planning on adding some pops of color, and I have kids and nieces and nephews who can benefit from my more colorful dalliances, so all is not lost. I now am trying to shop with a plan (and online- it's less tempting for me)so everyone can be happy!

Chris {frecklemama} said...

I have a Glace quilt top finished and love that line. But lately I've been taking a cue from you, Red Pepper Quilts, Elizabeth Hartman and Ashley @FilmInTheFridge and trying to get more crazy with color. I grew up a navy and white girl. Plain jane. I'm trying to play with oranges and lime, pink and yellow now. It's fun! But I still wouldn't want my house that crazy LOL.

Carolyn said...

I love Bay Window! :)

Garilyn S said...

I have a tendency to build my stash with colors that are not necessarily around the house. That is mostly because of my hubby. He doesn't like all the bright colors that I tend to pick!!

Michelle said...

When we were shopping for our new couches, my husband had definite plans for the shape and color. My only priority was that they were comfy to knit in and neutral enough to display a variety of quilts on.

wishes, true and kind said...

I am so glad I'm not the only one who feels this way! I'd love to add some throw pillows and mini quilts to freshen up the look of my home, but although I have lots of ideas for said pillows/quilts -- most just would not look good in my house. It's perplexing!

Terriaw said...

You know what, I have this same problem. Our house is decorated with a lot of neutrals and nature photographs, yet all my fabrics are bright and cheerful and colorful and kinda crazy. I am happu to keep both just the way they are!

The Calico Cat said...

Am I the only one who thinks that quilts go with everthing? You couch is neutral. You could easily throw an orange/aqua pillow there & it would look just as nice. IMHO.

Seriously, it is not as if you have a red couch!

Also when decorating with quilts, more is more. The orange/aqua is not so out of place when there is also a Batik beauty, simply solids, quaint 30's, Japanese Taupes, etc. all hanging out together... (I have a quilt ladder to hang them all & I have an antique sewing machine in a table on which I stack them.)

Anonymous said...

i'm in the EXACT same rocking boat!
a

Kandi Corp. said...

I love bright colors as well. Maybe you can use those fabrics in other rooms?
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amy thompson said...

I am the same way. LOVE working with brights when quilting, but my home decor and clothes are fairly neutral. Maybe it's because brights are colors I love but would never dare to wear or use for decorating.

Lori said...

It seems your not the only one. I am with you too. I always go for brights. That is with the exception of a quilt I am making specifically for my bed. And you know I hate the colors in it. Once I get it on my bed I think I may feel better about it. Gosh I hope I feel better about it. Being king size it has been a lot of work.

Becky said...

Thanks for this post, I feel so much better about myself. I have no idea why, but I love the bright colors and fabric that seem to be for children! I'll just embrace it, I mean life is short! I will have grandchildren someday, I'll save up for them.

Tina Craig said...

I used to have the same problem (stash mot matching the decor). About 4 years ago I painted the whole downstairs golden yellow. The kitchen is bright green. All of my bright fabrics look great on the new paint colors!

Katherine said...

Um, I can relate. How funny is that? Like you, I seem to fill my stash with bright fabrics and then decorate in more classic or neutrals. What's up with that anyways? lol

Rustic Barnyard said...

What about a white slipcover for your couch and then you can make any pillow that you want.

Mandee Shaffer said...

I am IN LOVE with those pillows! And I'm going to make some for my own couch now! in my own scheme of course!!!

Anonymous said...

Hah! I have the same problem. How is that to be resolved?

Dawn said...

I have the exact same problem! I just started quilting, and none of the fabrics I like or projects I've made match my decor! :P

Annemieke said...

I must say honestly, I was releaved to read your post. I have the same problem. I didn't talk about it in my posts yet... Isn't it weird to have totally different colours in your house than the fabrics you really like to work with and like to look at, appearently?! I hope you have still time to read a comment because I think I saw I was nr. 93 or so?

Good weekend,
Groetjes
Annemieke

sugarcreekstuff said...

Slipcovers!