A couple of years ago I bought this fabric because I really liked it:
Since it was pre-printed fat quarters (FQs), I planned to use it in a pattern designed for FQs. I added a couple of fabrics that I thought went well with it. Until I saw it sewn together:
I didn’t like the quilt top once I got it made, so I took out every single seam and set the pieces aside to think about.
I took out the fabrics I had added, thinking perhaps they were the problem. That helped a little. However, I decided the dots needed some solid mixed with them. I took them on a shopping trip with friends and we selected a nice red-orange to mix with them. Then I re-made the quilt including some of the red-orange.
I still didn’t like it. And call me lazy if you like, but I was not going to take those pieces apart again! So, with a what-the-heck attitude, I cut the new top up into circles (big dots!) using my dinner and salad plates as templates.
I pinned various potential backgrounds on the design wall and tried them out.
I think some variation of this is going to be the final design. Maybe not the greatest ever, but nobody died, so I’m moving on!
Zippy Quilts 
Oh my goodness – someone gave me yardage of a similar type of fabric last year (I think because they could not figure out what to do with it and bought it on impulse) and I was not sure what to do with it but these are great ideas!
Ha! And a few things to avoid!
I love your creative process! This new quilt is going to be amazing.
Thanks!
Love your solution! I may try that with some of my languishing spare parts.
Yes, this is not the only problem solved by cutting it up!
Creative juices and perseverance—good combination! 😊
Thanks!
thank you for sharing your evolving design steps.
Thanks for visiting and commenting 🙂
Watching the creative ‘problem solving’ process here was inspiring. The actual ‘solution’ makes sense – birthed as circles/ending as circles. Pulls it all together and all within the context of a contemporary ‘floating’ background. Hmmm, wonder what your quilting stitch pattern will be?
I’m wondering how it will be quilted, too!
Great save! I like it! Can’t wait to see how it continues.
Thank you!
Ten out of ten for your tenacity and ingenuity. I like the dotty circles. Have you thought about putting them on a black background so that the circles “pop” forward?
I love black backgrounds so will try that. Thanks!
Loved this. I’ve done a similar thing when I made up a little swap quilt in deep jewel tones and then found out she hated deep jewel tones. So I cut it into a daisy shape, machine appliqued it down onto white and went with it. This will be a fun adventure!