Whats bugging Debbie?

Plain and simple....Debbie is bugging Debbie.  Tell me that I am not alone out there.  Am I an anomaly or an alien, or do you all get in your own way also?

This week I have been very busy doing customer quilts which is a good thing always.  I have even taken out a couple of comfort quilts and put them on next weeks schedule.

I will let you in on a little secret.  I am having the hardest time getting over myself.  

I have had several large pieces of fabric donated, the person donating them specifically told me that they thought I could use it for backing material....and when I pull it out to use it...it just isn't big enough, or it doesn't really match the top.... or any of the other things that we look for in our personal quilts.

Remembering that these quilts are meant for comfort, and not for heirlooms is one of my biggest stumbling blocks, fabric management is another.  Now if I could just get over myself, I could kill two birds with one stone.  I am working on it....but it is really hard for me.

Here is a couple of things I have done.

These are two of the backings on the scrappy log cabin quilts.  On the top I almost had enough fabric but not quite.  So I added the solid green to the center of the quilt.  I could live with it.

I have a much harder time with the second backing.  I didn't get it centered and there are three fabric's in there.  It probably would have been better with the small left hand fabric in the center.... but then I stressed about contrast.  Oh my mind can be an evil place sometimes!

Then there are the times when I have enough of one material for the backing....but it isn't a really good match with the top.  Yes I am a matchy matchy girl at heart, or if I am doing scrap piecing I like plain muslin on the back.

Here are a couple of examples of what I am talking about:

 Here is a wonderful sampler made out of civil war fabric.

 I did not have any civil war backing, or plain muslin to use as the backing.  Kicking and screaming I forced myself to use this paisley print as the backing.  I actually told myself that the backing had mauve in it and so did the front....so it would be okay.

I did purchase the cream binding to try to pull the front and back together.  

Here is another one.

  

 Diane made this wonderful stack n wack.  I would have loved to put a solid blue as the backing and binding....but I didn't have a piece large enough in the closet.  SOOOOOOO

 I convinced myself that this would work.....because it had a blue (wrong shade...but it was blue) and the top had flower prints that were wacked..... so I kind of followed Diane's thought process.  Alright I know I am being anal!   I told you this was hard for me.  LOL

Jackie was able to convince me that the solid green binding would work on the top and the backing, and help pull the finished project together.  I had the fabric in my closet... and bless her heart if she didn't just help me feel better that day.  If she said it just to make me feel better....its okay with me.

So these are a few of the things that are bugging me.  

Oh right now I am working with donation tops, that came with sheets for backing.  I have never used sheets before, it actually worked okay as long as I have a new needle in the machine.  But I think hand binding them will be difficult, the thread count is very high.... but we'll see.

More of what Debbie does to drive herself crazy in the next post.

Stay cool everyone.