# I might just give up!



## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

My second and third attemptsat a southwest feel Jacobs Ladder both failed :-( The second one was hidious lol the third was better but not feeling the southwest.I did a crude pic with 4 of my original tropical blocks in paint. I really liked it. I might just consider a tropical sew along if I cant get the southwest down.
Heidi


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

Don't give up, google southwest colors and maybe you will get an idea. I'm kinda having to put in some hard thinking on this one.

I'm making my husband a southwest quilt but I think the colors will be too dark for our swap. They are black, burgundy, deep turquoise, and gold. I think I'm gonna go with just two colors for my jacobs ladder.


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## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

Before. I started I searched colors of the southwest. I held all my fabrics up to the sceen, yup they all worked. Maybe I'm just no ment to do this swap :shrug:
Heidi


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## Melissa (Apr 15, 2002)

Show us the photos, maybe we can help!


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Yeah, what Melissa said.


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## Kris in MI (May 30, 2002)

Don't give up, Heidi! Your colors are lovely, but I look at the picture and think that they are too light overall, you need a darker tone in there. The blue is lovely and so is the tan, I just don't think there is enough contrast between them.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I'm not doing the Jacobs Ladder for that reason. Since it only has two colours to begin with, I just can't wrap my mind around SW colours for it. Hopefully others will be able to help.


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## Patches (Aug 9, 2006)

Heidi, was that tea dyed muslin you had in the block? If you want to make it darker, why not dye it some more with tea or coffee to make it darker. I love the blue you used. Also the dark batik looking orange. Maybe you could just use the tea dyed and the blue, or the tea dyed and the batik. I like just the 2 colors myself. That seems to set the pattern off best. Don't give up yet:yuck:!!!


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## Melissa (Apr 15, 2002)

I like two colors also, makes the pattern pop.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Patches said:


> Heidi, was that tea dyed muslin you had in the block? If you want to make it darker, why not dye it some more with tea or coffee to make it darker. I love the blue you used. Also the dark batik looking orange. Maybe you could just use the tea dyed and the blue, or the tea dyed and the batik. I like just the 2 colors myself. That seems to set the pattern off best. Don't give up yet:yuck:!!!


OK feeling really stupid here, but where are you seeing her pics since she hasn't posted them on this thread? (or not what I could see).


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## Melissa (Apr 15, 2002)

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/country-homemaking/sewing-quilting/470931-opinions.html


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## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

Ok, I've got another idea I'm going to head home and lay out fabric pieces. Cross your fingers this one works!
Heidi


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## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

This is my rough layout of my tropical block. I don't have photoediting programs so I just used paint which is why it is so horrble lol. Wouldn't this be pretty for me to do as a sew along with your southwest colors!








Heidi


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

I think the blue is what's giving it the tropical feel. The tan, yellow and splotchy fabric is the right along the line of what you're going for. Do you have any turquoise, burnt orange, deep purples or burgundy fabric? Go with deeper tones.


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## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

Ok, Some Heidi logic behind my block. I do not feel you can represent the colors of the southwest in 2 colors. So Heidi logic saw each square in the ladder as a window to show color from the southwest. Does that make sense to anyone else? lol :-D
The second pic showes the orange square the best. and the pink is more of a magenta.

This block I think border hideous, lol









This block, i bleh, it is the same marbled purple from the first pic. On my screen the first pic is truer to color.









This one is closer









This one, ok I must've deleted the 4th one. I'll retake and re post lol.
Heidi


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

HorseMom said:


> This block, i bleh, it is the same marbled purple from the first pic. On my screen the first pic is truer to color.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


With this one here, you're on the right track. Replace the white/cream with the tan and the hot pink square with the terra cotta from the one in the pic above this one and see how it looks to you.


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## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

The white/cream in that pic is the same tan fabric from my "topical" block. It just did not photograph right. The camra on my phone is so crappy for taking pics of fabric.
Heidi


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## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

Patches said:


> Heidi, was that tea dyed muslin you had in the block? If you want to make it darker, why not dye it some more with tea or coffee to make it darker. I love the blue you used. Also the dark batik looking orange. Maybe you could just use the tea dyed and the blue, or the tea dyed and the batik. I like just the 2 colors myself. That seems to set the pattern off best. Don't give up yet:yuck:!!!


It is not tea died, it is just a tan tonal.
Heidi


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## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

Ok here is the 4th one. I might like this one the best. I also kinda liked the third one in the other post. I'm still not feeling total southwest :-( I think I'm done.









Heidi


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

I think that one looks pretty good!


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## Kris in MI (May 30, 2002)

You're on the right track, don't quit now!


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I like the 4th and would only change two patches. The two above on the angle from the turquoise. I'd put another yellow next to the purple and somthing less dark next to the turquoise. For this pattern I think you need a brighter intensity color and maybe smaller print so it reads solid. Actually, it looks good as is!


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## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

Ok was inspired by more bad ideas today :hysterical: not impressed with either. My electric blue is just a few shades to light to work for this bloxk I might just stick with option 3 or 4 or do a sew along "tropical." Our January thaw did start today lol.
Heidi


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## kaitala (Mar 24, 2011)

Here's my first mock up for it... I think I need to keep it simple, but I'll be making a bunch of different blocks to try it out. Might mix things up, haven't decided

Oranges from the sunset


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## kaitala (Mar 24, 2011)

More attempts:



















This second one totally loses the "sand" brownish (kinda greenish here????) in greyscale


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## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

Kaitala, I like the second attempt of the 3
Heidi


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