"Ugly Fabric" Challenge

They say that if a fabric is still 'ugly', you just haven't cut it small enough!!!

Several years ago, I bought a bolt of the most butt ugly fabric with a pink background and a giant floral print in it (for like $2 a yard). Our Bee was game to make projects using this ugly fabric. While I don't have any photos, I can explain a little of what went on.

Most of us in the Thursday Night Bee (Cypress TX) made generic quilts using the 'ugly' fabric. However, Mariet one upped us all by creating a regular pieced quilt, then "fussy cut" and appliqued those darn "Ugly Flowers" over the the generic looking quilt! What a winner!!! Wish I had a picture of that one!

What Is An UGLY Fabric?

Ugly fabric can be anything from fabrics that you (mistakenly) purchased in the 80's -- oooh- remember all those Country Blue, Mauve, and Champayne colors? Weren't those colors awesome? (I tried to get Hubster to make our bathroom appliances those colors in the early 90's. He vetoed (thank God).

We had HORRIBLE taste in the 80' and 90's with colors. What were we thinking?

An ugly fabric can be anything that is just horrid in colors or prints that are just awful in the current times.

"In The Bag" Challenge

This is similar to the Ugly Fabric challenge, but instead there is a variety of fabrics in a brown paper bag. You select a bag and have to work with those fabrics. Sometimes you can add additional fabrics, or there might be stipulation that the 'ugly' fabrics need to be recognisable in the quilt.

Do You Have Ugly Fabrics?

If you are a quilter, you undoubtedly have a lot of fabrics. If you've been quilting for decades, your taste in fabrics probably changed over the years, and you probably have some fabrics you now regret.

Maybe your stash exceeds your storage space, and you've promised yourself you won't buy more fabric until you've quilted up some of what you already have, but you just can't get excited about using drab material. Now that you've seen what's possible with that undesirable fabric, take some of those uglies, admit that they are gross, and turn them into something beautiful!

Be Creative!

You know that there are so many needs in your area. Make quilts, try to be creative with what you have. Older folks in nursing homes are gonna LOVE those florals or fabrics from a couple of decades ago. You might be tired of them, but they are gonna love what you took the time to complete.

"Mixing those lovely fabrics in a traditional scrap quilt pattern will transform those ugly ducklings into glamorous swans!"

So, our guild (QGOTV) is presenting another challenge project for a display at the Daytona Fl 2024 Spring quilt show. The challenge is to create a quilt with a specified size using provided 8 fat quarters. The theme is "Sunshine and Lollipops".

Just a few rules, size, not cutting the fabric too small to be recognised, and a due date.

What would YOU suggest for an interesting quilt?

"When life gives you leftovers (or really ugly fabric), make something beautiful happen."

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