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Monday, September 15, 2014

Pretty Potent Crosses

Over the summer, when I made Vintage Closet for my mom, I fell head over heels in love with the Anna Maria Horner Dowry collection.  About that same time, I got a little bit AMH-impulsive and I found a bundle of her Pretty Potent line on sale.  I was so excited when I ordered it, but when it came in, I just didn't love it.


I like the colors overall (although I wish there wasn't quite as much brown), but whereas I loved almost every single print in the Dowry line, there are several fabrics in this one that I could really do without.  There were even a few that I couldn't even bear to put in this quilt (someone will love them in my guild's next FQ swap).  I still think that AMH designs some of the most gorgeous fabrics around, but I'm just not in love with this collection.

That being said, I find AMH fabrics a little difficult to blend with others because of their boldness, so instead of breaking up the fat quarters and letting them sit for eons in my stash, I decided to just suck it up and turn that bundle into a quilt.  I think the modern cross pattern fits the feel of the prints pretty well, and I definitely like the fabrics as a whole collection much better than the individual parts.

All in all, this quilt is still not one of my favorite creations, but it does feel good to get that bundle off the shelf.  And it just might grow on me.


17 comments:

  1. Ooh, I love! It actually took me a while to love Pretty Potent and now it's one of my favorite collections of hers (I didn't fall in love until I saw it in person). That being said, I think they look amazing all together (like in your quilt!!) but also balanced out with neutrals and solids. :)

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  2. Great job using up your stash! That in itself is an inspiration! The pattern you chose fits the fabric perfectly...great job!

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  3. I wasn't excited by that collection either and I am afraid it's not growing on me although I bought a couple prints (the ones that I liked). Still, I kind of like your quilt in a weird way...

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  4. Lovely quilt, although not all the prints are what I would choose they do work extremely well together and the overall effect is very good quilty hugs

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  5. I think your quilt is beautiful. I feel the same way you do about AMH designs - they can be difficult to use. They are very strong, statement making collections. I do, though, find some other fabric collections so generic that those are rather a problem too. I don't really want my quilts to be ordinary. I love your quilts you have such a sense for color and pattern and design. Thank you for admitting you didn't love something - it happens!

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  6. Thanks for your honesty about not loving a popular fabric line. I find that most blogs just rave over some of the popular lines but all new lines are really that great. I feel that way about Cotton & Steel's new line(s). There was so much hype surrounding it. Some of the fabrics I would use but many I wouldn't. I do love the scrappy design of your quilt and I think it will grow on you in the end. Thanks for sharing and keeping it real!

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    1. should have said all new lines AREN'T really that great. oops!

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  7. oh I love it! I didn't love this collection at first either, but every time I see a new quilt top made from it I love it even more! I really should order some before it runs out!

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  8. So funny you say that. I saw this collection online and thought those drenched colors were great. Esp the medallion pieces. Then I saw them in person and they didn't really do anything for me but sort of frustrate me. I liked the medallions still but they were so different they didn't go with anything else. The other pieces in the collection didn't even look like they belonged together either. I think you did a great job by biting the bullet and putting them together. The overall effect is just great.

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  9. I have these fabrics from a recent online purchase, and when they came I thought, "Oh my goodness, what am I going to do with these?" My thought is to break them up into smaller pieces. Time will tell. But I agree - there are some that definitely won't go into my quilt. You did well with yours, and like the skewed crosses - compliments the fabrics well!

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  10. Thanks for your honest blog post. I find my designer fabrics lovely like AMH and Tula Pink, but I just would not know what to do with all the bold designs. I love your skewed crosses design. I would have to say the coneflower prints are my favorite of this line and maybe the only ones I would use in a project as they remind me of our prairie flowers around our farm.

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  11. I know exactly what you mean. I felt the same way about my bundle of AMH Dowry. The colors are beyond gorgeous but some of the prints were eh at best. It worked out that the pieces of my Texas quilt were so small that I could chop up the prints, but maintain the gorgeous colors :)

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  12. I don't think I love this collection either. I fell in love with AMH back during Chocolate Lollipop and I really liked drawing room. But your quilt looks great and I bet someone will love this quilt!

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  13. you always do an amazing job of putting bold colors together!

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  14. It looks great! I heard lots of confusion when this line first came out and how to put it together. I think you did well :)

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  15. I totally agree with everything you said about the AMH fabrics. That said, I think you did a fantastic job on this quilt. And the browns didn't even stand out to me until you mentioned them (and then, of course I had to look! ;) Really great job!

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  16. Beautiful quilt and the way you put the colors/fabrics together is amazing!!

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