Friday, May 22, 2020

Hunting for the Hunter (Green)

Here is a picture of my stash yardage - most of it at least.
Can you find Hunter Green?

My Stash


No. Cause we don't get along.

I love the grassy greens of the fresh cut grass.
I love the fluorescent greens that sparkle.
I even love the jewel tones of the emerald green.
Bring me your Jade, Pea-Soup, Parrot, Peridot, Avocado, Lime and Apple greens.

May Blocks - Project#2 for RSC 2020

But I draw the line at Hunter Green and Forest Green.  They are dark and depressing.
They are the colors of dangerous shadows lurking along the wooded path.
They are the colors of rotten spinach, sticky and stinky.

Paul: Hey you cannot just get rid of a color.
Me: No, I cannot. Clearly.
Paul: I am sure some people love dark green.
Me: I do too - in very small quantities.
Paul: Like how?
Me: Like this picture - just a wee bit in between the bright blooms.


The right amount of Hunter/Forest Green


Paul: So what are you complaining about?
Me: I am complaining about a whole month dedicated to Yucky/Mucky Green.
Paul: Looks like you completed the assignment.
Me: Of course, I did. I cannot whine about something I did not do.

At this point, Paul rolled his eyes very loudly and walked away.





When I was working on Mixed Feelings, I needed these greens - Hunter, Forest, and Pine.
Mari sent me a bulging envelope of dark green scraps so that I could complete the project.  I acquired a few darker greens when I was making the Bush Fire Blocks, to ensure the trees had the entire spectrum of values.




Thanks to Mari's scraps, leftovers from Bush Fire Blocks, freebies from the Guild Potluck Event (that may never happen again), and some fabrics that were part of FQ bundles, I had enough to address this month's RSC challenge.




And yet, I could not bring myself to look at these dark and depressing fabrics. So I resorted to the Oreo Cookie.  Oreo Cookie Approach to unpleasant issues, that is.  When you dislike something, sandwich it between two pleasant things.





To lessen the burden of dark greens, I played with my joyful (happy and bright) scrap vortex blocks before and after, like leaders and enders.  That pig is so cute.

Scrap Vortex Blocks :-)

And here are my completed blocks for May - RSC 2020.  Sharing with Angela's Linky Party.

Found the Hunter

Swirling UFOs

A little Sparkle to brighten the Dark Green

Palms and Wood Grains


In these dark times, do find something that brings you calm and joy - be it your favorite podcast, a few minutes of meditation, or a nature-walk.  Spring is in full-bloom and it is such a salve on frayed nerves. Just like I saw this month's RSC assignment through, we will get past these trying times.


While I was thinking about Mari, she was thinking about me.  This arrived in the mail last night.
My very large cup of scraps runneth over :-)

Thank you Mari :-)


I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar. As usual, your comments are a salve to my hurting-for-a-hug-physically-isolated soul.

51 comments:

  1. Hugs being sent your way. We all need them these days!

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  2. Good solution to the dark greens. The RSC blocks are lovely. When RSC was the lighter/brighter greens earlier this year, I sewed all the greens. This month I went with fushia (I don't know how to spell this and spell check isn't helping!) pinks. Happy stitching!

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  3. well you got more of the green out of your stash so that is good! they will mix in with the quilts you are making and someone will love them for sure! - hug sent your way!!

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  4. Hugs to you. Look on the bright side you are done with those greens for the year. No need to look at them again.

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  5. Good for you persisting with the ugly color. Me? I would have gone off! and used whatever dang color I liked. But I'm a rebel like that. 😋 The blocks look great and I'm sure will add interest in their final projects...as if your quilts are ever boring...

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  6. (Oh lord, autocorrect got me. I would not have gone "off!" That was "pfft!" before the computer bested me.)

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  7. I would say you are very successful in your attempts for hunter green usage LOL. I LOVE the oreo cookie approach! Great idea. I often do that too, but hadn't heard it actually named!! Love your blocks! I'm working on UFO's and enjoying the warmer weather we have here finally! Two weeks ago we had snow and then a week and a half of rain and cold but yesterday I got a sunburn sitting outside soaking up some sun! Perks you right up!

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  8. Honestly, I've never really liked dark greens either; it depends on their shade or value. I don't have many in my stash, I don't think. Certainly not yardage. Seeing this post reminds me that I need to get that little quilt done that I made using your block! I've been busy being distracted. I hope you find something fun to distract you from the yucky/mucky this weekend!

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  9. I'm one who likes some dark greens, and I think you've found a lovely way to showcase them!

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  10. I am partial to green. All shades! My mamma used to say you needed to valleys to appreciate the mountains! She was talking about emotions...but maybe we need the darks to “relish” the lighter brighter greens! Relish, that’s a color of green that I hadn’t thought of. LOL

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  11. Many RSC participants have reported that the dark/sage green is difficult for them this month. I like all green but too much dark, bottle green can be gloomy. Your scrap vortex is lively!

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  12. I agree with the dark green yucky-mucky analogy - I had to find a way around it for myself, too (I went with sage for my one Mischief Maker block but I am not at all motivated to work on the dullish thing). Like Gretchen above, I used all my favorite greens earlier in the year. So I added salmon as the second block's color this month.

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  13. It's funny, your stash has plenty of dark colors. What is it about that green that is so depressing? Hunter green reminds me of the 80s. I also had hunter green and burgundy home decor. It's so sad now to look back at those pictures. What were we thinking? Love the flowers picture. That is truly the right amount of hunter green! Enjoy those scraps! :)

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  14. Although I like dark green, I don't have enough in my stash too. A few solids, but not enough prints or tone on tones. Those blocks look great!

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  15. Hmmm, this post makes me think. I may also be avoiding the darkest greens. What it really makes me think about is the closet where I keep my stash. will you please come make it look like yours does? Oh my goodness, so pretty, organized and neatly folded. What size fabric do you fold like that? My hard part is when I cut into a fat quarter - does the remainder go in the scrap bins??? HELP!

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  16. Oh Preeti I always love readying your funny posts! I have used gobs of hunter green in home decor projects over the years as that was very popular for several years. I still have some in a tub, they might work great for backings someday;) or in donation quilts.

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  17. Great, you did these blocks (gorgeous by the way), now you can move on bright colors ;)) Love the little pig too, and the whale!
    See you Sunday?

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  18. Preeti, I feel the very same way about dark green. I was quite disappointed to read that this grotesque color was the RSC choice for May. Don't we have enough to be depressed about? My stash coughed up enough scraps to complete the challenge, but my blocks are not pretty and I am not happy with them. I have yet to blog about it, but I need to come to grips and get it done. Your solution to "Oreo" them is perfect. Fingers crossed for June's color to be more cheerful!

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  19. Dark green is not in my house, so I can't do anything for RSC this month. Your scrap vortex is great, and I noticed the pig once that I looked at it. Hugs to you from Norway.

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  20. Rolled his eyes loudly.. I Must meet this man - haha!!
    Your forest and dark drab greens look beautiful in their settings!!

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  21. I love what you did to brighten up those mucky greens, Preeti! Those blocks are going to make a beautiful quilt.

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  22. I just didn't do it this month--I could not face that mushy, spinach-ey color..too too depressing...you did really well to stick with it...
    mea culpa mea culpa ..;000
    ~ ~ ~ waving from afar Julierose

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  23. Wow - your fabric is folded and sorted so nicely! I love how you fussy cut a lot of the centers of your blocks. Great job!

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  24. That's QUITE the adventure for making a few Dark GREEN blocks, Preeti!!

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  25. I loved your post about the dark green... I have avoided making my blocks so far this month. Can you share the instructions for your block. I am intrigued. Thank you for saying out loud what a lot of us must have been thinking?

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    1. Here is the tutorial - Enjoy :-) https://sewpreetiquilts.blogspot.com/2020/04/picket-star-quilt-block.html

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  26. As much as I love green, darker ones are not my favorite either but I do love how you've used them in your blocks. Have a relaxing weekend.

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  27. Younhave done really well with the green in the blocks, I had a good giggle over your conversation with your hubby. All your blocks are fantastic and I love that little happy pig. Nice scraps from Mari. Enjoy your weekend.

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  28. Dark greens are really not my favourite either, but oh I do love your oreo approach. What a fab way to make them shine.

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  29. I love your blocks! The low volume strips really elevate those dark greens. When the RSC deals with greens over two months, I just divide up the spectrum into lights to medium for the “light” month and medium to darks for the “dark” month. Lots of my darks are bright and saturated, so they also neutralize the depressing moldy colors. Like Mari, I decorated with maroon and hunter back in the late eighties to mid-nineties. But it was limited to the formal living room and dining room (in a turret) of a large home with lots of windows (good natural light) and antique furniture. There was also a lot of texture and contrast using gold accents, light laces hardwood floors. It was beautiful, but it dated itself rather quickly.

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  30. One of my husband's favorite comments is to tell people that he can hear my eyes roll, so I guess Paul and I might get along famously. I have abandoned RSC this year, but had I done anything I would probably have done all greens in one month, I'm not sure why Angela always divides the blues and greens into light and dark months. Not having contrast doesn't work for many blocks. Anyway your solution was inspired and I like how your oreo blocks are looking.
    Pat

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  31. I like how your stash looks, mine doesn't resemble it even a tiny bit. I love all greens, bright dark doesn't matter as long as it's green. I like your blocks!

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  32. Well, I can't physically hug you - but one big squishy virtual hug coming right up xo

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  33. I'm unhappy about the dark mucky green also. But your blocks are just beautiful, especially my favorite Picket Stars - they draw me in every time. I do love that sparkly leaf-ish green in your next-to-last Picket Star. I did complete my "assignment" this month, just haven't composed a post yet. Sending you a BIG hug.

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  34. I love your Oreo approach, and I must remember that from now on! And I love this post - sounds as if you're talking to each of us - thanks. And yes, that little pig was the first thing I saw in that quilt photo. Fun, fun! Oh - say 'howdy' to Paul. He deserve some cyber loves, too.

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  35. I could have sent you dark, mucky green scraps, you know -- I had all kinds of greens for my Jingle quilt. Most of them are more of the emerald variety, and some are enlivened with a sprinkling of gold metallic. And now, thanks to you, just when I've managed to clear all thoughts of Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Therapy ice cream from my mind, I find my hippocampus lighting up like the 4th of July with the sight, smell, taste, and texture of a crunchy Oreo with creamy frosting dissolving on my tongue. I might as well burn all of my non-stretchy pants right now because NO WAY they will fit me when it's safe to venture out in public again anyway!

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  36. Well, now you’ve got me thinking, Preeti. You see, I love, love, love hunter green. (I had a big hissy fit when the palette in the fabric industry turned more toward yellow greens, but I’ve made peace with that.) But dark green makes me think of a walk or bike ride in the cool pine-scented forest and all things nature. You might not be comfortable in my house. Every inch of carpet is dark green, as well as my front door (and our previous Escape which I had a hard time parting with). We chose the color in reaction to all the off-white carpet in the new houses we toured. We are not light carpet people. But I digress. So, here’s the thing—that you sort of touched on. I see it as a neutral base for all other colors (like in your flower picture). Anyway, I can see why you think your hunter blocks are depressing, but think of them paired with all the other colors of the rainbow. They go with everything!! And don’t they look adorable with all your colorful low volumes? Okay, I’ll stop now. And someday you can carry on with me about the merits of pink! :) Have a lovely (safe) weekend!

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  37. The Oreo cookie approach!!! What a brilliant way to deal with and and a great way to conquer your dark greens. They aren't my favorite but do have a purpose and are often hard to find when you need them. I think you did a fine job using it for a month, and now on to brighter things. I do feel like some of the darkness has lifted, but I miss people but I know it is right to limit seeing others. I pray for a quicker resolution than is expected right now.

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  38. Your blocks look great. I think we all have a colour or two that we don't love. Have a great week.

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  39. I am with you, dark green is yucky. It seems dated to me from when Hunter green, navy and maroon were popular. I just went with a happier green.

    Your blocks are lovely. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!

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  40. I think you came up with a great way to use the greens. They have worked well.

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  41. You rose to the challenge beautifully.

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  42. Dark greens can look depressing but your flower photo shows they can also add the right amount of depth. I love the creative ways you found enough for your project. Especially fun is receiving scraps from friends - a loving hug in these isolating times.

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  43. Hi Preeti! I, too, am a lover of Hunter and/or Forest green. I so glad you were able to power through and get your blocks finished for the month. Now you can move on to your happier colors. I really LOVE that fabric with the wood grains on it! Very fetching to me. Mari's care packages hold some really fun scraps for you. Those penguins! And the construction vehicles! So cute. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  44. I LOVE the Oreo Cookie Approach! I'm going to use that to include some of my (many) least favorite fabrics in quilts going forward. Those include those same greens. Thanks!

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  45. I agree... I don't even seen dark green at the quilt store. It's like it's not even on my radar at all. Isn't that funny?!?!
    You did well with your blocks this month for not having much dark green.
    Love the oreo cookie approach to life... I definitely bribe myself to do things I don't like/want to do!

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  46. Yep, there are colors I don't like either, but they do need a place in the stash

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  47. Yes green is a tricky one for me too. You have made great blocks though.I always try to keep in mind that there is a lot of green out there in nature, so adding it into my projects should be a given, but it doesn't always seem that easy!

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  48. I agree green is nice when it's bright and vivid, but not so fun when it's dark. Thankfully May is almost over, your RSC blocks are done, and it's almost time for a new color. You made good use of your scraps and made some very pretty blocks. Love the UFO block, too fun!

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  49. You did very well with Mari's help! Think cool lush forests, basil, tree leaves, Christmas!, and so much more. Since doing RSC, I've come to appreciate all colours, just depends on your outlook right? You and Anja taught me to enjoy orange! :-)

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  50. I absolutely LOVE your green monthly challenge quilt!!

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