I originally planned to make a bargello quilt. I spent hours in the fabric store choosing the perfect fabrics, imagining how the colors would flow together. Once I got home, I carefully cut everything into strips and began sewing them together.
Unfortunately, after I had already sewn several strips, I realized I had made a mistake. I had added an extra strip of fabric and sewn the blue and purple in the wrong order. Rather than seam ripping all of those long seams, I decided to see if I could make it work.
I made some progress, but the process was mentally exhausting. Keeping track of the changes and compensating for the earlier mistakes was hard on my brain. Eventually, I set the quilt aside, where it sat unfinished for several years.
When the original plan did not work
When I finally pulled the quilt back out, I felt determined to finish it. However, even with fresh eyes, the project was still just as challenging. All of the creative liberties I had taken at the beginning made it difficult to follow the original pattern.
After a few more half-hearted attempts, I accepted that this quilt was never going to become the bargello I had envisioned. Instead of forcing it, I decided it was time to try something new.
Repurposing Quilt Fabric instead of Starting Over
I knew one thing for sure: I loved the fabrics. I had spent too much time choosing them to let them go unused. Since everything was already sewn into strips, I decided that repurposing the quilt fabric was the best option.
That’s when I settled on my own version of the Three Dudes Quilt. Working with the existing strips allowed me to use what I already had while still creating something entirely different.
Creating the Blocks
I made several different color combinations using the strip sets. For each block, I laid one strip horizontally and one vertically, sewed around all four sides, and then cut along both diagonals.
Once the blocks were cut and pressed open, the design really came to life. I decided to sew the blocks into rectangles rather than squares, which gave me more flexibility when arranging the layout.
Finding the Right Layout
I experimented with several different layouts before choosing a final arrangement. In the end, I gravitated toward the one that reminded me of mountains. The movement of the colors felt natural and balanced, even though it came from a project that started with mistakes.
The Finished Quilt
To finish the quilt, I quilted it with a design that made me think of clouds and wind. This soft, flowing texture complemented the strong geometric shapes in the blocks. And this time, I remembered to add a label.
Lessons Learned from Repurposing a Quilt
I think this was a great way to repurpose fabric that was cut for a different quilt.
This project reminded me that mistakes don’t mean failure. Sometimes they simply lead you in a different direction. Repurposing quilt fabric allowed me to turn an unfinished and frustrating project into a quilt I truly enjoy.
In the end, this felt like a great way to honor the original fabric choices while letting go of a plan that no longer worked.