Showing posts with label scrap quilts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scrap quilts. Show all posts

Friday, March 23, 2018

How to Piece a 6 Pointed Star from Scraps



Harlequin 
Six Pointed Star Hexie


My last post 60 Degree Shapes talked about experimenting with these blocks, and many of you said this was something on your own bucket lists. It's opened the door to another world of quilts to make, and I thought you might want to join me.

This is a picture heavy post for those of you who need to know before continuing, but you'll know all my tricks from cutting to problem shooting by the end. Shall we do this?

*This tutorial assumes basic sewing techniques of a intermediate sewist.

Friday, February 9, 2018

Give Me a New Name for Hurricane Stars


 Hurricane Stars a.k.a. Insomnia Block


This top is done. I worked steadily on the sashing and connecting 9 patches Wednesday afternoon, and started back early Thursday a.m. Around 2 p.m. I had sewn on the last corner. Big quilts can take a long time to sew together. This was the first time my design wall had been empty since October, and I was reluctant to put it back up even for pictures. 

Friday, October 20, 2017

Scrappy Quilts, Comforters & Free Pattern


The Scrappy Hurricane Quilt


While hurricane Irma hit the southern U.S., I sewed nine patch blocks from my table scraps. There was so much going on in the scrappy hurricane blocks I felt the quilt needed somewhere calm to rest the eye. I laid this up on the wall during a sewing day here in the studio, but have since rearranged several times. I allow layouts to hang, and switch blocks around over many days until I like the feel of it. If time permits this week, I will make the sashing from 3 strips: white, cerulean blue grunge, and white. I am also considering an outer border, but will be happy to just get the blocks assembled at this point.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Jenna's Most Glorious Scrap Quilt Finish



A Legacy Quilt Finished

The details about this project can be found at Jenna's Most Glorious Scrap Quilt. I must add that it has been an honor to be involved with it through quilting. This quilt is simply beautiful to behold. It glows with every color of the rainbow. But perhaps it's more because of the nearly century-span of fabric that passed from person to person through decades waiting for the hands that stitched love in to it. It's one of those pieces that makes you stop and take it all in. It's one woman's legacy quilt.

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Finding Your Sweet Spot in Quilting Pt. II


Late1930's-1950's Postage Stamp Style
Pieced Bed Cover with Prairie Points

This is an 88" x 90" pieced bed cover, which might be mistaken for an unquilted quilt top. But the finished edge of alternating cheddar and white prairie points says it was complete. A spread like this was probably used to cover bed linens that might not have been as pretty. In days when laundry was time intensive, and done without automatic washers and dryers, this was a good option to keep the bed looking fresh and clean for visitors stopping by.

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Scrappy Trips Around the World: Day 5



Using What You Have


I've been reading every book I can about the history of quilting. Some things are surprising. In recent centuries, even fabric scraps were too precious for some people to come by. Many countries depended on textiles solely as an import, and had few raw materials to produce their own fabric of any kind. That's hard to imagine for most of us, isn't it? But as textiles mills became more plentiful around the world, so did fabric, and those who couldn't afford new fabric did find scraps or salvaged their own used clothing. Not all parts of clothes wore out at the same pace so pieces were cut from them to recycle into something else like a quilt.

Sunday, January 1, 2017

January Goals: Charity Quilts



Happy New Year!

Isn't it heavenly to start with a clean slate? 

Are you ready to do a fabric purge in your studio, 
and put it all to good use?

A whole year of new starts, and fresh eyes toward our future is a gift. We stand on this exact spot, but recognize the opportunity less than we would like to admit. Many times it simply becomes routine with the New-Year's-Resolution-Thing. This time is different. I've taken the entire month of December to dream about what I was seeking in 2018. Nope, that's not a typo. How can you plan the year at hand by not looking further down the pike? Do you ever just get in your car and drive around and around? No. We plan destinations, and we determine the best routes. Energy is in limited supply.

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Second Chance Quilts



 Quilters Are Passionate About Scraps!

There are dozens of ways to say this. You've all spoken from your hearts. 

When I last presented my dilemma with the awful term scrap vomit, and how much I disliked it, I asked for ideas to give these delicious quilts a better name. You all came through. What a list!

Monday, May 16, 2016

Pink Doxies' Scrappy Quilt


I officially have less of a scrap stash than before, but admittedly could make another of these if not 2. Then there's the bin with the more traditional colors, but that's another story. I needed a finish yesterday--not to post, but for inner satisfaction. I needed to hear the purr of my machine, and I needed some time alone. My husband calls my studio, "Your Happy Place." I spent most of the day there feeding strips through my vintage Pfaff, and was perfectly content.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Taming the Scrap Monster



Can you remember the first time you set aside scraps thinking you would never save enough to make an actual quilt? I used to look at those scrappy creations, and nearly swoon. Many quilters admittedly prefer the look of using one single fabric line, but others like me throw abandon to the wind, and think the more the better. 

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Improv Quilt: Gold Rush




Gold Rush


Stripped together from a box of scraps donated by a friend, these outcasts have taken on a new life. Two people said immediately it reminded them of a Gustav Klimt work. I believe this is the piece to which they referred. Stocletfriez



Image: Gustav Klimt, Wikipedia

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Buying Old Quilts and Tops: Part I



Little by little I have come to understand I am not a Modern Quilter--neither by definition nor by taste. I won't list all the discussions in Quilting Blogland on what defines modern quilting, but it's a well explored subject. I am not the first to come to the realization, but these pictures have driven it home for me. 

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Pop Top-Pop Stars Mishmash & Friends



"Pop Stars" for Halloween


Tonight is a full moon, or more specifically a Hunter's Moon, Blood Moon, or Sanguine Moon. Hunters made use of the moon's light to build their food supply before winter. Can I blame that for this strange post? 

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Improv Work On the Design Wall



Not So Serious Sewing

Sunday was peaceful, and I'd finished up several projects the week before. I was after something relaxing, low-key, and just fun. I pulled out this WIP that I started early last spring while attending an Amy Butler & Hilde Dunn retreat. It was an exercise in improvisational piecing, and on my list of 2015 Q3 Finishes on the Windy Side. The initial slab was built by a partner blindly picking out pieces of fabric from a pile, and handing them to me. I had little control over the color scheme to start.

The center was done yet needed a frame, and I pulled this muddy pink out of my solids stash. It's an odd color, but it played well with the mishmash in the middle. Then I pulled strips from my scrap bins to make into the next pieced border. I pieced my scraps without squaring up, and it got interesting and more exciting. 

TIPS & TRICKS-Mitered Corners

I mitred my corners by creating 4 strip-pieced squares for each corner. The borders were 5 1/2" so I made each square 6". I went 1/2" larger than needed, and cut two diagonally with my stripes vertical, and two with my strips horizontal to create 8 HST's. I sewed these into 4 squares, and THEN I sewed these with to my top and bottom borders. Now I was dealing with 4 typical borders that looked like I spent a ridiculous amount of time making them. Easy peasy!

The narrow dark blue border anchored the multicolored piecing, and I looked around for some serious bling fabric to set it all off.


It's shiny, stripey, and I have lots of yardage. It sets off the center like neon lights, and fits the improv them to a T. Although I don't know the content, it presses well, is a higher grade than acetate, and you'll never believe where I found it!


Would you believe this was an old dress in that wonderful vintage stash I showed you? I asked several people when they would estimate the pattern of the dress, and they guessed late 50's-60's. Tightly fitted bodice and 3/4 sleeves, and close to 5.5 yards of fabric in the fully gathered skirt. The integrity of the fabric is solid with no funky smell--things you need to check for using vintage material, so it's going in today. 




I can't help but feel connected to the quilter/sewist that saved this garment for decades knowing it might have another life. I challenge you to add something repurposed, upcycled, reused, or vintage to a project. Hunt your Goodwill, resale stores, and garage sales for treasures. You may be deeply rewarded by the feeling of creating a unique piece while preserving a saver's vision. 

Also, I must admit there is something deeply satisfying to really understanding how the first quilters used the resources they had, and weren't able to run off to their LQS for the 'perfect' fabric. I can't wait to see how this turns out today, but what are your thoughts of working like this?




Linking up with~
The Quilting Room with Mel at Fiber Tuesday 
and last week I was the most clicked 
link with this post: 

Zipper Bags Simplified Tutorial
The Quilting Room with Mel

Podunk Pickin's--A brand new linky!


Freemotion By the River
Quilt Story
Blossom Heart Quilts
Late Night Quilter



Thursday, July 30, 2015

Scrappin' Inspiration, AKA, When Craft Becomes Art



Nothing makes my heart go pitter-patter more than a wonky scrap block. No measuring. No freaking out over straight seams. Pull your scraps, keep on piecing, and square it up under your 12.5" square. Scrapping speaks to me on a gut level, and I have an emotional response. What makes you swoon?

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Upsides and Downfalls of Pre-Cuts


Isn't this just the cutest thing?
It's not my work, but that of Norma at 
Petit Design Co. 
The scrap rat in me loves the color punch it gives.


I'd been inspired by a 
by 'Sew Katie Did', 
and tons of Pinterest links. 

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Can You Feel the Love?



Yesterday afternoon I zipped together the rest of the strips on the Love quilt. I've talked about this pattern the last few days. It's from the cover of "Sunday Morning Quilts" by Amanda Jean Nyberg and Cheryl Arkison. Wow, it's a loud one even for me--don't you love it? I loosely used the same colors, but since it was what I had on hand, it's my own flavor. I would call it "Intense". Today I need to focus on finding a suitable backing. The batting is already in my stash since I buy it in bulk when it goes on sale.

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Wild Saturday Night Love Party with Animals and a UFO

Late yesterday I had a few hours to myself to work on one of my UFO's--(Unfinished Objects). I hadn't decided which would be next yet, but I went straight to the scrappy red-pink-grey that I had been working on from the cover of "Sunday Morning Quilts: 16 Modern Scrap Projects" by Amanda Jean Nyberg and Cheryl Arkison.


I got this book the first of May, and straight away started pulling fabric scraps out for this quilt. I know it's intentionally meant just for scraps, but I must be more frugal with what I consider a scrap, so I had to hit my stash to round it out. The cutting took the longest, and somewhere along the line I decided I didn't want a huge quilt.  I organized each stack, and there it sat. I think I just loved the colors.