Showing posts with label sewing with scraps. Show all posts

Sunrise

Welcome to my stop on Kelly's Scrappy Improv Quilting book release blog hop. 

When Kelly asked me to participate in her blog hop, I was thrilled to accept. I will admit to being a little apprehensive about the improv part, however. I'm a math major. I don't always do well with winging it and had avoided anything remotely resembling improv piecing prior to this. I had nothing to worry about though, because the instructions and method are so well explained in the book. It's like you have a friend there with you, guiding you along.

Here is my quilt, which I call Sunrise, made using the pattern "Shockwave", which is the last quilt pattern in the book. 

I wasn't sure initially what fabrics to use. I have lots of scraps, but most are teeny, tiny pieces and many of them probably qualify as vintage now. After dithering for quite a while, I started pulling out color groupings. 

I then started making the improv slabs. I enjoyed the process way more than I expected to. One thing I learned is that maybe this isn't the place to use the super tiny pieces. While my slabs looked really cool, when I cut them into the required shapes I lost a lot of the detail or ended up with slivers instead of chunks. These are the first two slabs I made. I am so proud of these things!

Here are my pink pieces in progress.

I ended up changing some of the colors part way through. The colors didn't quite flow as I had hoped. I was originally going to use a low volume print for my background fabric, but it didn't do anything to set off my pieces. I made a blue piece, pictured below, that I didn't end up using.


I do like this navy piece.

I was struggling to make the mini look like a sunset (my initial idea), but then my daughter showed me a sunrise picture she had taken at the bus stop one morning quite some time ago and that was my a-ha moment. 

I made a replacement slab and went shopping for a background fabric. I also bought a fun
backing fabric. And everything magically came together. 😄 

I knew that with the amount of solid fabric that I really wanted to do some custom quilting. I sketched out several plans and finally picked one. I'm rusty on the custom quilting and have done almost none on my current longarm, but I'm still pleased with the end product. {I did order the additional feet available for my APQS Lucey after quilting this! Gotta have the right tools for the job.}

Here are the threads I used, plus a lavender bobbin.

I found a leftover piece of binding in my scrap bin that was the perfect color and almost the perfect size. 


There wasn't enough to make my usual mitered join, but there was enough to get the job done with 3/4" to spare!


I made bonus HST with my trimmings for a future project too. 
This was such a fun learning experience and I will definitely try improv again. I am so thankful to have had this opportunity. If you want to try improv, or just want a really great quilting book, I highly recommend Kelly's book. You can buy your copy here.

Scrappy Improv Quilting Blog Tour Schedule-
10/18- All Dressed Up- Linda @ Flourishing Palms
             Shockwave- Anne-Marie @ Stories From the Sewing Room

10/20- Sweet Bee (a bonus thank-you pattern), Finishing, and Wrap-Up (here!) 



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Let's Talk Scraps

I gave a presentation to my guild over the weekend about scraps and how to use them.  I think I was originally scheduled to present in March or April, but we all know how 2020 has gone.  Anyway, I did a ton of research and had checked books out of the library back in March that I intended to use in my presentation. Of course they finally sent me messages saying I needed to return the books about a week before our meeting.  After all that time!

 So, first we need to consider just what is a scrap.  I think the definition or concept varies from person to person.  Some people consider fat quarters to be scrap-size.  Some people say it's what's left over after you complete a project.  Some say it's only the tiniest little bits.  I have always saved the majority of my trimmings and leftovers.  For years I would fold them into whatever fabric was left after cutting.  I always stored my fabrics by color(s) in Rubbermaid totes because for a long time we moved A LOT.  

 It wasn't the greatest system.  While it's very convenient for moving, keeping fabric in deep bins makes it really hard to see what you actually have.  Plus, whenever I'd go digging, all those little trimmings would fall out and make a mess.  Things needed to change.

 During my research, I found there are basically two camps for saving scraps.

  1. Cut into certain sizes/shapes, with all colors mixed. 
  2. Sort by color, no size restrictions, no cutting.

I suppose you could add a third option:  don't use the scraps at all.  Find someone who would like them and give them away.

 Lori Holt, Bonnie Hunter (Scrap Users system), and Joan Ford (Scrap Therapy) all have methods of sorting based on various sizes.  Amanda Jean Nyberg/Crazy Mom Quilts sorts by color with no cutting. (See linked handout at the bottom of the post for more information.)  All of them have books full of projects that use scraps.

 Once you've decided on a method, take the time to get the scraps under control.  If you feel overwhelmed with attempting it all at once, set your timer and work for 15 minutes a day, or 15 minutes a week.  When social distancing is a thing of the past, invite a quilty friend over to help, or at least keep you company while you sort.

 I decided to go with the sort by color method. You might have seen the pictures of my newly installed closet shelving over the past few weeks.  I decided to go with short, clear bins for fabric storage.  I refolded and resorted just about every bit of quilting fabric I own.  As I was refolding and sorting, I threw all the smaller cuts and things under 6" into one giant tote.  After the shelving was installed and I was able to put the new bins away I started the giant task of sorting all the scraps into baskets by color.  Some colors I grouped, for example, yellow, orange, and red all fit in one basket.  Blues and aquas had to get separated into two baskets due to how much there was. Here are my pink/purple and white baskets mid-project.
What types of projects can you make with scraps?  The possibilities are endless. Here are some I've made. Scroll down to the bottom of the post to download a free PDF filled with links to lots of great scrap projects.

 Start small--make pincushions from tiny scraps.

There are a lot of different string quilt-type projects you can make with scraps.  This is a string star block I made using scraps I won in a giveaway. The remaining scraps are shown in the plastic bag. 
Use 2.5" squares to make really fun rainbow projects.  Trade with friends to get more variety in your stash. Here are some I purchased to get more variety in my scraps.  I'm planning to make blocks of colors alternating with white squares in a rainbow array.
Consider all the bonus half-square triangles you get when quilting. These are some I made while working on a recent project.  Just imagine the possibilities for these.
I made a baby quilt.
This 10.5" block is made with the bonus HST.  Imagine how much you would throw away on a larger quilt.
You can save your selvedges and knit a rug.  Obviously I haven't started yet, but hope to soon.
You can go super crazy tiny and make a Sew Tiny Sampler.  This measures 7.5"!!  While I struggled with lining up my sashing I still enjoyed the challenge of making something so small.  Tip--use fabrics with tiny prints.  I used a batik that didn't look as pretty in minuscule scale as it did when it was a big piece.
The bottom line is, find a system that works for you.  If you don't want to use your scraps, then don't. Find what works for you.  Quilting should be fun!  View scraps as opportunities to stretch your creativity. 

 Grab the free PDF download with links to lots of projects.

 Linking with For the love of geese and My Quilt Infatuation.
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Guild Swap & Leveling

Our guild swap happened last Friday.  As you may recall, we each brought in our own fabric and filled out an information sheet.  The bags were blindly swapped and we had to make something for our partner using their fabric and based on the information they gave on their information sheet.

 Part of the things included in my bag were zippers and a small pillow form.  The zippers were the right lengths required by Sew Demented's Sew Together bag, so I figured that would be a good bet. I used my partner's fabrics for the majority of the bag.  I added the orange Cotton + Steel basic for the binding and the green travel print by Rifle Paper Company for Cotton + Steel as two of the pocket linings.   (You had the option to add your own fabrics in the same color ways as long as they checked the okay box.)  I felt it looked a tad plain when I was finished, so I made a needle minder and placed it on the outside of the bag.  It is, of course, removable.  I also made a little beaded zipper pull charm.

I also wanted to do something with the pillow form.  I found a pattern for a Delectable Mountain Variation that I thought would work well with the fabrics and information.  I drew up my own version and got to work.  I'm pretty pleased with how the finished product came out.  It's a 12" finished block. I should mention that the background linen fabric and the center, bright green fabrics were my partner's and I added in the other three from deep in my stash.  I learned how to do an envelope pillow back too.  I know, you probably can't believe I hadn't done one before since it's basic sewing.


I received this cute flamingo quilt from my partner.  I'm pretty sure it's from an Elizabeth Hartman pattern.  This is such a perfect pattern for me.  I love whimsical, kitschy flamingos and I may or may not have at least five pink flamingos in my front landscaping.  She made great use of my fabrics and I am so pleased it's mine.  She added in the black fabric.



I was surprised by how many purses/bags/pouches were made for this swap by my guild mates. Everyone was so thrilled with their things!  We're going to do the same swap again in a few months.

 My kids have been in school for a week now and I feel like I have accomplished nothing.  In reality I've done quite a few things, just nothing sewing-related other than the swap.  I have three quilt tops I want to quilt.  I can't decide how I want to quilt them.  I did piece together a backing yesterday and then stalled out when I couldn't make a decision on quilt design.


We've been working on refinishing my grandma's dressing table for my daughter.  I think I mentioned that last week too.  My mom told me it was her grandmother's table before it was my grandmother's.  With that information, we estimate it to be around 90 years old!  Interestingly, my younger sister does not remember this piece of furniture at all even though it is one of my stronger memories of being at my grandparents' house.  Anyway, it's primed, sanded, and ready for paint. We are having some problems finding butt hinges (who knew that was a real term!?) in the right sizes to replace the old ones.  And we are debating what to do with the tri-fold mirror as well.  I'm hoping to get it done within the next two weeks.  We'll see.  We work slowly and we have a bunch of other things going on right now too.

 Last weekend's project was to grind the sealer off the cement floor in the sewing room and then pour floor leveler on it.  We already knew there were low spots in the corners and in front of the window and the flooring I've selected allows for a 3/16" variation over 10 feet.  We rented a giant floor grinder and that worked much better and was easier than our hand-held one that my husband used in the bathroom down there.  Monday we applied the floor leveler.  We had three 55 pound bags and got halfway across the part that needed leveling.  It's the lighter gray in the corner with the wavy edges.  We'll finish the rest this coming weekend after we buy more leveler.  



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Scrappy String Block

Last week I'd mentioned that I won some Bonnie & Camille scraps.  I decided to make a scrappy star block with some of the pieces.  I've had very little sewing time in the past week (which was making me pretty cranky), but I started on the pieces.  Although I thought I had too much fabric for each piece, as it is turning out, I don't have quite enough.  I will need to pull a few more pieces for the majority of the block components.
I finished binding the special quilt last night.  I just have to tuck in all the thread ends to finish.  I need a photo helper to get a picture of it and the other finish I've had recently.

Happy sewing!
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