Design Wall Monday

Ode to Scraps

I have wanted to get involved in scrap quilting for a long time.  I have played with it on and off.  I had heard of leaders and enders quite a while ago at a guild meeting.  It made sense and I tried it a little but mostly tried to plan my planned quits so I could use those pieces as leaders and enders.

Several years ago, some quilt buddies and I took a Scrap Theory class.  I even bought the "special" ruler.  After getting home and starting to cut my scraps into useable pieces, I realized that the theory used different sizes then the standard 2 1/2" etc.   The scraps sizes would work the same in that they played well with each other,  but they did not easily equate to the usual pattern sizes.  I don't mind occasionally doing the math but not for each and every quilt.  Anyway, I sort of abandoned cutting up my scraps.

I did have lots of 2 1/2" strips from several swaps I took part in.  The strips mostly resulted in log cabin quilts-easy to do, great looking but been there, done that!

So, after reading all these blogs through Judy L's Patchwork Times, I have once again caught the scrap bug and this time I am going to follow through on it.  I got out some of my scrap related books and patterns and even bought Bonnie K. Hunter's books.  So, my research is done and I'm doing it!!!!!!

This UFO is about 5 years old.  It is a Debbie Caffrey worms pattern.  Our small group was working on it at a retreat.  So, now it will be a leader/ender project.

I have started cutting into my 2 1/2" strips (for a few squares) and my stash-about an hour a day.  I feel so good about what I have accomplished and where this is going.

Thank you all for your inspiration and your ideas.  I just love this little corner of blog land!

stash report 4/24/2011

We are having a lovely day here especially for all those who celebrate Easter.  The little ones in the house next to us were out early hunting for eggs.  They were so cute.

My stash report is pretty boring- all that came in went out again.

Some of my quilting buds decided to make quilts for the Linus project.  Kathy decided to bust her stash big time and donated gobs of fabric.  A group of quilters and friends got together for sewing, partying and kit making.  I sure missed a good time.  I did wind up with 2 of the kits.  Here are the results.

The last photo is the pieced backing for the quilt above it.  Aren't they so cheery.  I hope they will make some child's day easier.

Design Wall Monday April 4th, 2011

Here is my UFO # 4 from Judy's  UFO challenge for this year.  I have not gotten very far on working on the UFO's.  I am still working on the one for January but wanted to get to this one as well.  The one for January is in the quilting phase and that is not going well.

My UFO for this month is a double wedding ring wall hanging from the early 1980's.  Yikes.  I had most of it together and then decided to improve my piecing and took most of it apart.  All the melons are done and I think there are 3 almost complete circles.  Anyway, it will get done this time!!!!!

The colors aren't quite as faded as they appear in the photo.

Lucky me-I have a new sewing table.  My machine isn't in the table in this photo since I couldn't wait for my husband to adjust the platform before I took the photo.  I'm looking forward to may happy hours using this table.

Stash Report 4/3/2011

Quiet week here but I did get some sewing done.  A quilting friend gave me a small kit.  I put it together as something simple and mindless to get back into sewing.  It was almost too mindless as I did not turn the blocks correctly and wound up with some colors not evenly distributed.  Sigh.  Oh well.  Maybe I'll fix it any maybe I won't.  This little piece is nice a bright but so far it has no home.

I am not counting this fabric in my stash.

I have some Moda Rites of Spring fabric that I purchased in Panguitch Utah at the Scrappy Appleyard Quilt Shop many years ago.  It was to make a lap quilt for our RV.  The colors were perfect but I never got around to it.  Now we have a newly painted master bedroom and remodeled bath.  The bathroom is black, white and grey.  I bought some chili colored towels-actually more a brick color.  The red in the Rites of Spring line matches the towels perfectly and I want to use that fabric now to make a quilt for our bed.  Its the fabric in the lower left corner.  Unfortunately I only have a FQ.

These are the pieces I had.  I found a charm pack on the internet and I bought this yardage at my LQS yesterday.

The solids that I found are a pretty good match.

I would really like to have the other reds from the original fabric line but haven't found any on the internet.  If any of you have some of this fabric that you would be interested in selling please let me know.

I haven't picked a pattern yet for the new quilt but I know it will be scrappy in appearance.

Used this week...0
Used year to date...6 3/4 yards
added this week...2 yards
added this year   13 yards

Net gained...6 3/4 yards