Scrappy New Year

These are nine-patches left over from a block exchange, all made in civic war era fabrics. 
Posted May 15, 2015
Let's re-cap. We started by building this little lap quilt, Holy Scrap, and finished it up last month.

Some of us are starting with this quilt as our inspiration for a larger quilt, though. We have made all of the sections shown above but are making them longer. We need to go wider as well.

To go wider, for starters, I am sashing my sections together. Adding the sashing strips also helps organize the quilt a bit. And I am making more pieced units.

I laid all the pieced sections out and auditioned a variety of colors for the sashing. Looking at a quilt through a camera lens helps get the best view of how it will look sewn up.

Once the sashing fabric is selected, I will cut sashing strips 2 1/2" wide. If you are making a larger quilt, it will take 2 strips for each row of sashing. I like to stitch all of my sashing strips together, end-to-end, measure the length of the center unit and trim all of the required sashing strips the exact same length. That will help keep you quilt squared up.

Stitch a sashing strip to each side of the Seminole pieced unit beforetrimming the points off. 

Just for reference, this is the Seminole pieced section.

Lay the sashing strip on the pieced section, right sides together as shown below. I experimented a little but found it easiest to stitch accurately with the sashing strip on top as I fed the unit under my presser foot for stitching

First, notice where the fabrics overlap. This is your 1/4" seam allowance.

The sashing strip lines up with the "v" edge of the red setting squares.

Above, I have drawn a line where the stitching will be.
After stitching, lay a ruler along the raw edge and trim off the excess points. Press all seams toward the sashing strip.
Our assignment this past month was to gather up spare parts and pieces from around the sewing room. Here are some of mine - -
Several years ago, Quilt Circle did a monthly exchange of 5" squares. I still have a whole container of these. 


These are half square units left over from another group block exchange. These are all brights and blacks.

And these are 5" squares of Civil War era fabrics from yet another group exchange. 

I worked these units into my long pieced sections, sprinkling in the brights between the civil war prints to make sure the quilt looked balanced with the center sections.

As the quilt grew, I realized I could use more units up by making more pieced sections. The quilt started to get wider than it was long, though! Remedy,- - -  I turned my quilt so the rows will be horizontal rather than vertical. Now it is a bed-size quilt which is what I prefer.

Next, see a few of my units laid out with red sashing strips.


This next picture is all of my pieced sections laid out with black sashing strips. Which one do you prefer?

I am leaning toward the black. Why? First, I do think it helps organize this very scrappy quilt. But, also because I already have these cut strips leftover from a Strip Club project we did in the shop.

That's it for this project. Check back next month for some more Scrappy New Year chat and don't forget to send me your pictures and scrappy comments.

Posted April 24, 2015

This is Sue H's Holy Scrap quilt (see more on our Scrappy New Year page) hanging from a clothesline.  Sue made her quilt twice as long by doubling the number of rows in each unit. Then she added some sashing strips (the long grey strips) and added another 2-patch unit to each side.

Can you see how you could start your year by sewing together leftover 2 1/2" squares, a few at a time, and just adding to it as the year evolves?

Sue worked out of past scraps but, we could go forward with this as we start new quilts.

Depending on what you dabble in most, maybe have one started in just batiks and another in just brights.

I think it would be refreshing to have no real agenda, just a place to let scraps gradually gather and become a butterfly!

When a baby, anniversary or graduation pops up, you can grab some of the scrappy units and make a very nice quilt on short notice.

Thank you for sharing Sue. My Holy Scrap is still in parts and pieces on the sewing room floor but it is slowly growing.

Send me pictures of your progress. No time frames and no pressure.

Maybe we should re-name this quilt the Crock Pot quilt. It can be in the cooker for a looooong time and then turn out fabulous.



Posted April 21, 2015

Diana's Golden Needle

Last evening at Quilt Circle of Friends, Jackie O. shared this project from Facebook. The sponsoring FB site is Diana's Golden Needle.

Diana is a teenager with a goal of making 16 quilts to represent the 16 years she has lived in America after being adopted from a Russian Orphanage.

The quilts are all being made using Bonnie Hunter's pattern (and with her permission) called Scrappy Trips. 

The quilts will be donated to children who age out of foster care and is a Girl Scout Gold Award Project for Diana.

The request is for blocks, or piecing blocks together or machine quilting tops. Jackie is sending 7 of these blocks so they can be mixed with blocks by others (thus the Scrappy Trip Around the World pattern title). By sending 7 blocks, there can be one placed in each row. At the FB page, you will see a quilt sample using this block in a variety of fabrics.

Jackie sent these pictures to show her blocks and the steps to make them with tube piecing. 
For this project, you can use any fabrics of your choosing. Jackie decided to use this selection of bright prints. Start with 6 strips, each 2 1/2" x 15"

Stitch them together. Be sure to match ends evenly. Press rows 1, 3, and 5 down.  Press rows 2, 4 and 6 up.

Now stitch the two end pieces together to make a tube.

From that tube, cut 6 units, each 2 1/2" wide.

Next, un-sew between two squares on each tube unit. Stagger where you un-sew so that you end up with 6 pieced strips like this.
Did I just say sew so?

Stitch the pieced strips together to make this 12 1/2" block.

Note: You can make 6 blocks using 1/4 yard by width of fabric each of the 6 colors.  Using fat quarters (one of each color) you can make 8 blocks. This is a quilt where fat quarters are more efficient than width of fabric yardage.

Another tip, cut strips 16" long to give yourself a little wiggle room for straightening.

Jackie, Thanks so much for sharing! Skip on over to this Facebook page to see more.


Posted April 15, 2015

Holy Scrap!
This is our inspiration quilt. If you are making one just like this, you should already have the center three sections made. Today we will talk about trimming the side pieces and setting this quilt top together.

Sue H. from Missouri sent me this picture of her growing units. She plans to make a larger quilt. I am pretty sure that background with the big yellow dots is her carpet. Notice she used white squares for her end pieces where I used red. I love this quilt already.



This technique for setting rows together is called Seminole Piecing.


I have not finished setting all my rows together as I also have plans to make a larger quilt. - - - I seem to have plenty of scraps on hand for a much larger quilt, if you know what I mean!

Before we go an farther - - - If you are making a larger quilt, do not trim these Seminole pieced sections yet. If you are making the quilt shown at top, - - - read on.

On to trimming the two Seminole pieced sections. When you trim the points off, you will create a bias edge. Bias edges are the most stretchy of raw edges.  If you pull the fabric as you stitch, bias edges will stretch and be ill-fitting.  However, bias edges can also be your making-things-fit-together-friend.  Treat bias edges gently and with respect and you will have no problems.
One trick for working with bias edges is to spray starch before cutting. This is when pressing vs ironing is important. Use an up and down motion with the iron rather than a back and forth motion.

After starching and pressing, leave the unit lay on the ironing board until it has completely dried and cooled.

Now lay a ruler near the edge and trim off the points. Be sure to move the ruler over enough to allow for the quarter inch seam allowance that will be coming down the road. Notice in the close-up below, the 1/4" line of the ruler is aligned with the points of the block.



Lay the three center sections, right sides together and pin well (refer to photo above) and stitch.  Pinning will help keep the bias edges in place and prevent stretching.

You are almost through with the original quilt. All you have left is to add a section to the left side and right side of center. 

These sections are made from 20 rows, each using 2 - 2 1/2" squares. I had some leftover 4-block rows so just un-stitched a couple of those to use in this section.

I also had some short strips leftover from piecing the center sections. I cut those up in 2 1/2" squares and used those as well.

If you have block parts and pieces that are 2 1/2"  or can be trimmed down to that size, use some of those as well. You will notice they have done that in the original quilt. The outside sections are mostly 2 1/2" squares but there are several 2 1/2" half square triangles mixed in as well.

Next month, we will talk about other options to make this quilt larger.  In the meanwhile, look around your sewing room for miscellaneous block parts and pieces then say it with me, "Holy Scrap!"  Don't despair. We will work these into the next step.


Then our Quilt Circle did an exchange of 9-patch blocks a couple years ago and I have not yet used mine - - - until now.



Even more recently, Quilt Circle did an exchange of half square triangle units that I have yet to use so - - - come back next month and see what's next!

Be sure to send me pictures of your progress to post here. Happy Scrappy Piecing!




Posted March 30, 2015 
Scrappy bag dispenser:
Renee G. used scraps leftover from her Box of Chocolate bom monthly packets and then gave it to me as a gift. Now, that's a fun way to use up scraps!

Posted March 15, 2015

It's the 15th! Time to check in on our Holy Scrap quilt.

You should now have the center row completed, 18 rows of 4 -   
2 1/2" squares per row. This month, we will make the on point rows that go on each side of the center row.

Note: finished size is 32" x 40"

The two on point sections each use 10 units that are 5 - 2 1/2" squares wide. If you have any left over units from last month, add 1 random 2 1/2" square to each and use those. If not, start from scratch to make 20 units, each with 5 - 2 1/2" squares.

In addition to the 20 - 5 square units, you will also need 4 units that are 3 squares wide and 4 - 2 1/2" squares.

Now it's time to pick the color for the little side setting triangles (shown in white in the quilt sample). If you want to be REALLY scrappy, you could use several different prints of the same color. For example, several different tone on tone whites. I think it's best to stay with one color, though, as this piece helps define the pattern of your quilt.

Picking the color for your side setting triangles will be your opportunity to make this quilt your own. Try laying out your pieces and looking at them through a camera lens. Is there a color that jumps out? Maybe it is bright yellow, pink or even black. 

In my quilt, I see a lot of red which is no surprise as I love red. You can never go wrong with white or cream, though. 

Take a look at these two quilts, just as examples for choosing setting fabric color.

              Modern twist with grey - -- 

                       Crisp and classic with white. 

By the way, this is another great scrap quilt that would accommodate your 2 1/2" strip sets. All you have to do is count. The white sashes are cut 2 1/2" wide. The white squares in the last border are also cut 2 1/2". Everything in this quilt above is cut 2 1/2" so, all of the rows fit together. Every piece is an increment of 2 1/2".

Getting back to Holy Scrap - - - There are a couple ways to make the side-setting triangles. The way I will show uses a little bit more fabric but, it's more accurate and easier. We are using up scraps anyway, right?

Since I chose red for my setting triangles, I need 24, 2 1/2" squares of red. 

Stitch a 2 1/2" square of your setting color fabric to each end of each of the row units and stitch the rows  as shown here.

Notice, you start with a 2 1/2" square of the setting fabric. Center it on the first row. Then center the 1st row on the second row and center the second row on the third row. 

After that, you have 10 rows the same length. Add rows as shown, stair stepping down, always moving down one block. If you need to, re-press the seams in each row in opposite directions so your seams will easily snug together.


After adding the 10 long rows, end as your started by centering the last three rows on each other.

Don't trim yet. We will talk about that next month. See you then!

footnote: These instructions are for the Holy Scrap quilt in the size as shown. I plan to keep adding to my strips and make a much larger quilt. I may even add more sections, using parts and pieces that I have collected in various exchanges over the years but never used. I'll keep you posted! Send me your pictures, too!


Posted February 23, 2015
Janet V. shared this picture, one row of her Holy Scrap quilt. Say it with me - - - - our favorite word - - - - Done!


Posted February 15, 2015

Sue H. from Missouri sent me this picture of her completed step 1.


Remember, the more fabrics you add, the prettier the quilt gets.


Posted Feb 15, 2015
It's the 15th and time for our Scrappy update!


I found I needed more variety so pulled scraps from my stash and cut several 2 1/2" strips.

To help with pulling variety as you stitch, you may want to put your strips in the dryer on air and toss for a minute, just to get them really mixed up. Then remove to a brown paper bag.

Before you start stitching, shorten your stitch length a bit. This will help prevent the units from pulling apart later.

Every time you stitch a strip, reach in the bag and pull one out. Use it no matter how it looks with the previous strips. The more variety the better.

Since I am using scraps in a variety of lengths, some of my strip sets look like this.

Press all seams in the same direction.
Lay two strip sets, right sides together and seam allowances going in opposite directions so that they really snug together.
Clean off one end and then cut as many 2 1/2" units from the strip set as you can. From left over pieces, cut 2" x 3 1/2" rectangles and put those aside to save for another project.
  
You can pick up the pairing just as cut and stitch it. Feed the unit under the needle with the seam allowances pointing toward the needle as shown. You will find you won't even need to pin. Just feel your seams and make sure they are snugged tightly together.

Here is the first 4 rows. I will keep going until I have 18 rows.

Send me pictures from your quilts so I can share here as well!
Posted Feb 2, 2015 Wait until you have a good assortment of color/prints before you start sewing together the sets of 4 strips. You can even go through your stash and cut small pieces up for more variety.  You don't have to use just width of fabric strips. Any piece that is at least 2 1/2" x 8 1/2" will work for now.

I was recently working on a quilt using all Kansas Troubles prints. If I cut a 2 1/2" strip from each of those and sew them together, I won't get a good scrappy look. So, I am going to cut and save my strips for a bit until I have more variety.  Besides, you know the strips need to marinate for a while, right?

To be truly scrappy, once you have a nice variety of strips in your bag, reach in and pull one out. Reach in, without looking, and pull out another. No matter what they look like together, stitch them together. This is what will add the scrappy beauty to your quilt.

Be sure to check back the 15th of each month for more scrappy news.


We started this project by collecting 2 1/2" strips.  
January 2, 2015
This is a quilt I saw on Pinterest. It's called Holy Scrap!

Let's make this the year of the scrappy quilt. "Scrappy New Year!"

Every time you cut a fabric, cut one 2 1/2" strip and stitch it to another. Pay absolutely no attention to the color or style of fabric you add. Just cut a strip from whatever is on the cutting table and stitch it to the previous strip.

Make strip sets of 4 strips each and set aside until you have accumulated several.

I'll do the same and post an occasional pic. Then we will see where that takes us!

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you make a scrap quilt? One strip at a time.

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