Rainbow Scrap Challenge New Blocks

Lately, I have been finding myself with a bit of a scrap problem.  I have a great storage system for my scraps that works really well for the way I use them.  My problem is that my precious bits of fabric are out-growing their space!

With the 2016 Rainbow Scrap Challenge coming to an end, I have been thinking what I want to do for 2017.  My goal is to come up with an idea that will really bust some scraps.  Initially, I was toying with the thought of making a complete scrap quilt every month in the assigned color.  But I knew that could just lead to a bigger list of unfinished projects.  My brilliant solution?  Each month I will just make a big stack of string blocks.  

With October being yellow, I decided to start my quest a bit early.  My yellow bin was so stuffed it no longer closed so I decided there was no time like the present.  I cut up a huge stack of 10.5" muslin foundations and started sewing using this method.  As I pulled my fabric, I tried to focus on using up some of my really old and tired looking scraps.  In no time at all, I had completed 14 blocks.

 So I decided to stop there.  Why 14?  No reason - it just felt like a good stopping point.  The challenge that I am taking on this year is to see how I use these blocks throughout the year.  I may add in older stash yardage, use different colors in combination or even make more blocks in a certain color at a later date.

All I know right now is that my yellow scraps are now down to manageable level and I am happy!

 So as a reader, I hope you like string quilts because there might be quite a few in my future.  For those of you who don't, no need to worry.  I have lots of other types of quilts planned for the next year too!

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So Scrappy for RSC16

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Oh Scrap! : Working with Scraps

 I am still working my way through my scrap bins looking for quick projects that clean up some of those hard to place scraps.  I came across a bag of citron green and gray bits.

I first used my fabric cutter to chunk up some of the larger pieces into 120 4.5" squares.  These will make a cute little scrappy patchwork baby quilt.  Right now, I put them in my Etsy shop but I may sew this up in the future.

 That left me with a bunch of strings and smaller pieces which quickly became 20 string blocks.  The blocks finish out at 8" so there really wasn't enough for a small quilt.  

So I knew I just had to get creative!

I dug in my stash and found some chunks of gray fabric to add to the mix.  I tried a few different layouts and decided this one was the best.  

It sure feels good when I get a bag of these scraps cleaned up!
Now to get this one quilted up....
 

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Now it is time to share your scrap projects, here are the details for linking up:

• This linky party is for any scrappy project - It can be in-process or a finished piece.
• You can link up your blog post (not your homepage please) or Instagram photo from the past week that features your use of scraps.
• If you are linking to a blog post, I ask that you link back to my blog somewhere in your post. So if you are writing about scraps, just get into the habit of including a link as there will be a linky party available every week!
• If you are using Instagram, please use the hashtag #ohscrap.
• This is a party so remember to socialize and comment on the posts of others.
• Following my blog is not necessary but it sure would be great if you do! 

<a href="http://quiltingismorefunthanhousework.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54Z8EyMCoCg0j1sBoz_APBotiRQveh32vQoL2dCSO4nQFAi8du60IuUCQp3Hb18vGD8IrM0W6_vmuufImGcr4Pf2Ve2dNIWd5LbQJfyDTRjtcekT6coT7c2nSCOG_9dvjiKGVAnuTN70/s1600/Oh+Scrap+Button.jpg" alt="Quilting is more fun than Housework" width="125" height="125" /></a>

So if you love scrappy projects, feel free to grab my button for your sidebar or posts and get ready to share all your wonderful projects from scraps.  And if you have a great idea for using scraps and would like to be featured, feel free to contact me!

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Linking Up:

Love Laugh Quilt (Monday Making)
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Up on the Design Walls

When my quilting friends visit my home, the first thing they ask is to see what is up on my design walls. I know I always like to see what others are working on so I thought I would occasionally feature what is up on my walls.

I have the luxury of having three design walls. (I know...you can be jealous.)  Two in my small sewing room (it is an inner room so I don't have any windows to deal with) and a giant one that holds two queen size quilts in my quilting studio (where my longarm is).

In my sewing room, one wall is slowly filling with my neutral string blocks. I have been trying to sew 5 blocks at a sitting.  I am loving that I found a home for all these brown tones I don't really use much any more.

 On the other wall, I am working on one of my really old WIPs.  I started this Kaffe Fassett quilt over 5 years ago.  All of the pieces were cut and some of the blocks were sewn when it got put in a bag and stuffed in a drawer.  Now I just have to sew it all together and remake some of the blocks that are missing.  It is definitely getting closer to a finish!

And finally, this is the view I have while I am standing at my longarm.  My Quilty 365 blocks are on the left, in the center are my blocks using the Craftsy Boundless solids and on the right are the blocks I have completed for my Splendid Sampler.

It is hard to choose which project to work on!

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Pretty Little Strings

I don't often do custom quilt orders.  I cannot seem to get to all the quilts I have swirling around in my brain so I usually quickly pass when I get a custom request....except when it comes to string quilts.  I love making string quilts!

 Remember this Scrap-A-Palooza quilt I shared last August?  Well, I recently sold it and when the woman received it, she asked if I could make another one in the same colors. I wasn't sure I would have enough scraps in the right colors but after opening a few drawers, I shook my head at my silliness...

Of course I was able to make a second one.  And I quilted it up and shipped it off this week. Hopefully she won't want a third because I can honestly say I hit the bottom of the scrap bins in these colors!













I did have a few yardage pieces but I worked them into the backing so I was able to make the entire quilt without having to buy any fabric.  Hurray for getting paid to clean out the stash!

And speaking of string quilts....a client sent me this beautiful quilt to be quilted.  It had the thinnest of strings and there were very few squares the same color.  It really was quite stunning and I found myself "petting" it a lot.  I was really hoping she would leave it with me!

How about it...Do you have a style of quilt that you just can't get enough of?

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Scrap-A-Palooza! Quilt #8 Finish

Not being a summer person, I am pretty happy to see the end of August and finally some cooler temperatures.   Soon we will be seeing that wonderful rain and those beautiful fall colors and Oregon can get back to being green! 

The end of August also means we are finishing up the eighth quilt in the Scrap-A-Palooza scrap series! And this month we made a string quilt - my favorite!

Here's a quick review on the previous parts to this quilt.

 

 

In Part One, I shared how I was starting with my backing fabric to pull the scrap colors for my quilt.  This is a great way for using those large cuts of fabric that don't have a home in your stash.

In Part Two, I shared a tutorial on how to sew up your string blocks.

Last week, the finished blocks went up on the design wall and a layout was chosen.  I decided to break up the pattern with a small border treatment.

And finally, the finished quilt!  Many of these fabrics are from old projects made years ago so it was fun to remember them as I sewed up the strips.  This quilt pretty much depleted my scraps of that citron green - so happy to see them go!

 

For the quilting, I did a simple overlapping squared off spiral.

 

 And because I started with the backing, it looks like I spent a lot of time shopping for the perfect fabric. When actually, I picked up this fabric really inexpensively.  It is always a great day when you can reduce the cost of a scrap quilt.

And now for a few statistics: 

Lap Quilt

Size: 62 x 72"

Fabric: Various colored strings pulled from the scrap bin with approximately 1/4 yard of black for inner border treatment

Total Blocks: 42 - 10" blocks

For September, I will be sewing with 2 1/2" strips.  My storage bin is overflowing so it is time to do something with them! Hope you join me.

Why Scrap-A-Palooza?  Because Quilting is more fun than Housework!

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  If you do join in, don't forget to link your scrap quilt to the 4th annual scrap quilt challenge over at Fabrics N Quilts.

Linking up:  

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

TGIFF

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Richard and Tanya Quilts

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Sew Can She 

 

Scrap-A-Palooza! Quilt #8 Part Three

I think some of the best things about string quilts are the endless variations you can can create, the speed at which you can sew up a large number of blocks and the fact that you usually don't have to do a lot of cutting!  This month's Scrap-A-Palooza quilt was no exception.

 

 

 Last week I shared a tutorial on how to sew these strings onto a fabric foundation.  Here is my stack of forty two 10.5" blocks trimmed and ready to get up on my design wall.  I was so pleased to see almost all of the scraps I had in these colors get used up.

My original plan was to just sew all the blocks together but once I had them laid out where I could see them, I decided it needed a little something to break up the pattern.

I pulled some black fabric from my stash and added this "hashtag" inner border (I don't know what else to call it!) 

This border treatment works great when you are working with a pieced outside border as its addition doesn't mess up the math and require you to trim any blocks to make them fit around the outside.  I cut these strips at 1.5" so the finished border is quite small at 1" but I think it has a great impact.

I should note, when I sewed the top together, I pressed all my seams open.  With the extra layer of fabric, the seams can get a bit thick.

Here is the finished quilt top outside in the sunshine.  It is really hard to say if it is mostly yellow or green, the lighting really affects the colors on this one.

 

 

 

Here is a bit of a close up on the border.  The black fabric I used has a bit of a gray swirl printed on it.  I am now planning on using this print for the binding to tie it all together nicely.  I also made some time to sew up my backing so the quilt is ready for me to sneak it into the quilting queue.

While I don't yet know how I will quilt this, I will say I usually keep the quilting easy on my string quilts, especially the multi-colored ones.  The quilting just doesn't show up much.  Which also means I sometimes use these quilts to work out a new free-motion quilting pattern.

So I hope you try something slightly outside your comfort zone when you quilt up your string quilt.  They are perfect to practice on!

Here's an overview of the important stuff to do before the next step

• Decide on a layout
• Sew up the top
• Dig in that stash for a backing (it is in there - just keep looking!)
• Try a new quilting pattern - something out of your comfort zone.

And remember, you can check out all of the previous quilts made in the Scrap-A-Palooza series by checking out the gallery tab. Not only are the steps to each part linked up but I have also shared quilts made by others so you can find lots of inspiration to sew up those scraps.

 

I'll meet you here next week with my finished quilt!

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Scrap-A-Palooza! Quilt #8 Part Two

  The Scrap-A-Palooza quilt for August is moving along quite nicely! This month we are putting together a string quilt and as shared in part one, I have decided to start with a nice big backing fabric out of my stash and choose the colors for my quilt.

 

 

 

There are a number of tutorials available for making string quilt blocks.  Some quilters use paper, some use temporary glue, and some draw lines on their foundations to align their strips with.  I prefer to use a fabric foundation for my blocks and not mess with glues or marking.  Rather than create another tutorial, I thought I would share this one on Craftsy (no affilitation) that is the same method I use with a few exceptions that I will share.

 

 

Here is one of my blocks.  I do not precut the lengths of my strips.  As I am sewing on my strip, once I sew off the foundation, I simply whack cut with a pair of scissors.

I also chain piece a number of blocks at a time.  This saves a lot of time getting up to press.  Last night I did this stack of 16 blocks in about 2 hours.  I spend very little time selecting the scrap I am sewing next.  I just try to get all the colors in a block and not repeat fabrics.

Note:  If you have taken the time to pull your scraps based on the color parameters you have set, theoretically, they should all go together.

I also do not pin or glue my fabrics to the foundation so my strips are not always centered.  I fix this when I trim my blocks by using the 45 degree mark on my ruler and running it down the center strip.  When I trim, I don't worry about the location of the foundation fabric on the back.

Because I cut with both hands, I orient the block like this so I can make all four cuts without picking up the block.

I am cutting my blocks to 10 1/2" square.  I find that a larger block size works well with wider strips, and that is what I have mainly in my scraps. 

Aren't they so pretty when they are trimmed?! 

This pictures also shows my favorite cutter.  I very fond of my big 60mm Olfa cutter.  While that big blade can be daunting, I love it to trim up these string blocks.

 

This is definitely going to be a very colorful quilt!  And I am so happy to see some of these old scraps get worked into a finished project.

Here's an overview of the important stuff to do before the next step!

• Determine a desired block size
• Cut your foundations
• Sew on your strings
• Trim your blocks to size

Hope you decide to give string quilts a try.  They are simple, fast and very forgiving!  A great project to use up some of those scraps.

And remember, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me.

Now let's sew up some string blocks!

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Spook-tacular Finishes

Out of all the holiday themed quilts I have the pleasure of quilting for my customers, my favorites by far are the Halloween quilts.  And with the holiday just around the corner, I am starting to see quite a few of them.

I just finished one that I had to share because the fabrics were so fun..  The fabrics consist of skulls and zombies!

And lucky me, there was a whole bunch of negative space for me to quilt.









I had to start out with a web in the corner with a spider hanging by a thread waiting for dinner...

Maybe it will be one of these bats.















I quilted this quilt in rows so you can see the bats here again on the other side.



Bats are super easy and I did these freehand.  You can easily just add them to loops and have a fun allover quilting design.

My customer made this quilt for her son. (Okay, adult son.) So I didn't want to get too Halloween-y and try and make my designs a bit more Zombie-ish.

I had an empty area in the design so I put in a Z for Zombie.

Or it can be an N for Noah
(so no one steals his quilt!)

My zombie knowledge is pretty limited but looking at the fabrics for inspiration, they all seem to be sporting band-aids.  So I thought, why not add some of those right in the quilting. 

This is what happens when my customers give me free reign!

And because I can't quilt brains, down toward the bottom of the quilt, I quilted in a little halloween candy.  Which I prefer to brains.

Here is a snapshot of the entire quilt.  You really have to snuggle up close to it to see all the detail in the fabrics and the quilting.

This quilt is one of three Halloween quilts from this customer.  When she dropped them off for me to quilt, she also brought me a bag of her leftover scraps.  (Sqeee!)  And as many of them were already cut into strings, I knew right away what I would make with them.

 So Friday night I sewed away into the wee hours and finished up the top.  (Yes, I am quite the party girl!)  I randomly sewed the string onto a fabric foundation.  This allowed me to easily sew the fabrics at different angles.

 And Saturday night I spent quilting up the top.

I thought it would be perfect to share as we are making a string quilt this month as part of Scrap-A-Palooza!  See why I love them so much!!

 The backing is quite the surprise.  Safety orange, lime green and yellow!

Perfect for Halloween.

The backing fabric I had wasn't quite big enough so I used up the rest of the scraps and sewed in this  scrappy inset.  

It was great fun making this quilt - now I need to get back to my neglected projects!

If you are interested in more ways to follow me, you can find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Feedly, Instagram, Google +, or get my blog sent right to your email inbox by entering your email address on the right sidebar! 

 

 

Linking up:  

 

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

TGIFF

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Richard and Tanya Quilts

Crazy Mom Quilts

Sew Can She 

Freemotion Mavericks

Pretty Bobbins

My Quilt Infatuation