Baskets Full of Scraps

I don't even remember when was the last time I posted here. But lately I am working on a quilt that is so appropriate for this blog, I had to post a few process pictures and talk about the process and its progress.

First version of this quilt I made was in 2009 or something like that. My husband's niece had a baby and so I decided to give that one to her. Ever since then, I had thought of making another one but never got around starting one until about two or three weeks ago when I was working on a sample block for a workshop I was going to teach at a guild in Seattle.  

I wrote the pattern a while back and that prompted me to make another version for myself. 

I chose the colors I hadn't worked with in a while. It has been ages since I have bought new fabrics. I am sticking to my use what you have rule. It kind of feels good to use the stash.  

So here is how it went. I just got a stack of brown and orange fabrics out. Selected a few based on their textures and value.

I already was unhappy where I was headed with these colors but  that day I made a few crazy blocks. 

That night I went to bed thinking I will start over the next day. I absolutely disliked the colors. The design wall looked too much like Halloween. The next day, I woke up, went back to the sewing room and decided to make at least one basket to go on the background. This was pretty challenging because I was already frustrated with the background, how was I going to over come that?  

 I thought lighter value of basket fabrics will be perfect. Considering the seasonal aspect was already decided as soon as I chose the background, I didn't have much choice but to stick with fall colors. 

Okay, this could work, I thought. 

The original quilt had all plaids and stripes for the background. They sort of blend into each other and made a crazy but soft background. This one right here, started looking like a mosaic. I was struggling with really crazy, busy background. Still, I continued on. Once I started appliqueing the handle on the basket, I suddenly calmed down. I could hear my voice saying, this might just work. 

Then there were two!

All I had to do was to continue. More I stared at the design wall, clearer my thought process became, the next few steps became easier. 

 

I actually got excited about setting the baskets, adding the spark and on and on it went. I have spent most of my day today in the sewing room.

This is where I am right now. I know what I will be doing this weekend. I hope to work as best as I can to complete this quilt top. It is very likely, I will finish it with machine quilting. Entire quilt is too busy for me to finish it by hand. I will be sure to come back and post the final results.

Have a great weekend you all!

Sujata

Progress on UandU Quilt

It has been a very busy few months. With all that is going on I am considering my UandU inspired quilt as a very slow cooking project.

I have managed to make enough of these foundation pieced blocks to make a large enough bed quilt but the question is when will I be able to cut the center squares and actually make the quilt top.

I will work on lot of hand projects this year. Who knows? I may even come back to this to hand stitch the blocks.

What are you working on today?

Overlapping Octagon - how to draft your own pattern

Last night I decided it was finally time to give this quilt a go. There are other things happening simultaneously in the dining room so I may not be as fast as some of you are working. More I saw the images on instagram and your posts on here, I wanted toss whatever is required off to the side and dip my feet in as well.

I really want that scrappy, unplanned look, where octagon corners are mysteriously do appearing and disappearing act. So original quilt was pieced was the way to go. Yes, with Y seams.

This is all I have made so far. One block - not even! I am not sure if the colors are my favorite but it was good to try a sample of the block.

Here is how to draft your own paper pattern. Sorry for the poor quality of this picture.

• Draw a rectangle 2" X 4" with 2" X 2" squares on either end. 
• Draw diagonal lines from corner to corner withing both squares.
• The shape with darker line is the pattern needed for the octagon. 

I also cut 4" X 11" paper from the phone book. Basically split the pages vertically in halves.

Use these as paper foundation piece for your scraps and string. You want to start laying first piece of scrap right side up. Then place the next piece right side down. sew the seam. Press open the second piece. Continue with third and fourth.

 Place the template to see if you have enough length to trim the shape..

I cleaned up the edges before trimming the shape.

Using this template, add 1/4" seam allowance when rimming the string pieced



Here is the example of adding 1/4" seam allowance. 

I chose to make my blocks larger as I really want to make many quilts from this book.

Here is the difference in size of the templates between 8" and 12" finished block.

I think I made the smart decision. Too many Y seams at short distance to consider before choosing the final size of the block.

I hope this helps.

Happy Quilting!

Distractions

For many months I have been cleaning my closets..Yes, my cleaning/purging lasts for months since I don't really stick with it. Little distraction comes my way and I am off to something better than that closet.
I found few old jeans and decided to cut them up. Not knowing what I would do with them, best thing was to tear them into strips.

And this is what it led to.

Here is how I made it.

Tear the strips 2 to 3 inches wide.

Make log cabin or house top blocks by layering the edges of two strips about 1/2'' and top stitching as you go. This avoids all the bulk on the seams on the back side of the block.

Also remember to back stitch front and back end of the stitch line. 

Make them roughly the same size. Now you don't have to sit with a ruler. Since they are all made form reasonably similar size strips, it isn't hard to keep them the same size. You can use filler strips when it comes to final piecing of the quilt.

Start arranging them next to each other however they fit. Sew the blocks into rows.

At this point you may want to pin the blocks. Denim is bulky even without those seams in the back, once you have sewn a few pieces, it gets heavier and difficult to manage.

Because there no seams, there is no right or wrong side. Have fun piecing them without worrying about the sides. Finished piece will end up with good character added to it.

Here is the completed top. I am still considering on how to finish the quilt. I made it during the dead of last winter. Cold and Gray with the touch of Gold!

Don't you think it was a good distration from cleaning those closets?

These days I am busy working on this quilt.

Click on the picture to read all about it on my other blog.

Hope you all are working on something scrappy and fun!
Sujata

Baby Quilt

Hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving holiday with your family and friends. 

My husband's nephew and his wife are going to have a baby. We attended her traditional Indian baby shower over the thanksgiving break. I decided to make a quick baby quilt to go with her shower gift. 

 .

 I forgot to take pictures on the day of my plaid pantry party! 

Try saying that a few times!

Here is what I am working on.. 

I see my friends again this Wednesday and will be sure to take my camera with me.

'Friendship Garden'

 

I will post more pictures of this project as it evolves. 

Smiles!

 

Scrappy Strings

24" X 38"

Don't know where this is going just yet. 

Lots of strings got made into a piece of fabric. 

A new quilt might be on the horizon. 

Slow progress in the sewing room.

A Scrap Challenge

Anyone?

I have been working on my scraps and think it is time to have our very first challenge..

Are you interested?

Here are the rules!

Must have scraps

A quilt no larger than 24" X 24"( So we have something to post at the end of the month)

And since it is February.. How about a quilt that has a message of "Love"

It can be as simple color red.. But more importantly something you LOVE..

Leave a comment.

Are you in?

Here is the progress on my cleaning.

I found lots of strings in my scrap bins.

Some I had been saving on purpose for other quilt and some that I was not aware I had! 

It was time to put them in a quilt top. 

I cut them on a slant and into Approximately nine inches long.

Made blocks that were Nine inches square. 

Approximately of course!

Divided them in half square triangles. 

I am getting good at eye balling the sizes.

And sewed them back again in to squares!

If you make this quilt, make sure the diagonal cut is reversed for half of the nine inch squares.

If you post it on your blog, please link it back to here!

As you can see, I have not squared them off. 

My brain is still whispering.. 

So I will wait until I hear it clearly!

 And here is the progress on my other Scrap quilt.

Hope you are having some fun with your basket of scraps.

Scrappy Play

I am definitely in the mood for cleaning. Today I decided to clean up more of my scraps. 

This is what I came up with.

Lots of little pieces sewed up in long strips with sparks of half square triangles and sticks laying here and there. It is going to be my Bee Block for 15 Minutes Bee.

Although, it is hardly a block you can sew up in 15 minutes, I learned a lot in the process. Can you imagine making an entire quilt using only bits and pieces? The larges size of a square or a rectangle is 3" long. The longest strip is 4" X 1.5". That would take forever to make a bed size quilt. 

Anna Williams and Rosie Lee Tompkins have done that. 

With my 15 minutes bee players, I will have one of these.. A bed size quilt!!! I am so excited!

 Maker unknown

From the book, Accidentally on Purpose by Eli Leon

I wish I had a better picture of this quilt. It is really difficult to take a picture of a glossy page of a book.

But, you get the picture!

Update on the weekend cleaning!

If my mama was here and I was 10 she would ask, "Is this what you call cleaning?"
I have made more mess in the room. But isn't it what happens every time you clean?
This is how my cleaning goes...
First, I loose something..
I decide to find that something..
While I am looking, I find some things I had forgotten..
I get very excited!
I loose track of what I was looking for because I thought of something new!
I think, I am on to something!

So, the cleaning can wait.. There are better things to do.. I call it Summer Dreams.. Hot and exciting, fun and fabulous! My super scrappy fun in some what organized way!

Inspirations

Back in 2005 a nice lady had brought this to the shop. I don't remember her name or any other details but thought of sharing it today. 

What are you working on these days? 

I am cleaning my sewing room. Too much clutter and I can not focus. 

May be all the strings and scraps reminded me of this picture and there might be another string quilt on the horizon.

Red and Green on the Housetop!

Okay... With all of you working on the Christmas projects, I had to pull out my red and green scraps. 

All scraps. Large and small went in these blocks. 

Is it going to be ready before Christmas? 

NO.. 

How big? 

I don't know just yet.

All I know is that I will hand quilt this one too!

Because, I like hand quilting and finishing with curved edges.

It will be a present ... 

to me ...

May be next year around this time ...

Or 

the following year.

No rush!

Not just the baskets...

 

I thought of adding this picture to the blog just as a reminder that this blog is about what a basket full of scraps can do.. Please feel free to post anything you have made out of scraps. It is not limited to basket quilts. It may have started out that way but let's broaden our platform and provide greater inspirations for each other and all who visit us.

We have done GREAT so far.. I love how everyone's baskets are so different and quite inspiring with their  individual style. I can not wait to see all the fun ideas you all have to share.

This is a place for your unique, one of a kind creations.

My quilt below is still under construction and might remain that way for a while.

  

'Confetti' is almost ready. 

I have stitched the binding on but need to attach the sleeve so that I can hang it for a proper picture.

 I think I got a little carried away with stitching.. 

I love it!

Work in Progress

Here is what happened to the leftovers from the back of the basket quilt.

I decided to make it into a little wall art for myself .

The little house I started is no longer lonely. It is part of a neighborhood and it is growing.

While there is too much to do between now and Thanksgiving day, this is just the right size of project for me.

And, a little bit of hand quilting works well too!

Happy Thanksgiving!