Thursday, April 6, 2017

Back to Scrap Squares

I'm really making an effort to finish some in-progress quilts this year.  I pulled out these blocks thinking I was good to go with laying out, arranging, and putting them together.


These are 4" square, the cut-out centers from behind a different applique quilt.

Each square is sewn with three others squares into a block like the ones below.  These blocks will finish at 7¾".  It's an odd size, I know, but it's the largest block I could get from the cutouts.


Of course there weren't enough of the cut-out centers for a quilt of any size, so I pulled together a basket of smallish neutral scraps and sewed and sewed and sewed.  I thought I had a good stack.  Without counting, I laid all the blocks out on the floor.  Too few, too small.  So I sewed more scraps into 4" squares.


And then the blocks looked like this.  My husband commented that he really likes it because it looks so calm and soothing.  I was just a little surprised that it looks so bland.  It looked a little stronger when I had a few blocks on the wall.


Anyway, I have more blocks to stitch together but I don't have many more neutral scraps to sew into 4" squares.  So the decision becomes whether to use all the blocks I have and can make from the rest of the 4" squares and let it be a small quilt or wait till I accumulate more neutral scraps and make more squares.

This is truly a decide-as-you-go kind of quilt.  Will it get sashing?  Will it get one or more borders?  Or maybe some applique?  Perhaps some would call it improv piecing?  I don't know what this quilt will look like when it's finished but I'm trusting some good ideas will come my way.

I'm linking this post to
> Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
> Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework
> Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times
> Moving it Forward Monday at Em's Scrapbag
> Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
> sew stich snap SHARE at Koka Quilts 

--Nancy.
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36 comments:

  1. Well, whatever else it gets, I love it so far!!

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    1. Thanks, Wendy. I hope whatever I do next keeps it "loveable!"

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  2. It is calm and soothing with the pops of pink to give the eye somewhere to rest. What a great quilt to cuddle up with for a peaceful evening! Looking forward to seeing what you decide as you progress!

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    1. Thanks, Mia. This will probably be one that doesn't get finished too soon since I need to make so many more blocks and, before I do, gather more light fabric scraps. Maybe by the end of this year....

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  3. I just really like this quilt! A neutral quilt is on my radar!!

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    1. Thanks, Julie. I like it better in person than I do in the photos, though. Even though they are all neutral fabrics, I think they look richer in person.

      I'll look forward to your neutral quilt. I always admire you use light backgrounds in your quilts.

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  4. Oh, keep going! It's a gorgeous top, and I agree with your husband. It isn't at all bland, and the pink scraps are just perfect. Don't stop now!

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    1. Thanks for the encouragement, Susan. If there were a quick and easy way to get more neutral scraps, short of cutting into non-scrap neutrals, I would make faster progress.

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  5. It looks so peaceful. It's beautiful.

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    1. Thank you, Robin. It does seem to have a calm appearance in person, too. I commented to my husband that it gives me the impression of either broken glass or rain on a window with a bit of light behind.

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  6. Great way to use up those scraps--and it's so pretty!!

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    1. Thank you, Karen. By the time this quilt is finished I think I may have used more thread than fabric: the pieces of fabric are so small.

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  7. Your use of these squares cut from another project is really a good use of all those neutrals. It will be interesting to see it grow. Ku

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    1. Thank you. I think so, too, Paula. Sometimes I find myself wondering what a finished quilt will looks like -- they sometimes seem to take on a life of their own.

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  8. I think it is a great use of neutral scraps. Very vintage feeling. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!

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    1. Sewing such small scraps together is time-consuming but I like the look of this quilt so far. Thanks for hosting Oh Scrap!, Cynthia.

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  9. I'd make it from what you have done. If I were to put it away to add to later, it would have a strong chance of never getting finished...but that's just me. :)

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    1. The quilts that I don't make progress on are the ones that I'm really uncertain about -- the color, the pattern, the layout, etc. I'm not so uncertain about this one, but I'm running out of neutral scraps and it's too small as it is -- baby quilt size right now. Some of the scraps are really small (1" x 1 1/2") and even though scraps usually seem to multiply on their own, my neutrals aren't keeping up with my need just now. And I'm not sure how long I can leave this on the floor. I dug around in a box of scraps today and went through my fabrics looking for more small scraps. I have enough for a few more blocks, but maybe not enough to finish before I need to get this off the floor. But you're right: better to finish it while it's out than risk putting it away and not finishing it.

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  10. Totally love this! Not sure that I would put a sashing on it but I know that you will do wonderful things. Now I'm thinking that I need to start digging through my neutrals.

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    1. Thank you, Marie! I'm not sure about sashing, either. Part of me pulls for more interest (sashing, applique, something), part of me says go for calm and gentle. I need to make more blocks and go from there. I'll look forward to your neutral quilt. I'm sure there must be a million variations!

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  11. I'm with your hubby, I like how calm it is.

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  12. Beautiful so far. I say Let the Scraps decide! It is lovely for a baby quilt. Go with that. And add a soft pink border if you have one in your stash. If not, then don't! You goal is to finish! You are almost there. đŸ¤—

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    1. Wise suggestion, Linda. I'm still deciding as I finish using up the light scraps I have. Thank you!

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  13. It is always funny when one's husband comments on a project. Mine never says mine look calm. Thanks for joining Sew, Stitch, Snap, Share this round.

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    1. Hi, Julie. This is the first of my quilts that my husband has called calm but then most of my other quilts are not as bouncy/bright as many of the modern quilts I see. Thanks for hosting Sew, Stitch, Snap, and Share.

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  14. What a lovely quilt. We need calm ones like this. Have you considered adding an applique border or even a border of "calm" words? Like Audrey (she also linked.) Might be a way to make it larger and change the rhythm.
    Whatever you choose will be beautiful.

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    1. Hi, Ann. Thank you. Yes, I have thought about applique and am still playing with possibilities. I don't think I could make a quilt or even a border like Audrey's -- only she can do that, her style is so individual!

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  15. It's lovely! I find those colours gentle and restful, not dull at all. I hope you find a way to finish it now; it would be such a shame for it to go back into a box.

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    1. Thank you, Kaja. This quilt is still in progress but comes closer to a finish every day. I'm determined not to put it back in a box even if I have to use non-scrap fabric!

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  16. Oh I like this so much! The colors don't look bland at all, but so soft and cozy. It reminds me of a scrappy quilt I finished off last year. I ended up putting little sparky triangles between the blocks and I've never regretted it. It's one I love so much, it still hasn't been given away.:)

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    1. Thank you, Audrey. I'm imagining it as cozy and comfortable, too, maybe with wool or silk batting. (Maybe.) Yes, I remember your blocks with the half-triangle squares (or so they looked in the photos) and like it a lot. There are so many ways to make a one-color-range scrappy block one's own.

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