Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Bits and Pieces

There is something so enticing about bits and pieces!  Leftovers from a previous quilt, scraps or even stray blocks.

I find it rather ironic, I'm choosing to share that oddment of a quilt instead of the original one. When I see scraps, I become elated!  There's an eagerness to dive in and get started. Obsessively focused.


While making 'the other quilt', I decided to save the corner pieces.  This time they were large enough and well worth the extra time.    



I drew a diagonal line with my Hera marker and stitched across it.  I use a 1/4" foot which leaves a faint line across my fabric, I used that as my guide and stitched the final line 1/4" from that.  The easy explanation...stitch 1/2" from the original line.

You end up with these little HST for future use!  




With a stack of lovelies staring me down, I played with them on the design wall.  My design wall is a vinyl table pad that has a flannel like backing.  It's looking like a tangled mess now-a-days with threads from years of using it!

The fun began by trimming the half square triangles to 2 1/4".  Let me give a plug to the best invention for HST's ever, Bloc-Loc!  Time saver, easy to use and so many sizes!
  
How many options do you think there are for HST?!  So many possibilities!  I ended up with this design.  




I figured out the sizes needed for the missing spaces in the above picture, and began piecing everything together.  
  

Some of these, some of those...



...and eventually they became rows!



With the center finished, I added a couple borders and called it finished! 





Gotta love those seams!





Maybe I'm mild obsessed with scraps.  Who doesn't?  

I believe it is written in the Quilter's Handbook that states:  if you become a quilter, you have an obligation, a duty as a fellow quilter and mighty hunter of textiles, to use every...single...last...piece...of scraps!


Check out instagram for my video diary of the piecing!





LINKING:

32 comments :

  1. I love seeing quilt tops come together magically fast like in your video - it is a satisfying process to piece a top. Great use of your scraps, and I really like the color play in the background.

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    1. Thankfully we can't actually work as fast as in the video! I enjoy taking my sweet time and enjoying every second of it too!

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  2. It is so pretty!!! I love scraps and have a drawer full of bonus HST's that have really been calling my name lately. This is inspiring me to pull them out. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. I hope you get to use those scraps soon! I always get such a thrill at using every last piece, especially when it comes together in the end!

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  3. What a gorgeous little quilt from found pieces!

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    1. It's always fun to play with scraps and create something I'm proud of!

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  4. Love the quilt! I have a plastic shoe box and any piece that is 2-2.5" or bigger I always do the double stitch, and toss the extra into the box. I have all these different sizes and eventually I am going to make a scrappy quilt or mini with them!! I hate wasting an fabric.....:)

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    1. Scraps are such treasures! I don't usually have big enough pieces to double stitch, but I sure will be doing it when they are! A scrap quilt with all different sizes would be amazing!! I hope you get to make it soon!

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  5. Great quilt Jayne! I am working on a project with bonus HSTs too. I agree, using up all those bits and pieces is so rewarding!

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    1. I swear, you and I are on the same page far too often! I sometimes think in the middle of a scrap project 'WTH'! Why do I spend so much time with these little pieces when I have a stacks of yardage! Then I take a deep breath, chuckle to myself and keep doing it!! We are a strange lot us quilters!

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  6. What a great use of your scraps - love the video too.

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    1. I always have fun playing with scraps…and playing with time lapse movies!

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  7. That turned out really cool!! I have been saving those corners for a couple-err make that few years now, good intentions of someday having a wonderful scrap quilt!

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    1. I'm a sucker for scraps! You may even get two quilts from those years of saving!! They would make a gorgeous quilt…one day!

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  8. Yes, I love the seams too. Sometimes I love looking at the back almost as much as the front! Aahh, another press the seams open gal... I'm in that club too!

    Great WIP! Really fun video!

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    1. I think the seams in back are always interesting, great photo opportunity too! I go back and forth on pressing seams open. Lately it seems like I do it more and more! I'm not sure there is a right or wrong way of doing it, mostly personal preference I think!

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  9. Awesome!!! Again!!! :D (I have enjoyed gaining "free"HSTs in just that same way...so fun!!!)

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    1. I was so happy that I finally had a project that I could do the bonus HST's with! After I saw the pile I was inspired to make something before they were tucked away or misplaced!

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  10. I love the design you came up with for all of your leftover HST! And I second your love of the bloc-loc ruler, it is one of my favorite rulers too.

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    1. The Bloc-Loc rulers have made the tedious trimming process so fast and efficient! I don't know what I would do without them!

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  11. A perfect example of how worth it to sew that extra little seam.... This is gorgeous, Jayne!

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    1. Yes, it is worth the time! I don't usually have large enough pieces to do that with and then when I saw that finished pile…I had no choice but to make something right away!!

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  12. I love how you used up your scrap pieces and leftover hst's.

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  13. This is awesome! It has given me a potential jumping point for those 200 'bonus' HSTs from my last quilt! Thank you!!

    I have to admit, scraps have never been my thing and I have been pretty quick to toss them aside... seeing all of the awesome projects you have been posting has me rethinking this practice!!

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    1. I knew that if I didn't use mine right away, I would most likely set them aside and never use them. (or else I would misplace them!)

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  14. "Mighty hunter of textiles..." LOVE IT! lol It's so great that you're good at using scraps. I always enjoy it when I do, but then lament that I have so many lovely FQs just sitting around calling to be utilized as well. If only I could work as quickly as you!

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    1. Sometimes it feels like I'm stalking and hunting when it comes to fabrics! As for scraps…I always wonder why I'm using scraps when I have perfectly good yardage available!

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  15. Sometimes I don't feel like real quilter but based on your block post I'm definitelly one :) Your scrappy project is looking good!

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    1. Of course you are a quilter!! I think we all have said and felt the same thing! I don't always follow the rules, (who makes the rules anyway?!!) but that doesn't mean I'm any less a quilter…or you or anyone else!

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  16. Replies
    1. Aren't they crazy? I think seams show just how serious piecing can get!

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  17. ahhh my sister! I am also obsessed with scraps. Your quilt is deliciously tiny and a testament to the value of scraps. Leeanna at not afraid of color

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