It started with a desire to use scraps from one project, in conjunction with orphan blocks from a 'way back when' project and with reckless abandon, I chucked it all for a ridiculous pile of scraps that were speaking very loudly to me!
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| SCATTERED PETALS 19" x 19" |
Imagine trimming each triangle and finding a pile of gold when your finished! Sad but true, that's how I felt! I keep thinking there has to be a point where a scrap is garbage, not worth the time or trouble. And then I prove myself wrong.
With the petals pieced, I had to come up with a cleaver way to connect them. Piece by piece, the the guess work began. It seemed simple enough in my mind.
I soon found out the middle was going to be a big fat mess! I fiddled with it until it was good enough. Not great.
With a little quilting, or a lot in this case...
...the dense quilting with the lines crossing in the middle camouflaged the horrible center. It worked perfectly!
I free motion quilted tiles in the petals, extending a few lines of color to the edge.
And of course I had to add a pieced binding to finish it off! It's becoming a regular feature lately.
This photo was shot accidentally as I was picking things up. I almost deleted it without looking at it and I'm glad I didn't! How it happened, I couldn't tell you, but I really like it! I haven't had a good 'quilt porn' picture for a while!
I don't know why scraps excite me so much. Maybe it's the challenge. Either way I have yet to be let down by them and I'm sure they will keep making me crazy and pushing me to take it over the top!
Are you a scrap fanatic? How small is too small?
LINKING:
I think my 'too small' is bigger than yours! ;-) This looks very fun tho!! Awesome quilting once again.
ReplyDeleteI tried to throw away little scraps, it worked for a while! These just spoke to me! Crazy when that happens!
DeleteHi Jayne! Super super again! Pile of cold in deed, how beautifully said! Your ideas are amazing and these photos so beautiful! First I thought that your pins were part of the design, they look so nice tiny colour spots! I just wish I had time (or energy) to try your ideas! x Teje
ReplyDeletePS.I'm sure Debbie's 'too small' is my normal size scrap (or perhaps even 'piece' and not scrap).
Your quilt is so nice also with petals :-) And it's interesting to see the back of your quilt!
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw your blocks on IG, I thought of colorful geodes. And my second thought was piecing that center will be tricky. It turned out fantastic and I love the quilting which radiates out from the center.
ReplyDeleteI love how you say you don't know why scraps excite you so much...I am the same way. Can't figure it out, can't explain it, it just does! Seeing your post, the first on my reader this morning, just made me crazy! You did such an amazing job! I love everything about your little quilt. Now I need to go sew some scraps! And to answer your question..how small is too small..I say anything smaller than a seam allowance is too small!
ReplyDeleteI’m not sure why scraps excite me, and not all do! This was one of those where I had to drop everything and see where it took me! I’ll be adjusting the way I think about what goes in the trash and doesn’t!
DeleteI think what I love most about this piece is the shape of the petals- it just really really works. I wish I could get a little more excited about scraps - I get fabric fatigue - after making a piece or two with fabrics, I just am not excited about them so much anymore. I try to save them so I can come back to them later - I'm sure I can get excited about them again after some time, but then I just have too many scraps - ya know? I am however, contemplating some EPP, which I believe would work well for scraps. Anyway - love this piece, but that's no surprise. Great job.
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely fantastic! I love the scrappiness of it. And the dense quilting compliments it perfectly! :)
ReplyDeleteOooh! The dense quilting on this project gives it so much texture. And you can't tell that the center was bulky. Small scraps for me tend to end up in the trash - I don't seem to have a vision for them but lately I've been saving a special pile for my son to sew together. Who knows, maybe he'll have enough sewn together to do something with soon.
ReplyDeleteI’m so happy that the quilting tamed the center! It was awful! There are some scraps that I can’t throw away, like in this piece. I will say the scraps have to ‘talk’ to me and give me an idea before they hit the trash!
DeleteI have a fabric basket (quite large) that I throw all my fabric scraps into, then I can bag them for pet beds. looking at what you have done, I am sure you would have loads of fun with my scrap pile.
ReplyDeleteI really love your scrap explorations, Jayne. And quilting can do so much for a project, can't it? The details of a few strands of thread color escaping out to the edges and colored binding again are lovely finishing touches!
ReplyDeleteThere was a time when I didn’t think the quilting matter at all. As the years have gone by and I’ve tried to explore new ideas, I’ve learned quilting can often times be the icing on the cake! Not that I always enjoy it!
DeleteOh is that seafoam triangle piece for me? :D
ReplyDeleteYou knucklehead! I just made you a quilt! I still love you to pieces though!
DeleteVery cool little quilt! And I had to laugh when you used the term "quilt porn"! When I'm on the computer looking at quilty things and my husband walks in, I tell him that he caught me looking at "quilt porn"!
ReplyDeleteYou are so creative. I love this one, and enjoy seeing your latest 'what if' projects in my feed.
ReplyDeleteIf this is the result of finding a rabbit hole to climb into . . . then I'm going rabbit hole hunting. I love it, you are so talented and so inspiring. Scraps to Perfection :)
ReplyDeleteAnother INSPIRING finish, Jayne. I love the whole quilt--but oddly, my favorite photos are the one of the top with your pins adding those little dots of color (does that give you an idea for another version?) and the view of the backside with the stunning quilting against the white.
ReplyDeleteThis is spectacular!!
ReplyDeleteMan, I wish I could get my scraps to look this nice! :D Beautiful work as always!!
ReplyDeleteI adore using scraps. I keep asking myself how small my threshold is...
ReplyDeleteI adore using scraps. I keep asking myself how small my threshold is...
ReplyDeleteAgain, wonderful! Scraps are just great!
ReplyDeleteYou have no self-control, woman, and I love it! Keep doing your scrappy thing; it is clearly meant to be.
ReplyDeleteLove your pieces! I always vow to toss out the tiny pieces and then I end up making a quilt with them and am glad I didn't. Someday I will have the courage to just give them all away, but that time's not here yet!
ReplyDeleteI really like the shattered look of this one. Clever details too. I am not sure when you sleep :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad you shared with Oh Scrap. Your work is always so inspiring.
I want your quilt! I love it, my soul is crying out to me for one, so guess I'll have to get to work. I hoard scraps because: I love making something good out of nothing, I hate to waste materials, I like informal balance in just about everything, I enjoy the challenge of creating something unique, I love the excitement of inspiration. Serendipity is one of my favorite words. Thanks for the (to me it really is) quilt porn!
ReplyDeleteI always love your "what ifs" because they are so fun and creative! I am guilty of throwing away the little bits, and then I see what you do with them, and think differently about them. The flower shape you created is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAnother great super tiny scrap project and the quilting is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteYou are such a talent! OMG!!! I love this quilt...no really, I LOVE it! As usual, you ROCK!!!
ReplyDeleteI guess it's only too small when you don't want to play with it anymore!! What a nice looking quilt. And the triangles would be nice too.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! I'm always so impressed when quilters use those tiniest of scraps to make something fabulous.
ReplyDeleteI've finally started throwing away scraps that are smaller than about 3/4" square. I just don't have the patience right now.
--Nancy. (ndmessier @ aol.com, joyforgrace.blogspot.com)
Jayne, you always amaze me. You make the most beautiful creations out of the smallest scraps.
ReplyDeleteYou did NOT mean for this to happen. Yeah, I believe you. No, I am not a scrap fanatic. No one is a scrap fanatic. Not like you. I agree with Kaja - you need to practice self-control. Till then, please keep sharing. This is one of the yummiest eye candy in a long time. With colorful pin heads, on the shattered block - it is quite the (quilt) porn star!!!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Preeti.
Hi Jane, Your choice of fabrics for your petals is stunning. It looks like a cathedral window. WOW!
ReplyDeleteThat's just perfect! You have a great eye for color and balance in composition. I also wanted to let you know that I nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award, which you can accept or not as you wish)) Your blog is a great inspiration.
ReplyDeleteThis is just so much fun! What a beautiful creation out of scraps...don't stop!
ReplyDeleteAnother fantastic piece Jayne! You are the bestest scrap buster! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is lots of fun. Great petal shapes. I actually thought you had pieced in little pieces of colour in the white too until I realised it was pins!
ReplyDelete