Thursday, January 24, 2019

Magic Circles :: Scrap Busted

I have my first stash busting scrappy quilt finished.  The quilting and binding went off without a hitch and as always, it's full of fabulous crinkles after washing!

When I started this quilt I was determined to only use my unloved fabrics that have been lingering in my stash for years.  I did just that!   Not only did I use stash fabric on the front, but I pieced together the back which helped to whittle down the pile even more.


MAGIC CIRCLES
50" x 64"
I decided to call this quilt Magic Circles for the simple fact that it feels like magic when something this scrappy doesn't look like a hot mess when it's all said and done!  The credit has to go to the white circles.  It seems to have tamed the madness.

Each block was 4.25" unfinished and 3.75", there are 48 circles which are made up of 192 Drunkard Path blocks, which comes to a grand total of 252 blocks!



It's still scrappy, there's no denying or getting away from that, but it feels more grounded and contained.  I don't know if that makes sense to anyone other than me...my brain works in mysterious ways at times!



With a million quilting possibilities running through my head, I stayed in my lane and went with straight lines.  Horizontal, vertical and diagonal.  The lines intersected in the middle of the circles and made a pie!  Wedges for the win!

I used 40wt Aurifil thread (2024) for all the quilting.  I felt like it was the best option, plus I didn't want anything to interfere with the white circles.



I'm slowly learning that by staying in my lane I can achieve better results.  That doesn't mean I'm not going to veer to the left or right on occasion!  I may be getting old, but I like to spice up my life if only in my quilting adventures!

Wanna see the back?  



Isn't it totally bonkers?!  It made a dent in the stash, I'll tell you that!!  I don't think I'd do a back that was this crazy on any other quilt except a scrappy quilt.  Let's just say I was keeping with the theme and leave it at that!



With all the talk of scrap busting and using your stash, I will say that regardless of how I feel about a particular piece of fabric or 40...I love scrappy quilts.  And I love this one.

I'd like to say I've been more strategic in my fabric purchases in recent years, but sometimes I slip up and fall off the wagon!  It's an addiction, right?!  Which is why I buy and love solids!  It's so much easier for me to pair solids than prints.  Prints are...my nemesis!   



I have another scrappy quilt I'll be sharing soon.  Same scrappy fabric, different look!  After which I'll give it a rest!  The stash is smaller and I won't feel the need to bust it for a while!


LINKING:

25 comments :

  1. This looks fabulous. I am the opposite to you, and rarely use solids. I always feel brave if I use a solid in a quilt. x

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have only made backs like that once LOL - it is on the back of a picnic quilt I think I used 9 fat quarters or something like that and they were ones I didn't like! Something about scrappy quilts is you don't really notice the fabrics in them that you don't like and as they say if you do "you didn't cut them small enough" LOL I think the quilt is neat!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I’m thrilled with how this quilt finished. You can throw all kinds of prints in a scrappy quilt and it can look fabulous! It is the perfect way to use those unloved/unwanted prints, and you are so right about not really noticing them!

      Delete
  3. This is full of scrappy happy goodness, right here :) This quilt makes me want to grab a good book and snuggle. All of those prints are bright warm and fun, I think you should keep going! Can't wait to see the second one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I couldn’t be happier with this one considering my love/hate relationship with prints! Working my way through all those prints turned out to be a good idea, but most importantly very liberating!

      Delete
  4. Lovely circles--(did you know you are "http" not "https" secure?) hugs, Julierose

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is gorgeous -one of the most beautiful ways I've seen to use the fabrics I wouldn't know what to do with otherwise. Great job !

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love your scrap buster quilt! I love scrappy quilts due to the fact that you can put almost any fabric into them and they look gorgeous -- almost take on a life of their own. Can't wait to see your other scrappy venture. Nadine W. N. Cali rnwillis@velotech.net

    ReplyDelete
  7. The white really does calm the prints and invites you to dive in to look closer while also being able to take in the whole composition. And well done using up so much for a scrappy backing, too!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great quilt. Thanks for the inspiration for me to use my scraps! I do love a good print!

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is just totally fabulous! I definitely want to copy your idea. :D

    ReplyDelete
  10. I totally agree with you in that a lot of scrappy quilts can look a mess. This one is so eye-appealing! I love the simplicity of the quilting as well. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a fantastic quilt!!! I love all the color and yes, what a great way to "hide" those unloved fabrics! Now I want to make one!!! Your quilting is perfect!! I make pieced backs too! Rarely do I have a solid backing! I really, really love your Magic Circles!!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love your quilt, it is gorgeous! I love all the color and scrappiness of it. Hugs,

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a beautiful quilt this turned out to be! Isn't it funny how you can take fabrics you don't like anymore, and in a scrappy quilt they look fantastic together? That has happened to me before too. I still don't understand how that works. BTW, I never use solids except sometimes as backgrounds. It just doesn't feel right or comfortable.

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is such a great scrap quilt, Jayne! I'm thinking about doing white centered drunkard's path blocks as part of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge each month. Your quilt inspired me :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Awesome scrappy quilt. And the quilting suits is perfectly.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Love the quilt - but wait? the scraps are smallish and you won't have to bust for a while.... I could SO totally help you with that!! ha ha! Love what you made!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love scrappy quilts. Once I made a Scrappy Trip Around the World (Bonnie Hunter), and a friend of mine couldn't believe I was using Christmas, Halloween, print, solid, novelty, etc. together. That's why it's called scrappy, right?! I love your quilt. The pieced backing just adds that much more interest. The quilt is beautiful. Thanks for sharing it.

    ReplyDelete
  18. these may have been unloved fabrics, but they all pull together so well in these circles. I love circle quilts, though I have never made one

    ReplyDelete
  19. Very bright and fun, my favorite kind of scrappy quilt. It is hard to tame all those unloved fabrics, but this quilt did just that. Congrats on a fabulous finish.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Happy to hear the term "unloved fabrics" banded about =). Your quilt came out great, backing and all!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Your quilt is great! I love a scrappy quilt and this one makes my heart happy. Good job on using up stash!

    ReplyDelete
  22. This is fabulous! Those white circles really make the difference, in my opinion. Thanks for the great idea!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I love this! Are the white circles actually made of 4 quarter-circles? They make the quilt! PS For the record, I often make busy, Yellow Brick Road backings for my quilts. If you receive this message, please tell me how to do the circles.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting my blog! I love getting comments, and try to respond to each and every one.