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Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Solids + Scraps = A Big Quilt

I wasn't sure I'd ever get back to making something big again!  I've literally been isolated in my home for 34 days, and after a while you start to lose focus not to mention your mind.  

I've made many mini mini quilts, but just could not bring myself to go big.  Happily the drought is over!  It might have had something to do with sitting and making 90 face masks in just a few days.  I think I was ready!

While cleaning my sewing room I came across some pieces from the scrap busting Feedsack Quilt I made last month.  Needless to say it motivated me!  



I rummaged through my scraps and picked the tote that had the most.  Okay, then...aqua, teal, chartreuse, pickle and whatever else I thought might work in the mix.  I gotta say the color combination is pleasing to the eye!


If you've ever made Drunkard Path blocks, you know these little gems are the aftermath of the process.  Never would I ever discard something that has the potential to be worked into another project.  


I gathered the quarter circles (convex) of white, snow, ivory and bone and prepared a concave template.  I knew I wouldn't have the perfect templates for my convex pieces and I certainly didn't want to trim all the pieces I already had. The concave template was traced onto cardstock as I knew I'd need to cut many pieces.


One rule I made myself follow was not to cut from yardage.  This was all about scraps, all about busting the stash.  You'll notice that some of my concave pieces have been pieced with several different scraps.


Doing this helped me stay on the straight and narrow!  I stitched together scraps that only needed to be slightly larger than my template.  Which meant I could use a lot of smaller scraps.



The only way I would have enough Drunkard Path blocks to make a generous sized lap quilt was to supplement!  I could have made circles with four DP blocks, but it would have been a baby quilt size and that was not the plan.  

I did have to cut the squares for these blocks from yardage.  It hurt my heart...but I had to do it!  The good news was I still had plenty of skinny scraps for the edges!    



Each block measured 4 3/4" unfinished and each four (4) patch block measures 9" unfinished.  The quilt should be approximately 51" x 68" when it's all said and done.  

Tomorrow I will figure out the backing, cut the batting from a fresh roll and hit the quilting bandwagon!  



This was one project I didn't have to worry too much about color or block placement.  I slapped it up on the design way in a very satisfying haphazard way with very few changes.  Delightful!



I was literally 3 border blocks short after it was on the design wall!  That's cutting it close!  I didn't want to make more, at this point I was done with piecing, but I did have quite a few Drunkard Path blocks left.  I switched the four corners to have the curve action and that freed up just enough border blocks to make this work!  Now that's what I call close...and it felt great!  

I think it ended up being a fun and gorgeous quilt (top at this point!), and I'm looking forward to moving to the next stage!  Bring on the quilting!


Stay safe and stay home!

LINKING:

32 comments:

  1. I love it! What a great idea and the colours look great together!

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  2. So wonderful and 'springy', if that's even a word. Love the palette! And I hear you on needing a break from mask making...

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    1. Springy works for me! I always love using my stash and when I’m able to put together a pretty quilt from it…it makes me very happy!

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  3. I agree that is a very pleasant color combo. I'm glad to hear someone else say they are losing focus. I am drifting between projects and getting nothing really done.

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    1. You are most certainly not along on losing focus! You’d think with all this home time we’d all be cranking out the quilts. It wasn’t that long ago when everyone was saying ‘if I only had the time’!!

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  4. I love it! Beautiful color palette. I'm with you on the loss of focus lately and being tired of mask making.

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    1. It felt so good to get back to ‘normal’ even for one quilt. Mask making has been essential, but even that is too much at times!

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  5. I love the colors! This is a happy, happy quilt (top)! 👏🏻👏🏻 for making 90 masks! I have made several batches of 10-15 masks with a break in between each. Can't imagine making 90 in a few days!

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  6. oh wow....so very pleasing. Love it and how calm and cool it is!

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  7. I really love how the corner blocks are rounded and move the eye around the corner to the next side of the quilt; I'm glad you had that solution up your sleeve (and enough blocks to make it happen)! Great color palette. Have fun quilting it. :)

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  8. This is faaaaabulous! I love the colours you used.

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  9. I love to see how those colors dance and play together, and I like those corner blocks - it's adds a fun uniqueness to the quilt. Can't wait to see the quilting!

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  10. I really like the design you came up with and the scraps you chose look awesome together! I've never tried drunkard's path blocks because the curve intimidates me and I don't enjoy hand piecing, which is the traditional way it was made, I believe. I always enjoy seeing what you are working on.

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  11. Holy crap that is gorgeous! I always have those leftovers and never know what to do with them. Um. Right. Now I know! :D I love that you sewed up pieces to make the concave part as well. UGH so good all around. That palette is just want I need right now, too :D

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  12. this is fantastic. I think those different corner blocks make it much more interesting

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  13. yay for cutting it close and making it work! It's so pretty and I love the pieced sections.

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  14. The piecing of the convex pieces to make them the right size gives this quilt great personality!

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  15. Those are really neat blocks, Jayne! I love what happens when you combine the square ones with the curved ones. Love the colors, too! I enjoy reading along as you explore a new idea!

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  16. I love this design, Jayne -- fresh like Spring; reminds me of those first green shoots poking up through the melting snow on a sunny day.

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  17. This is wonderful, I love it so much! The colours are gorgeous!

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  18. Beautiful quilt, great use of scraps! Love those colors all together.

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  19. I love this! The spring colours are really great. I remember the similar shapes you made with oranges and pinks. It works as well with the green!

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  20. It is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous! And here I feel successful if I piece scraps together to make fronts and backs for zippered pouches! LOL. Thanks for linking up with TGIFF!

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  21. This one is one of my favorites. I love the effect all those scrappy bits have. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!

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  22. Oh this is awesome, I love your rule of keeping to scraps (mostly) and joining pieces to make the larger ones, really putting the patch back into patchwork! :) Well done on another great job, stay well xx

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  23. Like yourself, we are in isolation, our 5th week now. You do get used to it I suppose. I have a drunkards path die cut I have never used. Maybe this is the time to try it. Your quilt is beautiful

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  24. Absolutely love this!!! Sometimes I think our best creations come from working with what we have and within the parameters we set.

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  25. Absolutely love this!!! Sometimes I think our best creations come from working with what we have and within the parameters we set.

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