Clammed Out and Scrap Magic

This quilt!  I started it in May (Glam Clam Prep) and just a couple days ago finished it. Happily, but not without issues.  I slowly made my way through row by row.  A little here, a little there.  To me it's a tricky block to handle and I needed to keep going so I wouldn't forget how to do it.  



This is has not been my favorite quilt to make!  I shouldn't say that, but it's true!  I found it very cumbersome sewing each clam row by row.  And that last row!!!  I had to redo the last several blocks because somehow...I went very wrong!

All that being said, I love the design and I love how this one turned out.  We all say we love being pushed and trying new things.  Well, this did both of those things for me.  My Clams are 8" and I can imagine the 12" would be much easier.  I actually wanted to use the 6" template...it still could happen!



I don't want to influence and scare you away from the Glam Clam.  I think when (yes, I'll do it again!) I try again it will be much easier and perhaps the results will even be better!

My goal coming back from vacation was to finish all my WIP's before I start something new. I can check this one off my list!

Next on my list is using the scraps from this quilt.  And there are plenty!  The waste after cutting the clams is substantial and well worth coming up with a scrap quilt plan.  I decided to make Drunkards Path block.  



What I do love about the Clammy Ruler is you can make quarter, half and full circle blocks. All the info is on the ruler.  I took the 6" ruler and cut my scraps into quarter circles first.  



Works like a charm!  I then had to decide on the background fabric.  Simple, keep it simple and go with white.



And by the way...I now have a stack of quarter circles in white I have to figure out what to do with!!  It's possible they will make it into this quilt since I am just making for the sake of making these blocks!  Wait and see!



All the parts and pieces are ready.  I pressed a crease in the center each piece to make it easier to line up.     



My next brilliant idea (debatable!) was to glue baste all the blocks.  Why would I do that? Couple reasons.  I don't have to pin.  I don't have to fight with the pieces to line up.  And most importantly, I could glue baste the blocks in the evenings while watching my favorite programs!  



I put the portable pressing mat on my lap, the iron hot (no steam), the glue and fabric all within reach.  I've said in many times that I like having something to do in the evenings. This was a pretty mindless process that would have used a chunk of my productive daytime time. 



Another reason I glue basted these blocks was so I'd be able to stitch a few here or there and in between projects.  I didn't necessarily want to stitch them all right away.  My main goal was to use the large scraps from a previous quilt right away so they wouldn't linger in the abyss!



I'm starting to get ideas for this quilt.  Maybe make circles with four blocks, maybe not. Maybe half circles or maybe full circles!  Aren't Drunkard's Path blocks fun?!

I have my green tub full of blocks ready to sew.  Can you guess how many I have so far?  I'll admit...I did count them!  I have 121 blocks primed and ready to go!

Have you made a Glam Clam quilt?  Or two?  Was it easier the second time around?  I certainly don't want to be a quitter and throw in the towel...but in my opinion...it was hard!

LINKING:

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Two Workshops :: Long Days!

Exhausting, but worth it!  Two workshops and a trunk show in two days.  It doesn't sound like much.  But when one of those days is 9-5, nearly all sewing and something as of late I haven't done...its very tiring!

I will start off by saying that I've never taken a workshop/class...ever.  And, I wasn't going to miss out on this chance to take two.  I took full advantage of the opportunity!  We had full classes, amazing company, lots of snacks and the chance to meet quilters from not just Nashville, but Memphis, Chattanooga and Knoxville! 

Meet Latifah,  formerly known as 'The Quilt Engineer'.  The lady behind the Glam Clam Quilts and templates.  I've admired her for years and years.  I believe my daughter steered me in her direction a long, long time ago!

I was impressed with her warmth, humor, skills along with her her endless patience throughout the classes.  She was just as I had hoped she would be and more.  If you ever get the chance to meet her or take her workshops, you won't be disappointed!  

Latifah Saarif and Me!

This post will mostly be about 'eye candy' in the form of Latifah Saarif and her quilts.  They are worthy of a post all their own!  Plus, I haven't finished my two projects and want to do so before sharing a lot about them.

Our first workshop was all about Bias Tape.  We got to pick a small project, sketch ideas and and attempt to execute them.  This was a three hour class that flew by!  I should have paid better attention to how to finish up ends in a pretty way...but I was to fixated on my table runner idea!



My idea was paisley and circles.  You can see I didn't get very far with the bias tape part of the class!  The good news is I just need to quilt the runner and I can share it!

Medallion, No Latitude, Air Show

Aren't these quilts gorgeous?!  These three are all Bias Tape quilts.  The medallion is amazing!

The next day was our full Glam Clam Day!  It was an amazing day!  I'm so glad I decided to take this class!

Take a look at these Clams!  The bottom left is the only 8" quilt out of these four.  I'm loving the 12", even though the 6" clam caught my eye big time!

For all you Glam Clam lovers...Latifah has a new design/templates coming out!  Check out the upper left and lower right quilts...curious now?! 



We all got set up pretty quickly at our tables.  Irons were heating...more snacks...fabric flying everywhere!

Latifah demonstrated how to cut the side pieces.  I over achieved and had mine cut before hand. You would think that should have allowed me to make more progress on my quilt, but it didn't!

Check out her dress!  It's from her fabric line 'Graphic'!

Believe it or not, someone actually finished their quilt top!  I know!  They used the 12" template, which I thought was huge when I first saw it.  Ummm...I should have gone with the 12"!  Piecing together the clams is not a quick process.  It was super awkward to me.  The alignment of each clam confused me more times than I care to admit.  That being said, don't shy away from it!  If we don't push, we don't learn.  This seriously pushed me!  



I completed the top row and six rows of clams!  Like I said, it isn't fast!  Once you get the hang of it, it does go a little faster.  My clams are 8" and I'm doing a rather large (IMO) throw quilt.  I am determined, dead set, serious as a heart attack going to finish this quilt!  I'm afraid if I don't keep working on it I'll forget how to do it!  And that would be tragic!

Here's a few more Latifah originals!  Gorgeous...amazing...inspiring!

Log Cabin (amazing), The Big Log, and Two versions of Mole Hills.  I loved seeing all her quilts and hearing the stories and thoughts behind them.  When I grow up...

Notice the bindings on many of these quilts.  It's a one inch binding that Latifah does on many of her quilts.  Take her class...she shows you how she does it!!  I will be giving it a whirl on my Clam quilt!  Thank you Debbie @ A Quilter's Table for telling me to ask about the 'demo' of the binding!

Let's just say this was a two day extravaganza for me!!  It most likely won't happen again anytime soon!

LINKING:

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Finished or Not Friday

Oh Scrap

Workshop Prep :: Glam Clam :: Purging

I'm super excited for the 'Glam Clam' workshop this weekend, and especially excited to meet Latifah Saafir!  Our guild 'Music City Modern Quilters Guild', has set forth an action packed weekend for members and non-members.  How fun is it to meet someone you have long admired and been a huge fan of?!

Tomorrow will begin the festivities with Latifah's Bias Tape Workshop.  I do know a little about bias tape, but if you get the chance to learn from a pro you should take advantage of it!  I've spent countless hours deciding what my bias tape project will be...fabric wise.  I guess I've come to the conclusion it will coordinate with the Glam Clam quilt.

You may be surprised to learn that I am not, I repeat...I am not using solids!  Even though every instinct I had was saying 'solids, solids, solids'!  And my heart wanted to do the 6" Clammy, but went with an 8", after all it will be my first one.

  

And so I contemplated.  What fabrics.  What prints.  What colors.  Along with, what size of quilt? Scrappy?  Not scrappy?



I pondered and pulled fabric.  I stressed and pulled fabric.  I threw up my hands and still pulled fabric.  

In the end I decided scrappy-ish, and I'm going green-ish!  I'm using all my funky fabric that lingers in my stash.  Stuff that sucks, stuff that I love (but never use...because I love it) and stuff that is every thing in between.  Lime green to aqua...it was all going in.

The hope was it would deplete my stash, but no such luck!  I cut anywhere from one to 4 or 5 Glam Clams from various prints.  Not nearly enough!  I need more clammy's!

  

Tula.  Tula Plume.  Another love, another fabric that has lingered far too long.  I had just enough left over for two and of course, I had to make sure I got one bird front and center.



One thing I knew for sure about this quilt, if I didn't cut every single Clam for it at once...I may never finish it.  This way I am sure to make the quilt regardless!  I decided to make the throw quilt which required 128 - 8" full size Clams and a handful of partial pieces.  It will finish at 64" x 72", which in my mind is a very respectable throw size quilt!



My design wall was a bit small, but I managed to figure out a layout for the most part.  At least I have all the rows marked and ready to hit the workshop running!  The backing I have already decided with be all scraps, all left over prints and then some.  

If that doesn't take care of a good part of my stash then nothing will!  Purge quilt #2!

Have you made a Glam Glam Quilt?  I'd love to know what fabrics you used.  Picking fabrics is always the hardest part!

LINKING:

Oh Scrap

Main Crush Monday

Freemotion By The River

Let's Bee Social

Needle & Thread

Crazy Mom Quilts