Saturday, September 1, 2007

Like sands in an houglass,so are the SCRAPS of our LIVES

SCRAPS!! Have I told you I love scrappy quilts, I think I did. I've been saving my scraps for years, haven't paid much attention to them, but feeding regularly and they have multiplied as you would expect. A gal in one of my groups started a string/scrap challenge. I thought this was a good diversion and I had just purchased some awesome black tone on tone so it sound it perfect. Off I went to search for the perfect pattern. They were mostly doing strings and such, I wanted something different. I refound http://quiltville.com/ and Bonnie the Scrap Queen. Bonnie has done a great tutorial on the Spiderweb which brought to mind that I had an old Quilt In A Day book that I had bought for that pattern years ago. VOYLA! Bonnie has you use paper and the book had you use a muslin foundation. Vicky had mentioned deli papers, so I found some and used those. They worked great, but if I do it again I will use muslin. With a muslin foundation it will be very stable. My spiderweb will probably have to be quilted into submission to lay flat. I didn't give myself any rules, I just pulled out scraps and layed them down and trimmed them off, you'll find Christmas fabric next to Easter and brights next to repros and all different widths and colors. I have it on my design wall and as a friend said it's mesmerizing, kinda like looking at a kaleidoscope.

One thing I realized while pawing my scraps... if you wanna know where you've been.... look through your scraps!! It's calling me to finish it, it wants me to revisit memory lane, but alas, I have lots pin cushions to make. All good things in good time.

12 comments:

Doodlebug Gail said...

What a lovely striking quilt! Love the black - it gives it a lot of stability. Cute little Granny in the corner of the photo.

Vicky said...

I just love that quilt, Mar! (I need to get back to my memory lane stroll, too, on my loggies.)

Hurry up and get those pincushions done so you can finish this one up! It's gorgeous! ILY

Kim said...

That looks great! Love all the colors with the black!

Cher said...

yep, scraps thrown together willy nilly are the best- this came out great!

Carol said...

Oh wow I love all those scrappies. What a wonderful top...you must finish those pincushions so you can do more on this one.
The Sunshine and Shadows book has that cute quilt with the baskets that
Darlene did. That's on my list.
Have a great Labor Day weekend. Carol

Darlene said...

Lovely scrap quilt. Someday on my blog I'll have to share my story about my scraps.

Hope you're having a great week end. Sewing like the wind.

Yvonne said...

I really love it with the black...great project! I started using deli papers too but I hate having to rip off all the paper....muslin for me from now on.

Nan said...

OMG, that's bee-yutiful, Mar!!! I think scrappy quilts are the best - they definitely do tell you where you've been and what you've created over the years.
Thank you for helping me remember my own "quilty" past!

Kathy in Seattle said...

Ok, Mar

Great blog so far! What were you afraid of? The Moon is great, and the spider web is, too.

I've never met you but putting two and two together, sounds like not only might I be getting a chance to in November, but might be a recipient of one of your fantastic pincushions as well!

I'm a fifty-something happily single empty-nester, too. Love needle turn, too. Took Becky Goldsmith's class at Asilomar exactly 2 years ago. After a week with her, you can do anything! this year I was in Alex A.'s do-anything -you-want class at Asilomar. We had a great time.

I'm also working on the Rabbits love Chocolate, but I bought the kit.

Anyway, I'll be at the retreat Nov 8-11. Will you be at that one? I can't wait. Just got the e-mail saying I was in a couple of weeks ago.

Kathy DB
kastyh@comcast.net

Unknown said...

I LOVE it! I have four years worth of scraps and I want to make a kaleidoscope quilt SO bad!! My scraps are more children/kid prints, so I need to attemp more of an I Spy... any who, your quilt is SO nice!

Jeanne said...

Your spiderwebs are great! I'm working on spiderweb blocks right now, too.

Jeanne

Vicki W said...

I love this quilt! I am also working on a scrap quilt and it's so much fun to pull out the bits and remember where they cam from.