Scrap Buster: Splatastic Scraps

 
One of the things I wanted Luke to help me with was how to make the materials I use (old clothes) become more interesting - for my designs and quilts to be more innovative - and perhaps on occasion less traditional. I started unloading my huge stash of clothes waiting to be recreated into something wonderful - when Luke asked if I kept scraps - me? keep scraps? - you could almost see him gag when I showed him how much of my scraps I kept! His theory was why use the good stuff when we could use the scraps.

Groovy Curvy Quilt

This quilt top was put together by the lovely Maria. You can see some other of Maria's quilts here and here. Maria's quilts are a dream to work with. Her piecing is wonderful, the colors she works with are amazing and her backs and put together in a way (1/2" seam allowance pressed open) which makes me as a longarmer swoon with gratitude.

This is a quilt pattern called "Groove" by Carolina Patchworks.

Mixing up Simple Free Motion Designs

Our guild is currently making baby quilts for charity and this was a top from Maria. Maria said that she had had this top for around a year so it would be nice to get it finished. The block is based on the Flatiron Partnership logo - which I think makes a really great block. It was such a great idea my Maria to translate this logo into a patchwork design. I read somewhere that you are a true quilter if you see a quilt in everything you see - and I don't know how many of you also walk around the world looking at things constantly thinking 'that would make a great quilt' .... my list of ideas & projects is seemingly endless these days.

Tutorial: Sixty Minute Split Strip Quilt

And try and say that in a hurry!

Kids Art Quilt: Sharpie Art Quilt

This is an easy project to do with your little ones. You could make a simple quilt or jazz it up with free motion quilting, embroidery add notions etc. We went with something down the middle of these options.

Quilt Hanging Solution

My husband humors my quilting quite well and how much it takes over our home. Fabric is everywhere in heaps. Snipped threads trail after me around the house like I'm Hansel & Gretel. My 12ft longarm currently lives in our bedroom (on his side of the bed!)

When I try and take photographs of my quilts I have recently found myself constructing more and more bizarre and dangerous ways to get high enough to be able to take a picture of them flat on the floor. Worried that I might end my existance by falling off a tower of stacked furniture - splat onto the quilt below. I've been trying to come up with a way that I can hang my quilts up to take pictures of them - without having to put a hanging sleeve on the back of every quilt and without wrecking the house anymore in order to preserve my marriage!

So I was looking for a way to hang quilts that was semi permenant, does not mark the walls, does not require death defying feats that even circus contortionists and jugglers would be proud of. I have been thinking about this solution for about some 6 months now - determined to find the ideal solution.  Here is what I have come up with.

These are wooden Quilt Hangers (packet of 2) that I found on ebay.  These quilt hangers hang on a nail or screw that you can put into the wall. (They come with screws & drywall anchors.) You can see the YouTube video here. They measure 3" high by 1" wide - but they are surprisingly sturdy. They come in a variety of colors - they look attractive AND they do not mark your finished quilt.

We have picture rails in our house - so I purchased some white picture rail hooks and hooked them into the hole where your nail or screw might go.

And voila - I was able to hang my quilt, take pictures - without making a single hole or mark in or on the wall & without stitching a hanging sleeve in. The kids had a riot running behind the quilt and back out again - so they really held the quilt well.

I am so thrilled to have discovered this solution. I really hope it helps someone else too.

Here would be my suggested number of hangers for common quilt sizes. Note: 1 packet comes with 2 hangers. I would put at least 1 hanger to every 30" or less. Small - 2 hangers, Baby or Crib - 3 hangers, Twin or Full - 4 hangers, Queen or King - 5 or 6 hangers.

Tutorial: A Simple Bordering/Framing Method for your Quilts or Blocks

My quilting teacher commented on the way I make my borders around my quilts and I hadn't really thought that I was doing anything new or novel - I thought everyone did their borders this way. She took a photo to show a fellow quilting teacher so I thought I would post this information and see if it helps anyone else.

For the purpose of showing how I put together borders this demo is not to scale. (And when I take pictures on the macro setting of my camera my images always seemed curved - does anyone else have this issues?)

I have used a orange rectangle to represent the 'quilt' or block. I make a long strip of fabric by sewing equal lengths together (crosswise grain) when I'm making large borders. I do not have joins in the border fabric if I am bordering blocks. 

 I sew the border in the following order and direction.

When you sew the first strip across the top from right to left leave about 1/2 " gap at the edge of the top left corner (see below.) Leave a loose piece of the strip on the top left corner. If your strip is 3" wide leave a little over 3" - if your strip is 6" leave a little over 6" etc

Press & trim and add the next strip that goes top to bottom on the right side of the quilt/block. 

Continue with the bottom strip again going from right to left.

On your final strip sew from the bottom left to the top left of the quilt. Your 1st strip and your last strip will still not be connected in the corner. 

Connect the strips by folding the top strip down. 

Sew the strips together. 

Press & trim. 

The back of the border will look like this. 

Happy borders!

Other quilting tips:
Basting & Layering Tip
Machine Chain Piecing

Quilting Tip: Basting/Layering Quilt

There are so many ways to make quilts. In my humble opinion - as long as you are having fun there is no wrong or right way. Some people are into sewing fabric any way together - other people like to make sure their seams all match precisely – enjoying what you are making is most important. I do however enjoy reading about different ways people do things – make things work - looking for tips to help me – finding people who work in similar ways that I work and that is why I wanted to share the way I put my quilt layers together. I don’t know if it is wrong or right – but I am hoping this little tip can help someone with what I have found to be sometimes a cumbersome experience.

I used to use pins to layer my quilts. I spent hours (literally - perhaps days) ironing, smoothing, pinning, smoothing, repining. It took forever. I recently chatted with Svetlana from s.o.t.a.k handmade and after speaking with her I decided to try out the - often loved by many and perhaps somewhat scorned by some - 505 spray.

It has somewhat changed my life!

The biggest factor is the amount of time saved – which for me with the three little ones is key. Of course the spray is not super cheap – but I don’t use a lot - a very light spritz – so one can lasts for 3 or more full sized quilts. Here is what I do (this is a queen sized quilt.)

I lay the batting out on the floor and smooth it out as much as possible. I use the cardboard fabric tube to roll up my quilt top. 

I spray the first 10” or so of the batting and lay the top 10” of the quilt top on the batting - close to the top & left edge so any remnants from the right & bottom sides of the batting will be big enough to be sewn together again and reused.

I smooth out the top of the quilt as it comes off the roll. If it wrinkles – it easily lifts up and repositions.

I spray and roll in 10” increments smoothing and rubbing all the way.

Keeping the batting flat and smooth underneath I use the cardboard tube to help keep the length of the quilt top flat, taught and smooth on top. Here you can see the beginning of my Recycled Sweater Union Jack peaking out.

Once I have positioned the top layer I trim around the edge of the quilt and batting.

I like to trim the batting off now so I can accurately/neatly/precisely place the quilt top onto the backing fabric - minimizing waste of the backing fabric - the larger I can make the remnants - the more uses I can find for them.

Once trimmed I roll the top with the batting back up on the cardboard tube ...

... and lay out the backing - smoothing it out as much as possible.

I repeat the same process again but with the batting AND the top on the roll.

Once all the layers are together I keep the quilt laid out flat on the spare bed until I'm ready to quilt them. I hope this tip helps you put your larger quilts together in an easier way.  

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Please do not forget about the charity I Spy quilt - we are still looking for scrap fabric donations.