Moon Flower Scrap Squad November 2015

This is the quilt I made for November 2015 Quiltmaker Magazines Scrap Squad.  In the original pattern the center medallion was a Christmas ornament.  With a few changes it became a flower.  The fabrics are 30s reproduction fabrics and hand dyes.  The hand dyes were purchased from my friend Karen in Kentucky.  I have a collection of 30s reproduction.  I chose the name Moon Flower because I thought the quilt had a "hippie" vibe.  Below is a close up of the center panel.

I've enjoyed my  year as a member of Scrap Squad and I'm currently working on my 6th and last quilt,

It's been a long three months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It has been over three months since I last posted.  I've experienced some health issues with my right knee.  There have been times when I was unable to walk due to the extreme pain.  Needless to say this put a damper on much of my quilting and sewing.   I should say that I am much better due to a month of therapy.  I'm scheduled to do another month and then evaluation to see if surgery is needed.

I was able to complete a Scrap Squad quilt that was featured on the Quilty Pleasures blog.  The quilt was made from my stash of Christmas fabrics.  It will be on display during the holiday season.

 

I named this quilt Snowy Diamonds.  It was a great way to use up some of those Christmas scraps that I've been collecting for years.

 

 

I plan to add more post of projects as time allows. 

Miss Mattie's Flower Garden

 

My second Scrap Squad quilt was featured on the Quilty Pleasures Blog last week.  I named this quilt after my MaMa Skaggs.  Her name was Mattie.  You can see the original quilt on the blog post.  I used the original block pattern but rearranged the blocks to get a diagonal line that resulted in large diagonal squares. 

 

I auditioned using the scrappy fabric in the center of squares but ultimately decided to go with a solid gray block in the center.  The embroidery design is by Anita Goodesigns. 

 

I decided to use the left overs to make a scrappy border and quilted on my new Avante quilting machine.  I guess you would called it semi-custom quilting.  I did most of the quilt without using the computer but the triangle blocks are Prostitcher designs.

 

I love this quilt!

 

@ the Circus quilt

My first Scrap Quilt was published in March.  Here is a photo of the quilt.

I named the quilt "@ the circus".  I used my Handi Quilter Avante and did an edge to edge quilt design.   Below is a photo of the design.  The design is by Anne Bright.

 

Here is a link to the Scrappy Pleasures Blog post

 

I am now working on my next quilt for Scrap Squad.  It used reproduction 1930s fabric.

 

Here is a peek at the fabric.

 

Thanks for stopping by.

 

 

Keeping it on the "Q.T." Quilting Tip # 1

Recently I was selected as a member of Quiltmaker's Scrap Squad.  Monday, we received our first quilt assignment.   I decided to Google the word SCRAPPY -

 Scrappy -  consisting of disorganized, untidy, or incomplete parts:

No one wants a quilt that is disorganized, untidy or incomplete.  So how do you use scraps in a quilt and keep it organized, tidy, and complete.  Well here is Q. T. # 1.

"Choose an inspiration fabric and let it be  your guide."

I began by looking through my stash of fabric.  The fabric below had been in my stash for a few years waiting for the perfect quilt.  I decided to use it as my inspiration fabric.

It is a hand dyed fabric.  Not sure how I will use it in the quilt but it will serve as my guide for selecting scraps of fabric.  After looking at the inspiration fabric, I remembered that I had recently purchased a small amount of various colors of hand dyed ombre fabrics.  I placed then on the inspiration. 

I eliminated the gray and red fabrics. The gray was completely wrong and the red was a little too red.  (not pinkish enough)

I decide to go with these six colors.  Again I'm not sure how I will use them but I added them to my stack.

 

Now comes the fun part, gathering together my scraps.  Since this is the Scrap Squad the scraps will be the focal part of the quilt.

I began by going through my scraps and selecting fabrics that were similar in color to the six colors above.

 

 

I auditioned each fabric and some were eliminated as was the yellow fabric shown below.  It has similar colors but was too yellow.

 

I have a maybe "pile" of scraps. You can see them at the top of the photo below.  I can always go back and add then to the mix if I choose.

 

If you are having trouble deciding whether or not to use a certain fabric, sometimes it helps to take a photo and look at the photo.  It can give you another point of view.  Here I used my IPad and took a photo. I eliminated a few fabrics after viewing the photo.

 

Below is my final selection of scraps.  You will notice that I eliminated the orange ombre and one of the blues.  I also eliminated the orange scraps and combined all the blues into one stack.  Now I have my inspiration fabric, 4 ombre hand dyes, and my scraps in four piles.

 

All of these selections were based on my one inspiration fabric.   I have found this to be a simple and effective means of selecting a variety of scraps for my quilts. 

 

 

My final stack of scraps

And I didn't add in any of my "maybe" fabric this time but often I do go back and revisit those fabrics.  This time I had enough variety without them. 

 

Hope you enjoyed my Keeping it on the "Q.T." Quilting Tip # 1.

 

"Let an inspiration fabric be your guide."

Oh yes! Leave your fabric out on your table for a few hours or days.  Walk by and see if you are concerned about any of the fabrics or if something is missing.  After doing this, I decided I needed a POP of COLOR.  Referring back to my inspiration fabric, I decided to add yellow as my POP.

 

 

Remember, I still don't know how I will use these fabrics but my quilt design is beginning to come into focus.  I'm pleased with the fabrics I selected and know that they "fit together".  Now the quilt  design will begin to take shape.   I won't be able to share the quilt pattern until my quilt is revealed in March but I will share more later as I make design decisions.

 

 

 

 

 

Quiltmaker Scrap Squad 2015

I've been selected as a member of Quiltmaker Magazine's 2015 Scrap Squad.  I'm so excited.  I received my first assignment today and I'm already planning the quilt.  I plan to do a "Keeping It on the Q.T." (Quilting Tips) here on my blog.  I'll probably do a couple of "Q.T." tips each month.  I'm busy planning my first post for late this week. 

We were to submit a few pictures for use on the Quiltmaker blog.  I'm not sure which photo they will select but I've chosen this one for my post here.

 

Check back often as I blog about my experiences as a member of the Scrap Squad.