When my quilting ends up with small scraps, rather than putting them back in boxes by color, I cut them into the largest square size they will fit. I used to make only squares but with a good box of one-inch squares, I began to cut one-inch strips into 1 x 2, 3, 4, 5, or even six inch lengths. Those go into baggies and live in the shoe box.
Last night I took my baby quilt idea to choir and ran it by the head honchos. The proposal was approved and it will not be too hard to do as most of the pieces are living in a box or tin.
I have more than enough kid-friendly prints and am arranging them in an alternate dark-light pattern.
I am turning them left and right and up and down so that there will be no "right" way to use the quilt.
The 1 x 5 inch strips are going between like a kind of sashing and those one-inch with kid-friendly prints fit where the sashing joins the next block.
Since this will be from the choir, they wanted a place to sign their wishes and names. I have just enough of the hand-print fabric I used in a baby quilt a little over a year ago for my fellow teachers to sign.
If I add two inch border, the quilt will be about 41 x 47 or longer if I have time to add more rows.
There is enough variety in some of these fabrics to make an I-Spy quilt.
What do you think is a good size to end up with? The quilt I made for my first grandson was 51"x 63" and that was too small to use on his bed when he moved to a bunk... thus a few years ago I began the tradition of a big-boy quilt. Other grandkids got bigger quilts but since they are rather babyish in design, they are gradually being replaced with something more mature in design.
I did make a big I-Spy quilt for the family that seems to be used for guests or on the sofa so I guess one can always play I-Spy even as grown-ups. I never know how or if a quilt will be used. The quilts my mother made for my kids got a lot of use except the first one that was crib-sized.
Well, I have plenty of time putting the blocks together before I have to gather opinions and decide on the border.
Hmmmm.... I can see another HEIRLOOM quilt coming, and it looks like a good finished size for a baby quilt. I'm sure the recipient will be thrilled :)
ReplyDeleteTHANKS for the inspiration, Julie, and also for the good tips about keeping your fabrics cut in a useful way!
In stitches,
XOXOXO
NADINE
(better go and finish my luggage now, HeHeee)
Your dog is just beautiful! For me, it's just a guess on what size quilt to make and I usually let it evolve and see what I end up with. Everything you make is beautiful. Love seeing your projects evolve.
ReplyDeleteThat is going to be a fun quilt for a baby. I always make them smaller and then larger ones as they get older, just fun to make them.
ReplyDeleteThe bad thing is, the kids got a double size bunk bed, that means larger quilts, so not sure if it is worth it, maybe some memory quilts later that they can have to remember grandma by.
Debbie
How we sort and store our stash of fabric reflects how we work, I think. You make many scrappy quilts, happily mixing prints and colours in the same quilt, so sorting by size makes sense. Someone who makes both traditional pieced quilts and crazy quilts will probably sort by kind of fabric, cotton and muslin separated from fancy metallic, upholstery, velvet, silk and lace. Those who fussy cut and make e.g. kaleidoscope quilts will have to sort by print, keeping any piece of the same print together regardless of size.
ReplyDeleteI for one keep the smaller pieces (fat quarters and smaller) in boxes according to the colour. Then I have zip bag of small scraps that are used for testing stitch length and tension on the machine, as well as add small details to my stump work projects.
You are so organised with all your scraps and pieces. How wonderful to have everything at your fingertips to start this quilt.It is looking lovely already!
ReplyDeleteI tend to make a small crib size quilt at the start that is also used as a floor quilt. Then I make another one when they move into a bed.
I'm like Karen S - I tend to make a baby quilt about 36" x 44" - one yard of fabric - then make a bigger one when they get older. The smaller size fits a crib well and can be used as a floor quilt or as a drag-around-the-house quilt - ;))
ReplyDeleteThis a quilt after my own heart!
ReplyDeleteYou are so organized. I try to cut up fabric into usable scraps but then if feels like I'm doing a lot of cutting and hardly any sewing!
ReplyDeleteyou are certainly using up all those "bits" of fabric .. and to good effect too x
ReplyDeleteI got several quilts when my kids were small. Crib size ones. I used every one of them and still have one that my husband's grandmother made which is filled with lamb's wool from the farm she grew up on. I have another one that was made my a woman who babysat my middle daughter one winter while I worked. It was made from old silk ties and is bordered in hot pink fabric. This I spy one will be lovely.
ReplyDeleteI'm catching up on blog reading - and reading backwards. Love the quilt - a very nice project for a gift too.
ReplyDelete