Saturday 24 November 2007

Scrap busting

I am a bit of a last minute person - especially when it comes to Christmas. I am the one frantically racing around on Christmas Eve shoving Christmas cards in letterboxes at 9pm. And I'm usually up til the small hours the night before Patricks annual fancy dress competition. Last year about 3 days before the big day I decided to make a friend a quilt. Yes 3 days - lol ! Never again - I was like a bear with a sore head. No-one could speak to me as I practically chained myself to my machine and sewed like something not right. I got it done and my friend loved it but it was a BAD idea.

This year I decided to make Jasons parents a quiltand not to do it right at the last minute. Not a bed quilt but something they could throw over their new sofa and use when it gets cold. As some of you know I don't really have a local quilt shop. There are a few nearby but they are really expensive so I tend to buy most of my fabric from US or from that fabric warehouse I go to. I also buy a lot from the lady who comes to our quilt group about once a month - she came last week and I got some lovely stuff !
Anyway as the lid would not fit on my scrap box ( and it's a big one ! ) I decided to look through my odds and ends and see what I could come up with. I picked out all the beiges, browns and tans and threw in a bit of red and green to add a bit of interest. I cut them all into 2 by 6 inch strips.



When I made the bag for the SSCS I made a braid for the first time and so the first part of the quilt was put in action. I liked making the braid and it grows quick.



After making 2 long strips I got bored and started sewing 4 of my little strips together and re-cutting. Now what to do . . .





Add a nice brown spotty border



And choose a fabric for the alternate strips. It was looking a bit busy at this point and needed an unpieced panel I thought. I went with the darker fabric after a bit of deliberation.



A quick piano keys border with some of the rest of my strips and there you go.



The colours on this are not showing completely true - it's a lot darker and more subtle in real life.

I have loads of these little pieces left and am making some 9 patches to use at a later date. I've done such a lot with dark colours lately that I am now itching to do something lighter and brighter. I have a delicious basket of 1930's prints somewhere needing attention.. I hope my in-laws like this. I love scrappy !!
I had a really frustrating day yesterday. If you remember my sewing machine was making a funny noise so I took it in for the chap to have a look. I could have took it to a local shop but was told that they really weren't very good there and I was better off taking it to a shop further afield ( about 45 miles further actually ). I took it in and the man told me to come back in an hour. When I arrived back at the shop it was all done and I was told it was sewing a treat. I paid my bill - drove home and plugged it in. Can you guess what's coming next ?? The machine was still making the exact same noise. I couldn't believe it !! Straight on the phone to ask what on earth was going on...He told me it was sewing well when it left the shop to which I replied that wasn't the problem - it was always sewing well - just making this grinding noise. Hindsight is a wonderful thing - I wish I had insisted on hearing my machine going when I was in the shop but it was all packed up and ready to go. Anyway I now have to go back on Monday ( another 90 mile journey and the waste of another morning ). At least I have my other machine which I have now bought a quarter inch foot for but honestly how annoying !!
Anyway times getting on and if you're still reading - well done - this has turned into a really long post. Going to do some nice relaxing hand piecing after tea to de-stress me.
Have a great weekend !














25 comments:

Joyce said...

The braid quilt turned out great. I had that problem with a sewing machine once. Luckily, I didn't have to drive 90 miles back and forth.

Quilter Kathy said...

Love your new stashbusting braid quilt! Great job!
I have a few braids made for a scrappy project and just need to get back to it some day. Mine are not as coordinated as your braids...I like how you put the same fabric on both sides so the braid looks like a chevron.
Bummer about the sewing machine.

meggie said...

I love the braid quilt! Well done! I would be happy to have it, wish you were my DIL!!LOL.
Good luck with your machine.

Chookyblue...... said...

nice quilt......must have a go at the braid.....

Belvie said...

I love what you are doing with the braids and 9-patch. You do such lovely scrappy quilts....and scrappy is my favorite!

Sorry to hear about your machine. Sure hope they get it right this time. It takes your time and effort to drive there, plus wear and tear on your car....and the cost of gasoline too!

sewkalico said...

Lovely quilt! I'm sure it will be well received. Hope they have a big stocking :-)

How annoying about the machine - what a naughty man!!!

mereth said...

I wonder what the man actually did?Probably blew the fluff out and thought you were imagining a problem. I hope he fixes it next time and he'd better not charge you agin.
I can't believe you have left-overs from the scrappy quilt, does it ever end? I love how it turned out though, what a great way to whip up a quilt in a short space of time. Hope the in-laws like it too.

loulee said...

Great quilt.
I hope you get your machine sorted.

Rose Johnston said...

Oh they r going t love this!!! What a great use of ur scraps, its gorgeous!!!

Kristie said...

I love your new quilt. The colors are beautiful and you are so clever with the design. Great Job
Kristie

Unknown said...

Lovely quilt - that striped fabric sets it off a treat :o)

Nicole & Phil said...

Looks like this one sewed up quite quickly! Great to have the top done and now for the quilting! I hope you get it done soon, and not still stitching the binding on Xmas Eve!
Looks great!

Quilts And Pieces said...

Sorry to hear about your machine and another trip - but I LOVE your braid quilt! This is going to be a great present!

swooze said...

That turned out great!

Unknown said...

I have never done a braid. Your in laws must love this, it looks great.

Helen in the UK said...

Love how you scrappy strippey turned out :)

Angie said...

I love your braid quilt! Those tans/browns/cremes really call to me! I'm going to make me a quilt with those colors one of these days. :>)

Jeanne said...

You have a knack for making wonderful scrap quilts. The braid quilt is terrific and will surely be well received! Sorry to read about your sewing machine woes and hope they are fixed for good very soon.

Made By Claire said...

I have been reading your blog for some time and I love it. You do some really great work. I live in Cardiff, are you far away? Where is the location of the fabric warehouse that you talk about? I love the quilt that you have made. I am in the process of making a scrappy pram quilt. I am quite pleased with the outcome so far. I am very new to quilting and wish I had started years ago. Speak soon. Annoying about the sewing machine.

Unknown said...

Stashbusting scrap quilts are the best and yours is no exception. It is wonderful and finished so early! I envy your finished Christmas presents. OK I am going to my sewing machine now to get something done! Take care.

Floss said...

This quilt turned out great. What a fun way to make a top, I always wait to have a plan as to what I am going to make, I may not follow it.
I need to take my sewing machine in but I keep putting it off.

Rose Marie said...

Love your top and how it went together ever so quickly!

corry said...

Pretty quilttop! Ilove the fabric you used in between.

Ms. Diva said...

Just a note to say how much I enjoy the pictures of your really lovely quilts!!!!!

Idaho Quilter said...

Great quilt project to move some of the stash into a very nice quilt...