While cleaning up the sewing room, I ran across a magazine on scrap quilts from McCall's Quilting from 2010. I had tagged a page with a simple but great layout for using up strips---remember I have boxes of them. Here's the link to view Plenty_of_Pomegranates--- that is my inspiration. I plan on using the general layout, but not the pomegranates for the applique. Sew ;), I am beginning a very easy project for the summer to use some more of those pesky strips that seem to multiply like bunnies!
One of the boxes of strips is full of pieces that are 3" to 8" long---too much to throw away with today's price of fabric, but hard to use. So this box will be the first up. I have been joining small bits to get a length of 15" to 18". This strip is ready to be trimmed to 3" wide. I need at least 15 of these, so lots more to put together. 
And I also need 4 or 5 sections that are 8 1/2" wide.
The quilt is a vertical strip layout with applique.
You can see the photo of the magazine inspiration in the lower corner.
I did a quick pencil sketch too, but decided I needed to play around with it in EQ7. By doing a layout and figuring out the size I wanted for the vertical rows, I understood the over all design better.
I set up a vertical quilt with 5 vertical rows of 8". I put 3 vertical blocks in the first and 4 in the second. That created a dropped block effect in the second row---with 1/2 block at the top and 1/2 at the bottom. I made the rows 48 " long, so with the borders added the quilt would end up about 56" by 60", a good lap size. This layout would be very easy to size up or down by making the vertical row longer or wider, inserting more or less cross strips between the applique, and/or changing the size of the rectangle for applique. Wow, that is a lot of options.
The other major change I am making is using a lighter background fabric. The blue or black in the original is striking, but since it is summer, lighter fits this better for me.
As for the applique...... I plan on using bias for the stems, using different greens, and adding blooms, birds and such. I will be doing machine applique, but this would be a great hand work project. And maybe a bit of applique on the border would be good, too. Think I will wait till I get there to decide.
I think that covers the beginning of the plan and design. Now to the fun part.......Happy stitching.
And I also need 4 or 5 sections that are 8 1/2" wide.The quilt is a vertical strip layout with applique.
You can see the photo of the magazine inspiration in the lower corner.I did a quick pencil sketch too, but decided I needed to play around with it in EQ7. By doing a layout and figuring out the size I wanted for the vertical rows, I understood the over all design better.
I set up a vertical quilt with 5 vertical rows of 8". I put 3 vertical blocks in the first and 4 in the second. That created a dropped block effect in the second row---with 1/2 block at the top and 1/2 at the bottom. I made the rows 48 " long, so with the borders added the quilt would end up about 56" by 60", a good lap size. This layout would be very easy to size up or down by making the vertical row longer or wider, inserting more or less cross strips between the applique, and/or changing the size of the rectangle for applique. Wow, that is a lot of options.
The other major change I am making is using a lighter background fabric. The blue or black in the original is striking, but since it is summer, lighter fits this better for me.
As for the applique...... I plan on using bias for the stems, using different greens, and adding blooms, birds and such. I will be doing machine applique, but this would be a great hand work project. And maybe a bit of applique on the border would be good, too. Think I will wait till I get there to decide.
I think that covers the beginning of the plan and design. Now to the fun part.......Happy stitching.
I like the design - what a great way to use up strips!
ReplyDeleteThis is inspiring to see how scraps can be used so well. Your design is a blend that is really going to work well. That's enough to get me to maybe--applique! I love seeing it, just haven't fallen in love with the process for me.
ReplyDelete