Got strips?

Got strips?   I do.  And it is time to use up all those 2 1/2 "  strips and pieces that fill 3 shoe boxes in my closet.    My de-stash project will be  a scrappy braid quilt, where anything goes, or at least almost anything.  So if you want to sew along, I will be giving details and explaining how to put a scrappy braid quilt together. 

 I love scrap quilts, but there does need to be some sort of order or plan to make it successful.  So I plan on working in colorways and blending by value.  A simple braid ends up appearing complex,  because it is "on point" or diagonal when finished.  Yet it  is very easy to sew and it "grows" in length quickly.  

  This is a snapshot from EQ5 of a "block" done in a simple braid, so you can see the easy construction.  It is kind of like a log cabin--you just keep adding to one side instead of going around the center.  The braid will not be done in blocks but in one long strip.  And you have a zigzag edge to it that will be trimmed when the strip is finished. 
 Rather than re-invent the wheel or construction wheel, I guess it would be.....visit Bonnie Hunter at quiltville because she has a great tutorial on the pioneer braid construction. 




So how do I plan and figure out how much fabric I need?  Decide on the size I want to end up with....a lap size of 50 " by 60 " is what I usually aim for.  In general, that size will require about 3  yards of fabric....so I think I have that in the 3 shoe boxes of strips. 

The math:    I am working with 2 1/2  inch strips .....remember to subtract the seam allowance.  Finished  at 2 inch  works out to be-----  2 times 1.414 equals 2.8 inch diagonal measurement. (Note*  refer to the photo above to see how the strips end up on the diagonal).   Each strip in the braid will give me a diagonal length of 2.8 inches.  I want a length of about 60 inches.  Divide 60 by 2.8 and get 21.4.  YUK!  Don't like those fractions.  So I will work with 20 strips for each braid and should finish up about 56 inch in length for the braid.  That will give me room for adding a border. 
So how wide will each braid strip be?  That depends on me!  I plan on using a separator strip of black---2 " that will finish at 1 1/2 " ---between each braid.  I want an odd number of braids---design principle that odd is better than even.  That means 5 or 7.....using 5 braids runs and a 1.5 inch strip between each one, the braids would need to be 7 inches wide to get the width.  If I make 7 braid runs (again with a 1.5  inch strip between them), the braid width will be narrower, probably 5"  or 6"  which will be good for using smaller strip lengths. 

So here's a mock up I created in EQ5 using 5 braid runs to give  a better idea of what all those words and math figures meant. 
Got questions?  Ask them.
Got strips?  Get them out. 
 I am going to check my stash and see what I have to work with. 
Then  I will explain how I will sort them and get ready to sew.










Here's a signature creator that I ran across last week for bloggers.  Just thought I would share.
Happy stitching.....

On the design wall---Blooming 9 patch continues

I have taken a few days off to rest my hand from arthritis flare up and tendonitis again.  Monday  was a wonderful trip to Asheville with Sabra to spend time with a dear friend, Ladelle.  Laughs, old times, and great sandwiches.....nothing compares to dear friends.

Here is my original layout that I created in EQ 5 for the blooming 9 patch pattern.  I was working from a photo in a magazine and then later found a pattern in an older book I had.  Unfortunately , the pattern in the book  did not give  very good details on fabric or value selection.  Their version  jumped from blue to yellow to green....but  it did show the block layout .  So I figured a quick plan in EQ5 would be all I needed.
The center 9 patches  were easy...both light fabrics with the #2 light in the center and corners.  Note that the diagram has it reversed.  Then the next round is the #2 fabric in a plain square.   This is where I realized that the placement  and position of the fabrics in the 9 patch was going to be important.  Once on the design wall the original placement was "choppy" to me and did not blend across the design like I intended.  So I switched a row on the 9 patch and achieved a better flow.   
This became a guideline for the rest of my  construction......The large floral should be placed in the corners and center of the 9 patch block, and the smaller floral should be the other 4 patches of the block. 

That placement gives better blending from one round to the next.  Here's what I have so far on the design wall.   I also have 4 of the lightest 9 patches in my center instead of three.  This will increase the length  and turn the original lap quilt into a "foot of the bed throw".....I need a term to describe this use, I guess.  Anyway, it will turn out about 50 inches by 80 inches.  The center area is large enough for some appliqued vines and flowers ....maybe I will use some of the sun painted fabrics after all. 
Insight:  Take the time to plan your design and layout.  It  could save  some ripping out! 
Insight:  Be flexible.  Of course, I am not good at this....but it is a good reminder to me to try.
Happy stitches.