Binding with scraps--waste not

When I mentioned I had a bag of leftover strips from bindings ....here's part of my assortment... I actually thought most quilters used their left over binding on other projects.  But judging from my emails, I was wrong.  In my assortment some pieces  are long--a yard or more-- and others fairly short pieces.  I save them all.  I rarely buy extra yardage for binding.
 Why?   I think I like the final statement a mixed scrap binding says, "Don't take me too seriously."  Kind of a waste not approach....or my contribution to being green!
  This is not an original idea.  It goes back to a guild program from several years ago.  I don't even remember  who our speaker was, only that she did the most wonderful  scrap quilts and that she used whatever she had that blended in value.  Example.....she did not have enough black for sashing  in the quilt she was working on.  So she pulled whatever black (including some with prints) out of her stash and mixed it all together.  She also needed yellow for an applique and did not have enough of one fabric.  Again, she pieced yellows of the same value together to create a "new piece" of fabric from which to cut her appliques.  Each of her quilts had so much life and movement.  That tidbit stayed with me and helped me develop my own style/technique/method of waste not. 
  How do I use them? I join these strips together and bind scrap quilts and wall hangings with them. It depends on the quilt, of course, but many scrap quilts look wonderful with a mixed binding. Again, I often--but not always-- work with value when I use them.  From a distance the values will blend usually and not be noticed.   Or, I might use some to finish off a label for a quilt. 

How to join the strips......well, I'll be honest and admit that I sometimes just do a straight seam, especially when I am in a hurry.  It works, but just doesn't look as nice as the diagonal join.

The correct way is the diagonal join.  The fabrics are right sides together and the ends are placed as in the photo.  I slightly extend the ends to have a good visual reference of where to draw the sewing line.  Sew from the top left to the bottom right.  Trim the seams to 1/2 inch and press open.   Pretend you are making a HST and sew on the line!   I find this easier that cutting  a 45 degree angle and joining. 
And if you really want to be a scrap user, stitch the cut off triangles together to create a real HST.

Tomorrow I'll pull together a few examples of different bindings I have done.   Maybe next time someone will try the scrap thing instead of buying yardage for binding. 
Happy stitching. 

Fall is in the air!

Warm days and cool nights...love it!
This is Finally Fall made a few years ago.    I love to hang it in the kitchen at this time of year.  The pattern was from a magazine and I really liked the offset layout.  The background is pieced with a large pieces and then the pumpkins, apples and leaves are fused and stitched by machine.  I almost went crazy doing a nice edge to all the leaves.....today I probably would use more decorative stitches on the edges and leave some with frayed edges.  Styles change, but I still like the blended background and the rich fall colors. 
I think it is time to make some apple bread....that means a trip to Hendersonville for the very best apples.  And since there is a quilt show next weekend up there,  I think I can arrange a stop at the orchard, too.  Yep, Fall is in the air.

Eileen asked a question about fusing the batting together.
First, let me say that I use every scrap bit of batting I get in some way.  Batting is expensive and I piece it together like fabric....usually with a very wide, very long zig-zag stitch.   The small strips that are 3-4" wide can be joined for purses, totes, and small wall hangings.  Larger side strips and off cut hunks  are joined for lap quilts.  Some lap quilts might have 4 pieces of batting.  I am careful to use the same batting and join the same side up on all pieces.   Different battings will shrink  differently, or not at all, and some have scrim (that's another lesson there) to keep the fibers together. 
The new item I used is call heat press batting together.  It comes as a roll of fusible cloth tape about 1 1/2" wide of 10 yards.  Actually it is fusible tricot--garment sewers know it is a woven, stretchable interfacing.  It is easy to use, works well, easy to stitch thru, but is a bit pricey. 
Lay your batting edges together.  Press the tape over the two edges with a medium heated iron for about 10 seconds.  Edges joined!   Better than zig-zag stitching the edges....no humps or bumps to sew thru either. 
The fusible tricot comes in yardage at fabric stores...usually 20 inches wide for about $3...so cutting your own strips would be less costly.  You decide---quick and easy versus cost.  And thanks for the question, Eileen.

Happy stitching.

Using leftover strips

A little more de-stashing was required to put these leftovers block pieces and strips to good use.  I had a request for a quilt for Jinny's Rainbow, which is a project that makes  lap quilt for  cancer patients.
 I had a stack of leftover cuts from the pastel quilt I put together for our guild President this year.  I found just enough of the light green to sash the long rows together to get enough width.  By sashing the long rows, I hope it isn't too obvious that each leftover set is a different length.  I pieced several leftover binding strips to finish it off.   I keep all the leftovers from bindings in a big baggie...just in case I have a project like this.  The batting is pieced also.....using the fusible tricot strip.  It worked like a dream.  Garden of Hope is very scrappy and ended up 37 inches by 60 inches. 

Piecing the mountains

I started piecing the project on the design wall.....in sections.  The overall quilt could be completely pieced in rows going across since that is how I put it up on the design wall.  But after studying it a while, I realized that the most important part of the design element needed to be precise.  And that means the dark mountain shapes need to have very straight sides---accurate piecing of those 45 degree angles. 

So I am working in jig-saw puzzle style, first stitching the mountains together.  I remove the pieces of the mountain to a portable design board, go to the machine and join all the pieces in each row, and then join the darks together row by row.  Next I straighten the sides making sure I have a good 45 degree angle.    I repeat the process for the light section that attaches to it.  Then join the dark to the light.
 You can see already how much it is beginning to "shrink" down with all the seams added.  Not a problem.....have an idea to work on for the border.
There are going to be a few odd points where I need to use partial seams to get things together this way, but so part so good.
  Note on the blooming 9 patch.....Wanda at Exhuberant Color commented that the black and white layout was from a new book.  She sent me the info...."Radiant Sunshine and Shadow" by Helen Frost.  Thanks, Wanda.

Did I mention thread?

Vibrant, beautiful colors of thread.....the box full for $5 at the end of the sale!  Large spools and small spools, mainly 30 wt. embroidery threads.  I think it was just meant for me and  thread painting.  I did not win the thread basket drawing, but I came home with a stash of thread.

And one more from the show......
This black and white quilt is done in the blooming nine patch pattern and is very striking....the photo does not do it justice.  Carol did an outstanding job in using the values of the black and white prints by basing her choices on the amount of black in the background of each fabric.  The fabrics with the least amount of black and having a white background became her light values.    She blended the values from light to medium to dark, and then repeated the arrangement to get the radiant effect.  She finished with a narrow inset strip in lime green to separate the dark border.  I get emails about the blooming nine patch and this is a great example to study. 
 A quick word about her layout...this blooming 9 patch is not set on point.  It  is a straight setting and ends up in a "barn raising style" setting.  The 9 patch blocks are alternated with a plain block to achieve the blending from one  fabric to the other. 
Happy stitching.

Quilt Show favorites

The 2010 quilt show is over, but I thought I would share a few favorites.
 All the photos were taken by Dave, who is one of our members.  And yes, he quilts too.

 

It was an amazing and touching day yesterday at the show.  Sarah brought Emily, who I am teaching to sew,  to see the quilt show.  She was  overwhelmed by all the quilts and fabrics, and she so wanted to win a door prize of fabric.  Suzanne, our show chairman, pulled out a  small stack of donated fabrics  and gave them to Emily.  She was thrilled.  A few minutes later, Emily's number was called and she did win a pack of fat quarters.  More thrilled.  We continued looking at the quilts, and a lady approached Emily and handed her 2 bundles of fat quarters!  The lady said she was called Nanny Annie, and she wanted Emily to go home and write in her journal about all things she saw today and to write down her  own ideas. 

  Now, let me explain why I began crying.....just last week I gave Emily a sewing journal for her to use and keep a book of her ideas and favorite things like colors and photos.  How did this lady, who I did not know, know about this journal assignment? 

But that is not all.....another lady gave Emily her door prize of fabrics, and yet another.  Emily's purse could not hold it all!    At the end of the day Emily was all smiles and proclaimed, "I am an artist." 

  It's not the breaths you take,

but the moments that take your breath away.

I can't express how much these ladies touched my heart.  Thank you. 

Happy stitching.

Ravin' on Cassie

Yahoo!!!  Cassie did this watercolor scene for our guild challenge and won 1st place  for theme!  I was so excited for her. 
The challenge was "Circles of Creativity".  We were given a circle of fabric as our inspiration---color or subject matter--and had to use the circle on the front or back and explain how it inspired us. 
Cassie culled her stash and then her mom's to find the right fabrics and colors.  And boy, she did a wonderful job.  Appliqueing the circle with the koi on it in the light area of water and the other circle with the butterfly above  was a great idea.  I love the tree and the tiny blossoms she used to complete the scene.  Balance, light source, drama in the black border, and movement .......she got all the elements in this small piece.  Her first watercolor and it's a winner. 
I may have inspired her, but she motivates me a lot. 
I know she reads this blog, so leave a comment to congratulate her.   Great job, Cassie.
Our quilt show is this weekend....long day today.  Came home with lots of goodies, including a great tote, books, magazines (at 25 cents--who could resist?), and THREAD!  More details and photos in a couple days.  Happy stitching.