Hi, all!
It's time again to look at our scraps - I know that December is a difficult month for me in this respect, because I spend the month sewing frantically and just tossing my scraps in a bin. But there's only so many hours in a day, and the scraps will just have to wait!
But I am busy this week turning scraps into cash - I got a commission for three (yes THREE!) beach blankets made from the backs of t-shirts from this summer's t-shirt quilt work! I've been busy turning them into piles of 12.5" squares and 12.5" four-patch blocks....
And now I'm starting to sew them together - finally! These are big quilts - about 84" square - so I have to lay them out on a sheet on the den floor...
...then pick them up carefully in columns and sew them together! There's a lot of careful numbering done to keep the arrangement in order but so far, so good.
These will be backed with 90" wide muslin, and no batting, because they are heavy - the combination of the t-shirts and the size give a lot of heft to these quilts! Simple straight line stitching and cross-hatching, and a scrappy binding (let's use up those scraps too!) and they'll be ready for delivery in time for Christmas!
I also made these little folded fabric stars and tied them onto a two-pack of Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark for dinner party favors - but I think they'd be really cute for the mailman, too! I may make a few more to leave in the mailbox and a few other special places this year... It's a great way to use up Christmas fabric scraps!
So - are you doing any scrappy sewing for Christmas?
Hugs!
Sarah
My scraps are a big problem but there is nothing I can do for now since I have to design 25 quilts (wall hanging, table runner ) for the Toronto expo next June. Then I see a ton of strings quilt in my future
ReplyDeleteGreat idea to use those scraps from tees....love the beach blanket idea.
ReplyDeleteThat is excellent that you can use the scraps and make some extra greenbacks!
ReplyDeleteNow that is a big quilt! I know what you mean by heavy -- I made a t-shirt quilt years ago and that puppy was hefty! It was great fun, though! I'm going to have to try those stars; as if I need another distraction right now! But they are so cute . . .! Wendy at piecefulthoughts@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI cleared out my scraps for donations and could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.. THEN.... I got a call from a gentleman whose wife had passed, and he wanted to sell his wife's fabric stash. Needless to say, I now have half of my two car garage LOADED with bolts, yardage, remnants, batting, and more. Seems like I will be detaching this load for a while. Multiple opportunities for creativeness.
ReplyDeleteDonna Weeks aka Momma Llama
I took boxes and boxes of fabric to the Goodwill. Some lucky quilter is happy somewhere. I had bought plenty from estate sales and I know I was never gonna get through it all. I needed the space to buy more fabric that I think I am gonna use. :)
ReplyDeleteSarah can I get your tutorial for the Moroccan Tiles quilt you made? I couldn't find the tutorial on your blog anywhere. I love the pattern and want to try my hand at creating something similar.
tushay3 (at) yahoo (dot) com
Nope, no scrappy Christmas sewing this year for me. However, I'm really enjoying my "Christmas Vomit" scrap quilt from last year now!! I finished so close to Christmas last year that I hardly got to use it, and this year it's so cold in the evenings that it stays on my lap constantly :) I just love revisiting all the different fabrics. It may be loud and wild and scrappy, but I love it!!
ReplyDeleteAre you using iron on stabilizer like is required of the regular t-shirt quilts? I was given a box of shirt backs left over from someones projects.
ReplyDeleteI have the same question as Betty C - do you use a stabilizer on the T-shirts? I find them almost impossibly stretchy to work with if I don't stabilize them first. And that part, stabilizing, adds a lot of tedious work to the process. Plus a good bit of extra cost.
ReplyDeleteThe only Christmas sewing I'm doing this year is finishing the Advent Calendar for my youngest granddaughter. I've made one for each grandchild and they are all felt and sequin kits. I love doing them, but not too often!
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, I have a wonderful scrap quilt on my design board. It's reading for the sashing then on to quilting! The name of it is Growing Up Odd. You can google it and see the quilt and get the pattern. Just remember, each 17" block uses 90-something two-inch squares!
A great way to use up the t-shirt backs Sarah. We rarely ever see what becomes of them. They make fun beach quilts.
ReplyDeleteThe ornament is just perfect for the Peppermint Bark!
I absolutely believe that this web site needs a lot more attention.
ReplyDeleteI’ll probably be back again to read through more, thanks for the advice!
ReplyDeleteI like reading through a post that can make people think.
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