Finish 2016 - #3, #4 and #5

It's called use it up and get it done!

I am teaching a Panto Basics class this week at the WonderFil Threaducation Centre and I needed to round up some quilts to be quilted by the class participants.  In this class we load up a quilt and have the students quilt a "real" quilt using a selection of Paper Pantograph patterns. 

FINISH #3
In my attempt to FINISH in 2016, I wanted to use up some of my scraps.  I am moving towards batiks and hand dyed fabrics rather than prints.  So, the prints are getting used, one way or another.

I started by sorting out my printed scraps.  Some were narrow strips and some were 1/2 meter or more.  I got out 4 bins and threw everything that had a blue, blue/purple or black into one tub. Everything red-pink and a bit of orange went into the 2nd tub.  Everything yellow-brown went into the 3rd tub and all the greens into tub #4.

I started with the green tub.  

I grabbed a couple of strips of fabric and started sewing them together. The great thing here is that seam allowance doesn't really matter as long as it is consistent.

I kept sewing strips together and when I got to the end of one piece, would just cut off the remainder.

 Chain sewing works well.

Here is where I got excited about the process, I just kept sewing and forgot to take pictures!  I added fabric until the piece measured more than my desired block size...in this case I wanted 12 1/2" blocks.

If you are interested in this technique, it goes by a couple of names.  Check out the links for more information.  Mile a Minute and Crumb Piecing

Anything that I cut off the block, was the start of another block.  You'll notice that some of the blocks are very simple strips and others include more involved piecing.  

Once the blocks were all sewn, I laid them out on the floor and rearranged them until nothing really jumped out at me!  I then used a 1/4" seam allowance and sewed them together.  This quilt is 48" x 60" which is a nice size for a cuddle quilt.

I always cut my binding as soon as the quilt top is done.  I have many horror stories of no binding fabric for finished quilts.  So, now I cut my binding strips as soon as the top is done and sew them together and pin them to the quilt top.  They don't get lost that way!

Next up was the backing.  As I was using up my scraps, I pulled the biggest piece of green fabric from the bin.  Not much in that department, so I grabbed the brown from the yellow-brown bin.  I sewed the brown and the green strips together with seams down both sides and split the brown in half.  The backing wasn't big enough....so, I had to scrounge more.  

My daughter gave me the green dotted fabric last night when I told her my problem.  So now the backing is way too big, but I'll have plenty to add to my scrap bin when I trim everything up.

FINISH #4 

The red quilt is much the same thing....way too much backing now, but once it's trimmed I have more to add to my scrap bin!  This quilt measures 45 x 50".  I simply cut 5 1/2" strips.  Sewed them all together (most were not width of fabric cuts) and then cut into 45" lengths.  I arranged them (sort of) into a pleasing arrangement and sewed the strips together.  Super easy.

FINISH #5

The Bright Striped quilt measures 48" x 48".  I've had this striped fabric hanging around for a long time.  I cut it into squares and sewed them back together for a simple yet striking quilt.  I had sewn this top a while ago and I think I planned to add a border.  But since I needed something for Thursday, the top is done!  Backing and binding are ready to go.

I plan to add a few photos of the finished quilts later (check back next week or after Easter).

Finish 2016 #2

I'm well on my way to finishing some projects during 2016.  Although I have listed a few projects I WANT to finish this year, I am keeping the book for just FINISHED projects.

So one of the quilts that I had on my list to get done from a few years ago was one I called "garden path".  I quilted it, then over quilted with a heavier thread to quilt some flowers.   I didn't like it at all. Then it ended up folded on the floor under my ironing board and my puppy Boots used to lie on it and keep me company while I was sewing.  Boots went to camp during the summer and the quilt has been just hanging around since. 

 

I was pinteresting one day and saw a whole bunch of posts about making foot stools.  So, this quilt has become 2 lovely foot stools for my living room.  This will keep us from putting our feet up on the coffee table.

I used the following links as the basis for my foot stools.

bean bag cube

square floor cushion

fabric poof ottoman

I measured from the floor to the top of the couch cushion at 14".  I have a 15" square ruler, so it was easy to cut the 15" squares and use the width of my sewing foot as my seam guide.  I cut 6 squares for the cube.  I sewed the squares together into the cube, leaving an opening along one edge.  I had some bean bag pellets left over from making my granddaughter's bean bag chair in the summer.

This is where my plan fell apart!  Have you ever tried pouring a very large bag of bean bag pellets into a small opening all on your own?   Doesn't work very well!  I've made a real mess, but I got it done.

  

Once I had filled the bag full enough, I hand stitched the opening closed.

A lovely sewn pouf and a practical project as well. Now to clean up the mess.

  

I had some of the quilt left over and instead of just pitching it, I decided to sew another pouf.  This time I rotated the ruler a little bit and cut the squares on a bit of a diagonal.

Stuffing the pouf was way easier as I used up scraps from the rest of the quilt and some class stitching samples I had laying around.

I still needed more to stuff the pouf so folded and added some old towels and other scraps.  One of the posts I found had suggested to fill the gaps with fibre fill. Since I couldn't find any at home and I wanted to get this pouf done, I just sewed it shut.  This one is a bit softer and will make a really nice seat for a little one.

All that's left to do is print a picture or two and record these in my FINISH 2016 book.