Today I have been to my sewing group and so have had a whole day of sewing and making more of these blocks that have been quilted on the go. Be warned, if you have a go at doing them they can be addictive. I have tried to use the strips as I have pulled them out of the bag but still I have to co-ordinate them a little. The stripes are all off kilter and you won't like them if you worry about things not being even. But, let's face it,this is patchwork in it's purest form - making something out of scraps. As hard as I am trying the amount of scraps in the box does not seem to be getting less!! I have a plan now for the quilt so it will be ongoing. The blocks are 6.5" square and will be joined with strips. I need 64. I am hoping that if you click on the photo you will get a glimpse of the beautiful fabrics and the wording on the edges. On one of the blocks I managed to get the words Jane Austen from one of the strips.
I am on a bit of a mission at the minute, saving the scraps from the selvages to the smallest of bits.I am aiming to reduce, re-use and recycle. Well, maybe the reduce one is a bit harder to do as I keep adding to the stash. Leanne from The Stitching Room gave me this great idea and one that everyone can implement. All those fiddly bits that get left over from cutting out projects that really do not offer any hope of being used along with scraps of wadding get put into a cotton pillowcase and when the pillowcase is full the top gets sewn up and closed and is taken to the local animal rescue centre to be used as a soft bed for the animals. I have already started to save all my scraps. Incidentally just as a little experiment, I weighed the bag of bits and then weighed a fat quarter and amazingly they weighed roughly the same. Now at a cost of £2.50 per fat quarter that starts to mount up when it is just being thrown away. I have lots of ideas for the scraps but that is for another day. I will get off my soap box now.
Love Shirl.
I just got rid of a whole bag of fabric as for hte life of me I just don't think I have that long to live to ever use it all.
ReplyDeleteI know that with the charity quilts for the dog pound will take up a whole lot which I have saved, but the rest...not in this lifetime. I truly admire you for doing this.
I love the idea of using the selvedges in your blocks. It makes them really interesting, especially when it highlights a special range of fabric. What a fantastic idea for the fabric scraps for the animal shelter. I wish I had heard of it last year after the horrible bushfires in our state. All the shelters and Vets were really under the pump with all the injured and lost animals. I am going to start my first pillowcase today!
ReplyDeleteHi Shirley, love the quilt, good idea to use selvedges. Thanks for the cake love. Yes I live in England, in Kenilworth, pics of the castle can be found on an earlier post.
ReplyDeleteClaire
You blocks are great selvages are so interesting. You will be able to keep warm and read at the same time. Have you visited this blog http://vintagericrac.blogspot.com/2010/02/quilt-whole-quilt-and-nothing-but-quilt.html Jodie is always doing something with selvages.
ReplyDeleteShirley your quilt is amazing. What a great idea for using scraps. I hate to throw anything away so it would do me good to get some machine practise too. I'll have to do some research on quilt-as-you-go and have a go.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the inspiration.
Kathryn
Love your selvedge quilt. Jodie of Vintage Ric Rac has done the most amazing things with selvedges. They truely do reflect the re use re cycle and I love it. Well done
ReplyDeleteIf anyone is still reading this thread, "Hi". So, where does one get these selvage strips if one is A. Not a quilter and B. The few quilters one knows would never part with (sell or give) away any material? Can't fault anyone for this......fabric is a love affair, for sure. I was gifted a box of love (selvage strips) from a quilter once and with her encouragement made a quilt. But now, where to find strips? Without taking up regular, art-form quilting? Thank you for any leads to these glorious strips.
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