A "Fruit Salad" pile of scraps is on the menu today for "Instant Gratification Sunday". Makes my mouth water just looking at them !!! Mango, strawberries, lemon, kiwi, and blueberries ! A few days ago, while procrastinating instead of working, I happened to come across ........
"Scrap Basket Sunday" on a fun quilting blog called Kim's Big Quilting Adventure. Her idea is to meet up on Sundays and show a project that you are making out of scraps ........ hence the name "Scrap Basket Sunday" !! So...... I thought this might be the perfect opportunity for an "Instant Gratification Sunday" project !!! ........ you know ...... a kind of "Instant Gratification Scrap Basket Sunday " And, it just so happens that I have been digging through the archives around here and ........
found my original notebook from the very first quilting class I ever took ......and it was AWHILE ago let me tell ya !!! like back in 1986 !!!! YIKES !!!! (how do you like those 1986 fabrics on my class sample! guess they're "vintage" now .....aaaaack !!!.......you can click on the pictures to enlarge them to see them better ) Anyway, that was back when Georgia Bonesteel first came out with her "Lap Quilting" book ...... which is the method the class was based on . So, since lately I've been totally overwhelmed with work from the day job, and trying to work on a big project just seems impossible, I thought a "quilt as you go quilt " might just be the ticket ....... you know, piece and quilt one block at a time ..... in managable bite size pieces !!! but, instead of hand quilting (which in my other life where I actually would have time for that , and would LOVE it) I will be machine quilting it ...... (but not free motion , which , again, in my other life where I actually would have time to practice that and get good at it ..... which I would also LOVE) .
Anyhow, so here we go !!!! I cut out a 12" backing piece, and a 12" piece of batting ....... then I dove into my basket of Sweetwater "Noteworthy"
.....and adding more pieces, then quilting each piece down .
.....and still building the block , piecing and quilting at the same time (but as Georgia Bonesteel instructs in her book, keep the quilting 1/2 to 1 inch away from the outer edges of the block so you have room to join the quilted blocks together.)
....and here's the back so far .....
......and I think this fun orange polka dot will be the next scrap added to this block .......then maybe another blue , then a pink then DONE with this block ..... INCLUDING THE QUILTING !!!!! INSTANT GRATIFICATION !!!!! (even on my procrastinators time frame , this block is getting done FAST !!! ).
So, here's my plan ...... work on these blocks 5 minutes here, 15 minutes there (during the many aggravating times when my work laptop freezes ..... or when my brain /attention span needs a vacation ) ........ and maybe next Sunday I'll have another block or two finished for "Scrap Basket Sunday" !
Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)
5 comments:
Now that is super cool, I have been quilting a long time and have seen a LOT of quilts, but never one built in this way. I would love if you would do a little tutorial if you get the time!
Your 1986 fabrics are wonderful. I love seeing those fabrics because they are a bit of your quilting history. They also remind me that I don't need to fall head over heels into every quilting trend that pops up...eventually those zebra prints will be tossed in the scrap bin with the blue goose fabric and then where will I be?!!! ;)
I had that book! I think it was the first one I had before I ever began quilting, but I never really "got" how the blocks went together--I hope you'll show that eventually. And how lucky you won all those scraps--Sweetwater is one of my favorites. I'm glad you could join in.
What a great idea! Pieced and quilted at the same time. I love the colors, too.
It's coming together nicely so far! The way I see it...some quilting time is better than no quilting time, and I have my remaining sanity to prove it!
This looks great and I love your "instant gratification" term. Mine are string blocks - instant sewing comfort!
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