Susan at
Hanging On by a Needle and Thread just took a class from Ami Simms -- the same class Ami gave when she visited my guild a year ago. It inspired me to pull out my almost finished project from that class and finish it. As Ami says, the babies are cold.
I used strings from animal fabrics donated for Project Linus quilts (and this quilt will be donated), but decided to make the blocks bigger than Ami suggested so the strips could be wide enough to see the animals a little better. Because I didn't think it through carefully, I thought a 9" yellow strip would give me 9" block. But duh, it gives me a 12" block! That's a lot of blank yellow space.
I sought to liven up the quilt a bit by using the waste pieces (my miscalculation gave me lots!) to make an interesting border. I was also hoping that the quilter might practice some clever quilting in the yellow, or I thought I might cut some animals out of fabric and do a little brodie perse in the blank spaces.
But it occurred to me I could cut each block in half on the diagonal (I have more blocks than are on the design wall) and reassemble them as shown above to chop up the yellow space. But since I hadn't planned on doing that, I would now end up with bias edges on all sides, eek! I could stay stitch the edges and sew carefully. Would that be ok? Any thoughts on what I should do would be welcome!
Also sewed some blocks using pieces from a fabric exchange. These are for Bonnie Hunter's
Sticks and Stones quilt. I have been getting my sewing area cleaned up by folding, stacking, organizing, and stitching UFO's. It has gotten my creative juices flowing and I have lots of ideas. Finishing up these projects so I can move on will feel great!
I used strings from animal fabrics donated for Project Linus quilts (and this quilt will be donated), but decided to make the blocks bigger than Ami suggested so the strips could be wide enough to see the animals a little better. Because I didn't think it through carefully, I thought a 9" yellow strip would give me 9" block. But duh, it gives me a 12" block! That's a lot of blank yellow space.
I sought to liven up the quilt a bit by using the waste pieces (my miscalculation gave me lots!) to make an interesting border. I was also hoping that the quilter might practice some clever quilting in the yellow, or I thought I might cut some animals out of fabric and do a little brodie perse in the blank spaces.
But it occurred to me I could cut each block in half on the diagonal (I have more blocks than are on the design wall) and reassemble them as shown above to chop up the yellow space. But since I hadn't planned on doing that, I would now end up with bias edges on all sides, eek! I could stay stitch the edges and sew carefully. Would that be ok? Any thoughts on what I should do would be welcome!
Also sewed some blocks using pieces from a fabric exchange. These are for Bonnie Hunter's Sticks and Stones quilt. I have been getting my sewing area cleaned up by folding, stacking, organizing, and stitching UFO's. It has gotten my creative juices flowing and I have lots of ideas. Finishing up these projects so I can move on will feel great!
21 comments:
Well, I just love the string quilt. I say, just go for it, and you can square up any uneveness when you get to the end!
The strings are great but the black and white really speaks to me. I am going to do something like that eventually. I love the way it looks.
I think you should now accept the strings as they are. All those big yellow areas are perfect for some quilting stitches.Perfect. And once you get the borders on, It will mellow the yellow. Don't chop it up. Leave it as it is. It is adorable!
I do like your black and white quilt. Very eye appealing!
It sure does feel like a weight is lifted, finishing up projects! I love the expression "the babies are cold"! Now everytime I have a UFO I'll think of that!
You could free motion some hearts in the yellow spaces and they won't look so plain. If you do chop it and have bias edge you might want to spray starch and carefully press the outer edge and then stay stitch it.
I love Wanda's idea of the hearts in the yellow area. I am sure your quilter could manage that. (and if it was done in RED it would really show nicely.) If you think the hearts might be too cutesy -in case it is a boy - how about seeing if the quilter can do an animal motif in the yellow with a colored thread.
I like the big yellow areas too. I would NOT cut them up. I makes the quilt very happy to me.
I love the yellow as do most young children. My daughter picked a similar yellow as her first paint color for her room at age 4. I was taken aback and many friends related that their kids loved bright yellow also. Leave the vast expanse of yellow.
My kaleidoscope quilt had a lot of bias edges so I used Elmer's School glue on it before sewing and that kept the stretching at a minimum. I love the yellow with the strips.
I have a B&W quilt very much like the one in the bottom photo. I love the different patterns of the B&W contrasting with the colors. Beautiful.
Oh WOW.....oh yes....I love the yellow space you say is too much...oh no...I love it!!!
Yes, the babies are cold, so good for you for getting your string project back out! I love the yellow...what a cheerful quilt it's going to be! Ami did warn us about the bias edges and suggested that it would be a very good idea to stay stitch around the outside edge of the quilt before adding the borders.
I like the string blocks cut and sewed into hourglass blocks! You've already gotten some great advice for those bias edges.
I love the yellow as is - and can just imagine some really creative quilting shapes in the yellow space -- maybe in a variegated primary colours thread?
You'll know what to do with them... you always do!
the sticks and stones one, I love all the black and whites Will it have a border or not?
I love both your string quilt and the Bonnie Hunter quilt. And I know that I have found I have been enjoying working on UFOs these past 2-3 weeks. It has made me feel so self righteous. LOL
I like the idea of the applique on the yellow side of your string blocks.
I think your B'& W quilt is looking great
Love and hugs Gina xxx
I'm lovin those big yellow blocks! I know conventional quilt theory says not too much yellow, but why? I love yellow and I love those blocks. I wouldn't mess with cutting them only to have to struggle with bias edges, but that's me.
Follow your heart.
I think all that yellow will be great! If you do want to cut up the blocks, I think I'd just pin well and then use the walking foot to put the blocks together. It would probably be only a little wonky, and that's OK.
I LOVE your B & W Sticks & Stones project! That one calls to me too! It's a simple design, but so effective. Wow.
It all looks great to me!
I like it both ways! There are hourglass tutorials where you turn the string blocks you have into hourglass blocks and no triangle cutting required. You only sew one bias seam and none end up on the edges. If you're interested email me and I can get you detailed info.
My first thought for your cut up yellow blocks was spray starch... as Wanda said. It worked for me, in fact so well that I'm tempted to use it on all quilts with small pieces, certainly on the bias edge of half-square triangles.
But it is a child's quilt, and any child will love all that yellow!
Love what you've done! (Both versions.) Do make sure to send me a photo when your quilt(s) are finished so I can share them on my web site. Well done!
And the babies are doin' just fine!
Ami Simms
www.AmiSimms.com
I had to smile at the miscalculations - that's me all right! But it's part of quilting too and the quilts will be super! (love all those black and white prints with the brights!)
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