January Challenge: make a scrap quilt
Well, I haven't looked back until recently. Around Christmas time I was finishing up a quilt for my friend's son (which is only 1.5 + years late...nbd) and realized how much fun it is to work on quilts. This might make me sound like a selfish jerk, but I think that part of the reason why I stopped was because I didn't enjoy making things for other people... Ok, that totally makes me sound like a jerk! What I'm trying to say is that I never made myself a quilt, it was always for friends and family, and deep down I wanted one for myself, but kept making myself the last priority. Once I started thinking about making one to keep I got really excited and motivated.
I started looking through some of my quilting books and decided on using a pattern from the Modern Log Cabin Quilting: 25 Simple Quilts and Patchwork Projects
* book that I bought during a sale on Amazon. If you couldn't tell by the title, the whole book is geared toward log cabin blocks, a way of sewing that I have never attempted, but was curious to try.As you can see in the photo above, the block is very mismatched (some might or might not call it a "clusterfuck") and doesn't appear to have a theme. That's because I decided to pull all the fabrics from my scraps. The scrap pile in my closet has grown dangerously high and I would have felt guilty buying all new fabric when there is plenty in my closet. Plus, picking all the colors was challenging, making it perfect for my January sewing goal! I'm using scraps in a creative way and learning a new technique :)
So far I have completed 25 mismatched blocks and it's 14 days into the month. I'm going to try my best to have it completely finished by the end of the January. Crossing my fingers that it happens!
Is anyone else working on a quilt? Oh, my neighbor's dog Yuki wanted to be in the photo, that's her paw! She says, "sup?"
*Heads up, this is an affiliate link. If you click the link and buy the book I will get a small percentage of the sale. I promise to use any money that I make and put it back into buying new sewing or knitting books for myself :) I promise!
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This is such a great scrap-busting idea. My scraps went from all living in one drawer to now invading my notions drawer! I've been thinking of how to deal with all these scraps because I don't want to just throw them away (seems so wasteful). I may join you in this challenge because it's been awhile since I made myself a quilt!
ReplyDeleteI reeeaaaallllyyyyy need to do this! I also have way more scraps than I know what to do with and I LOVED (I mean surprisingly love, loved) making my mini quilt I made back in September. I really had no interest in quilting until that project but as I was putting it together I could feel myself getting hooked! I'm off to look at the book now :) Your blocks are amazing! I really like the mismatched look a lot.
ReplyDeleteGreat challenge Erin!
ReplyDeleteI've only ever sewn one 'real' quilt (I sewed a little mini mug rug too) ever and it was for a friends baby.
One day I'd like to sew a quilt for my house, but I want to sew clothes more :)
I can't wait to see how you progress with your goal :)
Scrap quilts are the best! They are fun and quite freeing. Whether you make it for yourself or as a donation (one person can have only so many quilts, right?) you will feel wonderful giving those bits and pieces a purpose and yourself space to gather more scraps (or do they just multiply?) BTW friends will happily gift you with more scraps to work with. Keep up the good work! And enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI made one of these quilts a few years ago! I love how crazy it turned out (you can see it here: http://www.hoopesparkstudios.com/friendship-quilt/ ). Good luck with yours!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see a quilt, but for some reason that freaks me out more than an involved dress pattern with lining, underlining and 'couture' techniques!
ReplyDeleteI love the eclectic mix in your block, it's gonna have so many memories involved in it!
I love the mix of prints you have going on! I would love to learn to quilt. I pinned a few different tutorials with the goal of completing a quilt with square blocks before the end of the year.
ReplyDeleteAh, quilting, what a great challenge! I'm glad to hear you decided to keep this one for yourself. :) I used to quilt a lot when I was a teenager, and it's how I got started sewing. Like you said, once I realized that I could sew my own clothes, quilts got the cold shoulder! I still have a quilt in progress though (from about 10 years ago) that I want to finish one day. Looking forward to seeing your quilt - I think the mis-matched colors are so cheerful and bright!
ReplyDeleteYou must be living a parallel life Erin! I was just going through my scraps from garment sewing and thought, I need to make a quilt with all these scraps. I just started quilting early last year and so far have made 4 quilts...all for granddaughters of my friends. I definitely don't think you are a jerk for wanting some of that quilt love for yourself!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, 25 blocks in 2 weeks? I've made a couple of quilts so far, but my motivation to finish them usually comes and goes and I can never seem to be that productive.
ReplyDeleteHa. I am a jerk too. I don't even hide that I dislike making things for other people. My friends and family have, mostly, stopped asking me. I am always willing to help them with a project, but I won't do it for them! At any rate, I fully endorse selfish sewing.
ReplyDeleteI totally love the mismatched look. I need to do this with my scraps
ReplyDeleteI've just started a quilting/patchworking class and really want to avoid 'twee'. This is perfect
ReplyDeleteHow do you like the class so far??
ReplyDeleteThanks, Shanni! You totally should! It feels nice to be putting my scraps to use :)
ReplyDeletehahahahh!!! Thanks for having my back!!!
ReplyDeleteI think I am super motivated because I really really want to use a quilt during "winter." I put that in quotes because it's so warm here for winter. Tomorrow it's supposed to be 75 degrees! Maybe by the time I finish it will be colder.
ReplyDeletehahahah that is so funny! And I agree about the memories, it's been fun reminiscing while looking at the fabric.
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool that you have that family history! I hope that someday you will assemble them!
ReplyDeleteI hope you make yourself a quilt, Jeri! You deserve one :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carolyn!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Vanessa!
ReplyDeleteI agree, it's been a fun process so far!
ReplyDeleteI hope you make one! You have made so many things with such pretty fabrics. They would look nice in a quilt. Especially those Cotton and Steel ones!
ReplyDeleteYou totally should! Or a little pillow or something!
ReplyDeleteErin!! This is so awesome!! You do not sound like a jerk at all - that's part of the reason I don't really like to quilt either. I've made a number of quilts for other people, but never one for me. You are inspiring me!
ReplyDeletedid my first ever quilting this week - a mini quilt as you go to make a tablet cover, strangly addictive but it's going to take a long time to use my scraps up this way! https://prolificprojectstarter.wordpress.com/2015/01/16/funky-tablet-cover/
ReplyDeleteI just bought all the fabric for a gender neutral baby quilt for someone else but it will have to be put on the backburner for the time being for various upcoming reasons. :)
ReplyDeleteWow we should all have this goal - start out the year with any empty scrap bin!
ReplyDeleteLoving the look of your "clusterfuck" quilt. I always think the more mismatched and unexpected the combinations the better!
ReplyDeletei'm in. i just transferred my scraps to a new box and it's bigger than my whole knit stash. UGH! thanks for the encouragement!
ReplyDelete