When I finish a quilt, I always TRY to clean up any leftover fabric and batting from that quilt. I go through and cut down the fabric scraps into strips of various sizes and store them according to size in my strip drawers.
I also save any larger, useable pieces of batting and then when I get enough, I sew them together. Eventually, I have a piece big enough to use in a quilt.
I use my walking foot and a meandering, curvy zigzag stitch to join the batting pieces together using a 1.3 stitch length and a 6.0 stitch width...
This piece is about 50" X 50" at this point and I can either use it for a lap quilt or baby quilt, or continue to add to it till it is big enough for a larger quilt.
So Saturday, while Kathy's quilt was in the washer and dryer, I went to work cutting up the fabric into strips, and salvaging what pieces of batting I could.
However, when I went to put the 1.5" strips into their box, I dropped the box and it exploded onto the floor...fabric strips going every which way. :(
The box was so full that I decided that I needed to use up some so that I could even get the lid back on the plastic shoe box that they are stored in.
I decided to pull out the "go to" project that I work on when I need to use up 1.5" strips...my Log Cabin blocks.
I ended up making about 25 blocks in all, but it hasn't seemed to even make a dent in the strip pile. :( I'll probably make some more and then just refold the rest of the strips and try to get them stuffed down in the box enough so I can get the lid back on it.
As a follow-up to my last post, I wanted to show you Kathy's quilt in its natural habitat...her bedroom.
She has a queen-sized bed but the quilt is only a twin-size. So she has it laying over the top of bed as a coverlet. Doesn't it look great with the other purple bedding? I'm so happy that she loves it! I wish her many, many years of sleeping under it and enjoying the love that her great aunt put into it.
Loretta
I love your exploding scraps/strips. :D I would love to have that problem. I keep telling myself that I need to cut those fabrics, make a quilt, and then I'll HAVE some scraps. :D Kathy's quilt is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHow large are you making your log cabin blocks? I love a scrappy log cabin! Kathy looks like a very satisfied customer/friend to me!
ReplyDeleteThey are 6.5" unfinished. I start with a 2.5" red center. Then add 2 rows each of 1.5" light and dark strips.
DeleteHere are links to a post that has pics of more of the scrappy log cabin blocks:
http://365daysotherramblings.blogspot.com/2010/10/magazines-on-way-out.html
I counted tonight and so far I have a total of 80 6.5" blocks. :)
It looks wonderful! Good idea for the leftover batting. I have several pieces waiting to be put together for a lap robe, or now I may just keep adding til I get one big enough for a queen size quilt;)
ReplyDeleteI do the same thing with my batting...works great!
ReplyDeleteYour log cabin blocks are wonderful! Funny how you can make so many blocks and not even make a dent in the scrap pile. (I think they multiply when no one is looking!)
Great job on using up the scraps!
ReplyDelete