In the box? I'm not a cat...

Are you stuck in a box? Do you feel you MUST stay within that box? Especially if you are quilting and following a pattern.

Some feel it is necessary to have a pattern with all the same exact fabrics, and threads and templates recommended and it has to be exact!

This is so NOT me!

Boxes are for my fur balls to play with, or to store new shipments until I get to them!



Oliver and Henry hanging with when I first started the build out of my studio, fabric sales came along a few months later!

Sew. You have a box of scraps - Not the kind you toss to the compost pile either. They are little gems just sitting there waiting to be rediscovered!

Now, don't get me wrong, I do cut a lot of fabric and a billion "scraps" waiting for me to use them or donate them. YES, I do donate them to others for things I do not do such as dog beds etc. I have a 30# box of strings or very small pieces from the edge of fabric. And since I use a cutting system with dies those can be increased by the pound by the hour. Not that it is a waste, but you have a bit of hang over of your die about 1/2 inchish and those I do not use. But, for the pieces that are good little size those I put in a bin for later.

Sew, what is my point? Yeah I know I can babble...

Squirrel!

Okay. So here is a pic of scraps used to make a nice Holiday throw. This was made in less than a day start to finish! I love it. Okay sew I sell fabric and these are all in my stock, but I do have over cuts, end of bolt, or mistakes. These were just laying on my cutting table. The borders were first attempts with new dies to cut strips of various sizes so an elbow formed. I now know how to stop that!

How did I do that? I took the pieces and just started cutting, it was a thought I had for new quilters to show you do not need all the new fangled gadgets to make a quilt! Scissors, cutting mat, rotary cutter, thread sewing machines, fleece for batting (blanket), and a 100% cotton sheet for the backing! Yes a bed sheet. I buy them on that site that ships in two days, and you can get just about anything from it, including a bill for me using their name without permission!

Here is what I did. I just cut it up! I did difference sizes and then placed them on my design wall and moved them around to make a pleasing layout, which I liked. Let's face it our first quilt is not going anywhere! It is ours, and blood, sweat, tears, hard work, some good colorful words, and frustrations are in it! It was like giving birth; seriously that is how I felt when I finished the first quilt of my own.

After I got my lay out done, I then started to look for what I had for binding and sashing and such to go well with it. It does not have to match, it can be scrappy and fun and oh so frenzied that it is unique to you only.

I then put the binding and sashing on each block building them out to get them the same size to line up without a lot more cutting. It is sew easy. Just put it on, compare and add more or move it around to a better place. Keep doing this to create long rows either horizontal or vertical! You just want an easy way to piece together. Keep building until you have the size you want or you run of those scraps! Once that is done, it is ready to quilt; here is the interesting part. I don't have a fancy quilting setting up.

Frame - Grace 699.00 on that book site (you know who I mean).

Machine - My Embroidery machine who isn't really a singer unless you consider the sound of your machine singing! Again copyright stuff. But seriously it is my embroidery machine! I put the sheet on the frame get it pinned, and lined up, then I put the fleece in and then the top. Then go for it. I don't do fancy designs, I do what comes to me while stitching! I used whatever thread I liked and a clear on the back due to the sheet is white 100% cotton Queen size pre shrunk which I buy in sets of 6 flat for around 36.00!

No templates were used here. The strips are easy enough to cut on your own, I do have a die system since I cut a ton in a day but you can do it with a straight edge and rotary cutter too. It takes time when using this manner, but worth it in the end.

Sew for that little throw up there. 6 yards total TOTAL back front middle and side to side. To put the binding on, again I used pre cut 2.5 in strips ironed in half, then put on with my HD 1000 heavy duty machine Which made it a breeze by the way. It was fun. You may not do it in a day, I wanted to get it done to see if I could really do a quilt in a day and it not be a wall hanging. And, yes it is possible.

Sew look at those non matching pieces and play with them, make a lay out, see what you get, then sew them together! Have fun, go outside the box of that pattern, which I know you have sworn at for those crazy 2 and 7/8 inch pieces you had to cut a million of and WHY can't they just be 3 inches Dammit! (Don't let me go there) craziness.

Quilting is not in a box. If it is; a kit is sitting on the table waiting for you to open it. The fabric in that quilt I do have yardage of at http://www.sewnsewhome.com as well.

Remember a quilt left unfinished can not love. Let it love and get it done and give it, keep it, love it or let it go, but don't let it sit waiting on you.
Create with joy, love and compassion today and everyday!

Thanks for reading with me, and come again soon. We are going to talk about fabric storage and when is too much too much... Gasp!