Scraps to Quilt Kit #1

This quilt began with 200 extra large triangles.  Enough yardage to make a quilt but not whole. As I looked at those triangles the idea of a center circle came to mind.  I was thinking a framed panel of some sort.  I knew it would be difficult to match the color of the triangles but continued to sort scraps.

I found this fabric that had the mauve color in it.  A little darker than I hoped for but it did give me a color pallet for creating the whole quilt.  Not quite a circle more like a diamond.  The fabric is quite busy and needed something that the eye could rest on.  I remembered a fabric with white flowers with purple centers that would match the fabric.  The flowers matched but their background fabric clashed.  I cut out the flowers & created a resting place for the eye.

While creating the center I played with the large triangles.  Laying the strait sides together the triangles took on the shape of Moths or butterflies - all I would need to do was trim some threads & come up with a body.The dark teal with dotted circles was not a large scrap but if I kept strips thin I could get enough for bodies & a border (1 1/2 in wide).  More cut out flowers tied moths/butterflies to center of the quilt.

I pulled scraps that had colors from the middle.  I wasn’t sure if I liked the patterns & colors together.  How was I going to brighten up the quilt was my focus.  All these fabrics were strips of scraps which partially decided the pattern.  I wanted them to compliment each other, not clash with neighbors & bring colors from the patterned center out.I didn’t have enough fabric to repeat pattern so made what I had work.

When I got all the sections sewn together I was finally able to see what quilt size I had.  While cutting pieces I was thinking a lap quilt.  At this point it was long enough for a twin almost wide enough for a twin.  I had dark teal & purple scraps left.  The dark Teal made it feel too dark. The purple brightened up & accented the center of the flowers.  I had to piece the purple using bias seams & ended up with just the right amount for border, framing entire quilt..

Maker Monday

 As a crafter I sometimes try to keep my different crafts separate.  As a scrapbooked I make page kits to go with photos.  As a quilter I design quilts then make. Them knowing colors & theme before hand  A friend recently asked me to help he4 sort her scraps

What do you do when all the flat areas are covered with fabric?  My friend is a square & strip quilter.  These aren’t my favorite types to sew.  I like to do appliqué or story quilts. At one point my friend asked why I was taking so long to sort stacks.  I said I could see quilts.  She wanted to know what I meant.  I said a that some large triangles could be sewn together to make a large circle vocal point for a quilt center.

 

Not very round but still unique.  The multi fabric center was part of the scraps.  I brought scraps together which matched the colors in the center.  This quilt will be about the size of a lap quilt when it is finished - all from scraps.

As I thought about the stacks of scraps & my friend was saying it would take he4 a month to cut all those scraps into squares I asked he4 if I could make some quilt kits.  She said to do what I wanted.  Just like I make page kits for scrapbooking I made quilt kits.  I chose a fabric with multi colors then picked complimentary fabrics.

Some quilts ended up with more scraps than others.  My friend kept saying make as many kits as you want I would never have thought of doing that.  She sent all the kits home with me & asked me to design quilts for each quilt kit.  She said she wants to try something different.  A year’s worth of baby quilts, lap quilts or twin quilts for  humanitarian projects.