Yes, there were a gazillion other things I could be doing….I still have two quilts for the next book to finish, I was cutting for them like crazy last night…..but today when I was typing up itineraries and stuff for this Kansas Trip that begins tomorrow, I thought of a handful of “Scrappy Trips” blocks that were in the orphan box….Poor lil things! All gifted to me at various times by quilters who either had one too many, or didn’t like the colors, or they weren’t quite the same size as the others.
I'm teaching this class on Tuesday...and don't you know it, if I just sew these together I'll have a second sample! Makes sense to me, does it to you?
Why is it when I have a bunch of other deadlines and things looming…I am so EASILY side tracked into playing with something else? Is it just ME?
I laid all the blocks out on the floor. OH MY. Could this work? Some were very…well…dull and brown! Some were bright and wild, and some were just "sweet"…uhhhh…Let’s just say there is a reason they were tossed out gifted as orphans! LOL!
And then as I was laying these out, I was thinking how each one was just like an individual person. Some made with newer fabrics ((Newbies on the block, the young ones)) Some made with tried and true old calicoes that had been hanging around a long time ((old pros!)) Some happy, some sad, some with REALLY SCANT seams..some with…well, lets say GENEROUS ones.
A little pushing, a little pulling, a little easing, a little stretching…..and you know what? It’s not perfect, but they are better together than they ever were apart. Not all seams match. There may be a few "crows feet" ((ie: puckers!)) Isn’t there a life lesson in there somewhere?
I added a purple inner border and a red outer border. I tried a gazillion things, but anywhere in the quilt there was purple, there was also red, and it seemed to tie it together. My kitchen floor is NOT that yellow…but cameras do funny things. SO I took it out to the front porch to see how it would photograph out there:
Well not so great, I can’t get away from shadows…so how about we try the quilting machine?
Ah, that’s the ticket, but you can’t see the top border! Funny thing is, once it’s this close to being done..there is no stopping now. Time to get it quilted before dinner? You bet!
I think you can see some of the wild fabrics going on in here….
Close up of the stitching detail! Oh, those purple pin dots bring back so many memories of 1983!! I had YARDS of this stuff!
I’ll likely work on the binding for this tonight. I’ve still got some packing to do. I’m off to Wichita in the morning!
24 comments:
Bonnie, you wonder woman, do you ever truly rest? This sample quilt just proves that even the ugly ducklings in the fabric world can turn into something beautiful. At least, i think all the character in that quilt translates to true beauty!
Greetings from Tunisia! I'm enjoying your blog and summer travels while trying to beat the heat. Nothing like a good scrap quilt, too.
best, nadia
Oh Bonnie, it's fabulous! I love the way you think! The pin dots made me laugh. I just put a blue pin dot binding on a freshly quilted UFO this morning and am spending part of this afternoon stitching it down. I do love the old pin dots.
I think it is just super! You couldn't have come up with such a vibrant layout if you tried to do it from scratch; so Bravo!
Great illustration of a truly scrappy quilt--and all that scrappiness WORKS!!!
I could sure use some of your enthusiasm and energy! One of my plans for this morning was to start piecing a green trip around the world for my 6yo, but it's just too hot.
I've wanted to make a really scrappy trip around the world but worried about how the fabrics would work together. If you could make those blocks work, I should be able to do something with what I've got!
I feel like this mixed up little quilt could teach our government a thing or two about compromise! Though everyone is different, we can all come together to make something beautiful!
I've got a couple friends from the Rogers Arkansas area going to Kansas for one of your workshops - they will have fun I'm sure - I'm not in the area right now or I might have begged a ride along with their group :)
Karen
I think it looks great! But I giggled when you mentioned your kitchen floor not being that yellow--I had thought you had a third border on the quilt (yellow). I thought that looked great, too. : )
Can't wait to meet you Monday night and have a workshop with you on Tuesday! You're my hero, Bonnie!
Helen Thomas
hsthomas09@gmail.com
I love the quilt and the stitching pattern. Cute! Great pics to see the detail too. No fair, I love seeing what your doing and I doddle more!
Hey Bonnie..I do that too. I get sidetracked when deadlines loom. Today I was suppose to be working on a Moda Bake Shop quilt I am doing and then crumb blocks for the "crumb along" started calling my name. I did good though...I stopped at three blocks. Now I am off to bind that quilt. Have a safe trip.
Not only is the quilt beautiful but so is your story. Thank you for sharing and inspiring.
You are an amazing talent. You inspire me to try to be more and more scrappy. Keep up the fantastic work!!!
Have a good trip.
It's got such personality!!! What a lovely save for those poor little orphan blocks. I love it! And I would not have thought the purple/red borders would pull it all together so well but it makes the bright colors in the blocks just sing! Have fun & make lots of new friends in Wichita!
You really are something else, you know!
Have a wonderful trip and come home well this time.
Maryella
I think it's a fabulous quilt. It's the definition of scrappy! :-)
It's amazing how great those rejected blocks look when they're put together.
Oh, you make me want to jump in the car and come to Kansasto take your class! After seeing Saska's Scrappy Trips in western fabrics I had to start one too. In fact, she sent me her scraps and everytime I add one to a block, I smile. I think your quilt is fabulous so thank you. Now I won't stress so much over whether this fabric will go with that one. Have a fun, safe trip!
What a great "Quilt in a DAY!" LOL! Hope they ladies like it! Sleep well.
Love that little quilt - so cheerful. I get side tracked all the time Bonnie. Sometimes a quilt just happens without being planned and usually they turn out great - just like yours!! :)
You make me tired. I have to tell you...I'm still hung up on stained glass crabs!
Wow! The purple is perfect and just brilliant between the red and all those colors. You are amazing. I'm so happy if I get 1 block done in a day!
threeundertwo [at] hotmail [dot] com
Beautiful quilt top Bonnie!
Post a Comment
If you are commenting as "anonymous" please leave your name at the end of your comment.
Did you know that ad space on this blog provides for all of the free patterns and free mysteries and challenges at no cost to you? Without ads, this blog would not be possible.
Thank you for understanding the many hours that go into this blog 6 days a week, 52 weeks a year. :)