Got an Orphan Box?
Oh, sure! EVERYONE should have an Orphan Box! Loads of fun stuff can come out of here….
Leftover blocks and parts and units and UFOs and even gifted blocks that haven’t found their way into a project are stored in here.
And right on top there is just what I am looking for.
I’m pulling anything and everything blue that will help me put a backing together for the quilt with the blue piano key border I was working on a few weeks ago.
I get EXTRA bonus points if I can clear some of this up as well as use some DEEP STASH in this back.
I love the challenge. I love the fun. I love the slow down and take some time on getting a back together.
I mean, what’s the rush? It’s not like I’m in a hurry to get this quilt done because another blizzard is on the way and there aren’t enough OTHER quilts in this house to keep us warm if we really needed them.
This quilt is part of a series I’ll be taping in Denver in August, and I think a fun scrappy deep stash back will be fun to show as well!
Notice those Jamestown Landing parts??
Those were my demo pieces from taping my episode of The Quilt Show over a year ago. I think they'll be great in here.
I also see my test block for Old Kentucky Album, a block I did for one of my first ever Addicted to Scraps columns with Quiltmaker Magazine. I also spy a churn dash, some 9 patch strip sections, and some neutral string sashings…
These big blocks? REJECTS!
When I made Swing Your Partner for Scraps & Shirttails I must have been sewing late in the night….three blocks had four patches turned the wrong way and I didn’t even know it until it was time to put the quilt together. They are 15” and have been waiting for a place to land.
Sadie says “Lookin’ Good, Mom!!”
I’m liking it!
So far it’s just columns…and I need it a bit wider, so I’ll keep going on it.
I know that in the time I have spent piecing on this today I could have taken a one piece of fabric yardage backing, loaded it in the machine, and had this quilt quilted by now.
But so what?
Sometimes the slow road is the better road!
View off my back deck!
I took this photo this morning in the misty rain. In the week I was gone the trees have grown leaves! The spring green is so beautiful – peaceful ---serene. I love how everything drapes over the gazebo roof where my hot tub is.
It’s not as exciting as a full batch of photos from a workshop on the road, but it is awfully nice to be home and show you just what I’ve been working on today.
More tomorrow!
Oh Bonnie, you make even just a simple scrappy strip look positively lovely! Thank you, my guru, for inspiring me to look at my "rejects" a little differently! Lynne in MN.
ReplyDeleteYour scrappy Orphan blocks look good. Mine are not so pretty, that's why they are orphans.
ReplyDeleteThis backing is pretty darn awesome!!
ReplyDeleteThat back is looking great. You are having fun and that's what matters.
ReplyDeleteThe quilt back is nice, but what really caught my eye is the GREEN in your local nature! Here in Minnesota we still have a week - maybe 2? - to get to that much green. But I did spy trees with pale green "fuzzy" looking things on them during this morning's drive to work.
ReplyDeleteAndiRae in MN
This is a great idea. currently my orphan blocks are in all sorts of places hence they never get used.
ReplyDeleteIt might not be as fast as using yardage, but it is much more rewarding!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to create a quilt back! I have been doing this lately as well, I made a strip back from 2.5 inch strips for a snowball quilt, and I almost like the back more than the front!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy pictures of your workshops, but my absolute fav's are the photos you post from home or your cabin! :-)
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the title of this post I thought you were referring to the book Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline ( A great book) I laughed when I saw the real subject- silly me.
ReplyDeleteI hope this means you are taping a Craftsy class! Yippee! Can't wait to see it! It's snowing in Denver now but I don't think it will be in August!!
ReplyDeleteSpring has definitely sprung in your back yard. How beautiful. I have lovely white blossoms on my tree but no green yet.
ReplyDelete2 sided quilts are way more fun than ones with just "yardage" backs. Thank you for being our fearless leader...showing us "the path less traveled".
Waiting patiently for Quilt-Cam.
Ahhhh....there's no place like home :) Nothing better than sleeping in your own bed, right?
ReplyDeleteI love how the backing is coming along. It will be a reversible quilt :) I do the samt thing quite often with the backing. It's boring to have a solid backing. I also do the same thing with the binding. I never have a solid color binding on any of my quilts.
Bonnie, I really love this back, it's so interesting to look at. Glad you are home safe but hope you manage to recharge your batteries well enough before your next trip.
ReplyDeleteLinda.
Sadie is so sweet and so is your backing! Don't forget you said that we might have Quilt-Cam tonight?
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy your workshop pics, but I love seeing what you are working on and how your projects are progressing.!
ReplyDeleteI love orphan blocks, too. I just wrote a blog post about them a few days ago, but it needs more work before I post it. You've inspired me to keep going!
ReplyDeleteDiane at Quiltmaker