Scrap Vortex

Posted on July 12, 2015 by Norma Hanson

Scrap Vortex – 64″ x 73″

I have been watching other blogs and Pinterest as quilters followed Crazy Mom Quilts’ Scrap Vortex Quilt Along. Seeing the scrap quilts progress reminded me of my stack of crumb blocks that have been languishing on the shelf. I decided last weekend to start sewing them together and finished the flimsy this weekend.

I did not put my squares together like was suggested in the quilt along. My blocks are pieced as strips of scraps similar in size like you would piece coin quilts. I then join the strips together and square them up into blocks.

This quilt is a bit busy. I will go ahead and quilt it and then see if it needs something else added. I have a vision of adding some circular appliques randomly across the top. For now it is hanging in the closet waiting its turn on the long arm.

Gyleen’s Bricks, Cobblestones, and Pebbles – Finished Flimsy

Posted on February 22, 2015 by Norma Hanson

SCRAP CHAOS – 58 1/2 inches square

Last night, I finished (to the flimsy stage) my mystery quilt from the Facebook page, Gyleen’s Bricks, Cobblestones, and Pebbles. Gyleen was calling this project, Odds, Ends, & Leftovers. My quilt top measures approximately 58.5 inches square.

General instructions provided by Gyleen included: “Don’t cut from scraps too far in advance. Most of what you need should be already cut.”

I was able to assemble most of this mystery from squares and strips that I had previously cut and organized into bins in my sewing room. As you can see from the stacks of bins on the shelves, I could make many more Odds, Ends, & Leftovers projects without running out of scraps. 🙂

If I was to repeat this pattern again, I would disregard Gyleen’s directions relating to the random in placement of the squares and I would pay more attention to the values and placement of the fabrics. To me, the randomness of this project results in a look that looses the design elements of the quilt in the messiness/chaos that results from the random placement of the fabric squares. In my opinion, the people that disregarded the random directions and put their quilt together in a more organized scrappy fashion have much nicer quilts. However, this project was fun and well worth trying. After all, I never had to purchase any fabric. In fact, as I worked through the clues in the mystery, I enjoyed walking down Memory Lane as I worked through my fabrics. Each scrap of fabric took me back to the project that it was left from over the years so I had fun reminiscing as I put together this quilt top.

Guild Retreat & Odds, Ends and Leftovers – Mystery – Clue Two

Posted on January 24, 2015 by Norma Hanson

Today the traditional guild that I belong to had an all day retreat. The guild covered the rental of the facility. The cost to each member to attend was a Toonie! We had the use of the facility from 9:30 in the morning until 7:30 at night. Each member brought their own lunch and something to share for the potluck at supper time. The facility is well lit and we definitely had lots of room to spread out.

This was the view from my sewing machine. Charlotte was thrilled to be at the retreat and happily hummed away without putting up any fuss as I worked on my projects. The light is one of two that were gifted to me at Christmas from my husband.

The light is called Jansjo and can be purchased from IKEA for just $12.99. I would recommend you get one…or two. I have one in black that travels with Charlotte, my Featherweight and I have a second one in white that lives at home with Heidi, my Bernina. The LED light is bright enough to illuminate your work area and the bendable neck of the lamp is totally adjustable. The lamp also comes in these cool colours!The day was very productive for me. I was able to finish Clue Number Two in Gyleen Fitzgerald’s Bricks, Cobblestones, and Pebbles mystery that she has called, Odds, Ends and Leftovers.

I was also able to finish piecing the other 20 cobblestone blocks. Gyleen suggested that although the extra 20 cobblestones were not required for this step, we should go ahead and piece them now. Apparently Clue Number Four is a “bear” and we will be glad we listened to her and paced out the work as she suggested. Gyleen suggested we use the EZ Angle ruler to cut the triangles. I don’t have that ruler so I used one of my regular straight rulers. I didn’t have any issues with my triangles fitting onto the sites of my piece. I am ready for Clue Number Three which is supposed to be posted on Facebook on Monday. Gyleen has said there will be a total of five clues.

I was also able to get three blocks put together for my Strips Stacks project. Strip Stacks is a pattern from GE Designs. I had started this project the prior Saturday at the Modern guild’s sew-in. I got all of the cutting completed at that sew in but I didn’t really have much time left to sew anything together. This quilt is made from a jelly roll of Batiks that I purchased from Desert Stitchin at the Tucson Quilt Show last year.
This quilt will have a definite Southwest feel with this colour palette.

Guild Sew In & Gyleen’s Bricks, Cobblestones, and Pebbles

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Norma Hanson

I joined a group on Facebook led by Gyleen Fitzgerald called, Gyleen’s Bricks, Cobblestones, and Pebbles. Each Monday, instructions will be posted for the next step of this quilt project. it is a bit of a mystery as none of us know what the final quilt will look like.

The objective is to use up all the pre-cut squares and strips we have stored. This is intended to be a very scrappy project. The project uses 2.5″ strips, 2.5″ squares (gravel), and 3.5″ squares (pebbles). We have been told that we will also need a 6.5″ EZ angle.

Yesterday at the Modern Quilt Guild’s Sew-In, I finished step one. Here it is…

I may have to make this project a few times to empty the totes of pre-cut squares and strips I have accumulated over the years. 🙂

This picture was taken by Barbara of me. It looks like I am really concentrating on my piecing! LOL

Yin and Yang Scrap Quilt – In Process

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Norma Hanson

I am busy working on another scrap quilt. I am calling this one, Yin and Yang after the Chinese symbol by the same name. I boldly entered this quilt in our upcoming guild’s quilt show on October 17 and 18 even though it isn’t finished yet.