Thursday, March 15, 2018

Scrap Happy in March

Goodness, I didn't mean to let a whole week pass without a new post! We have been a little distracted around here, making arrangements to have a new roof put on our house in addition to the reupholstering of my wing back chair. Naturally there have been toxic exposures to recover from as well.

You may recall my Halloween Disappearing 9 Patch quilt top. It's now a completed quilt:

60" x 72"
It would count for Scrap Happy Day because it was made entirely of scraps of Halloween prints or yardage that's been around for a while (a good long while in most cases!).


James did a simple meander in orange thread to keep the Halloween prints the focus of the quilt top. It's a very fun quilt. Did I tell you I started another D9P featuring food prints? That top is complete and next in line to be quilted. Meanwhile, the project I've been saving up for this Scrap Happy Day is another version of the Disappearing 9 Patch. Only this time instead of using large squares of fabric in the corners of the original 9 patch blocks I used the very scrappy Broken Dishes blocks I've been making with the off-cut triangles from various flying geese units.


The tiny print turned out to be a pretty good foil for any color or print that showed up in the scrappy broken dishes blocks. And it gave me a perfect excuse to use some of my overflowing orange prints in the centers of the large 9 patch blocks.


I ended up making 24 of the 9 Patch blocks. That gives me 96 quarters to work with to build my quilt top. I may not use them all. 😉

Before the weather turned so cold around here I laid out the quarters all in the same orientation. As I was building the 9 Patch blocks I didn't necessarily keep the Broken Dishes all facing the same direction. It wasn't always possible, given their scrappy nature. But in laying out the quarters of the 9 Patches I kept the small orange squares in the lower right hand corner.


That gave me a grid pattern with a sashing-and-cornerstone look. But what happens if I arrange the quarters the way I did in the Halloween D9P?


Eeeww, no. (It's looks worse in person than it does in this photo.) So let's try another option...


This way I have large blocks of the broken dishes blocks and four little orange squares coming  together to form a larger square. It's less chaotic, but I think I like the first option the best.

It was at this point that I had to take down my design wall extensions so the wall heater could function properly. I haven't been able to put them back up just yet but hopefully it won't be long now.

Kate and Gun are the hostesses for Scrap Happy Day on the 15th of each month. Below is a list of other participants, hopefully with hyperlinks to their blogs. If  you need some inspiration for using up your scraps this is a good place to start!

KateGun, TittiHeléneEvaNanette, Lynn,  Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Jill, Claire, JanKaren,
Moira, SandraLindaChrisNancyAlys and Claire

9 comments:

  1. I like the last option the best. with the oranges meeting to make a larger square. A lot of stitching already done, this will be a beauty no matter which way you choose.

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  2. a lovely use of novelty hallowe'en fabrics ^^

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  3. I love a D9P, but haven't seen one like your fancy 2nd one, I like the first option too where you get corner stones with little effort. Lovely scrappy projects.








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  4. Your work is lovely! I've never heard of the broken dish pattern, but I'm now intrigued. Alys

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  5. I quite like the the first one best, personally. It looks like a white tablecloth scattered with cellophane wrapped hard candies! Otherwise, the last one is also pretty, quite jewel-like. But all of them say very clearly that you've been busy in there!

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  6. I admire your perseverance in laying out that second option - you must have decided fairly early on that it wasn't what you'd want, but you certainly gave it a fair try!
    I like both the first and third options - whichever one you choose will make a wonderful quilt. Good luck with the decision!

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  7. The Halloween quilt turned out splendidly! Your second quilt is fascinating. I really do enjoy seeing how the different lay out options change things. I do like the larger orange square version, it is really different and very eye catching. I love those random pinwheels too, just a bit of unexpected to keep us on our toes!

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  8. Oh, yes, I like the first layout best, too, Sue. The sashing gives each block an opportunity to shine on its own but also creates a secondary pattern.

    Do you ever watch or have you ever seen the British TV series "As Time Goes By?" It's broadcast on our local PBS station at 11 p.m. Sometimes I catch a glimpse of a quilt on the bed. It took me a while to figure out what it was but I think (maybe) it's a Broken Dishes pattern but there is no sashing. The blocks touch each other and form pinwheels.

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  9. Oh love both the scrappy quilts! I do like scrappy quilts... love being able to look at the quilt and think - oh this was from this project, and this was from that.... Hopefully I can join in on the challenge one day... xx

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