Back at the beginning of this year I made the decision to use up some of the fabric that had been in The Magpie's Nest for decades. I settled on a simple four patch pattern using patches that finish at 3." I had a bunch of 6" (finished) fussy-cut squares that I could use between the four patch blocks too. I had to cut more of those to get the size I was after for the finished quilt. Overall it was a pleasant project. It is finally a finished quilt.
My original intention was to donate it for a child in foster care or to Wrap the World With Quilts. However, now I find it to be a comprehensive record of the quilts I've made over the years (and a few I haven't yet made but thought I would). So this quilt is going to stay with me for the time being. 😁
I have continued my quest to use up older prints and remnants. If you've been here before you will have seen some of the scrappy blocks I've been making. The greatest number were flying geese.
When I stopped to count them up I discovered I had more than enough for another version of the free Remixed Geese pattern from Kaufman Fabrics. In some flights of geese I used a print for the large triangle (the goose) and sometimes I was able to also use that same print for the background. So when it came time to audition the geese for this new quilt top I tried to avoid using a single print more than once.
If you follow the pattern directions they have you making only two geese at a time. The quilt top can then be assembled in horizontal rows. I tend to make my geese four at a time and sew them all into a strip. That makes it a greater challenge to lay out the blocks. Sometimes I have to separate the flight into two halves. I don't consider that a huge drawback.
The bigger challenge for me is extending my design wall to accommodate all the geese and then keeping everything in place until I can get it sewn together. Pins and the camera in my phone are a great help. Then it becomes akin to assembling a jigsaw puzzle, another activity I enjoy.
This is the completed flimsy. It would finish at 54" x 72" at this point. (I added an extra row to the pattern.) I'm currently debating whether to add a 3" border all the way around just to bring it up to 60" x 78." I believe I will be able to send this one out into the world when it is finally a finished quilt. 😊
I'm probably one of the last to post for Scrap Happy Day as this blog hop begins with Kate in Australia and I'm on the west coast of the United States. We all post on the 15th of each month in our various time zones, spanning the globe. You can see how others are repurposing or using up scrap materials all over the world by clicking on the links below.
Kate, Eva, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan,
Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,
Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera,
Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,
Viv, Karrin, Alissa,
Hannah and Maggie
GoodMorning Sue! That first quilt really catches my eye..i think the larger and smaller blocks mixed together turned out really great... Your composition with that is really fabulous! To check out some of the other participants is on my todo list! Hugs! deb
ReplyDeleteLove your quilts! And yeah for deciding to keep the finished one for yourself!
ReplyDeletelove your Memory Quilt and you should keep it for yourself. I too live on the West coast - of Canada - so I usually post on the 14th.
ReplyDeleteI think the first quilt is wonderful! I love how the diagonal lines give it movement without being rigid, and that this is in effect a sampler of your work over the years. I wouldn't give it away either! And you know I love a flying geese quilt too, so the next one ticks all the boxes for me too!
ReplyDeleteSuch cute blocks with neat little surprises throughout...I made your photo bigger to have a look. And those flying geese look wonderful together. You have an eye for colour placement, MS.
ReplyDelete