Revisit Scrap Basket 2 - a Wedding Gift

In preparation for a family wedding - my nephew, Matt and his wife to be, Candace, I gathered their input for a wedding quilt.  Let's be serious, I gathered Candace's input! 

My ask, which of my quilts designs would you like for a wedding quilt? 

Much to my surprise her choice:

My original Scrap Basket 2 quilt.  Yes, it is a scrap quilt.  Any of my quilting friends know I love neutral quilts and have amassed a large stash and scraps in this color palette. 

Working in a neutral palette can be a challenge.

With the assistance of our digital cameras/phones, you can master this challenge.

"Color gets all the credit, but Value does all the work!

When I asked about a color palette for the wedding quilt here was her choice:

My first reaction, lovely how serene.

My second reaction, let's dive into my stash.

My last reaction,  I'm missing some greens!  Yes, I too had to go shopping for those sage greens and yes some darker greens.

Absent some variation in values, my design would become mud.  

Let's change up the palette to black and white to demonstrate the concept.

.Here is the same image in black and white. The color swatches at the left show little of the different values in the inspiration photo.

This was purposeful on the part of Orangetree, as it was a color palette for interior design purposes. Whilst this will work for interior design, it would pose a challenge in a quilt.

We need the range in values to define the design in a quilt.  

Absent the value range we have mud.  Whilst I understand this, I hope my niece will understand this as well as I add a range of values to their quilt.

Let me illustrate!

At left my image in black and white.

At right my image in color.

Do I have a range of values?

Perhaps yes!

Are you along to create your Scrap Basket 2 quilt?

Let's get started.

Consider using a monochromatic color palette in 2 - 3 colorways.  Try to include one Solid fabric per colorway.

The first step is to sort your scraps.  If your scraps are not sorted by color, the first step is to sort by color.  Then sort your scraps by value.

Color and value is relative.  Pick one fabric of the first colorway that "appears" to be a mid value, and start a new pile.  Then select another fabric and compare it to the original.

Is it darker or lighter?  I like to work left to right, lighter left and darker right, creating three piles for this colorway.  Essentially you will have created a light, medium and dark pile.  

Take a photo in black and white.  Look at the image, do you have some outliers?

If yes, adjust your piles and take another black and white photo.  Continue this process until all your fabrics are sorted.

Here are my fabrics sorted.

Join the Quilt Along and tame your scrap piles.

The quilt will finish at 60" x 72 and is constructed in 6 - 24 1/2" square blocks (there are blocks within these blocks) and 6 - 12 1/2" square blocks.

Download the instructions for Step 1 in the link below.

Scrap Basket 2 - Step 1

Feed your soul, take time to create.  It's not about keeping busy, it's about being at "piece"!

 

42 Plus 3 - Steps 3 & 4

 It's a new year!  

Whilst it is a new year, some things have not changed.  

We are all spending more time at home and are looking to our creative outlets to pass the time and assist with our mental health.  I have often been told, you need to go down to your studio and play.  You may recognize the agitation or vibration that you can actually feel.  For me, when it really gets bad, the migraines also start.

After a few hours, my studio the agitation is gone and the migraine has started to subside.  

As we all retreat to our quilting spaces, it's time to continue progress on my complementary project, 42 Plus 3.  I recently finished steps 3 and 4 and my pattern testers have completed their edits.  

Today I'm sharing a couple of insights about how color can completely change a block.  Once you complete step 3 you may have noticed that you can assemble the large blocks one of two ways.  By simply changing up what side of the completed smaller blocks meet up in the center the design can entirely change.  Simply changing up the orientation of the Fabric 1 and 2 sides of the block the quilt will be very different.  This is best illustrated through photos.  

One of my pattern testers, Pat decided to only make 8 blocks and make 2 smaller table toppers as opposed to the larger quilt.  Her choice was influenced by her jelly roll only having 40 strips instead of 42 and some challenges in finding fabrics for the remaining 5 strips.  

Out of a challenge a new learning opportunity was born.  

Here is Pat's first layout of her large blocks.  This was Pat's initial thought was the layout with the black center star and partial stars on the perimeter of her table topper.

Pat will be adding a black border to this topper to finish it off.  

Now, switch it up!  No change in the blocks themselves, just a rotation of the blocks such that the center star and partial stars are now the pale pink fabric.  

What a difference!

For this topper, Pat will be adding a 3 1/2" cut pink border all around the blocks.  The stripped sections will then appear to float on the pink borders.

So, depending upon your available fabrics, you can always choose to change the color of your borders for a completely different look.  Pat's table toppers will finish at 42 1/2" square.

Here is the link for the pattern for steps 1 through 4:

42 Plus 3 Steps 1 to 4

A Neutral Palette Challenge & My Top 25 Notions

What’s on my design wall? 

A neutral color challenge!  Take 8 neutral fabrics in greys and taupe and see where it I can take it.

✔️ First up simple flying geese 

      

Simple? 

 

Perhaps,.... but I still have to take notice of light medium and dark and their placement.  A neutral color palette makes relative color even more important.

 I’m working through the different fabrics, piecing the blocks as leaders and enders. 

Not enough contrast and you have a "muddy" block.  The block at right is after a couple of interruptions and the removal of a "muddy" section.  Take a look at my slides from Show and Tell to see the difference.

November 17, 2021 Show & Tell Slides

✔️ Making blocks from the house exercises from @cindygrisdela new book, Adventures in Improv Quilts and change up the color palette to neutrals,…..

Not exactly how Cindy Grisdela had imagined the exercises in her new book.  But, since when did I follow exercises as they were originally intended.

✔️ Adding a few techniques/blocks from other projects

I figure I need another 10 or more blocks, larger ones and then the puzzling begins.  

Every time I walk by my design wall I move a few blocks, take a picture and stare at it a bit more.  

From the wee hours last night, see the shadows in my photo.  I'm still making changes and taking even more pictures.

With any luck, I'll have something by the end of next week, just in time to go home.

Yes home, I'm working in our vacation home for yet another 2 weeks.  Whilst I have always quilted when I have come down to our vacation home, I haven't done as many technical projects.

Did I have a surprise!  I didn't have all my go to quilting supplies here.  I did bring my projects, some special rulers and my Acorn Products, I was still missing a few things.  I had a separate suitcase will all my projects and select notions but it still wasn't enough.  

Most notably I was missing, a design wall, a wool pressing mat, my small and large Karen Kay Buckley scissors, my Corner Pop tool.

Thankfully my son and daughter-in-law, thank you Alex, did bring a couple of items when they came down to visit.

So, as always, my missing items became my "Top 25 Notions" list.  Take a look at my list, is there some items that should be on your Christmas list?  Download a copy of my list below.  Sometimes, it is the simplest of things that can make our projects more successful.  

Next trip, I'm destined to have another full suitcase of my go to tools so I can play!  

My Top 25 Notions

Follow Up - Show and Tell October 6th, 2021 Moda Toweling Projects

 

I've received a couple of reach outs since October 6th, regarding my Moda Lakeside Toweling Projects.

My Simple Lined Placemats, were my original design and the downloadable pattern can be found on October 6, 2021 post.  Be sure to download a copy of my complementary pattern.

The Origami Market Bag Tutorial was a project from Lola Nova dating back to June 25, 2013.  I modified the original tutorial to sew the seams flat.  The details for this modification are in my Show and Tell slides.  Here are the links:

My slides:

October 6th, 2021 Show and Tell Slides

The link to the original tutorial for Lola Nova

Origami Market Bag Tutorial

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If you are using Moda Toweling for your bag, consider my modification to use batting tape to hold the hemmed edges flat and together before zig zagging the seam.  

I also boxed the corners of my bag to get a rectangle shape for the bottom of the bag.

The simple bag without handles would be great for wrapping gifts, think Reusable Wrapping Paper.

As it gets cold outside, it's warm in our studios so Learn Something New, we have the time.

Simple Lined Toweling Placemats

 

The Holiday Season has arrived!  

Thanksgiving is around the corner, Halloween is just a couple of weeks and dare I say Christmas will be here in just 80 days!

Today, I have a simple project using Moda Lakeside Toweling that is perfect for gift giving.

If you are like me, you have grown children that have just started to set up their homes and these placemats are perfect for a modern or urban country home.

This 100% toweling comes in a variety of colors.  With its loose weave, I would suggest that you prewash the toweling before you start.  

To give the placemats some stability, I have lined them with quilting cotton.  You can leave them plain or add some big stitch quilting or raw edge appliqué for embellishment.

Consider making a matching bread cloth for the table as well.

Here is the link to the pattern for the placemats:

Simple Lined Toweling Placemats

Be sure you are ready for the Holiday Season with these simple placemats.

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Simple little handmade gifts, they just make me smile!

As I write this post from my comfy chair, I'm looking about my great room and my eyes drift to all the handmade items in the room.  The quilts, pillow, wool table toppers and stitched pictures....it just makes me smile.  

Those hand made items warm up the room and make me think back to when they were made or received with a smile.  Now more than ever, a simple project can spread those smiles and let someone know you were thinking of them.  It's like a virtual hug!

Over the years I have taught, I shared some simple little projects.  Not all projects shared were mine, so with credit was provided to the designer.  

Today I thought I would re-share some of these simple projects so you too could make someone smile this year.  

And when you deliver them, be safe and don't forget to "Ding and Dash"!  (Thanks to Michelle Peters of Watergirl Quilt Company for this catchy delivery method!)

From December 2017 - A simple Circle Mug Rug

Whilst I had seen this design on Pinterest, the link was missing so, giving full credit to the original designer, I drafted the instructions.

Download your copy of the instructions here:

Circle Mug Rug

From June 2016 - Raccoon Case

One of the easiest zippers to insert into a practical eyeglass case, pencil case or a case for small scissors.  You'll never want to sew in a two sided zipper into a small case!

http://blogg.pinkponydesign.com/2015/10/keep-your-sunglasses-safe-raccoon-case.html

From April 2016 - Quilt Block Design Board

We all have done it, laid out a block on our cutting mat and in the process of carrying it to our sewing machine, we flipped a piece, sewed a seam on the wrong side or....

Lori Holt had a solution for this in her Quilt Block Design Board

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO-fosn6Yfs

Scrap Basket Destash Complementary Quilt Along

Are your scraps over flowing their containers and taking over your studio space?  If yes, join me for my Scrap Basket Destash Quilt Along.

On the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month I will be posting the instructions for one step of this project on my blog.

Follow me @modernblendedquilts on Instagram and my Facebook page, Modern Blended Quilts to receive notifications of the posting new step for this project.  If you would prefer an email notification for the post, enter your email address on this blog.

There is no pattern to purchase, all instructions are complementary can be downloaded from this blog in the link below.

With the exception of your choice for a Solid fabric, the goal for this project is to be a scrap basket destash project.  You will need 1.25 meters of Solid fabric for the quilt top and binding.  You might even have the perfect Solid fabric in your stash!

The construction of this quilt is ideal for a "longer length" leaders and enders project.  Cut out the project and construct it as you chain piece your current quilt project - thus eliminating threat waste on a fabric "pig" or "bunny tail.

As you are working through the steps, be sure to tag your posts on Instagram and Facebook #scrapbasketquiltalong.

Join the journey and download the cutting instructions for this project.

Scrap Basket Quilt Along Introduction

Here is a subset of my fabric choices, my solid is Kona Wasabi.