I LOVE the way this one turned out! It looks so cute.
WG loves hers. Sissy's is rumpled up in a corner of her room. I'll reserve my comments about that for "off blog".
Good golly, this one burned my britches but my, it looks so pretty! Matching trivets and table runner still in the works.
The Dad's quilt is an easy afternoon project I learned on the retreat. It's called the "lasagna quilt", a jelly roll of 2.5 inch strips in 6 coordinating fabrics, sewn end to end. Then, take the two free ends and sew them length wise. Clip the loop when you get to the end. Keep matching up the ends, sewing lengthwise and clipping the loops. Depending on the number of strips, you will do 5-7 passes this way before the quilt is finished. Fewer strips makes a vertical panel. More strips makes a horizontal panel.
I can't afford jelly rolls at $35 a pop. I bought two fat quarters each of six coordinating batiks and strip cut them myself. If you purchase 6, 1/2 yards you'll get longer strips which will change the look of the panel. With fat quarters, each strip was only 21 inches long.
Another variation is to first butt each strip with a 2.5 inch x 1.5 inch of a seventh fabric that accents the other colors. (on the color wheel, think "opposite side" (ie) orange to green) After each strip has it's "butt" end, then sew the strips end to end. This variation adds visual appeal, interrupting the mosaic pattern of the strips.
Finish the panel with your choice of borders. I saw a 9 patch corner border scheme on a different quilt and loved it. had to do it. It looks so cool!
fabrics - glory be, JoAnn's had fat quarters on sale for $0.99 last week. I bought these batiks for a whopping $12. WHAT!?!? right? I know. Crazy.
the reason this quilt is called a "lasagna" quilt, this pile of strips looks like a pile of noodles
The finished work, a mosaic. In the batiks, it has a stained glass effect
Showing off the nine-patch in the corner of the inner border
So here's the deal. Yes, this is a lot of fabric, time and money. Except... it's not. I quilt on a shoe string budget. When I'm not planning a project, I'm scrounging remnant bins, discounted or discontinued fabrics or ends of bolts (for the steep discount). I have a small stash but they are all high quality fabrics in contemporary designs. I'm also a hound dog for sales. Then, I pull from my stash for my projects. I also save any scrap that is 2.5 inch or larger and any strip that is 1.5 inch wide. In addition, I also cut up my scraps to 2.5" squares, 3.5" strips, 5" squares and fat quarters. I have them in baggies according to size. It makes finding them easier. All three of these panels were created at very low cost.
In this life, we're going to have addictions. I've accepted it. No point in denying the human yen for repetition. The catch is to be addicted to something that you can do cheaply and that won't harm you. Quilting is a safe bet for both.
10 comments:
i just sew garb. lol.
As we know there can be worse addictions! I think your work is beautiful.
They are BEAUTIFUL!!! Having a hobby is a great thing and goodness knows you (especially) need a hobby that is calming. It's awesome that you end up with such beautiful masterpiecse ... must be so rewarding! Good on you! (shopping for and getting those great deals must also be fun!)
Maria (Canada)
(oops ... I see I'm signed in as hubby)
The lasagna quilt is incredible! I love the panel....I would have that in the hoop....and your baby quilt is wonderful.
My kids have pillowcases like yours and they love them. I did not make them, but a friend did.
I started piecing the big quilt I sent you a pic of. 112 down, 7,072 to go......
I love the turkey panel - the design and the colors. Great job!
You have such talent! Would you ever consider selling some of your work to fund the "addiction"? I would be interested, as I love quilts, but can't sew worth a lick.
I'm enjoying seeing your creations, I.S.! Good for you for doing something creative that you enjoy. I think I've said it before, but I started making my teddy bears again this spring because of the huge level of stress and discord in our home. I desperately needed to do something that brings me joy and happiness. (You can see what I create on my New Avenue Crew blog.)
You inspired me to finally update our adoption blog (Seeking to Love Orphans) a couple of weeks ago. We've been home almost a year and 4 months...and things are not really great. I may start sharing more on that blog...I am sensing that other people need to learn from our situation. We truly can't believe how things have been going. But I also want to say that the Lord has been faithful to help us grow and to get us through this very, very difficult time in our lives--life with two teenage girls!
I went for a walk yesterday, crying. I cried for us, I cried for you and Sissy and AB and WG and the Dad, I cried for Kerrie and Corey, too... Big hugs to you, I.S.! You are making lemonade out of the lemons. Keep it up!
~Debbie
The lasagna quilt is great. I just love batik fabrics...even though they are tough on my needles.
They're all amazing colours but the turkey quilt really caught my eye, I'm a sucker for autumn colours and the selection of shades is gorgeous!
@ ranger - I know! It came out so much prettier than I expected it too. I'm very pleased even though it was a brute to piece
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