Okay, I admit it. I had to start a new project, even though I have many in various stages of completion. But it’s not as bad as it sounds. I’m using only scraps of previously purchased fabric. I’m not buying a single piece of new fabric for this project. I’m calling it “Crazy Pinks” because it’s a crazy quilt design using up my pink scraps.
I saw a Crazy Quilt top that a friend posted on Facebook in red, white, and blues. I have wanted to do a Crazy Quilt for a long time and this friend’s project was the encouragement I needed. I had a tiny box of scraps left over from a pink and cranberry BOM twin quilt I completed last year for my mom (Project 37). The scraps were so beautiful that I couldn’t dispose of them even though they were tiny. This looked like the perfect project for these scraps.
I don’t think early crazy quilters used patterns. Many of them used the Sears Roebuck Catalog as the foundation paper for their blocks. I used embroidery stabilizer to support the blocks (instead of catalog pages) and just started by placing a small “pretty” piece of fabric in the middle of a 9 ½ inch square of stabilizer. Then I just picked through my scraps and continued to grow the block by adding scraps around the outer edges of the center pieces. It took about four hours on Sunday evening to complete six blocks but I was pleased with the results.
I returned home from work today (Monday) and decided to continue the project. I did two more blocks and then connected them with a deep beige sashing that I had in my scrap collection. I tried the piece out on the bottom of my mom’s twin bed and it looks great as a bed runner to keep your feet warm on a cool evening.
I’m going to go through my fabric stash tomorrow evening to look for a burgundy or wine piece to make a two inch border and then back and bind it with the same deep cream I used for the sashings.
And wonder of wonders, I actually threw the teeny tiny scraps left from this project into the rubbish bin! I NEVER put fabric in a rubbish bin. It was a truly freeing experience (but they were very, very, very tiny pieces!) However, guess where mom and I are going tomorrow!! - To the FABRIC STORE! I figure I've emptied a couple of yards out of my stash, so I deserve to refill it. We do that with our gasoline tanks don't we?
These are absolutely beautiful but I think a little too random for me to do. Maybe I should just throw caution to the wind and jump in like you did with throwing your tiny, tiny, tiny scraps away. It's all a start. Although I already have 3 different quilts I want to start with as many or more UFQ's waiting to be finished too. Can't stifle creative genius so just go with it. This is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment! The randomness of crazy quilting is probably what made me postpone it for so long. I like to see how things are going to fit together before I do them. But surprisingly, I enjoyed this. My dislike for random was at war with my desire not to waste my scraps. So I tried random. It worked -- but I probably won't do it often!
DeleteI've been really enjoying your blog and have been checking it out since you shared it with me in June. (I'm from your blogging course). I love how you insert humour in your posts. I can't believe how beautiful your 6 blocks are, and made from scraps to boot! You have a real artistic flair!
ReplyDeleteThnks for your kind comment! I don't know that I have artistic flair. I just HATE to waste my beautiful fabric pieces even if it means putting them together in crazy quilts!
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