I am really having a lot of fun with the modern sampler blocks - the block designs and piecing methods are so revolutionary for me. I feel like a rebel. More interesting, modern methods and colours are really growing on me as I visit blogs of modern quilters and admire their work. The other day I actually caught myself browsing through solid grey fabrics at some of my favourite online stores. Oh no! Say it ain't so! I know I've gone on the record before as actually saying yuck with regards to grey, but I'm coming around - I can't believe how many different shades of grey are available. I don't think I will ever be the same lil ol' traditionalist again.
As for the traditional sampler, I started with yardage of three fabrics - brown, pink and background, but decided in Week 2 (that was when we made log cabin blocks) to include a wider range of browns and pinks, so began fishing through my strip bins for brown and pink strips to add to the mix. I have a lot (and I mean dozens of each) to choose from in those two colours, so that should keep the blocks interesting for me and use up some strip stash.
I have a much more limited selection of oranges and blacks, not enough to make all the sampler blocks without finding (or buying more),or including more colours. I've already added green to the mix, and a bit of red. Considering how much fabric I already have, I'd like to try keeping this an all stash project and so was pleased to come across a few scraps in my untamed scrap bin that seem perfectly suited. These were from a bag of gift scraps from one of my quilting friends.
Having made the decision to tackle the big scrap bin in 15 minute cutting sessions, I dragged the ironing board into the living room last night and started ironing scraps so I'd have something to trim while I wait for the morning coffee to brew. That daily 15 minutes of trimming polished off 1200 HSTs in less than 40 days, so I know it can move a mountain of scraps seemingly without effort. My intention was to iron a small pile, but I got carried away, as evidenced by this pic. There's enough in this pile to keep my daily trimming assignments fueled for a month (at least). I hope I find more orange, red and black as I go along.
Some of the gift scraps were dumped out of friends' scrap bins and I discovered many old poly-cottons in the mix as I ironed. I didn't even need to put them under the hot iron to figure it out by smell. Just the feel of them under my left thumb as I pulled from the scrap bin was unmistakable. I'm not sure when I developed this new sense (and in my left thumb of all places), but I found the discovery that I now had this new super-power rather diverting. I'm putting those directly into my fling-it bag.
Both sets of blocks look great, and the fabrics you are mixing in will only add more visual interest.
ReplyDeleteSolid grey, huh? You ARE slipping over to the modern side.
That isn't a bad super power for a quilter working with other people's scraps to have--even in the left thumb! : )