Unfortunately, I haven't been able to attend any Seattle MQG giving quilt sew-ins, and finally I decided to just go ahead and make a quilt for them to donate. Some time before her passing last year, Carole Lyles Shaw gave permission for the guild to use her Stash Jazz pattern for giving quilts. I opted to make the 55" x 62" Small Lap Quilt version, though mine actually came out 55" x 58" due to the amount of border fabrics I had.
The pieced blocks were made totally of scraps; then the solid blocks and borders were from stash.
Honestly, piecing the scrappy slabs was time consuming! I had grabbed my blue and yellow/orange scrap baskets, thinking the quilt top would be primarily blues and oranges. Come to find out, I had more yellow than orange, so that's what ended up happening.
Still, when it was time to cut the solid slabs for each block, I still went with blue and orange - Kona Riviera and Orangeade. Except I didn't have quite what I needed, so the blue corners are actually Kona Ocean, and the orange corner is obviously a print. I think it works, especially since the quilt top is definitely focused on the scraps.
For the back, I started by piecing the leftovers, and added stash prints and solids to bring it up to size.
Early on I knew I wanted to do a grid for quilting, and when I remembered I had a cone of Aurifil 50wt 2225 [Salmon] - thank you Aurifil! - it felt like kismet. And gotta say, quilting went so nicely with my new machine. It gave me a lot of joy to have the quilting go so smoothly.
I had originally planned for a scrappy binding, but once I was trimming the quilt, scrappy didn't feel right. Or at least not with the scraps I had left. Happily, I happened across random pieces of original Cotton + Steel Mesa by Alexa Marcelle Abegg from back in 2014(!!). And I think it's a fun addition.
So thanks to perfect timing, our guild meeting is tonight, and I'll be able to deliver both the Pixie Stix quilt I bound and this Stash Jazz to the Giving Committee for donation. Pretty sure it will go to either Kenmore Senior Women’s Shelter or YWCA Pathways for Women. Perfect.
The back is as interesting as the front of your scrappy quilt! Glad the new machine is working well for you.
ReplyDeleteIt’s so bold and happy! Now I want to add this pattern to my scrap quilt references. I have so many small scraps that are bursting out of their storage.
ReplyDeleteSounds like perfect timing indeed! The binding is the perfect frame; sometimes our stash hangs out waiting for just the right moment and that print definitely found a perfect use.
ReplyDeleteI agree that fabric slabs are time consuming. I always think I'll just "whip one up" and then by the time I'm done, I need a break. Haha. Your quilt looks fabulous, love the colors!
ReplyDeleteI adore the randomness of your scrappy slabs! They may be time-consuming, but they look so nice. You make me want to delve into scraps and just start sewing! I also like how you've used color to make the quilt off-balance, focusing on a different color on each side. That's the perfect design decision. I really like this quilt, and admire your generosity to give way such a fantastic creation.
ReplyDeletevery good one
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