Ok quilty friends, I’ve sewn a couple quilts from kits but never designed one so I could use some help. I got lots of gorgeous 2.5” squares in the Scrap Swap and want to make them into a (simple-ish) wall hanging.
I’m thinking to sew them in strips into a rectangle shape and maybe put sashing (I think that’s the right word?) around the outside before adding the binding. I was originally thinking a light sashing fabric but now I’m wondering if something like a navy would work better? Although lots of the blocks are darkish so it might blend in too much.
I originally thought I wanted to do them in rough color order but now I’m kind of liking them more random.
There are so many options! I personally would prefer to go with a light background / sashing, but that’s a personal choice. I don’t have the best eye for colour so I wouldn’t dare to use a more unusual colour. I think @Edel has made quite a few scrappy quilts in (to my eyes) unusual colour combinations so I’d look those up for inspiration.
One project I made recently with (full-sized) charm squares is Rainbow charm baby quilt - Inspired-along challenge 2022 Entry After lots of playing around with the squares I decided to do it in colour order. These fabrics all matched but I still went with white as a background colour to make it a bit more easy on the eye.
But here’s an adventurous person who went for a scrappy look and a non-white background: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0091/7061/6401/products/11176_056_D1_1024x1024@2x.jpg?v=1569162104 It can work but you just need to be very careful picking the fabric. I would guess navy is indeed a bit too dark for your squares, but as I said, I don’t really have an eye for colour. Or if you’re going dark, maybe go really dark and go for a near-black or dark grey fabric.
Random, much more interesting. Both are busy, but that’s just my preference. maybe an introduction of some solid colors to unify and rest the eye. It depends on the final use, restful, fun, wild?
Thanks for the ideas! I really like some of the rainbow quilts and have bunch of rainbow colored fat quarters I could use to make another quilt.
I think for this one I’m going to go with scrappy random in an all over pattern since that’s what I’ve had in mind since I signed up for the swap. The more I stared at the second picture the more it just felt like that’s what they wanted to be so I’m going to go with it :). And I’ll do white or maybe a slightly off white for the border.
I’m thinking for sewing to do the short rows, since that’s how I stacked them when I put them away, unless there is a benefit to doing the long rows first. I think I remember from years ago that if you press the seams on one row going one direction and the next row in the opposite that it will help the corners to line up.
That was super helpful, thank you! I also found a 1/4” foot in with the feet that came with my machine so hoping that will help with my tendency to get sloppy and speed sew.
Inspired by all the earlier scrap talk, links, the scrappy mail fabric swap, and @photojenn’s scrappy layout photos here is our next quarterly challenge!
Quarter 3 Challenge
(July 1 - September 30) Quilt with Scraps:
Gather up your quilt scraps or create some for this challenge, use them to quilt something scrappy and fun!
I’m really looking forward to seeing the entries for this challenge!
I recently mentioned that I’m out of state visiting my family. Well, I’m super excited because they’re not too far away from “Quilt Town, USA!” It is the home of Missouri Star Quilt Company and features a Main Street filled with twelve different themed quilt shops!
My mom, LittleBookLover, and I just arrived at our hotel room a little bit ago and I’m really looking forward to heading into town and checking out the shops tomorrow!
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AIMR
(Linda -2024 Choose Projects that You Want to Do :us:)
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I love Jenny and the Missouri Star Quilt Company videos! Have fun!
Picked up a book from the thrift store in the town near our campsite Scrap Quilt Sensation by Katharine Guerrier. It really is fabulous, a few incredible star block quilts for you celestial gals.
Galaxy of Stars
