Saturday 11 August 2012

Rainbow Scrappy Challenge

Squishing in a post about this month’s Rainbow Scrappy Challenge  colour which is Aqua/Blue green/Teal.

This is one of my favourite colours (as well as pink and red and purple).  However, I don’t seem to have a lot of ‘scraps’ in this colour.   Here is a picture of the ones I have collected together:August Rainbow Scrappy Aqua scraps

In the foreground you can see the 5 inch aqua squares which I’ve cut ready to sew up my D4ps and to the right a small pile of tinier scraps from which I’ll make my housey.

There are some really old fabrics in these piles.

Do you see the crazy rectangle block in there?  Well there is a story to it.  

Way back in ‘too many years ago’ not long after I first started patchwork and quilting, I started to make a sampler for my bed which is a double size/queensize, in the hope that during the process I’d learn and improve on the various techniqués.  I had completed all the blocks and was searching for the right sashing-cum-border fabric.   Living where I do, and in particularly back then, there weren’t any local quilt shops for miles and miles.  The only way was to order on line.  However,  since the computer screen is not the most reliable when it comes to colours this was a tad difficult.  

Anyhow, my little house group had planned a trip to the Harrogate Quilt Show.  So I made up this little crazy block of all the fabrics that I had used in my quilt blocks to take with me with the idea of buying the sashing/border fabric.   Which I did once I got over the sheer size of the place and ALL THAT FABRIC on sale at various stalls.

So ‘here’s one I done earlier’ for this post, my first large project.   It took me about 4 years to complete.  It is hand quilted and just happened to get washed today since it is such a gorgeous day… see that blue sky!!  A rare sight this summer.

Sampler AquaSampler showing quilting

 

 

 

 

 

 

My first sampler

Possibly this is a better picture. Taken a few years ago at one of my house group’s exhibitions.

The blocks in the sampler are a selection from the 1st and 2nd Sampler books by  Lynne Edwards MBE.

If you’d like to see what everyone else has done for their Rainbow Scrappy Challenge then click here.

Meanwhile, I have been stitching!!  Just not on anything aqua.  Well there was a scrap of aqua in the project I was stitching.. two pieces to be precise, two pieces of the fabric in the pile above AND in the quilt shown. :))  I will post a picture when I’ve done the top.

Okay, I’m off to do a teenie weenie bit of gardening.  I hope you’re all having a great sewing day.

Happy Stitching!

Ellyx

8 comments:

  1. What a gorgeous quilt top and a great way to take your fabrics shopping so you can match them - very clever!

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  2. What a lovely Aqua/Blue green/Teal post. I enjoyed the story about your crazy rectangle, what a great idea.

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  3. Love your sampler quilt, Elly. So pretty.
    What a grand idea to sew your bits together and carry with you for shoppping. I hope i remember that little super nugget of info.

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  4. What a fun quilt! So many of us started with a traditional sampler. It is fun to see how much your quilting style has evolved after all those years.

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  5. Cute story - I have experienced that overwhelmed by fabric feeling!

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  6. Elly we all start with a sampler well most quilters anyways. It is great way to learn new techiques to grow in the quilting world. Its amazing how many blocks were done love it!
    I have a couple of samplers that my mother is piecing through her store. She makes one for me and one for her and then we both piece them together for a weekend sewing retreat!
    Quilt shows and venders by the time I go and at the end of the day I am always overwhelmed but also rev`d up to be creative!! LOL

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  7. Great idea about the scraps!
    Your quilt is lovely. The colors are great. I've done a few samplers too. It's a great way to start and not get burned out or bored with the blocks. I'm back to my DP9 blocks and think of you when I do them.

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