Are you a hardcore fabric scrap hoarder? I mean, do you keep all your scraps, even All the Little Bits? I’ll admit, I am and I do. I have them in large tubs, sorted roughly into colour groups. But, in my defence, I also know a technique that makes good use of those small fabric scraps. So that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it. 🙂 And what’s more, I’m always happy to share my quilty-stuff hoarding excuses with you…..
Join me this destash challenge for a scrappy shadow appliqué tutorial. And some pointers for turning your appliqué panel into a pillow (cushion) cover. I made my shadow appliqué pillow almost entirely from stash. I wonder if you can too……..
The Island Batik Ambassador Challenge for April is “Looking Back: Vintage Quilts Inspiring New Creations”.
And I am having a ball. The only trouble with looking back as you’re moving forward, is that you can get tripped up…… and end up down a rabbit hole……..
So, where to begin?
I can’t possibly tell you everything I have explored under the topic “Vintage Inspired Quilts” lately, but it is fair to say that I wasn’t really sure where to start with this challenge. “Vintage” is a category of quilt that I thought I didn’t like very much. When I think vintage quilt, I immediately think “muted, dull, brown”. Which doesn’t agree with me, nor with my idea of batik quilts.
Do you see what I did there?! I said “I thought I didn’t like vintage quilts”. Past tense. I’m doing that a lot lately, with all the Island Batik challenges. It is doing me much good to be gently stretched!
It turns out that there are some very cool vintage inspired quilt creations out there. Even some Australian flavoured ones. Let me tell you about one I have long admired, and then, about my newest quilt infatuation……
From the Sewing Room – Project 70273 and a Destash Challenge
Second month into 2108, and I’m still committed to destashing some of my fabrics. 🙂 It definitely helps to have a little motivation from Megan at C’mon Get Crafty and her Monthly Destash Challenge. In fact, my destashing has become even more important, now that I have had a significant influx of fabrics from Island Batik. If you missed the opening of my first Ambassador box yesterday, you might want to take a squiz. I am over the moon with the collection of quilting supplies they sent me to play with!
The hearts quilt project is on the backburner for now, but I must admit, I am very pleased with it. I expect I will progress it along again soon. However, for this month’s destash I am showing you something different. A much smaller project that is also part of a much bigger project – one that you might like to think about getting involved with too.
I have been wondering what to do with the scrap improv heart blocks I made last month. I want to make a smallish quilt, but one still large enough to be useful. Perhaps something for a romantic picnic or a snuggle on the couch with a movie. But nothing I planned seemed to suit the improv hearts I have already made and fallen in love with. The whole planning thing kept resulting in designs I felt were too formal, something which these pretty hearts definitely are not!
From the Sewing Room – Valentine’s Heart Quilt Block and a De-Stash Challenge
Do you want ideas and motivation to use up some stash and/or scraps from your craft room? You are not alone! Come join us in the Craft Room De-Stash Challenge – a group of bloggers committed to turning some of the craft supply lovelies we have hoarded into finished items. Of course, my projects are likely to all be fabric related, but this is a diverse group of crafters. So there will be lots of ideas in this hop to deal with whatever crafty skeletons you have hiding in your closet!
Every month a group of bloggers are challenged by C’mon Get Crafty to create a new craft or project from their own stash of goodies! Check out some awesome creations you might be able to make from your own stash! #CraftRoomDestashChallenge
Really Dione, another project?!
Well, yes….. and no……
At the beginning of the year I stated that one of my goals was to reclaim my sewing space. And I have come to realise that part of that goal is going to have to be using up or moving on some of my stash. Like lots of quilters, I have a significant fabric stash, and a similarly rampant collection of scraps.So, joining in with this monthly hop (when I can) is actually one of the tools I am using to make this happen.
I suppose there are faster ways to reduce my stash…… But I bought and collected my resources because I like them. So I’d really rather take things to their intended conclusion and use them. What better way than to make some projects with the mentality of ONLY using stash?
Valentine’s Heart Quilt Block
For my first De-Stash Challenge project, I have decided to make a scrappy-heart quilt block. With Saint Valentine’s Day still a month away, you have time to make this block and turn it into a small Valentine’s Day project…. a pillow perhaps, or a lap quilt. This block with a border added would be a good size for a throw pillow. Or a dozen of these with a little sashing would make a nice lap quilt for someone you hold dear. I intend to eventually make a quilt with at least 12 of these, and probably some scrappy pieced blocks in between, so that the project uses a noticeable amount of stash! Probably not by Valentine’s Day 2018 though…..
Here’s the fabric I am using for my block background. I have just enough in my stash for 12 pieces of 11 inches square.
How to create your Scrappy Valentine’s Heart Block
Step 1
Iron your red fabric scraps. Choose two scraps with straight edges (or trim to straight edges) and sew them together with a 1/4″ seam. Press.
Trim the joined pieces so that you have at least one new straight edge. It doesn’t matter which edge. The less you think about the crazy improv piecing the better!
Step 2
Choose a third scrap of red fabric and sew to the trimmed edge of the previously joined fabrics.
Three red scraps pieced together
Again, press and trim off excess to create a new straight edge. Continue this crazy patchwork piecing until you have a piece large enough to cover the appliqué template.
The red crazy patchwork is growingThe red crazy patchwork is still growingEnough red crazy patchwork cover the Valentine’s Heart template.
Note: you can build the crazy patchwork in several smaller pieces and join these together to get the final larger piece if you wish.
Step 3
Trace the heart shape onto the paper side of the fusible adhesive. Cut out with a little to spare around the outside of the shape.
To keep your appliqué from being stiff, remove most of the fusible adhesive from the centre of the heart shape. Leave about 1 inch around the outside edge of the heart.
Step 4
Fuse the heart-shape adhesive ring to the back of your crazy patchwork as per manufacturer’s instructions. Trim your heart to the outline.
Heart appliqué with fusible adhesive around the edge of the shape but not in the middle to keep the project soft.
Remove the paper backing and fuse your Valentine’s Heart to the centre of your backing fabric square. The minimum size for the backing square is 11 inches square, but you are welcome to make your blocks larger with more negative space around the heart.
Scrappy Valentine’s Heart fused to background fabric
Step 5
Use your favourite appliqué stitch to secure the heart to the backing.
Finished Valentine’s Heart Block
One scrappy Valentine’s Heart block done.
I have enough of the butterflies batik background fabric in my stash for 12 heart blocks. I may vary the appliqué heart pattern between some of my blocks. Then, as I mentioned above, the rest of the quilt top will be scrappy squares.
The backing will also come from stash, and I also intend to use my growing pile of batting offcuts. It will be a bit of a Franken-quilt, but it should be sweet, and very usable, and require no new purchases (with the possible exception of binding, which I can probably obtain within the $10 limit).
You are invited…. Join us in De-Stashing your Craft Room.
Anyway, back to the destashing….. For last month’s challenge I used up most of 
I have been wondering what to do with the 
