Little Bits Obsessed

Yes, I have to admit that I can become obsessed with little bits of "left-over fabrics" and that is exactly what happened when I trimmed my solid color log cabin blocks

into tilting freedom blocks. 

Follow the link to see further information on this: trimming log cabin blocks
If you love the results, you can find instructions and patterns for making fun-loving quilts in my book "Log Cabin Quilts with Attitude".

The narrow wedges of fabric trimmed off could, of course, be thrown away. That is what any logical person would do. But what if...................

I sewed these narrow bits together. What could pop up as a result?

These stitched bits seemed to fall in love with a background fabric that I was enhancing with fabric markers.

A bit was added here.

And a bit was added there.

 

Oh, this is so much fun. I just hope you are enjoying your day as much.

Quilter's Tile - Rainbow Rose

8" x 8"

©2013 Sharon V. Rotz

No matter which way you view it, may you find rainbows and roses in your day!

Linked to Off the Wall Friday

It's Bittersweet Friday

The trailing vines and bright orange berries of the bittersweet caught my attention several times as I walked along the roadside.  When I was working on Forest Floor, I couldn't resist adding them into the inner border of the quilt.

Forest Floor

©Sharon V. Rotz

This quilt combines solid blocks of a leafy print with my skewed log cabin "freedom blocks".  The bittersweet vines are appliqued with rickrack trim on the berries. 

Instructions are in 

Log Cabin Quilts with Attitude available through my website.

More Friday Stitching

Dancing Log Cabins detail

©2012 Marlyn Butchins

I am always inspired by the quilters I meet (through the internet or in person) and the quilts that they make. Recently, Marlyn from Israel sent me a photo her quilt "Dancing Log Cabins". She mentioned that she has a new Janome 7700 with more than 240 embroidery stitches. I'm delighted that she chose to try out those stitches on the sashing of Dancing Log Cabins.

To quote Marlyn, 

"To me it is a quilt filled with taking chances, passion, and lots of cheeky statements,

excitement, vibrancy and all the things that make me feel good. This is how I want a quilt to make me feel, and this one certainly does it."

I am so happy that Marlyn used my book, Log Cabin Quilts with Attitude, for her inspiration.  

Find the freedom of using for your scrap strips in these fun-loving skewed log cabin blocks.  Feel free to disregard perfect seam allowances and forget about matching corners as you combine fabrics without fretting.

Note:  Thanks to Marlyn for sharing her quilt. Please follow the link to find out more about Marlyn and The Dizengoff Memorial Quilt.

RickRack Out of the Box

La Bohemia

51" x 51"

from Log Cabin Quilts with Attitude

by Sharon V. Rotz

As a previously posted, I started with a collection of rickrack from my mother and my collection has grown from there. I questioned whether to use my vintage rickrack but I have grown fond of this zigzagging little trim. I found my local store can keep me supplied so on my quilts it goes.

In La Bohemia, I went all out incorporating rickrack in many areas of the quilt. It added detail between appliques flowers.

It was used to made three dimensional centers for the flowers.

Rickrack created a wing for the bird.

By inserting coordinating rickrack in the seam, a subtle detail is revealed.

A contrasting rickrack adds to the bound quilt edge.

The pattern for La Bohemia and other quilts (many with rickrack details) are found in my book, 

Log Cabin Quilts with Attitude.

Available for purchase.

How have you used rickrack or other trims in your quilts? Have you opened up this world of opportunity?

How High Can the Pillows Go?

While we are savoring our Packers victory in the Super Bowl, I am still piling pillows up higher and higher.

Today, I've gathered my scraps strips. We often have extra strips of fabrics left over when we work on a project. These become orphans in our stash, too good to throw away and not enough to make anything. When my pile of strips gets big, I start making "freedom blocks", log cabin blocks of various colors and width of strips. These are recut to a common size and make wonderful, zany quilt blocks. The full instructions are in my book, Log Cabin Quilts with Attitude.

To go even further, you can make a lively butterfly pillow to brighten your room and coordinate with your bed quilt. Four blocks were made from excess strips from the quilt. These were cut into rectangles and stitched into a four-patch. I added a bit of rickrack on the to edge of the pillow as I stitched the front and the back together. A wired ribbon is wrapped around the pillow and ends are twisted to make the butterfly antennas.

Today, take a look at your scraps and see what you can make.

Until its gone!

After making a large quilt out of these flannel fabrics, I used the remaining fabric to comfy lap quilt. The large quilt used 4" squares and half-square triangles so it was easy to come up with a star design for the lap quilt. The spare scraps that didn't measure-up (to the 4" squares) became the log cabin star centers, using up a bit more of the remaining fabric.

Since I don't often make flannel quilts, it became a challenge to use up all of the flannel so there wasn't any left in my stash. The quilt front made a good dent in the surplus flannel but there was still a little left.

I then turned my attention to the quilt back. A challenge is a challenge, so the flannel must be used until there was no more. The few remaining half-square triangles turned into a different style star block, strips became more log cabins, and any remaining flannel was piecing into border-type strips.

I had to dip into my stash for black and white prints to tie the sections of the back together but it was fun was use up every bit of my flannel. It's gone, there is no more. Mission accomplished. What a great feeling.

Whirling and Twirling, the top is done

The blocks are done and arranged and I've completed the quilt top. A random layout of log cabin blocks and solid blocks seemed the right combination for this colorful, carefree quilt.

After piecing the log cabin blocks, they were cut to size on a angle. (Further information on this technique can be found in earlier posts and in my book "Log Cabin Quilts with Attitude".) This gives great movement to the blocks. Does this remind you of gaily dressed dancers whirling around? Or maybe those autumn leaves fluttering in the wind as they fall to the ground? To me, it is definitely color in motion.

To further obscure the edges of the blocks, you can choose an outside strip of fabric that matches the solid blocks. (You can see this in the bottom of the center block.) The static look of block to block matching disappears as an outcome.

Now its time for choosing a backing and layering it up for the quilting.

Value, value, value

When we are consider our fabric, we look for "star power" and we look for "background singers". In other words, we need a dominate fabric (or fabrics) which engages us. Then we need more subtle fabrics to compliment this dominant fabric.

But one thing, we've failed to mention is the value of these fabrics. Very often, our dominate fabric is a medium value and we may have chosen more medium values as our complimentary fabrics. We also need to chose fabrics, not looking at the color but at the value.

If you have trouble determining the value of a fabric, look at it through a value finder (red glass or plastic), through a camera lens or from a distance of 6 feet or more. What happens is that the color is obscured and you will be viewing the value of the fabric. Really stumped, a black and white copy of the fabric will completely eliminate the color, leaving only the value.

Why is value so important? This is what adds definition to our shapes, and added interest to our project. It is what creates a picture out of color moosh.

I fine-tuned my project colors by adding more contrasting values and started making log cabin style blocks.

Freedom Quilting

It's always rewarding to see the progress of a quilt resulting from a class that I taught, so I was pleased to have Vicky S. share her quilt.

Vicky's quilting guild invited me to teach a freedom quilting class based on the techniques in my book Log Cabin Quilts with Attitude. We had a fun day finding a new use for fabric strips that were left from previous projects. Vicky did a wonderful job of combining them into colorful log cabin blocks which she then cut on an angle resulting in a carefree, playful look. When she gets enough to make full size quilt, Vicky can check the arrangement and then stitch them into a quilt top. I can't wait to see the finished product.

This is a fun solution to the problem of reducing your stash, especially those bits and pieces that don't "fold nicely" on your shelf. Lose the guilt of storing too much fabric and enjoy the freedom of making a quilt entirely from your scraps.

Stand Tall America

Happy Independence Day to you all! As you celebrate on July 4th, reflect on this great land that we live in. Certainly, we have problems but we also have so much. Count your blessings today.

This "door" quilt, Stand Tall America, packs a dramatic punch and is perfect for for tall, narrow spaces. Start with log cabin blocks that tilt and turn their way down the quilt. It has a banner of stars at the top and wavy piping between the strips. The wavy binding on the sides leads down to an uneven bottom.

The blocks use various size strips and are no-fail because you cut them to size after they are all made. The waves (and binding) are a cinch to make with bias strips. Stand Tall America is one of the projects in my book, Log Cabin Quilts with Attitude.

Recyled Pillowcases

I had a pair of pillowcases that had seen better days. The centers were thread-bare and they were no longer used. I had only saved them because of the lovely hand embroidery on the pillowcase edge.

I chose to cut the embroidery into smaller sections and used it as the center of log cabin blocks. (It did take a bit of courage to slice through the designs, but I kept thinking what was the alternative? Throw the pillowcases away? Given that option, I took my rotary cutter out and slashed away.)

Now my decorated pillowcases will live on in a new form.

What have you saved today?

Four Star Quilt

I saved the half square triangles cut from the corners of the flying geese blocks in "Keep Your Quackers in a Row". Using these triangles and the small amount of remaining fabric from the project, I arranged the elements into the Four Star Quilt. The centers of the stars are "freedom blocks" from my book "Log Cabin Quilts with Attitude".

I was challenging myself to use up the fabric from my "Quackers" quilt, and the top of the "Four Star Quilt" put a major dent in the excess but there was a small amount of fabric still left. I decided to make blocks, squares, and whatever units that used up the fabric and place these on the back of the quilt.

It was a bit of a jigsaw puzzle arranging the pieces for the quilt back and I did need to supplement with more fabric. Several black and white prints were my favored choice. The quilt back became a creative, free spirited quilt that reminds me of the many quilters who made due with what they had.

Now, sandwiching the quilt, quilting and binding.

I did save just enough fabric (pieced from two of my "Quackers "fabrics) for the binding.
Well, at least, I think I have enough! We will soon find out.

Christmas Quilts for the grandchildren

My mother embroiders but doesn't quilt. We decided to put our varied skills to work and make quilts for our Grandchildren/Great Grandchildren. The blue centers of the freedom log cabin blocks in this quilt were embroidered by my mom. They certainly added interest to this project which will become an heirloom treasure for little Nicholas.

Not all Christmas gifts are made of Christmas fabrics (as much as we love that wonderful red and green).

Freedom Quilt using scrap strips

The Freedom Quilt is made log cabin blocks busy tilting and turning all over the surface.
What a glorious way to use up those extra fabric strips leaving you free of the guilt of not using your fabric to the max. This quilt and others using "freedom" log cabin blocks can be found in my book "Log Cabin Quilts with Attitude". (Available on my website www.bysher.net)

Nicholas' Quilt

Here is a quilt that I made for my grandson. The animals were embroidered by my mother and made exciting centers for the log cabin blocks. Tilting the blocks give them the freedom to add fun to an otherwise common quilt layout.

It was a joy to combine talents with my mother to pass on a memory quilt that "Grandma and Great-Grandma" hope will be treasured for many years to come.

Yes, another fabulous way to use our scraps. And just in time, there is a fabric sale going on.....

Assemble blocks

Now you are ready to assemble a quilt top with your tilting log cabin blocks. Lay out rows alternating a marked block and an unmarked block. The first block will tilt one way, the second block will tilt the other way, etc. (If all the blocks tilt the same way, your quilt will look like it is falling over.)

Seam the blocks into rows. I like to seam my rows vertically as it seems to provide more design options. Seam the rows together into a zany, fun loving quilt top. This is a wonderful way to make good use of your extra strips. A multitude of pattern options using these scrap-eating blocks can be found in my book, "Log Cabin Quilts with Attitude".

This design option makes a lovely scrap quilt, but come back to see the possibilities.

Trimming your scrappy Log Cabins

Today you will take the log cabin blocks that you made and trim them to a consistent size so they can be combined in a quilt top. For a bed size quilt, a 9" block works well so you will trim the blocks to 9-1/2". Here is where the fun truly begins.


Use a 9-1/2" square ruler or mark a larger ruler to that size. Lay the ruler on your first log cabin block, tilting it as much as possible but still keeping it entirely on the block. Trim off the edges on all four sides. Trim half of your blocks with the ruler tilted in this direction. (Because some of your blocks are larger than others, you will be able to tilt the ruler more. This is good because your blocks will have more attitude.)





Using the second half of your blocks, tilt the ruler in the opposite direction and trim. Again, on some of the blocks you will be able to tilt your rule at more of an angle than others. That's great because each block then adds its own special interest. Mark each blocks in this pile with a pin or a piece of tape so you can easily and quickly tell them from the blocks in your first pile.


Don't your blocks look so much more fun now that they are trimmed?

Come back soon to see how to put your blocks together into a quilt top.

Scrap Strips

Today, we'll delve into the pile of scraps that is overwhelming you.

We'll start with the strips that were left over from another projects. Pick out your strips and put them in a paper bag or box. See that pile of scraps getting smaller.

Wasn't it fun to remember what you made out of those fabrics? Wouldn't it be fun to use those scrap strips? But who wants the bother of resizing them for a new project, I sure didn't.

So here's the plan. Sew those strips into log cabin blocks. Use any widths, use any colors. Start with squares, rectangles or pieced bits such as half square triangles. Have fun pulling strips out of your bag and stitching them on. Since we are headed for a bed size scrap quilt, continue adding strips until your log cabin blocks are approximately 10-1/2" to 12" in size. Your blocks probably won't be the same size or shape, after all your strips are all different widths. That's o.k.

Come back tomorrow to see how to transform these mundane blocks into their jazzy, fun-loving counterparts.