Ah, thread … such a little thing but so important to quilt-making. Here is the part of my thread collection that resides upon my studio wall. Usually I keep the thread covered with a random length of fabric to protect it from dust and stray sunlight, but I uncover it when I need to appliqué or quilt with different colors or even just to gaze upon their loveliness.
Quilters have actually been inspired by spools of thread for a long time, as evidenced by the traditional Spool block. When you piece the Spool block on a 9-square grid, it is a quick and easy block with no Y-seams, ideal for beginners. Here is the traditional Spool block, usually shown empty (below left). I prefer it filled with “thread” (below right). You could even use striped fabric in the center square to suggest the strands of thread wound around the spool.
Why not get out some graph paper and design some variations on the traditional Spool block to go with the spools of thread in your collection?
Here’s my version of a spool block, “String-pieced Spool” (5″x6″ finished). Got fabric scraps? This would be a fun way to use them up and celebrate your variegated thread stash at the same time. Make all kinds of spools: tall, narrow, short, wide, empty, full. Don’t worry about how they’ll fit together in the end. You can figure out how to puzzle them all together later.
You could also set your favorite threads up for a photo shoot or sketching session. A strong light brings out great highlights and shadows. Study the way that various threads reflect the light in different ways. Notice how that royal blue thread is zig-zagged onto the spool.
Here’s the result of that photo shoot, my first quilt celebrating thread, “Penny for a Spool of Thread”. It’s raw-edge fusible appliqué. Even though it’s small (about 10 or 11 inches) the spools are still monumental in comparison to real-life.
I backed the quilt with white and matched the bobbin thread to the appliqués on top to create a bobbin thread painting on the reverse of this two-sided quilt. Try a plain fabric and some bobbin thread-painting on a little wall hanging some time. It doesn’t even have to be a thread-themed quilt. As a bonus, you’ll get a reversible quilt!
Happy quilting … may your thread stash always be full! =(^_^)=
adventures of a quilting diva
I love love love thread. I know that we all start out loving fabric, but there is a lot to be said about collecting threads. They come in so many colors and textures. I'm still looking for just the right box to put my little spools in. I love the thin spool boxes they came out with but am not quite satisfied with the tackle box my little spools are in. Sighhhhhhhhhh
Very cool! Love how you pieced the thread on the spool. I like your new blog format, but I do miss that gorgeous thread design you had before and am glad to see it again!