“Measure twice, cut once” is good advice for many folk, from carpenters to quilters, but every once in awhile it’s nice to forget about the math and just start sewing fabric pieces together.
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Last night I was making a blue block for my Dear Diary quilt. Here is the design I pictured in my head. Actually it was originally more like 12 small squares and one large square, but I got tired of cutting and searching for that many blue fabrics so I changed it to the 4 small squares and 3 large squares shown in this illustration:
I didn’t feel like doing the math or the measurements either, so I simply guesstimated and moved to the machine to sew the pieces together. It quickly became apparent that the block wasn’t going to be big enough and it wasn’t even going to be square! Rather than start all over again I found a rectangle of polka dotted blue in my scrap box which was coincidentally exactly the size I needed and cut the cloud fabric to fit.
Here’s what I ended up with (the actual block):
I like the carefree feel of the finished block, and I love the mystery of piecing scraps together, not knowing exactly how the block will turn out till it reaches the desired size. Bonus: No stress over doing it right. Anything goes here!
Try piecing fabric scraps together sometime when you need to relax. Or sew a handful of pieces together as a warm-up before your regular quilt-making session. At the very least you’ll be warmed-up and ready to go, but you might also end up with a charming quilt top as well.
I like it. That is my favorite way of quilting on smaller pieces. It’s an adventure!
Just playing with my scraps, well trying to tame them a little they were taking over. I haven’t tried doing carefree but will have to give it a go for my next scrappy adventure, it looks like fun.
Love the turquoise color in your block!!!
Isn’t it great when you just let go? Often the result gets even better than the idea you had in your mind when you started. Great block!
I like it. That is my favorite way of quilting on smaller pieces. It’s an adventure!
Hi I’m new to sewing/quilting and I sit for hrs on the computer trying to find inspiration. A few weeks ago I decided to start my first ever quilt top, I started off by doing a 9 square disappearing patch pattern.. I ran out of material and just got around to getting the rest of what I needed today. When I came home and started cutting, I apparently forgot what size of squares I had cut,( you would think that would be easy.. 9 squares same size) because for the life of me I couldn’t get the squares to match up with anything I had sewn a few weeks ago.. Ok to make a long story short… I decided to just cut the rest of my material into squares an strips that resemble the larger squares and figure out a pattern as I go.. I was a little stressed at first but as I kept cutting I felt better and better.. I guess what I am trying to say is.. Thank you for being the one that inspired me tonight, because after reading that I wasn’t the only one who measured twice and cut more than once makes me feel GREAT!… Thanks again.
Kim
Boise, Idaho
P.S.. I don’t have a website but would love e mail.