{"id":21720,"date":"2014-01-21T06:00:38","date_gmt":"2014-01-21T13:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/?p=21720"},"modified":"2016-11-17T13:06:57","modified_gmt":"2016-11-17T20:06:57","slug":"scrapitude-continues-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/scrapitude-continues-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Scrapitude Continues Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

I went to Memphis for work last week and really missed sewing. I arrived home on Saturday around 8. No sewing that night, but Sunday, I got to it. Sandy posted the next clue on Scrapitude sometime last week and people were already finishing up their blocks – yes, that clue included the blocks layout – and I was chomping at the bit to sew. As soon as I got some Sunday chores out of the ay, I started laying the blocks out.<\/p>\n

\"Scrapitude:<\/a>
Scrapitude: Don’t Do This<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I realized pretty quickly that I would have to rip out the units I had sewn with the large plain triangles and the complex corner units, because that combination was completely wrong. Duh. I didn’t rip them out before, because I was hoping I was ahead and not wrong. Sadly, Charlotte has another plan in mind and I was wrong. I ripped a little and sewed a little and finally got enough of the Jester Hat blocks (I’ll have to look up the real name sometime) to make up 25 blocks. I slowed down on the ripping and started to sew in earnest.<\/p>\n

\"Scrapitude:<\/a>
Scrapitude: Missing Jester Hat blocks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As you can see, I laid out the various parts into blocks. Most of my Jester Hat units are not 4.5″ and that really bugs me. I think it is because of switching machines, what feels like, several dozen times.<\/p>\n

As I arranged the layout, I did a the pieces around to maximize the colors and spread like colors across the piece. Mostly I just laid them out. There is enough variety so, for the most part, no two fabrics are next to each other. Still I thought the piece looked like a bit of a jumbled mess.<\/p>\n

I went and got my machine on Monday and used it to make some of the blocks, but after about two hours of sewing, it is acting up, so I didn’t get as much done as I would have liked. \ud83d\ude41<\/p>\n

I can’t be too upset, because I did get quite a bit done. I also had fun on my birthday, got back in the workout saddle AND I was thrilled to be back and playing with fabric.<\/p>\n

\"Scrapitude:<\/a>
Scrapitude: Too dark?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I am still thinking about the piece as a whole. With Mystery Quilts, it is hard to figure out a cohesive look for the whole when you don’t know what the whole will be. I guess that is the nature of Mystery Quilts. Rather than exciting, it is causing me some anxiety. I think, because of the amount of the turquoise and pink that there is an element of cohesion. Or I might be wishing strongly.<\/p>\n

In terms of the scrappiness of the piece, I have been concerned all along. It is easy not to be too concerned while grabbing fabrics and cutting them up. What could go wrong, right? There are a lot of different fabrics and, though most are really clear, there are some dull ones (see that yellow with sailors towards the bottom of the above photo?). I think they are ok in the grand scheme, but I would be happy if they were gone.<\/p>\n

I think the dots-as-background pull the piece together, even though the background is made up of a lot of different dot fabrics. Still I have some concerns about some of the darker fabrics. I have arrows pointing to the fabrics that are really B List fabrics, in terms of this piece. There are some others. I am going to leave them, because Maureen said they would be ok. I also don’t want to rip anymore. I am trying to spread them out so that they do not clump together to create a dark spot or hole in the quilt.<\/p>\n

\"Scrapitude<\/a>
Scrapitude detail<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And so, I ended up with these blocks. To the right are the completed blocks. they are bright and cheerful and I am glad I used my dots for the background. I think it needs to be the Year of the Dots, a year where I will use my dots.<\/p>\n

I have also made some of the triangle units designated in Clue #4 part 1<\/a> and Clue #4 part 2<\/a>. I think this piece will be set on point, but I am not sure how as there are still sashing strips. I do like the look of the two triangle (corner??) units.<\/p>\n

\"Scrapitude:<\/a>
Scrapitude: Large Triangle Unit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I had to finish ripping the rest of the wrongly sewn blocks in order to make the piece above. It looks fairly complex, but is pretty easy to put together.<\/p>\n

One good thing about a Mystery Quilt is making all the units upfront. I didn’t like all that cutting, but it really makes this step go fast.<\/p>\n

\"Scrapitude:<\/a>
Scrapitude: Small Triangle Unit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These also look fairly complex, but the same applies. I am getting a lot of bang for my buck!<\/p>\n

Previous Scrapitude Posts<\/span><\/p>\n