Saturday, April 8, 2017

Rainbow Scrap Explosion

You’ve probably heard of the terms assigned to scrappy quilts- quilts that use anything and everything in your stash. “Scrap vomit” and “scrap vortex” are two terms that have been popularized (by Katy Jones of I’m a Ginger Monkey and Amanda Jean Nyberg from Crazy Mom Quilts, respectively). Although my work with multi-colored scraps this week leans more along the lines of the former rather than the latter, I’m going to call it a scrap explosion. In fact, that is the tentative name for the quilt. At any rate, I guarantee you will find some more endearing uses of multi-colored scraps if you hop on over to Angela’s blog to visit our weekly Scrappy Saturday roundup for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. We are all trying to use our our many-colored scraps in April.  Also linking up to Scraptastic Tuesday.

As for my work, please sit down and take an aspirin or ibuprofen, or whatever anti-nausea medicine works best for you. Grab a pillow and some coffee or cocoa, and make sure you are well rested. Ok. Ready?

These were my first 13 blocks (10”). I used this first pic in my last post because I’ve listed this X+ quilt as a goal for my 2017 Quarter 2 Finish-Along.  There are many considerations when selecting fabrics as you make these blocks, such as value, scale, color-matching, etc. And I ignored every single one of them.


But that’s not to say I didn’t think about fabric placement, it’s just that my first criterion was to find scrap fabrics large enough from which to cut (4) 4.5” squares - they become the X part for each block. And you can see below that I eventually threw that out the window, too. You can find a few blocks that have different fabrics in the X. Oh well.


So, long story short, in my experimentation I learned that some fabrics are just ugly no matter how small you cut them (sorry, dear Bonnie Hunter, but it’s true). And similar values placed in close proximity create visual mush.

But on the other hand, there is so much to like! This pattern is really fun, for starters. And some fabrics just shine (see the red fabric with the bright yellow daisies in the upper left, or the bright stripes in the center right?). Some blocks turned out great, despite myself.  The six blocks below are among my favorites.


The next group are the ones I like the least.  The fabrics are either too ugly, or there is mush (bad contrast) or both. Or they are just plain nausea-inducing.


The six below are somewhere in between, but I point them out because they either have some fun, whimsical fabrics in them or just somehow struck my fancy.


So, I've completed 36 blocks, and have enough for 6 more (total of 42 blocks). I`m undecided about the setting - should I do a 5x6 setting (30 blocks) or a 6x7 setting (42 blocks)? I’ve pretty much decided that they look better with sashing, and that will most likely be the determining factor. I would like to use what I have in my stash, and really don’t want to use black or white or cream (which I always have in the form of jelly rolls). Instead, I’d like to find either a colored solid or tone-on-tone that reads as a solid for the sashing and outer border.

Below I’ve pinned up some of the blocks with a piece of mustard Kona that I have. There is only enough of this color to do a 5x6 quilt with 2” sashing.


Then I have a large piece of this ombre orange sashing which is large enough to do a 6x7 block setting. That’s below with some sample blocks.


Which do you like better? Or maybe the question is better phrased as Which do you hate least?  LOL. There are no rights and wrongs here - just about any color will do.

And next week I should have a finished quilt top, although I would love to have the whole thing done, but we’ll see.  Then I have multi-colored strips to work with, so I'm researching ideas for those.

Before leaving, it’s only fair that I give you some restful eye candy if you’ve made it this far through the post.  My cousin Kim finished a baby quilt about a week ago - a baby quilt that she started back in the 1970s (!!!) and sewed entirely by hand (except adding on the binding, but even that part she finished by hand). I quilted it for her.


Aren’t those old ginghams glorious? They are Drunkard’s Path blocks in the barn-raising setting. I don’t remember the size, but it wins the prize as the oldest (former) UFO in our family!


DH is doing well after his (hopefully final) surgery last Monday. He is healing nicely in all surgical sites and is using his arm somewhat. There is a lot of healing, physical therapy and likely some radiation treatments in the future. We will know more after the next couple weeks of appointments. Once again, thank you all for your kindness and good wishes. They really helped us get through the tough times! Spring is coming, in more than one way.

Cathy maroon

26 comments:

  1. I like your blocks! I think the mustard sashing looks the best. This quilt will look wonderful when it's done. And if you want to make it bigger just buy a little bit more mustard fabric. Then you can use up more of your rainbow mush fabric. Lol! This would make a perfect picnic quilt, with all its business.

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  2. I think your blocks have turned out great. You may be able to put several tops together by the end of the year!
    My thoughts and prayers are with your husband for quick healing.

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  3. Ombre!! What a FUN bunch of blocks you've created. Favorites or mush, I love them all!!!

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  4. My favorite blocks are the red and blue stars on the X and the kangaroos. All these blocks together really teach a lesson, don't they? I like the mustard setting. The ombré seems to get lost a bit in all those fabrics. I guess the Question is would you do this again? Will continue prayers.

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  5. Oh Cathy! Your multi-colored fabrics are looking great together! Way to go!

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  6. I like the mustard sashing also. I think you did a good job of putting the blocks in the design that you did. It looks great. My hubby has had surgeries and 5 bouts of radiation for various cancers. He is doing pretty good right now. My prayers are with your hubby and you and your family. Hugs, LJ

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  7. Hurray for Spring!!! I'm so happy to see it here, daffodils, tulips, dandelions! My horses finally can't keep up with the grass. There's almost five acres of it!
    So happy to hear about your husband's progress. Before you know it, this will all just be a distant memory.

    I like your blocks! There is a lot going on with them, and you are right about the sashing. I like the mustard with them. It's too bad you don't have enough. They still look good with the ombre fabric too. I can't wait to see what you end up doing with them.

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  8. the blocks are interesting- not as bad as you think (at least most of them!) I really like the mustard. (but then I always go with kona!) but- that ombre could be pretty amazing, too, if you could somehow gradiate it within the quilt... that would be interesting.

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  9. I think those blocks are lots of fun, all of them, although I learned a lot just from reading your post and looking at each group of blocks you were talking about! They definitely need some sashing (my monkey blocks are a lot like this, and they need sashing!), and I vote for the mustard. :). So glad things are going well with Bruce's recuperation!

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  10. I love the mustard. It pops out the colors better. I am doing so many things now, but I really want to start one of these. I agree with you--some fabrics are just plain ugly no matter how little you cut them. I have a "what were you thinking" pile!!

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  11. I'm in the mustard bandwagon as well.

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  12. Hah! I like the mish mash without sashing! But if sashing is a must then I'll take a little mustard on the side. (I made a six inch mishmash X+ quilt years ago out of all my cherry fabrics and it's one of my fav quilts). Just call me the Mish Masher!!



    I also don't think there are any ugly fabrics!!!


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  13. I'm not convinced about the sashing. I like that some of the blocks have light lozenges (the main diagonal) and some have dark and wonder if you can pick and choose so you get a checkerboard with dark vs. light lozenges. Definitely as dynamic as a kaleidoscope.

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  14. I'd suggest a deep purple or dark blue sashing which would provide more contrast or even lime green (with dark purple cornerstones).

    Hope your hubby continues to improve and the sun shines on your family.

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  15. I'm glad you talked about the perils of mixing prints! There's a definite art to it, and not all combos are successful. I call them "dog's dinner", but mush is a good description, too. I like the ombre background because the color is richer, but either color works. Love the gingham baby quilt! Nostalgic and cuddly, for sure!

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  16. I absolutely love these blocks. I REALLY like your "ugly" blocks. The mustard background is my favorite. You truly took the spirit of RSC to heart. I refuse to buy any material for the RSC. I can't believe how many little pieces of batik I had when I started to pull them out of the cabinets.

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  17. Am I the only one who doesn't like the mustard? Oh, dear.
    I think the orange is the better choice of the two - the mustard draws out the drabber colors, while the orange makes the bright ones stand out.
    Though I would use an indigo blue, myself...
    I love your blocks, no matter what color you choose!

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  18. The x-block was a Block Lotto choice a while ago -- I enjoyed making the blocks then and your post reminds me that I'd like to make more. Your riot of color and pattern is wonderful! Sashing will provide calm and make each block easier to see. Have you thought about setting them on point?

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  19. I like them all! A happy riot of colour.

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  20. TBH I love every single one and altogether without sashing! More is more in my book though. I used a similar block in clashing colours as a background to some larger blocks and it is one of my favourite quilts. If you look back at vintage scrappy quilts they always have clashing colours, ugly blocks, make do blocks using several fabrics or pieced bit to stretch the last little bits of fabric and I must say I love them! But it might not be your thing....though I would urge you to take a step or six back when you next look at them altogether. Thank you for linking up to #scraptastictuesday!

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  21. Hi! I love your blocks! This pattern is great and looks fantastic with your colours! Both yellows look really good for me. Did you look if you could use both of them? x Teje

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  22. What wonderful blocks! I'd be templted to not have sashing, they would just flow into each other, a riot of happy scrappy colour! But I look forward to seeing what you decide.

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  23. LOVE this post - written in my kind of style (tongue in cheek).
    Oh yes, Virginia, there is ugly fabric. I call them uglies and I destash regularly to get rid of them because I buy my fabric thrifted in "mystery packages." Once ugly, they are always ugly, you jes can't hide them!
    You had me at "there are many considerations ... and I ignored every single one of them." My kind of gal.
    Here's to your DH making a quick recovery.
    Pop on by some time
    http://thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com

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  24. Your blocks are beautiful! What a riot of whimsey and color and pattern you have created. Personally, I like the ombre orange and bigger is always better. Prayers going out to your DH, too.

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  25. I prefer the Orange to the green/mustard shade. Also agree with your groups of most successful, acceptable and more indistinct multi coloured blocks. You are very productive and have made so many great blocks.

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  26. Since you asked, my vote is for the orange. This quilt is just plain fun and totally whimsical. I like it! And I like the sweet baby quilt too - another labour of love.

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