Thursday, April 20, 2017

Spark

For the last year, I've been looking at my disorganized bin of solid scraps (aka the stringy wad of shame) and trying to come up with an idea of what to do with them. I would look, consider, feel overwhelmed and guilty and then quickly come up with something else to piece to distract myself. No ideas were coming and I felt stuck. I really, really, REALLY hate stuck.

The turning point for me was a desire to clean up. I knew I didn't have any ideas about what to do with the scraps, but I thought at the very least I could organize myself better. I spent two days at my ironing board, unwadding, trimming strings, pressing and neatly folding. I was genuinely surprised at how much I liked it. Somewhere in the middle of all that organizing, they stopped being guilt-inducing scraps and morphed straight into fabric. And, as we all know, fabric is fun.

The first quilt that emerged from my cleanup was "Accentuate," and it was inspired by a childhood memory. As many of you know, I am from a small town in Idaho. In the summer before my fifth grade year, my mom took me to "town" to do some school shopping. I walked into the Fashion Center and saw a pair of fuschia purple overalls that stopped me in my tracks. Of course they fit, of course I had to have them and of course there was no shirt in the store that would work with them. A sweet clerk, overhearing my despair that nothing matched my beautiful overalls, quickly came to the rescue. "Sweetie," she said, "Stop thinking about matching. You need to accentuate!" She scanned the racks, pulled out a turquoise shirt and a teal belt and brought them over. I was in love. For the rest of the year, I carefully worked out my laundry schedule so I could wear the outfit every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Those colors are just magic together and I found as I went through my scraps that I had many different variations of those shades. Apparently I still like them!

All that nostalgia put me in a fun frame of mind, so I started piecing simple purple shapes (with belts!!) and setting them in the deep teal color. I made the decision to use all the teals, and just tried to have fun making new shapes in the background. I also used all the purples with the hope that it would look like I was aiming for depth instead of desperation. My three color quilt ended up using 10 different fabrics. "Accentuate" finishes at 37" x 37." I used Quilter's Dream Request batting and Aurifil monofilament thread to do matchstick quilting.

The best part is that I went shopping right after I finished this quilt. I found a sweater that I loved so much in the same radiant orchid shade I'd just been working with. I asked the clerk if the sweater came in any other colors, and she pulled out versions in teal and black. I thought it was rude to laugh the way I was in front of her, so I had to pull out my phone and show her a picture of the quilt. I feel so much better having these colors back in my closet!


I went back to my scrap pile and found that I could still identify fabrics from specific quilts. I had a lot of scraps left over from "Heading West." I love that quilt, but I have a lingering dissatisfaction that I chose to do the matchstick quilting with a gold thread. The positive is that the thread gave the finish a soft glow, but the negative was that it dulled my color work. I decided to do a reprisal of "Heading West" and try quilting it with monofilament thread. I made an 18" square to turn into a pillow cover. I posted it during the Instagram Quilt Fest last month and got about triple the likes I've ever had on a photo. I think that means that the monofilament experiment was a success!


One of the prompts from the Instagram Quilt Fest last month was a "fast finish." I decided to play along and turn one of my nothings into a something. I made a block last year using Kona Highlight that I never did anything with, partly because I'd had a construction issue and ended up with a bubble in the middle. I pulled that block out of my parts department and tried to think about how I could fix it. In the end, slicing through the bubble was the only way to move forward. I made two improvisational cuts through the center of the block, flipped the inner pieces toward the outside and turned to my solids scraps for inspiration. I filled in the gaps of where I'd cut with some pieces of a garnet colored fabric that was left over from piecing "Accentuate" and sashed each piece with blue. I also decided to hand quilt. I used Aurifil 12 wt. for the quilting and some hand-dyed thread from Weeks Dye Works to do the seed stitching on the garnet fabric and on the purple squares. I knew that I was going to run out of the color I was using to do the seed stitches in the cross, so I tried to run out in a strategic place. I had to fill in the center of the cross with a slightly different shade, but I ended up loving the subtle glow it gives. This quilt finished at roughly a 20" square.



I created this next quilt from some Handcrafted prints and scraps from my solid bin for a challenge from Curated Quilts. Participants are linked to a Pinterest board for color and design inspiration. I enjoy creating when I'm given parameters--in some ways it takes the pressure off. The inspiration board had a lot of architecture and lines, so I attempted a mosaic quilt with some fusible web and a pair of tweezers. This tiny quilt is only 11" square and was so fun to make. Basically you fuse your fabric down on a background piece of fabric (I used black) and purposely allow the background fabric to peek through like mortar would. I fused the fabric in place and stitched along either end of the fused fabrics with black thread. It was fun not to have to account for seam allowances when playing with the patterns in the fabric. I also discovered that this method works really well with batik fabrics because you don't get as much fraying. This challenge doesn't close until May 1, so there is still time to participate if you are interested. Follow the link above for more details.


I love to listen to music when I sew, and I have a new favorite song. It's called "Me and You" by Sara Watkins and I may have listened to it on repeat for a few days. In the song, there is a stanza that captivated me:

"Central Valley sunshine
Run out of town
Make your head all funny
So you stick around
Dusty roads
Make dirty feet
I remember you
I remember me"

The line, "Central Valley Sunshine" stuck in my head on a looped track until I dug in the bin for fabrics that evoked what I imagined it to look like (I've never been to California). I used a combination of solids and nearly solid prints. Originally I was thinking that I would make striped units, and I did. I liked them, too. I was eyeing up the design wall and thinking that one of my striped sets looked a little clunky, so I tried slicing it down the center longwise, flipping one piece 180 degrees, and sewing it back together so it looked like a checkerboard. I may have liked the stripes, but I loved the checkerboard. Naturally I had to slice up all of the striped units and make checkerboards instead. Depending on the width of the strips, the shapes created when recombining varied dramatically. I had a great time experimenting with the widths and the shapes. I love how one simple method can lead to such a variety of effects.

"Central Valley Sunshine" finishes at 42" x 42." I used Quilter's Dream Request batting and quilted it simply in straight lines with silver Aurifil thread. I ended up using a piece of voile I had in my stash as the backing, since voile comes in wider widths than regular quilting cotton I was able to avoid a seam down the back. I also lucked out and had a piece with a linear motif, so I quilted it from the backing side and used the pattern as cheater lines. The part of my brain that embraces improvisational piecing is the same part that struggles making straight lines, so I take all the help I can get.

Would you like to hear the song for yourself? Here's a link.


 Finally, I'd like to end with the quilt that was the namesake for this blog post. "Spark" started as a failure and an accident. I was playing around with another idea that I'd had and devoted an afternoon to piecing some shapes with my blue scraps. It was not a success. Normally I'm an optimist and am prone to reworking and reworking until I like something, but this experiment I was not feeling AT ALL. I put the blue pieces of fabric back in the scrap bin and pulled out a medallion quilt that I've been slowly working at for the last month or two. I added coral rows to the center and had to put it away again because a lovely accident had just happened. I tossed a strip of leftover coral fabric on top of those blue scraps and fireworks lit off in my head. The coral pieces just rocketed off those cool blues and I knew I had to make that quilt. I had many small scraps of blue, so necessity was the inspiration for the tiny squares. I built this quilt out like a medallion quilt and tried to judiciously add scraps of coral when I thought the quilt needed them. I also had a good time hiding subtle shapes in the blues. If you haven't taken the Gwen Marston classes from iquilt.com, I'd highly, highly recommend them. She made a comment in one of the classes (I don't remember which one), that if you have the opportunity to put blocks together in such a way that you create a new shape, that you should probably take it. Looking back at the last few quilts I've made, I can see myself trying to take that advice. It's definitely altered the way I think about "backgrounds."

"Spark" finishes at 38" x 38." I used Quilter's Dream Request batting and quilted it with Aurifil monofilament thread in a matchstick pattern. I know I do that a lot, but it is because I love texture and I love highlighting the piecing. I've found that the more quilting lines there are, the more visible the piecing is. 


To sum up, what is my advice for using your scraps? Don't be an obsessive idiot like I was and wait for inspiration to strike BEFORE you begin. Fate favors the prepared and inspiration flows more freely for me when I am working. Touching the fabric, sorting it, remembering what exactly you have all helps to release the creativity and can be the SPARK that gets the fire burning.

Thanks for reading!

Linking up to Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts..


64 comments:

  1. Your quilts are fabulous and you always inspire me!

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    1. Thanks, Sharon! That's a high compliment. The world definitely needs more quilters!

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  2. What a great story, very FUN and inspiring!

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  3. This was a great read. Thanks for taking the time to do it. Fabulous creations! I specially like the Heading West pillow. Good work with your scraps.
    Christine from Ontario

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    1. Thanks, Christine! I am crazy for log cabin blocks. It doesn't take much to convince me to do them! I think there's going to be another one in the very near future.

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  4. I love how the purple and teal quilt turned out!

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    1. Thank you! I think that might be my favorite too. Those two colors have so much energy!

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  5. I discover today your blog and your quilts. Waouahhhh. I love ALL your quilts :-)

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    1. Thank you! I am happy that you came and happier still that you liked what you saw. :)

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  6. I can hardly stand after viewing these quilts! The colors are so great and fun. The quilt designs are energetic. I just don't know how to put together quilts with disparate sizes into a cohesive whole. I try to sketch it out and just get confused. Thanks so much for all the photos!

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    1. Thanks, Linda! Ha ha, yes, I do like to keep throwing colors at everyone. I can't help it...it's such a joyful experience! Don't beat yourself about learning something new. Start with one shape and vary the size. You could make a small cushion cover to try it out with sizes that naturally fit. Try making 2.5," 3.5" and 6.5" blocks. They will all tile together nicely.

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  7. WOW! I don't know where to start and goodness me you have been busy. I love the accentuate quilt both for the quilt and the story behind it, Heading West is just gorgeous and I love both of your slice and dice quilts - so... how many more scraps do you have ...!

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    1. Oh, Carie. I have come to the realization that I am made of scraps. This will never, ever end. Good thing it's fun!

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  8. such wonderful projects. I love them all. Each one is beautiful and all the colors work so well together in each project. I couldn't pick a favorite. Thanks for sharing this inspiration.

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    1. Thank you Charlotte! Playing with the colors is absolutely my favorite part of the whole process!

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  9. If today wasn't so sunny, I would go play with my scraps right now. Wonderful quilts!

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    1. Thank you, Sally! That's the best thing I've heard all day! I won't wait so long to dig in and play around next time. Enjoy the beautiful day!

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  10. You are so right. Touching, playing and working with the scraps makes it become more 'workable'. Love seeing your beautiful quilts and hearing the story behind them. You have a wonderful way with color!

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    1. Thanks, Audrey! Stress and shame have no place in the sewing room. If I catch myself feeling "stuck" again, I'm just going to dump the bin out and take a look.

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  11. Wow. What gorgeous quilts and fun stories! I really love them all. I've been sewing with my scraps a lot lately because I really have to get them under control and you've inspired me to try a bunch of things!

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    1. Thank you, Izzy! You are so right about the scraps. I wish I could say that I have less scraps now than when I started, but the bin seems just as full. More reasons to keep sewing scrap quilts, I guess! :-)

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  12. Great post and some awesome finishes. One question...do you press all those seams open or just let them lead the way?

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    1. Thank you, Judy! You are probably not going to be excited by this answer, but most of the seams are pressed open. I am not a stickler for many things, but a flat, straight quilt is one of them. It takes more time to do, but it saves time and stress during the quilting phase.

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  13. oh you are so inspiring!! This is a wonderful post and you are such a lovely storyteller. I'm going to share on my AQT facebook page....Thanks for sharing your beautiful work and encouraging us to just get sewing! Overthinking definitely can have its drawbacks!

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    1. Thank you, Debbie! Overthinking is one of the biggest obstacles I face in the process. I have to make a conscious effort to consistently beat that back. Confession time? You know the little song from "Dory?" I changed it. "Just keep working, just keep working...!"

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  14. PLEASE continue 'throwing colors at" us ! I'll ketch them all. SPARK happily reminds me of fireflies popping their lightsongs over our back yard with dusk-blues in Iowa City. Thank you.
    Central Valley Sunshine and Sara Watkins song brought me happiness and when I recognized the phrase 'And the joy we shared as we tarried there' patched right into the song -- from "In the Garden" classic hymn from my childhood -- I loved it even more. Thank you, Sistah.

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    1. Thank you Marsha! I'm glad you caught the gist, the colors AND a reference in the song that I had missed! Sending warm thoughts to you. <3

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  15. All beautiful. I esp. love the Heading West pillow. So modern and colorful.

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    1. Thanks Danice! I honestly could make log cabins all day. I still have enough scraps that I could stuff the house with pillows!

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    1. Thanks, Melody! I think it's one of my favorites, too!

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  17. That first quilt really speaks to me too. I love those colors and wear them a lot. Your story for the inspiration was great too.

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    1. Thanks, Dar! I used to wear a lot of muted earth tones, but I've come to really embrace all of the icy cool colors. They are the colors that are the easiest for me to work with, too!

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  18. I like your instagram feed a lot but love it when you do a blog post and give us the stories behind the quilts. I thought you'd been quiet for a while, but look what you've been up too - fantastic!

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    1. Thanks, Kaja! Instagram's nice for instant feedback, but I love blogs the best. I guess I crave that deeper connection to the people and the quilts.

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  19. WOW!! Those are amazing quilts! and I love the story of your shopping trip - proves you have always had a good eye for color!

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    1. Thanks Alycia! I don't know if it was the color or the deal that caught my eye. A $10 sweater that fits and looks cute? Yep, I'll take all three! :-D It's funny, but my little has the same color preferences that I do/did. I know that she would run to those same overalls if we saw them in the store.

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  20. I love your quilts and I really, really love your words. Thank you for the time it takes to post. I save your posts for a good read with a good cup of coffee.

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    1. Thank you, Sue! It does take some time, but I genuinely enjoy it. I love hearing that it's a good thing for you, too! 😃

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  21. Your creativity is "fan" tastic❣ As a new fan it will be exciting to watch for your posts. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Thanks Lu! I think it may be equal parts creative and thrifty? Either way, thank you for joining me in the journey!

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  22. Loved reading about your scrap quilt creations. You are so talented! Not surprising, being from Idaho. 😉. (So am I.)

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    1. Thank you, Carol! Ha ha, yes! Idaho is definitely the answer to all the difficult questions in life. 😁

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  24. I love all of these, but I think Spark is my favorite. (but I gotta admit, I like to STORY that goes with Accentuate the best :-)
    I've followed your 'making' for a few years, and I've gotten curious - how do you *use* your quilts? And how do you decide when one is 'done'? You don't really have a standard size that I've noticed (but I suppose, to be sure of that statement, I'd have to go back and read all of yous posts together. Which would be thoroughly enjoyable(!!), but life is rather full at the moment (thus my just now finally reading this post...)
    I envy your ability to play and explore. I always have a plan in mind, and work the plan (and sometimes FORCE the plan.... ;-) Of course, I enjoy working that way, but I do wonder sometimes what it would be like to play with fabric like you do....
    Happy sewing, and cutting, and sewing some more....
    Tracy :-)

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    1. Thank you, Tracy! I use quilts as an outlet for self-expression more than utility. Every once in awhile I make one to use (I make that distinction at the end when I decide whether or not to put a hanging sleeve in), but I am mostly making to please myself. The walls of our house are covered with quilts! I don't have a standard size really, but as the emphasis on utility has faded, the quilts have gotten smaller. I try to build out to at least 36" x 36" on quilts that I think could make it into an AQS show, since they do have minimum size requirements. As far as force goes? Believe me, I force myself to sit down and play with the scraps and I force myself to sit down and write a blog post. Neither of those are activities I look forward to, but I'm always glad I did them in the end.

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  25. Love the colours in Accentuate! Love!!

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    1. Thank you, Helen! I may be the world's biggest fan of purple. I'm glad you like it too! 😀

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  26. Wow! I have been quilting for less than a year, and I'm just starting to start a stash of scraps and think about how I might do something improvisational. These are incredible, and thank you so much for explaining your thought process. Quilting can have so much happenstance and so many design decisions...I am fascinated by it all!

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    1. Thank you, Sarah! I hope you have a wonderful time playing with your scraps. It feels gratifying to use what you have AND not so awful when you try something that doesn't work. And yes, embracing and repeating (successful) happenstance is part of the fun.

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  27. I'm here from crazy mom quilts. I am in love with your ACCENTUATE QUILT. Did you by any chance photograph it in progress? I can't seem to figure out how you pieced it. Love to see your process if you'd care to share. Wonderful inspiring SPARK post. You're a genius quilter/designer!

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    1. Thanks, Susan! I just checked, and I did take one progress shot and post it on Instagram. There you will find me @pieladyquilts. The short, short version is that I started with a purple shape and added the teals to the edges to build out to my desired size. I didn't always add teal to every side of every block. It adds to the jumbled effect and makes it harder to see the construction seams.

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  29. Love it! Great inspiration, thanks for sharing. Makes me want to dive into my scrap bin right now! Alas, farm chores await, then off to teach an all day sashiko

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    1. Thanks, Mariah! I do hope you find some time to play in your scrap bin....once you start it's pretty fun.

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  30. The depth in that first quilt is really awesome. The story too is pretty fantastic.

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    1. Thanks, Nicole! I love learning about color...it's my favorite part of the whole process. I've been watching lots of YouTube videos and realizing all the things I don't know!

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  31. Holy moly, I like how your mind works! What beautiful creations you've made that are so unique and so captivating! Once in a great while, I get an idea to try something with fabric, but it doesn't often work out like I'd hoped it would. Bravo to you!

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    1. Thanks Kathy! Don't be afraid to keep trying your ideas! I don't do a very good job of documenting it, but I have disasters quite regularly. Many of those disasters turned into quilts that I really like. I had to learn how to critically look at a start and determine what it was that I liked, not just focusing on what I didn't. It sounds simple, but for me it was a profound shift in my thinking.

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  32. Just discovered your blog today! Keep "throwing colors at me" as I love unusual color combinations!

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  33. You inspire me: https://quilteuseforever.com/2018/11/05/velours-rouge/
    Thank you!

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