Playing with Irregular Scraps

     Several years ago I took Bonnie Hunter’s workshop on crumb piecing and fell in love.  A crumb is a small, maybe even irregular shaped, scrap of fabric.  I save down to 1 1/4”.  Then I found the work of Victoria Findlay Wolfe.  She extends the use of scraps to create not just blocks but larger pieces of fabric ( which she calls “made-fabric” ) from which you cut units for traditional quilt blocks.  I will be teaching a 2 evening class at Midlands Tech - Harbison campus starting Thusday, Aug. 14. Click for details. 

     I am inspired by the work of Victoria Findlay Wolfe.  Not long ago I created “made-fabric” and pieced a giant hexagon flower.  The flower is sewn together but I have been struggling with background and border.  I am definitely playing with this quilt top.  There is no pattern and the plan keeps changing.

First I tried piecing 3 D tumbling blocks but the ”made-fabric” flower become lost.

Next I thought I would simply applique the flower to a dark blue background or add another ”made-fabric” round to make it larger.  I spent a day or two playing in my blue crumbs and scraps to piece blue ”made-fabric”.  It was too strong next to the hexie flower. 

I still LOVE ”made-fabric” so decided to try red ”made-fabric”.  I like it better but again too strong.

Sister Irene suggested a softer background color so I finally pulled a light green print from my stash.

The flower edges have been turned over 2 layers of freezer paper and starch basted so it is ready to be sewn to the background. 

   You may remember the tumbling block hexies.  Well, they have been sewn together and appliqued to a print background fabric.  They may become a lap size comfort quilt or I may add borders to make it twin size.  It just went into my UFO pile.  

     Hope you find some time to play with your fabric. 

                   Elizabeth