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I’m finally showing you the quilt I finished last month. Several years ago I was using Bonnie’s Scrap User’s System, which was a great way to get scraps used up. I never made any intricate traditional quilt patterns, but I did a couple like this. Shortly before we started major remodeling and I moved all my sewing stuff into bins in the attic, I had put several strips together in a blue, green, yellow/brown color scheme.
A few months ago I started bringing sewing stuff down from the attic, and I found these. Everything that survived the attic exile had to be washed, and these were no exception. Some of the strips lost some width in washing. I sewed the strips together side to side and then had the start of a quilt, but it was far too small for an entire quilt top. So I added very wide borders from thrifted vintage sheets and used a second vintage sheet of the same pattern on the back. I like the way it turned out.
This has become Hannah’s quilt.
Shhhh! Don’t tell my swap partner!
One lesson learned a hard way. Lace is hard. It’s confusing. If you make a mistake, often the only way to figure it out is to rip the entire thing out and start over. But someone on my Ravelry forum mentioned lifelines. I’d never heard of these, so looked them up.
About every 10 rows, you use a tapestry needle to run scrap yarn through the work where the needle is. Make sure you don’t incorporate the scrap yarn into the work, and keep going. If you make a mistake and need to frog (rippit! rippit!), you can rip back to the lifeline, instead of all the way back to the beginning. The shred of sanity I still had has been preserved!
Knitting is my newest obsession. I’ve only not gone stark raving mad with it because I have imposed on myself the one in, two out rule for my craft stuff. I can’t buy anything unless I get rid of two things. I may sell them or donate them or throw them away or give them away or use them all up, but go they must.
I found this pattern on Ravelry, as one of the suggested patterns for a group KAL (knit-a-long). I’ve been wanting to do lace.
So I took two craft books to the thrift store this morning and bought this lovely yarn.
And I’m having a good time with it.
You can find me on ravelry as “prairiesarah”.
Forgive my crude sense of humor, but every time I repurpose old sheets, I want to use this joke.
I’ve been washing and cutting fabric for the shop and have lots and lots of extras that don’t make fat quarters or yardage. So I’ve been slicing it up into 5-inch squares and 2.5 inch strips, oddly shaped strings, and pieces too small to eek seam allowances out of.
What better to use up strips than a log cabin?
I can’t wait to see how this will turn out!
I made this little wall hanging a month or so ago.
Scrap cotton, scrap satin, scrap batting, scrap floss. Have I mentioned I’m cheap? The pieces were sewn right sides together, then turned through a cut hole in the back. Then the hole was stitched and a folded fabric hanging tab was stitched in place.
Candlewicking is made with knots and is traditionally white on white. I used French knots and COLOR! This was a fun little project. If you haven’t done candlewicking, you should try it!
(Hand not included. Shown for scale.)
Today I added borders to this quilt top. I just need to find something to put on the back and pick up some more batting. I’ll post more pictures when it’s finished.
A sweet little tulip on a grid. This can be used for cross stitch, beadwork, quilting, etc. Free for personal or charitable use. I would LOVE to see how you use this! Please link to your project using this pattern in the comments section so we can all ooh and aah over your creation!
Mama Long 