Monday, May 23, 2011

a happy accident

I'm trying to resist the urge to start a new project, and it is becoming harder by the day! I did pretty well last week finishing up some quilts, but there is still so much to do. I really let my WIP's get away from me this past winter, but I'm stubborn to the core and I'm not giving up yet.
So, today I pulled out my string scrap bin and tried to divert my attention from all the new projects calling my name. I made a few more of these free formed coin blocks. I have about 20 ideas of how I could use them. And I just stumbled upon a new one.
I received these blocks, shown above, along with a passel of scraps from someone a few years ago. They really aren't my style, but I have this thing where I feel the need to rescue fabric (I could write a whole post or two on that subject!) and apparently quilt blocks, too. I held on to the blocks because figured I would come up with a way to use them somehow, someday.
Well, it finally all clicked. I don't know what prompted me to pair them with my pieced string blocks, but wow-whee! I am smitten!!! What a difference scraps can make! I love stumbling upon happy accidents like this. The only down side is, I'm going to have to make a bazillion more blocks for my other 20 ideas. :)
One more thing! I'm featured over on Cindy's blog today. If you want to read how crazy mom quilts got it's name, click on over.

Happy Monday to you!

65 comments:

JHNickodemus said...

Um oh em gee I never would have put those two together but I looooove it! It totally changes the look!
Congrats on being in the name game!

Linda said...

OMG, is right!! I love, love this combo! Way to go with the creative juices flowin'!!

Mom said...

They are a great complement!

Cindy said...

I love your 'accident' it looks great

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

Love those quilting accidents - looking good Amanda!

Jane said...

Happy Accident Indeed!
I LOVE this combination!!
Thanks again for always being so inspiring!

redheadedbaker said...

Awesome! Are you going to put a string border around everything too? That would be like icing on the cake.

~Molly~ said...

yeah, what they said!! Would'a thunk?

Kate said...

Wow! They look amazing together!

Anonymous said...

Definitely an inspired combination. It looks fantastic together.

Little Island Quilting said...

I am smitten too. It really gives some pzazz to the quilt

Sarah said...

OMG that really does look amazing! I must admit - when I first started reading your post, I wasn't really sold on those blue & white blocks......but team them up with your bright blingy scrap strips and they just totally work!!

Clair said...

Don't start something new. Just think how you will feel if you only had a dozen projects going at once. :) That layout has a real possibility.

donna!ee said...

yippiekiyaaa...that's a beautiful combo :)

Cathy said...

Happy accident indeed - the combo is totally you!

CJ said...

Can you tell me where that second quilt that is featured on Cindy's blog is on YOUR blog? I just love it!

http://thankfullga447 said...

It works perfectly, i have a few of those blocks around myself.

Cheerful Homemaker said...

I have my next quilt project ready to go, but I still have a quilt top to finish first. It's so hard to motivate myself to put the border on when I have pretty new fabrics waiting for me@

tink's mom said...

Never in a million years, would I have come up with this combo. It is terrific. Such a wonderful accident. Selina

Keep Stitchin' said...

Happy Accidents are so fun! It looks great, glad it worked out for you so well!

gag7949 said...

Awesome! Never would have thought about putting these together but it totally works!

Michelle said...

Wow! What a difference, I love it too!

Quiltn Mama said...

I like the way you think, lady! I NEVER would have thought to pair those up (my loss). Hurry up and finish, pretty please, so we can oooh and aahhh some more!

kelly said...

oh i love it! modern and traditional CAN get along!

Karen said...

Isn't this just a wonderful little "accident"?!!! I LOVE it!

Cathy said...

hey! that looks great!

Tamie said...

What a great "happy accident". I have a friend that you could talk to about rescuing fabric.

PunkiePie (Jen) said...

You are so clever! I love the new look the scrappy coins give the blocks!

Glynis said...

Again, your creativity is inspiring and encouraging! So fun!

Cynthia said...

Love it! That gives me hope for some fabric and blocks that have been loitering WAY too long!!

Lavenderfeather said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lavenderfeather said...

Hi,

I was looking through your blog...I like to start at the beginning, I'm nerdy like that) and I saw "my quilt" in your post from June 17, 2007.

Check out my most recent post to see the whole story.
http://lavenderfeather.blogspot.com/

I had always wondered if it was handmade, or commercially made, or what. So funny to see it in someone else's pics. Mine's a little worse for the wear tho.

Thanks for sharing all your beautiful quilts!

Heather

Live a Colorful Life said...

You never cease to amaze me.

Anonymous said...

How funny that you made liberated coins... I just made some a few weeks ago... so fun to make! I used a foundation and squared to 3 1/2 X 10. Fun and colorful way to use up scraps!

KendasCrafts said...

What a great idea! I feel the same way about rescuing fabric. I have bags of fabric that I don't like, but don't want to see thrown away! Thanks for the inspiration to dig through my ugly fabric and try to beautify it!

martilindsey said...

What amazes me is that it has an American Indian feel to it....

Cheers~
Marti in San Diego

Judy Sommerfield-Fox said...

You just sparked about 15 new ideas for me!! Thanks for being so creative!!

Char said...

Wow, great idea!

Sarah Craig said...

You're right, it's perfect!!! Isn't it funny how things you never think would go together end up being great partners!!

Nance said...

They look great together: something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. So what will go in the empty squares?

Suzanne said...

I somehow missed that post from December but I love that idea. I have a few brewing in my head about what to do with strips as well. I would be very curious to read more of your need to rescue fabric. Feel free to share that at any time with me. :-)

Can't wait to see your cornerstones.

Kristin said...

Super!

craftytammie said...

i have the same impulse - i must rescue every abandoned project. i love the quilt - it really took it from frumpy to fab!

Maria said...

WOW!! They look fantastic together. What are you putting in the blnk spaces???
Will pop over now and read how you got your name.

Jo said...

Don't fight the urge! It's your inspiration speaking to you so just go with it. Your stuff is amazing!

Cille said...

Uhhh... I didn't see that combo coming from the two first pictures but have to say it works. Great style!

Franziska said...

what a difference! I'm really surprised! Exciting what you will make out of it.

Homeowner Insurance said...

Congrats on being in the name game! They look great together!

quirky granola girl said...

you are brilliant! those scraps really brighten up the other blocks. i love how you want to rescue unloved fabric. it is an endearing trait :)

Wendy said...

Those blocks play fantastically together. If only we didn't have to sleep more quilts could be made.

Sew Create It - Jane said...

Fantastic pairing...It's a perfect match!

Erin M. said...

I agree that that is an unlikely combo that seems to have worked out well. You mentioned in your post that you like to rescue fabric. Me too. I would love to hear about your experiences both good and bad with this.

Rachel at Stitched in Color said...

Woweee, that totally works. And works well! What a way to whip out another quilt - saving fabric and using scraps. Cheers for you!

Anita said...

What a perfect solution!! Now, I might have to just try that on purpose. :P

Chris said...

Serendipity!

I make a lot of strip pieced rows like you did and stash them away for who-knows-what! Sometimes they just come in handy - and yours really brightened up the sort of plain-ish blue and white blocks.

They also make up into quick charity quilts - they can give sort of a primitive ethnic look.

Well done!

Chris

Kelly O. said...

wow! you took those boring old blocks and made them sing! fabulous!

Anonymous said...

That is surprisingly cute! It's gotta be nice to have something just come together like that!

Twinfibers said...

ooooooh! That looks great. It adds so much life and fun to the other quilt blocks. :)

susiloci said...

Que preciosidad y maravilla de colores!!!

Metanoia said...

oh, I start far too many new projects as well. The start of this year was going to be for finishing some UFOs, but I started more projects instead!! oops!

pratima said...

The blocks sparkle with the string sashing. You are so creative, Amanda and lucky blocks & fabrics for having found you :)

audreypawdrey said...

Love this! They work so well together, and the strips just brighten the whole thing up!

Sara said...

That is so cool! I will have to remember that!!!

Karen said...

Love how you blinged up the blocks.

Karen said...

Don't know how I missed this post - this quilt is awesome!! What a great idea for any block that seems to lack that certain something :). Great idea, thanks for sharing!