Friday, January 10, 2014

3 is a magic number-finished!

Welcome to finish it up Friday!
Thanks to a deadline (in the form of a quilt guild meeting last night), I pushed to get my "3 is a magic number" quilt finished. It simple patchwork made from scraps. My favorite!
Each square was individually cut at 3". (I talked a little about how I randomize patchwork in this post.) All the squares were joined into rows (not blocks) and those rows were sewn together. The main reason I do this is so that the pressing is uncomplicated. Rows 1, 3, 5, etc. get pressed to the right. Rows 2, 4, 6, etc. get pressed to the left. Then, I pin at each intersection.
Many thanks to my friends who continually contribute to my scrap baskets. My patchwork is all the better (and more interesting) because of it!
Originally I was going to stipple this one because it's been awhile! However, due to the limited amount of thread I had on hand, (and the fact that the thread has discontinued all together) I went with simple loop-d-loops. One line of loops through each strip of squares. No marking required! I was able to quilt it in just a few hours.
Oh, how I love this backing! I scored the Anna Maria Horner fabric at Mill End for less than $4/yard! (I may have bought 9 yards of this color way....and several of another color way.) I added the strip of patchwork squares to break up the repeat. They were already cut and set aside for 'someday'.  I couldn't believe how well they matched!
It measures 60" x 75". This is scrap project #45/101.

One little side note: After a lot of bumbling around and many failed attempts over several weeks, I  finally figured out how to add a translucent layer so one can actually read my watermark on busy photos like this. I'm so excited! Perhaps by the time I turn 75 I'll be a Photoshop expert. Ha!

Ok, now it's YOUR turn! Do you have a finish to share today? Please link up! And......as always.....thank you for joining me for finish it up Friday! xo

55 comments:

Melissa Corry said...

Love the quilt!! It is just so happy and bright :) And great job on the Photoshop ;)

Jasmine said...

What a fun quilt. Does it really use less thread to quilt in the rows than in a stipple?

Snowcatcher said...

What a great photoshop idea, and I love the way you broke up the backing. It does match, as if they were made to be together!

sarah elizabeth :: {no} hats said...

I'm always so envious of your scraps! Beautiful finish!

Nicole said...

It gorgeous! Love the bright, happy colors!

Η Πευκοβελόνα said...

What a lovely finish you've got for today! Fabulous colors!

beth said...

Lovely quilt. Photoshop is on my someday list!

The Calico Cat said...

what do you mean by "the thread has discontinued?"

Darcy said...

LOVE all the colors in this! You make the prettiest scrappy things :-)

Pickletoes Quilts said...

Love that quilt! It's the perfect color-boost in the middle of January when everything (at least here in New England) is not colorful at all!

Linda from Talkinglunchboxquilts.com said...

I love that quilt! The fabrics look so fresh and full of joy! You are inspiring me to do more with just my scraps!! Also thank you for the link-up Finish it Fridays - I just love looking at everyone's work!

Heidi Grohs said...

I adore how excited you are about the watermark, I get the same way when I figure something out. I always forget to add the block behind...I really should because it certainly helps!

LOOVE this finish! I am with you on sewing rows instead of blocks. Pressing is so much easier for me!

Cindy said...

I love this quilt - it is so bright and cheery. Congratulations with your photo shop victory. I get so frustrated with it.

Tessa @ TheSewingChick said...

I think this is my favorite kind of quilt - gorgeous scraps and simple patchwork. My jaw dropped when I read $4 for that AMH fabric!! What a great steal. Have a happy weekend.

Michelle@factotum-of-arts.com said...

I love the quilt. The colors on top were a fabulous mix....but then you showed the back and I love the cool tones you used on the back. Love it!!

CapitolaQuilter said...

So pretty. Smart to break up the repeat instead of fussy matching the pattern, plus it looks great and score, great price on the AMH.

Karen Sue said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE this quilt! in 1999/2000 a group exchanged 3" blocks and I made 3 twin quilts from various groupings of these. I still have plenty left! Might be time to crack that bag open again!! Yours just makes me smile!!

Maja said...

I love your scrapquilts!!
Thanks for showing and telling!

LisaAnn said...

These scrappy, simple patchwork quilts are my very favorite! I love yours, they are so colorful, cheerful and sweet!

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

What a great quilt - perfect in every way! Scrappy really is so much fun. I don't know if I can ever go back to a more restrained quilt style. ;0

Lea said...

I really love patchwork quilts and this one is beautiful, from the colors to the loopy quilting and the backing (how cute is that matching row?)What a fun finish!

Jane's Fabrics and Quilts said...

Oh another beauty! How I love your scrap quilts!

Katie said...

Lovely quilt -- my 3rd finish of the year is coming up after an evening of quilting tonight. I recently started looking at what i want ot work on next and pulled from my scraps a lovely assortment of charm squares that may become a large star.

Angela Atkins said...

Love the colors on this quilt--and it inspires me to work in another scrap quilt to make a dent in the overflowing jars!

Linda said...

Beautiful quilt!
I could have shown you the layer thing, I have been putzing around in GIMP for years. (It's similar to photoshop.) I've learned all sorts of tricks. :)

Vera said...

No finish on my side but yours looks great!

Jana Machado said...

Love love the scraps in this quilt! What a fun quilt! I also made a post talking about your quilt and the inspiration I've got from the book Sunday Morning Quilts. Have a nice weekend!

Cara said...

I love scrappy quilts like these! It's so pretty!

And I'm not done with anything this week, so no link to share. Boo. :) Happy weekend to you!

badlandsquilts said...

Love the patchwork squares...and I think I have a stash of the same fabric!

Lorna McMahon said...

Love the quilted loops and that pieced backing is perfect! Funny how things just seem to fit just right sometimes. Thanks for sharing your aside about the translucent background. I never thought of using that method to help the watermark show. Clever!

Live a Colorful Life said...

Well, this is certainly beautiful! Beautiful backing fabric and that strip of solids is perfect! As I was perusing the pictures, I was admiring the watermark, and then you actually mentioned it. You wouldn't consider doing a tutorial, would you? And I actually linked something today. Shocker, I know...

Sandra said...

love that patchwork quilt. A friend is doing something similar, except every other square is a white. Hers will be a king......She has more patience than I do!

Carla said...

As I mentioned on IG, I am working on making a similar quilt as my next leader/ender project using 2.5 inch squares. Mine seems muddier than your somehow so I'm busy going through my stash and cutting squares from fabric with white backgrounds. Hopefully, that will help. I like the idea of making the strips instead of squares. I should try that this time.You quilt is wonderful....and so is the backing!

Suzanne said...

I really like how you used the rows of blocks to dictate the size of the quilting and then went from there. That was a super idea.

Jocelyn said...

I love this quilt. I thought it was absolutely inspirational when I first saw your post on Instagram. I think this is the best way to use up scraps!!

Keera Job - live.love.sew pattern co. said...

Have just been organising my scrap boxes...! Perfect timing - love this idea. Your quilting of this beauty is perfect also. Love the loops! Thanks for sharing! Keera @ live.love.sew

Unknown said...

Love your scrappy quilt and just read your post about randomising the squares, but how many different fabrics do you have. Perhaps I don't have enough but mine always look to alike.

Georgi said...

Absolutely gorgeous! I'm definitely going to accumulate more scraps to tackle this ~ it's on my bucket list!

Lisa C said...

This is so lovely. I've got a Christmas one started with cut blocks at 2.5". I, too, am sewing individual blocks together. It takes a while but the process is very calming to me. Great finish!

Maria said...

Love scrappy quilts and yours is so bright and cheery.

Carla said...

This is such a fun quilt--right down to the quilting. I want to make one. You make it look so easy ; )

Lisa Lisa said...

I can't even tell you how much I love this quilt! Gorgeous!

Suzanne said...

Love it! Scrappy is my favorite and there is something so happy about simple patchwork when it's made of so many scraps!

sansuey said...

Gorgeous quilt!!
If I made a quilt with 3-inch squares, it would not be lined up as nicely as yours! Wow...amazing work!

margaret said...

such a wonderful variety of fabrics here, sorry no finish from me need to get motivated and started first!

JP Herman said...

I love following your blog! It keeps me motivated to push on with my adventure into quilting! Won't be able to post a finish it up for a while though I'm afraid!
Jess
buonaserababy.blogspot.it

Anna said...

Preciosa!!!! Me encanta.
Anna

Dee said...

You have inspired me to make my own scrap vortex!!l think I read in one of your posts that you make small slabs of scrap blocks and then put them together-- is that the way I should start? I would love your help

Anonymous said...

Great finish. I love what you did with the backing and that strip of squares.

maryandpatch.blogspot.com said...

Your quilt is wonderful. I sometimes wonder why people sometimes want to make such complicated quilts when with a little taste, like you, one can make such a masterpiece, with just squares!

Christine S said...

I love this quilt! These are always my favorites, patchwork squares are all so beautiful :)

Kris said...

Love the number 3 quilt. Were any of those mill ends ones you purchased at that SR Harris you mentioned one time? I have been wanting to visit my niece near Minneapolis and wanting to go there if I do.

Malinda said...

I am always amazed at how much you accomplish from post to post!
I have a question.....Why do other bloggers post things that are not quilts or even remotely related to sewing? I come here to see quilting, not your dinner or vacation pictures.

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Malinda said...
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