Last night, as I was working on the last corner of this quilt, my younger son came into my sewing room and said, "wow, that looks easy....all you have to do is sew a bunch of scraps together, right?" I kind of chuckled. I think the answer is: yes and no! I think these types of quilts are easy in some ways. There are no points to match, there really is no rhyme or reason, so in that respect, pretty easy! But, there are a million and one design decisions along the way. That gets tiresome. And, I learned once again, even in all the randomness, editing can not be ignored. I had some severely ugly spots in the quilt, so I chopped things up (which was not easy to do!) and sewed them back together in a different order. That really helped!
After I finished the quilt, I sewed a quick stay stitch around the perimeter of the quilt to prevent the patchwork pieces from separating during handling. I know that the quilt top will be secure while I'm taking photos and while I am basting it, etc. It's especially important on a quilt like this that has about ten thousand seams! (Don't worry, that's only a guess. I didn't count the seams. ha!)
The quilt top measures about 68" x 88". It will definitely be counted toward my 101 scrap projects, but not until it's complete. For now, I'm just so happy that the top is done!!!
It's your turn! Please link up your finishes for the week. Thank you for joining me for finish it up Friday! Happy April!
55 comments:
You totally rock!!!
So inspirational and impressive!
Happy Friday!
Gorgeous amazing scrap quilt! Love!
PS- I recently finished a scrap quilt inspired by your scrap vortex quilts. It got 2nd in its division in the local quilt show! Thx for all the inspiration!
http://katandcatquilts.blogspot.com/2016/03/a-lot-of-fight-left-in-these-crumbs.html
Such bright and cheery chaos; I do not know how you do it! I am at the pairs stage of my Scrap Vortex and worried that it is going to be a hot mess and u-u-u-gly....but I'm persevering.
love that quilt - in my opinion scrappy quilts are some of the best :)
You have just answered my prayers. Or at the very least my question to myself on what I should do about my strips and scraps. I really like what you have done! It is so striking :) Thanks for hosting this link up, I really enjoy the push of the deadline to get something done too! Hannah
Love scrap quilts and this is a wonderful example!
This is such a fun quilt. I have your birch tree pattern and really want to get to work on that. The Vortex Quilt would be a great project as well. So many stitches, so little time!!!
My kind of quilt!
Amazing quilt. It looks great.
It's totally fabulous!
And I get the compulsion to repeat something that was fun!
You should create whatever makes you happy!
Maybe you'll write a Vortex book full of tips and techniques and you will need all your versions!
I am happily working away on mine and putting some letters in it this week.
Gorgeous! I really need to make one of these! I've used your technique for little makes but a whole quilt is the ultimate scrap buster :)
It's utterly delicious and so happy!!
Your quilt is SO beautiful!
And I do that too, re-make the same pattern over and over, because there are just so many possibilities, but I too try to push myself out of my comfort zone every once in a while. This week I'm working on Christmas placemats and runners, and re-making a curvy log cabin wreath with a grey background rather than the beige backgrounds I've done in the past. Must be the fifth time I've played with that pattern in 20 years, but this is just as exciting as the first time!
I think it's a brilliant thought to keep a vortex quilt going at all times. . . spending a few minutes after each quilt finish to make a square or two with the current scraps. I would think your vortex quilts take on the life of the fabric you prefer at that point. Today's vortex may look very different then the vortex of 3 or 4 years ago, depending on your fabric thus scrap preference. Thanks for the link up. I appreciate the deadline too.
This latest Vortex is terrific. I often make multiple iterations of a design. It bothered me at first, but then I realized that being familiar with the mechanics of it freed me to think more creatively about other aspects. Even world famous artists sometimes to a series or 'study' of something that inspires them. I would only worry if you're avoiding trying something else you really want to do by repeating something familiar.
That quilt is absolutely amazing!!! I just love it. Way to push through and finish it up, and I can't imagine how hard it must have been to cut parts up again. Wow and double wow!!! Absolutely fantastic finish!!!
I am working toward sewing up all the bigger pieces so I have just scraps to work with. This vortex idea continues to appeal to me as one that eats up the scraps. I like that idea a lot! Thanks for sharing your finish and your process with the love, adoption, hacking thoughts.
You could make a "third" scrap vortex quilt top as your backing of you are so inclined! That would be quite a work of art!
This is an impressive scrap quilt! I'm learning that it does take some work and planning with those "random & scrappy" quilts. You've done a beautiful job!
Seeing repeats of your quilts never disappoints, if it's not broke don't fix it!
I think you should make a top and put it up for sale. LOL! I would buy it. I so love it but do not have the bright scraps like you do! Great job.
Diannia in Iowa
You aren't the only one with the compulsion to make multiples of the same quilt. But I think we are the minority. Your scrap projects are always amazing and this great big beauty is simply stunning! Really enjoyed reading your post. And, of course, the photos are candy for the eyes!
I have made multiples of my first published pattern, Charm Parade, like seven or eight versions. I try to tweak each one so it's something I haven't done before. And I MUST make a scrap vortex. It's getting tedious stuffing all those scraps back into the bin after Gabe turns them into a true vortex by throwing them all over my sewing room!
I LOVE your quilt!
It´s fantastic that the same fabrics can bee seen in several quilts and look so different from time to time.
This is the "real stuff"!
Everything goes and the result is stunning!
Love it! Such a great project! I am slowly putting mine together based on your qal. Can't wait to see how it turns out. Thanks for the inspiration!
It is a gorgeous top! I can totally understand why you wanted to make another one. I'm going to go study your QAL instructions very carefully. Whenever I try to make a scrap quilt - it is so time consuming as I dither a Lot!
Thanks for sharing.
Just stunning.
I made one this winter like this from your blog and then made a Christmas one and have it finished. Loved working on them. Paula in KY.
Wow! I think we are on the same page , it reminds me of mine , here is a pic of mine ! Very nice.. https://www.instagram.com/p/BDbKvoHQueb/?taken-by=pininaren
So beautiful in all its scrappiness :)
I think this quilt is even more epic! Love it lots.
Gorgeous!!! I think I want to make one. Making the "same" quilt again isn't the same if you change the colors. I love this beautiful quilt top!
Love it! Maybe you like to do multiples because the learning curve is over!! ?
Wow!!! This is gorgeous and perfect use of scraps :). I think I will try make one too :).
Wonderful and joyous all in one !
I get your email with your blog posts and have never commented. I just want to say that I thoroughly enjoy your posts and love your sense of humor. I too make more than one of the same quilt so I can relate.
I really like your quilt, the colors are so bright and cheery. Thanks for inspiring us all! Blessings, Gretchen
great quilt have tried to link my scrap vortex that is a 18th birthday gift to my granddaughter but do not think I have done it right
Wow wow wow! I just love looking at all those beautiful colors! Gorgeous!
What a wonderful, happy quilt! Beautiful fabrics! I mostly have a reproduction stash. What fun fabrics you have used! Have a great day and happy stitching!
Love all the colors and am proud of you for sticking with it. Some people do not realize how much work it really takes for us to just pick up a piece and add it ramdomly. LOL
I think scrap quilts like this are so much more difficult than having a pattern to follow! I made a pillow for my daughter following your method and it was sooooo hard to find just the right piece for just the right place and have all the pieces look good together. It was one of the first projects I completed when I retired and began quilting after a very long time away from sewing. I am hoping it gets easier when you have a LOT of scraps available because I want to try another. You do this so well, and your colors and patterns always go so well together. I study your photos! Thanks for the inspiration!
I have quite a few scrap vortex blocks hanging out in the corner of my design wall that I started during your QAL. The other day I considered making them into placemats and potholders, but after seeing your wonderful top maybe I should persevere and make a qult!
I love the 'perfection' of your randomness! It looks great, bright, cheerful, fun, and you've an artistic eye towards placing prints and colors next to each other. Not boring, not ugly, but interesting.
This is gorgeous!!! I used to think I didn't like scrappy... I was SOOOOOO wrong! I love it!!!
Wait a minute! You're tempted to make another Bright Birch Trees quilt--but you want to Branch out ;) Seriously though, your scrap vortex quilts are minding bogglingly (is that a word?) gorgeous, Amanda Jean!
Wow! I just love this quilt top. It looks amazing!!! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Your Scrap Vortex design will always be a favorite, and it doesn't hurt a bit that that you like to repeat making it... or any of your other designs. Question: How do you like your Juki? Is it good for FMQ? I find myself NEEDING a new machine for quilting (only), and the Juki has had such good reviews, I wonder what you think of it. Do you have a link to a post you might have written about it? Thanks for any information. Linda
I love your quilt!!! I also would like to know /see what you consider an "ugly spots"?
Thanks for the show!!
Gorgeous! My scraps are out of control. I should work on a Scrap Vortex quilt!
This is just stunning. Great tip about stay stitching the edge - will use it when my scrap vortex gets to this stage ....... Eventually!
Such a great quilt! Yours scrap quilts always look amazing!
Love your blog and thanks so much for the inspiration. I do have a question unrelated to this post. I have just completed a quilt using upcycled Jeans I purchased at my local opportunity shop. I used flannel as the wadding to reduce the bulk. It was so much fun however when it came to quilting I had all sorts of trouble keeping it smooth. There are puckers here and there that made an otherwise fun quilt a little disappointing. I know you made mustard mishap so would you have any tips for this unconventional quilt? Please help, Nicole Beauchamp noblequilts@gmail.com
gorgeous! Love hearing about all the decisions you did make so that it ended up so beautiful. :)
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