Sunday, February 19, 2017

Scrappy Birthday!


I remember visiting my friend Barb's sewing room many years ago and exploring a drawer full of miscellaneous quilt blocks. You know the type of thing--spare blocks, abandoned blocks or other bits & pieces left from previous quilt projects. What fun it would be, I thought, to arrange them like a puzzle into different quilt designs.



Well, that’s just what Barb did when she made this birthday quilt for me. All the elements came from her stash of "spare parts". The quilt measures 10” x 12” and is randomly set with blocks of various sizes made to fit by adding on or trimming back as need be.


I’m guessing Barb started with the vintage Shoo Fly block, then added Broken Dishes to continue the classic blue and brown color scheme. When the strip of Flying Geese was too long to fit, Barb simply lopped it off leaving a quirky little partial block behind.


Adding to its "make do" charm is a backing pieced from three strips of chintz. It takes a keen eye to spot the seams. Can you find them? Barb also varied her binding just like a long-ago seamstress might had she run out of her intended fabric.


Lastly, a gentle tea bath gives the quilt its aged appearance. Don’t you just love that detail?

Weeks before my birthday, I spotted a vintage bowl on Etsy. "That's just what I need," I told myself. "Wouldn't it look great filled with old buttons, sitting atop a scrappy quilt?"



After Barb's quilt arrived, I raced back to Etsy to buy the bowl. Happy birthday to me!

By the way, here are photos of Barb's actual "miscellaneous block" drawers. Do you see the allure? Wouldn't you love to reach right in there and rummage around? 



Thanks for another great birthday quilt, Barb. They always manage to surprise and delight me! XO


Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Sweet Hearts


Happy Valentines Day!