Crumb Blocks - Can't make just one!

 

Marsha gave me a shoebox full of scraps about year ago.  I put them together, aiming for 6 1/2 in. chunks.  It was difficult to actually stop sewing little bits together!  Lots of fun - I wish I'd not used the cornerstone in the sashing, but live and learn - those busy blocks like "plain" sashing better.    This is about 44" x 58"   It finished up so quickly, I already gave it back to Marsha.  Go ahead, give this crumb block thing a try!  I sorted the scraps into mostly red, white and blues.  

Today, I'm making Christmas Trees, ala Jordon Fabrics, on YouTube.  To make use of a nice clean, tidy area, I put up a big table in my family room --  now I can mess up that space quite well!  Hope I get some Holiday items finished soon.  

Happy Holidays everyone!

More crumb blocks

 At the last All Day Sew, I dug in my "good trash" and pulled out a bunch of fabrics.  Some of my quilting friends looked uhhhhhh doubtful.  They will see, next time we meet.  Here are some of the panels, or blocks.  Any size will do, any colors, but I kept the pieces mostly square or rectangular. 

 My letters are 4 inches, and after a review of Steam-a-Seam 2, this is the draft product.  

The borders will be reduced as needed, land I'll do a blanket stitch around the letters. Then I'll layer it with batting and do a little machine quilting around the letters.   I'll sew little triangles into the binding at the corners and insert a small dowel or paint stick for hanging.  I've made this before and it turned out very well!  Just think of all the phrases you could use!  A kids name, "Gone Quiltin'", "Quilt Room", "My Space", "Happy Birthday", etc.  

Because I am placing my cardboard letters on the back, sometimes the result from the front might not be exactly what is planned.  Seams might not be where you wanted them, but you can always make another letter if needed.  

Crumb Blocks

These are 4 big blocks/panels, each approx 10 x 12 in.  Pieces were all pulled quickly from my "trash", and sewed together with little plan nor thought.  I DID straighten out edges as needed, and pressed as I went.   Most pieces are from a recent quilt, still in process.  Some pieces were left larger than others, part of my plan.  Hopefully I'll get this project made up soon.  

These crumb blocks took 1 hr. and 20 minutes.  Great fun, do give it a try.  The floor is a mess.  

WELCOME banner

This is all crumb piecing.  What FUN to sew it all together and have it end up kinda cute!  Didn't take long and I DID concentrate on these colors, all from the trash basket.  There is hand quilting around the letters.  The letters are outlined with black machine blanket stitches.  On the back corners, I sewed triangles into the binding, and inserted a short little dowel for hanging ease.

Renovations, and Crumby Blocks

I am moving forward with much-needed small bathroom renovations.  Best part is new shower, this time with beautiful Onyx walls and same material for counter top.    The shower is in a corner, not huge, but serviceable.  Yeahhhh, no longer looking like a cave.  I'm just featuring "the mess".  If you've done construction or remodeling, you know. 

I ignored the necessary mess and changed direction, and tried making crumb blocks, taking throwaways from my trash basket.  Yes, it IS great fun!  I kept it geometric and stayed with the pink purples, turquoise, light greens, and then I added the black with polka dots to spark it up a bit.  Didn't quite know what to do with the blocks when I was finished, but made 3 or 4 blocks, each about 9 x 12 in., then decided to make some letters and fuse them onto a WELCOME banner.  So far, so good!  That FUSING always ends up conFUSING me, as well as occasionally reversing letters, but it ended up OK.  

 Some letters looked a little pale so I did some blanket stitching around them in black.  I've had this machine for over 15 years and never used that feature!  LOL  Looks OK to me. 

 I think I'll chop up the leftover crumb blocks and make a border around each side of the banner.  That leafy pink blue strip will likely have to "go".  This is all experimental, but I'm having fun.  The letters are about 4 inches tall.