Out With The Old
In order to send off 2020 in the best way a quilter knows how, the Sew-Op issued a challenge on December 8th with the apropos name, "SCRAPPING 2020". The following are some images of the challenge rules along with the 4 submissions we received. If you'd like to vote for your favorite use of scraps, CLICK HERE. The winner will receive a little bag of sewing goodies. Voting ends on January 15th, 2021.
Eleanor Davis
Sleeve for iPad/Tablet
In the spring I ran out of coordinating fabrics. I have a lot of old dyes, at least 18 years old, that I “rescued” versus it going to the landfill. So I started dyeing fabric to improve my technique and to see which dyes were good. The center dark green block was the result of dyeing over a block that didn’t dye well the first time. The yellow border is scraps of a border I dyed for another quilt made during the lockdown. The green flap (& back) are scraps from the flower blossom baby quilt we made this fall. The sleeve is lined with a pocket. Batting between fabric layers provides padding. Velcro is used as the closure. The sleeve is larger than my tablet because I didn’t want to cut down the center block.
Sleeve for iPad/Tablet
In the spring I ran out of coordinating fabrics. I have a lot of old dyes, at least 18 years old, that I “rescued” versus it going to the landfill. So I started dyeing fabric to improve my technique and to see which dyes were good. The center dark green block was the result of dyeing over a block that didn’t dye well the first time. The yellow border is scraps of a border I dyed for another quilt made during the lockdown. The green flap (& back) are scraps from the flower blossom baby quilt we made this fall. The sleeve is lined with a pocket. Batting between fabric layers provides padding. Velcro is used as the closure. The sleeve is larger than my tablet because I didn’t want to cut down the center block.
Arlene Harman
Tote Bag
I am just finishing the original quilt project. I have one column yet to quilt and then the binding. The original quilt uses reproduction fabrics from the 1920s that were also used/seen in the Downton Abbey PBS series. I am straight-line quilting using a walking foot on my domestic machine. At the time of the original fabric purchase, I thought I might include more blacks which is why I had these pieces left. I took close-ups of the pieces in the quilt that I used to make the tote.
Tote Bag
I am just finishing the original quilt project. I have one column yet to quilt and then the binding. The original quilt uses reproduction fabrics from the 1920s that were also used/seen in the Downton Abbey PBS series. I am straight-line quilting using a walking foot on my domestic machine. At the time of the original fabric purchase, I thought I might include more blacks which is why I had these pieces left. I took close-ups of the pieces in the quilt that I used to make the tote.
Clydene Dyer
Wall-hanging + Owl
The Wall-hanging consists of fabrics left over from the elephant quilt and from the backing on that quilt. I sewed 18 prairie points on this piece. I used several orphan squares left from the corners of the elephant quilt. The two kitty blocks were orphan blocks from another wall hanging I did of kitty cats. Notice on the yellow kitty in upper left, I placed the bow tie that belonged to my sweet Auggie who died in 2020. A keep sake for me for sure. If I were to label this piece, I would call it Kitty Pandemia 2020. The Owl - Ollie Owl - was a pattern from a book entitled, Sew Modern Baby. To make this as a gift for a child, the pattern would need to be revised so that all raw edges are sewn to the inside and not like the pattern, which leaves all of the feathers' raw edges exposed. This would not be safe for a child due to the possibility of strings unraveling where a child could possibly swallow them.
Wall-hanging + Owl
The Wall-hanging consists of fabrics left over from the elephant quilt and from the backing on that quilt. I sewed 18 prairie points on this piece. I used several orphan squares left from the corners of the elephant quilt. The two kitty blocks were orphan blocks from another wall hanging I did of kitty cats. Notice on the yellow kitty in upper left, I placed the bow tie that belonged to my sweet Auggie who died in 2020. A keep sake for me for sure. If I were to label this piece, I would call it Kitty Pandemia 2020. The Owl - Ollie Owl - was a pattern from a book entitled, Sew Modern Baby. To make this as a gift for a child, the pattern would need to be revised so that all raw edges are sewn to the inside and not like the pattern, which leaves all of the feathers' raw edges exposed. This would not be safe for a child due to the possibility of strings unraveling where a child could possibly swallow them.
Lillis Taylor
Clothing patches
I keep pretty much all of the scraps left over from sewing projects because I really love the idea of "zero-waste sewing". The concept actually comes from the garment industry and the idea that a pattern might be laid out on the fabric in such a way as to reduce the amount of waste left over. I'm not there yet, so I keep the scraps in the hopes of using them in other projects. Here are some patches I made for my husband's favorite winter garment. I like patches that are visible because I think they illustrate that a garment is loved. Sewing patches on is not my favorite activity - it can be tricky to line things up right - but I appreciate that it makes me stop and be still a minute...
Clothing patches
I keep pretty much all of the scraps left over from sewing projects because I really love the idea of "zero-waste sewing". The concept actually comes from the garment industry and the idea that a pattern might be laid out on the fabric in such a way as to reduce the amount of waste left over. I'm not there yet, so I keep the scraps in the hopes of using them in other projects. Here are some patches I made for my husband's favorite winter garment. I like patches that are visible because I think they illustrate that a garment is loved. Sewing patches on is not my favorite activity - it can be tricky to line things up right - but I appreciate that it makes me stop and be still a minute...
