SCRAP BUSTING

No Scrap Left Behind

This is something I actually started quite a while ago, the center or main body of the quilt is a simple Jelly Roll quilt but is a very effective and rather quick way to rustle up a fairly decent sized quilt in a couple of hours.

You will need a full Jelly Roll, unroll it and layout all the pairs of colours/prints so you can easily see what you've got to work with. Then sew every strip end to end so you have one extremely long, continuous length of fabric measuring 2.5" wide. Fold in half along the 'short' edge and sew all the way down one long(very long) side. Cut the short edge open along the fold so you can now open out your sewn jelly roll and lay it flat - it should now measure 4.5" wide. Repeat until your have reached your desired quilt top size/width.

It's dawned on me as I'm writing this that more pictures probably would have been useful - so I'll try to get a tutorial up here soon.

But back to Scrappy business and those border blocks. They are based on the concept of 15 Minutes of Play a brilliant idea by the fabulous Victoria Findlay Wolfe, she actually has an entire blog dedicated to it. 

It really is a great concept that is quick an easy, the results are practically instantaneous - something I particularly like! The idea is you start with a 5 sided shape, the wonkier the better, and then you add to each side almost in a Log Cabin style, growing your block one scrap at a time.

The starting shape doesn't always have to have 5 sides, as you can see from mine they all varied and each one took on a life of its own. 

No scrap was left behind, no matter how small! I found that this made the shapes, fabrics and colours far more interesting and really highlighted the 'scrappiness' of them.

I made 44 blocks in total all measuring 6.5" square for the borders of this quilt, then sewed them together in strips - 2 with 10 blocks each and 2 with 12 blocks each and attached them to each side making a happy scrappy border.

I then had the monstrous task of attaching the binding and finishing it off by hand, I wouldn't go as far as saying I enjoyed it but there does reach a point with sewing binding that becomes quite therapeutic.

This quilt was a present for my Gramps who turned 80 on Sunday, the scrappy blocks were made from fabric used in every quilt I've ever made for our family members, so he always has a piece of us with him.

If you follow me on Instagram you'll see a few more pictures of this quilt, along with all the other things I'm currently working on.

Feel free to get in touch, it's always lovely to hear from you all.

Happy Quilting
Kerry xx

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Live, Learn, Love 

I know it's already the 6th (eeeek how did that happen) but technically I can still say happy New Year as this is my first post of the year, hopefully the first of many now that I have a much better system in place for planning and sewing.

It started a few months ago with my usual daily Instagram stalk, come on you know you do it to, there are some absolutely amazing things on there so much inspiration which in turn leads to many, many amazing projects and purchases. One of my other small obsessions just happens to be planners!! Planners, stickers, washi tape, note cards, pens you get the idea, I  love how creative they can be and how there seems to be this massive whole other world all about planners and making them art. If you are going to stare at the thing for hours and plan your life, it might as well be pretty and full of stickers right?? Anyway back to the stalk, I came across lots of planners that were being used and immediately wanted them all, as with most of the lovely things I want they are either only available in the US or outrageously expensive to try and get here, so I had to decide on just one. 

Enter the Get To Work Book designed and created by the fabulous Elise Blaha Cripe and is not only a daily planner but has several sections that can be used for goal setting and project planning as well. Many of the pages are graph paper which is perfect for drawing out quilt block ideas and there are also some pages of thick card stock which makes practising one of my other obsessions much easier......

Sharpie pen, Tim Burtonesque illustrations. Although I have only been able to use my GTWB for nearly 2 weeks so far I absolutely love it, there is plenty of space to make the pages pretty yet still get everything down that I need to plan my day, my week, my life and everything in between.

Last year was a jam packed year, I didn't always find enough time to get as much sewing and quilting done as I would have liked but I did manage to achieve some lovely things that I am very proud of:

1. The ridiculous amount of squares needed to make this centre Star

2. Being brave with my fabric choices for my first Mini Swap

3. Remembering how to put in sleeves for the costumes this loon needed for her first role in Panto (super proud sister moment)

I became a we (whoop whoop) and we celebrated some new arrivals, special birthdays, first experiences together, made some new friends and have made some exciting new plans for the start of a new year together, oh and someone else went and got themselves engaged whoop whoop Kerry Q!!

Last year really was a jam packed year with so much going on, I've learnt a lot about myself as one usually does, but I have also learnt things about other people which was harder to get my head around because I can't really make sense of how they tick. I guess the saying "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" might just be true after all, although I am fairly certain that if I buy any more fabric I may be killed!! It's not my fault though, look at all these lovely things I have found that I absolutely need to try and make....... 

It's already shaping up to be a busy year and we are only the 6th day in, lets hope I can stick to my New Year resolutions of making more time to sew and planning my time better so I can fit it all in and complete more projects, otherwise there will be a multitude of UFO sightings in the South East!!

Happy Quilting

Kerry xx

A YEAR IN REVIEW

Happy New Year!!

I can't believe it's a new year already, this year (last year) has just flown by and what a year it has been!! Some incredible highs and some hit the ground rock bottom lows......here we go!

In February my bestest got married and oh my what a magical day it was, now I know you will be thinking that I'm biased so obviously I'm going to say that, but it truly truly was!!! Everything was just perfect, the setting, her dress, the flowers, the band it was like being apart of an amazing film and I can honestly say I don't think I've ever cried so much from happiness in my life!! 

In May this little monkey was born and totally brightened up my life with her tiny hands, those darling eyes and an infectious giggle like no other.

My little Amélie bear continues to get more and more beautiful every day, so talented is she that Santa even called upon her this year to help out with elf duty.

More recently, last week as it happens this little monkey made his appearance, unfortunately I have to wait 47 more sleeps until I get to snuggle up to him, his big (but still little) brother and my other favourite who sadly doesn't live here....can not wait!! 

The rapid spiral down to 30 is fast approaching me.....shriek!! And I never thought that after nearly 9 years I would be heading there single, but life has a funny way of pulling the rug out from under you without warning and that's what happened nearly 5 months ago. It's been a massive adjustment, but I have to say not quite as scary as I thought it was going to be largely due to these wonderful gems that have kept me going with their love presents, cuddles, encouragement, support and down right hysterical behaviour!! There have been times when I honestly couldn't breathe and I thought I might just wet myself, and I for that I can not thank you enough. You know who you are, and I love you lots. 

Unfortunately I still continue to lose my battle to Fabricitis and as a result I have kept a multitude of quilt and fabric shops in business this year in a number of countries, here are a few of those piles.....

And the creations they helped create for a multitude of special occasions - Daddy's 50th, Granny's birthday, the birth of The Vinster, 2 quilting bees and a ridiculous amount of UFOs

In amongst all of this chaos, the highs, the lows, the hangovers, the laughter, the tears, the weddings, the babies, the break ups, the birthdays, the funerals and the almost start of something wonderful, I have successful managed to lose 31lbs so although I'm dangerously close to becoming Bridget Jones....at least I will be a skinny one!!

Look out 2015 I'm coming for you.

Much Love

Kerry xx