Recycle Symbol Selvage Quilt Top Done

 So, this is what the patchwork pieces in the previous post look like all put together.  No official name for this quilt yet, but as you can see it is the Recycle symbol done in selvages.

 This is an idea I've had forever.  I can't think of a better representation of recycling in the quilting world than using selvage scraps (that would have otherwise been thrown away) to make a quilt!

 This is about as close as I get to doing applique.  I didn't use any fusible, just pins, and selvages were used along each edge of the design to give everything a nice clean look.  I am very pleased with the result.

 I used a patchwork background to give a bit more interest and to represent the scrappy idea.  Also, of course it had to be green!  Those are various scraps of green solids and a few FQs I had from another project.

 The outer border is 5 inches wide.  The whole quilt is 36 inches square.

I'm quilting it myself.  I have a nice green variegated thread to use. 

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Thanks for stopping by!

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Posted by Riel Nason on The Q and the U

New Selvage Quilt in Progress

 This is an idea that I've had for sooooo long ... here are the pieces that will be going together to make a new selvage quilt. 

 Hmmmmm ... part of the background ...

 Cornerstones perhaps, but I'm not 100% on these ...

 These still need trimming to be part of the inner design ...

And some border pieces.

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Any guesses?  I really think this is just such an appropriate design/symbol to be made of selvages.  (Hint: You know how I like things with a double meaning.  Also, I think the first picture gives the best clue.)

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  And thanks so much for all the congrats on the quilt show and on the two award nominations for The Town That Drowned.  It's been a lot of fun at my house lately and I really appreciate your support and encouragement.

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Posted by Riel Nason on The Q and the U



Completed Girly I Spy Quilt

 I finished this quilt top a long time back, maybe early fall last year, but it sat around unquilted and unbound until now.  I am so pleased it is all done.  It is for my niece who is three.

 The layout is my own design.  I really like how the sashing divides the squares up into groups.  I sent it out to be quilted.  I could have done the quilting myself as it isn't a huge quilt, but I would have just done straight lines.  Instead I really like a nice tight overall stipple for quilts that will be washed frequently -- which I suspect this will.  They just seem to hold up better.  And Tina (long-armer) does such a nice job!

 My niece's name is Molly, so there is an M square for her.  There are also lots of 'girly' pink and purple squares -- flowers, butterflies, hearts, princess stuff, etc.  No two squares are alike.

 This shows a peek at the backing and binding.  The binding is yellow with white polka dots.  The flowers on the backing all have smiling faces.

I'm really happy with how it turned out ... now I just need to get my nephews' quilts done.

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Have a great week.  I'm linking up with Made by You Monday. 
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Posted by Riel Nason on The Q and the U

Lego Sewing Machine Redux: Elna Pro Quilting Queen

 Okay, yeah, here I go again with the Lego.  I had to make another little sewing machine though.  Somebody nice needed one of her own.  A quilting/blogging friend, Cindy, who blogs over at Live a Colorful Life, has been very generous in supporting my book and helping spread the word, plus she is always very enthusiastic and encouraging about my quilting projects -- and did I mention she was a kindred selvage-obsessed quilter like me?

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Anyway, I know she was crazy about my original Lego sewing machine so I thought I would make another.  She emailed last night to ask me about posting a pic of my previous Lego machine, and then, well, really it was all the excuse I needed ...

 I "information gathered" (also known as lurked on Cindy's blog) to see what type of machine she has.  She has an Elna as near as I can tell.  So, although I couldn't find an exact picture of her model online to work from, I found this to replicate, which is an Elna Pro Quilting Queen. 

 I'm really happy with how it turned out.  I do get a real kick out of seeing these little machines. You can be creative and try to be accurate, but it really comes down to the scale and variety of the Lego pieces you have to work with.  This machine is slightly larger than the first one I made, as that was the only way to get the details on the computer screen section. 

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And of course both my kids are crazy about it.  The plan is to send it to Cindy eventually, but the novelty of it will have to wear off here first ... a few weeks or a month or so ... I'm sure she can be patient ...

And for anyone wondering, this is what our Lego looks like.  It is mostly yard-sale-mix-and-match pieces.  I don't know what series or sets the pieces I have been using are from.  And I think as far as I go, the novelty of it has now worn off for me, so it will be back to regularly scheduled fabric-related content here soon.

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Happy Quilting!  Posted by Riel Nason on The Q and the U

Cutting Squares for a New Quilt

 I must say that I'm a big fan of simple patchwork quilts -- as in just squares, nothing fancy.  So that's what I'm making now.  I had the fabric above leftover from a quilt backing.  It really is very cute and my daughter loves it.  So I started cutting 6 inch squares.

 Then I started looking for matching fabrics in my stash and scraps. 

 Then I looked for more coordinating fabrics.

 And more.

 And more.  These are all cut from fabrics which I already had. Many are large scraps leftover from fabrics which I used for backing or sashing in other quilts.  I need 238 squares and I think I have about 200 cut.  I think the quilt will end up being double-sized.

And finally, thanks for the great comments on the Lego Sewing Machine.  I tweaked it a bit to make it look even more like my real machine.  I fixed the base, widened the top a bit, added that little thing near the needle (I don't know what it is, but my machine has something similar there).  Eli found a different perfect little spool of thread too.  I think it is the inside of a tire for a little Lego car.

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Have a great week.  Posted by Riel Nason on The Q and the U

Lego Sewing Machine: Husqvarna Emerald 183

 The other day a quilting/blogging friend Rosa posted a picture of a little Lego sewing machine on Facebook.  The picture was from this blog called Such Designs from a couple of years ago.  Well, that was all the inspiration I needed to see if I could replicate my own machine in Lego.  I mean it's March Break, and me and the boy are just hanging out having fun anyway ...

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 ... So, see it sitting on my machine above!!!  I am such a geek, I looooove it.

 Here it is closer.  Our Lego collection is a big combo of a million yard sale bits and pieces plus some recent Star Wars Lego acquisitions.  It was fun to dig through to see what would work for all the parts.

 I thought it was funny to add a little speedometer gauge to the computer screen part of the machine!  It is from some Lego spaceship or something.  But maybe some sewing machines could really use one.  I am sometimes guilty of sewing a little fast.

 This cracks me up too.  It is a little Lego saw which I thought made a perfectly scaled rotary cutter!  Eli and I were laughing over that.

And here's everything together: sewing machine, rotary cutter, extra thread ... and oh, what's that?  A little wine glass?  Hee, hee.  All set to sew!

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I hope those who are on March Break are enjoying it.  And sorry, but I had to put the Word Verification on my comments back on as I was getting spam galore! :-(

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Happy Quilting.  Posted by Riel Nason on The Q and the U



Making Every Scrap Count: Selvage Wall Quilt Complete

 Ta da! All done. 

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And yes, I love a good play on words, and I am a fan of phrases with double meanings, so I am calling this the Making Every Scrap Count Quilt.  It is made of the scrappiest of scraps -- selvages!  And even more than just selvages, I used only the portions with the coloured number dots on them.

 It is a wall/mini quilt.  It is 25 by 31 inches. 

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It is made of 80 squares which finished at about 3 inches each.  There are more than 560 selvage pieces in the quilt.

 So how about a little FAQ?

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First, Are you insane?

No.

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Are you sure?

Pretty sure, but I suppose it depends on your definition of sanity.  Now, moving on ...

 Where do you get all your selvages?

I save all my own, plus I have many quilty friends who save them for me.  I would never, ever in a million years have enough selvages to make all the projects I want if I had to rely only my own selvages.

 Do you ever buy fabric just for the selvage?

No.  One of the aspects of selvage quilting that I really love is the idea of using a scrap that would otherwise be thrown out.  I like the recycling/environmentally-friendly part of it.  If I bought fabric just for the selvages, it would be going against that.

 Do you use a foundation to sew on, fabric or otherwise?

No.  I just layer the selvages and sew.  Lately I have been using a bit of glue stick to help hold the selvages in place while I sew.

 It is quilted with wavy lines right over each seam.  I think this gives it the effect of looking like the squares are woven.

 The backing.

 On a double bed to give an idea of size.   See, just a small cute thing.

And yes, I do love it. 

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And just for fun I am entering it in the Modern Mini Challenge.  Surf on over if you want to see many more fabulous minis!

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Thanks for stopping by.  Happy Quilting!  Posted by Riel Nason on The Q and the U