Hello there, thought I would give you an update on my freeform log cabin scrap quilt “Seattle Scrappy”.
First here is a quick recap.
I began piecing this quilt in early January 2020 while attending a quilt retreat, from a bag of gray fabric scraps my friend Dana shared during the retreat; and initial made around 140 blocks:
When I returned home, I trimmed these blocks to 5′ x 5″ (12.7 cm x 12.7 cm) blocks and began piecing them together and musing over how to finish the quilt including whether to machine or hand quilt it, etc.:
That’s where I left off in my previous post about this quilt – Seattle Scrappy (What’s on the Design Wall).
Last weekend I finished the quilt top and decided to hand quilt it! So I laid it out on the floor of my bedroom (also known as the “design carpet” – see post What’s on the…Design Carpet) and pinned it:
Here it is ready for hand stitching:
I bought a couple spools of gray Perle Cotton for hand stitching (I am not sure how much I need yet and did not want to over-buy):
And I’ve started stitching:
The quilt measures around 60″ x 60″ (152.4 x 152.4 cm) and it is going to take a while to hand quilt it, even with using large Kantha-like stitches.
I had so much fun piecing this quilt from scraps, I am itching to start a new scrap quilt. Although most of my fabric (yardage and pre-cuts) is packed up in anticipation of my move to a new house in the next couple of months I still have access to most of my scraps.
This book in my craft book library (which I have not completed packed) caught my eye…
And I am tempted to start something from this book…
Also I have a couple incomplete (less than 5″) freeform log cabin blocks and scraps left over from making “Seattle Scrappy” and I am trying to decide what to make with them – perhaps a pillow cover or a pot holder or something…
So lovely to see a pile of scraps turning into something beautiful!
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Thank you so much! 🙂
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Love this! Maybe I’m biased (no way) and maybe the title seeded this in my mind (no way) but the color palette and shape of your Seattle Scrappy reminds me of the flying saucer of the Space Needle. It’s amazing that a bunch of boring grays (no offense!) can become so pretty! ❤
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Oh those were such good and special times when you used to visit me in Seattle! Thanks and I agree – alone those grays would be rather dull! Miss you! 🙂
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I just love scrappy! Once again, you have gotten me thinking about trying something different. I have been hand-stitching small pieces and wondering if I could actually hand quilt a larger quilt. I love the way your kantha-like stitches look on this quilt. Are you stitching this on the floor or do you have it draped on something or in a hoop?
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Oh no I am luring you to something else – ha! I am stitching while lying on a futon watching TV. The quilt drapes down my body and I just sew running stitches from end to end. Blair Stocker of Wise Craft had a nice video on Instagram on how to bury my threads with the thicker thread (perle cotton) that I am using. Here it is on You Tube and it works and it is perfect for my sitting and “leg quilting” I am doing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jsyvkQ0Naw
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Thanks!
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I have been afraid(such a terrible word) to do scrappy. I like organized, but with that said my scrap bag is overflowing. I guess I better make a plan to start using them in a scrappy quilt. Any suggestions how to get out of the organized world into the scrappy world?
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Oooh an overflowing scrap basket (huge smile). I suggest a trip to your local library, bookstore or quilt shop and just browse scrap quilt books. There are all sort of patterns for making quilts out of scraps. Instead of just jumping into improvisational design from being a more traditional/structured quilter, why not just make a patterned scrap quilt to start? The other fun option is to cut a bunch of your scraps into a uniform size (like 2.5 inches) and just go a postage stamp type of quilt (but not the tiny block one) you can also start big and just cut them into 4 or 5 inch squares and sew them together into a quilt. Another thing some friends and I did years ago was take our scraps and make a rail fence quilt out of our scraps in honor of all the quilts we made from those fabrics. Keep in mind once you have a LOT of different fabrics in like a rail fence, they all sort of work together 🙂
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I love your Seattle Scrappy♥♥ I also love the hand quilting — you’ve definitely inspired me to try something similar 🙂
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Thanks so much, glad you liked it and the hand quilting takes a while but it is very meditative and relaxing 🙂
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Looking good! And a nice long term project.
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Thanks so much! Yes it will be an ongoing project for a while to get all that hand quilting done!
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wow, looks good! 140 blocks!? how long does that take? That’s the only reason I haven’t tried quilting yet- I don’t like cutting the fabric pieces!
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I did it using a chain piecing method and it took 7 or so hours? Maybe more? Not sure I was visiting with friends at the quilt retreat and multi tasking 🙂
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wow, that is a LOT of patience! haha I get tired of it when I spend 1 hour cutting fabric!
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Thanks 🙂
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It’s such an artistic looking finish.
Well done!! Xx
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Thanks so much Ellie, thanks for stopping by!
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This looks great, and it looks like you have a lot of enjoyable stitching ahead of you. I like that you left the scraps and book out while you were packing. I have that book too.
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Thanks so much! That is a yummy book and I am happy I left out a couple books (I can’t imagine not having access to any of my craft books, I love my books so much!) 🙂
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Great looking quilt and soothing colors. Just the kind of quilt you want to curl up under as you read a good book or listen to music or just do nothing. Love it.
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Thanks so much Kathy and I having been curling up under it in the evening and stitching it! I even fell asleep under it one evening in my chair with my needle still in hand – ha! 🙂
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That is so cool! It makes me think of an old 8-bit Nintendo video game. I’m not sure why. Haha. Great work!!!
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Thanks so much for stopping by and I see exactly what you are saying/seeing! Well since I am sure a lot of computer game design occurred in Seattle I think that is appropriate – ha! 🙂
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You know, that’s a great point. Haha!
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I am in love with this quilt. Enjoy your time with it and you hand quilt it.
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Thank you and I was looking at a book on Kantha quilting at a shop yesterday and I see what I am doing is a very loose version of that – ha! I would like to someday work on a piece where I did more of the beautiful designs that are part of this type of hand quilting like you do 🙂
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Just keep stitching! And thank you for the huge compliment
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I love “Seattle Scrappy”!
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Thank you 🙂
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It looks so dramatic and all from scraps. The hand stitching will be amazing.
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Thanks 🙂
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This looks wonderful. That is a lot of work. I am so thrilled that you are hand quilting this. The Kantha stitching is going to give it such a homey vintage feel. I can’t wait to see the final project. Don’t you love working with perle cotton?
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Thank you so much! I am enjoying sitting under it and stitching it in the evenings. I guess in a year I will be done – ha! 🙂
Perle cotton is wonderful!
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behind with reading again…here it’s the 3/5/20 – it looks fabulous and even if you’ve had to quilt it under different circumstances, sometimes doing something different is a key point on a journey…thanks for sharing
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Thanks so much 🙂
(I am always behind on reading blogs lol)
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I just love this quilt. I commend you for making the decision to hand quilt it. You will have so much fun!
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Thanks so much Cindy! It is going to take a while but I am excited 🙂
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