The Irish Chain Scrap Buster Quilt - Part 3

The finished quilt and lots of photos ~

I love scrap busting and scrap quilts even more so! I am so glad that I hold on to every scrappy piece of fabric that could just as easily be tossed into the rubbish bin, for this scrap buster quilt is a direct result of that - made from all the leftover pieces of fabrics from the many quilts that were made before it.

Mmmm, I do have a lot of different fabrics! Many of the fabrics used for this quilt have been part of my stash for a while, but there are also many fabrics that are more recent additions. The fabric squares cut for this quilt were cut using a fabric cutter and 2" square fabric die. This made the task of cutting so many different fabrics from irregular size fabric scraps easier. However any fabric that has been fussy cut so as to feature a flower, text, animal, fruit, etc has been cut individually with a rotary cutter and ruler. (For piecing details please see the work in progress blog post for this quilt).

The quilt is quilted by ditch stitching all seam lines (simple and functional rather than decorative quilting) thereby creating an all over 1 1/2" grid of intersecting lines, which gives the quilt a lovely drape and soft hand.

For the back of the quilt I have used my go-to and all time favorite backing fabric: Newsprint from the Story collection by Carrie Bloomston and my signature binding fabric is a narrow (1/8 inch) black and white stripe by Timeless Treasures.

QUILT STATS

Irish Chain Scrap Buster Quilt

The finished quilt measures 70 inches x 70 inches.
A total of 1949 patchwork pieces.
Fabrics Used:
Solid Fabric ~
Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton in White
Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton in Tomato
And lots of scrappy fabrics!
Each finished square measures 1 1/2 inches x 1 1/2 inches.
Refer to Work in Progress blog posts for piecing instructions.
Warm & White batting from The Warm Company;
a low loft cotton batting perfect for use with low volume and bright white fabrics.

This quilt is available for purchase from my Etsy Store.

See all the listing details here:

Irish Chain Scrap Buster Quilt 

The good news is that I cut way too many 2" squares for this project plus I still a lot more fabric scraps left over. As such, there are more squares to be cut and more scrap buster quilts to be made. There will always be more fabric scraps and more scraps quilts to be made.

Thank you for stopping by!
Rita

RELEVANT LINKS:
Red Pepper Quilts Etsy Store
Scrappy Irish Chain Quilt - Work in Progress Part 1 - March 2017
Scrappy Irish Chain Quilt - Work in Progress Part 2 - March 2017
Irish Chain Scrap Buster Quilt and Tutorial 

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COPYRIGHT: Do not copy or use any content or photos from my blog without my written permission. This is original content from www.redpepperquilts.com.

Sunday Stash #377 Outback Wife by Gertrude Made

Outback Wife by Gertrude Made

for Ella Blue Fabrics

Outback Wife is the debut collection of Cathi Bessell-Browne, the hands and heart behind Gertrude Made. Cathi is a dressmaker from rural Western Australia. Cathi's passion is for vintage floral fabrics which she uses to make a selection of unique dresses.

Kirstine in Cream and Blue, and Elaine in Pink - background fabric.

Bindi in Blue, Pink, Purple and Yellow

Inspired by the beautiful floral bark cloth fabrics of the 1940s and 1950s, the details of this collection have been carefully considered to create a range with an authentic vintage voice. The hand-painted floral designs are printed on an exclusive cotton bark cloth base and tell the story of four Australian rural women: Bindi, Kirstine, Elaine, and Mary (click on the links to read the story of these four inspiring women). Outback Wife is an ode to the strength, passion and courage of rural women across Australia.

Mary in Pink, Blue, and Brown. Elaine in Purple - background fabric

Produced in Japan the fabrics are 150cm wide, are lightly textured, a medium to light weight (they are slightly heavier than quilting cotton) with a soft hand and medium drape. The bark cloth fabric is carefully woven to create a vintage feel and the quality of the prints are exceptional. These fabrics are so far from my usual style - and my purchase has raised a few eyebrows with strong reactions, it seems you either love them or ... not - however I am drawn to these and cannot wait to make a quilt with them. There are several more prints that form part of this collection but not shown here today.

Kirstine in Blue and Cream

Kirstine in Blue and Cream

OUTBACK WIFE BY GERTRUDE MADE is now available from:
Stash Fabrics and Fat Quarter bundle also available

Kirstine in Blue and Yarn Dyed Check in Blue

SPONSOR NEWS

Expired sales information and coupon codes have been deleted.

Alice Caroline  Liberty of London Tana Lawn ~ Remnant Sale! While stock lasts.

Miss Matatabi Back by popular demand and exclusive to Miss Matatabi: Kerchief Girl by Kei Fabrics available now - ready for shipping.

Click on any image for a larger view. 

Enjoy Sunday!
Rita

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COPYRIGHT and DISCLOSURE: Do not copy or use any content or photos from my blog without my written permission.  I have personally selected (and purchased) all featured Sunday Stash fabrics/products, unless clearly stated otherwise. This is original content from www.redpepperquilts.com.

Scrap Busting - An Irish Chain Quilt Top

Work in Progress Part 2

Thank you for all of your kind comments on my previous blog post - the quilt blocks! Today the quilt top is ready and I have lots of photos to share. Once all of the 25 quilt blocks were completed the quilt top came together quickly and without any problems.  

Before I started piecing and pressing the blocks I planned the pressing of the seams so that regardless of the orientation of the alternating blocks all seams would nest together. This ensures that sewing the blocks together is stress free, all those seams line up relatively easily, and that you end up with a flat and even quilt top. (See Irish Chain Scrap Buster Tutorial for seam pressing instructions ~ although the example shows a smaller quilt block the design concept is the same as are the seam pressing instructions for this block.)

QUILT STATS

Irish Chain Scrap Buster Quilt

Quilt top measures 70 inches x 70 inches.
25 patchwork blocks:
12 scrappy patchwork blocks (pictured left)
13 patchwork blocks with solid fabric (pictured right).

Squares measure 2 inches x 2 inches (includes seam allowances).

A total of 1949 patchwork pieces.

Fabrics Used:

Solid Fabric ~ 

Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton in White

Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton in Tomato

And lots of scrappy fabrics!

This quilt top features many fabrics, numerous of which have been carefully fussy cut to feature a print; a shape, face, flower, animal, bird, fruit (so many different strawberries!), accessory, or notion. There is a lot to see. I have mixed busy prints with stash basics (checks, dots, and small scale prints) as well as low volume fabrics. I think that's what makes it all work. It is a busy quilt but the prints and colors are not overwhelming.

It feels great to have rescued so many of these fabrics from my scrap bins! No scrap of fabric is wasted here and you know it has been a good week for me when I have had the opportunity to play with so many fabrics.

Ready for basting and quilting.

More soon,
Rita

RELEVANT LINKS:
Scrappy Irish Chain Quilt - Work in Progress - Part 1 - March 2017
Scrappy Irish Chain Quilt - The Finished Quilt - Part 3 - March 2017
Irish Chain Scrap Buster Quilt and Tutorial 
Irish Chain Scrap Buster Quilt 1 - July 2015
Irish Chain Scrap Buster Quilt 2 - October 2015

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Scrap Busting ~ An Irish Chain Quilt

Work in Progress Part 1

A peek into what I have been up to this week! I have been thinking about cutting my fabric scraps into regular - and useful - size pieces for some time, and this week I have finally made a start. I also have a project in mind!

I have two large scrap bins and both are overflowing with scraps of fabric in all shapes and sizes. I keep even the smallest scraps of fabric plus anything that doesn't neatly fold back into my fabric stash is also added to my scrap bins. I dig though these bins often and most of my quilts include fabrics that have been reclaimed from my scrap bins. 

The regular digging through and turning over of these scraps has meant that many of the scraps were starting to look tatty, with tangled pieces of fabric and fraying edges. Not so pretty. It was definitely time for some organised scrap management. I therefore decided to cut my fabric scraps into 2 inch squares. Over a period of 3 days I methodically worked my way through the many pieces of fabric, cutting almost 2000 squares! Yikes, that's a lot of cutting.

I did have some help cutting the scraps. I have used a fabric cutter (Sizzix Big Shot) and a 2" die to cut the scraps. This was a huge time saver and at the same time ensures accuracy. Mind you any fabric square that looks like it has been fussy cut to feature a design has been cut with rotary cutter and ruler, and there are many of those! Of course I did not set out for this quilt to feature so many fussy cut fabrics but it was against my nature to cut those cute fabrics without thought to the design.

I am making good progress with my quilt! The design is a Scrappy Irish Chain Quilt not unlike my Irish Chain Scrap Buster Quilt made in 2015, although for this quilt I have up-sized the blocks  (9 rows of 9 squares). This quilt was inspired by a vintage quilt.

I was adamant that I would cut as many fabric squares as was needed for this project without having to go back and cut more. I am busy chain piecing the many units together and I am pleased to say that there will be squares left over! These will no doubt be put to good use - and will not be tipped back into my scrap bins!

This has already been such a satisfying project!

More soon,
Rita

RELEVANT LINKS:
Scrap Buster Irish Chain Quilt - Work in Progress - Part 2
Scrap Buster Irish Chain Quilt - The Finished Quilt  - Part 3 
Irish Chain Scrap Buster Quilt and Tutorial (July 2015)
Memoire A Paris Irish Chain Quilt (June 2016)
Red and White Irish Chain Quilt (January 2017)

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COPYRIGHT: Do not copy or use any content or photos from my blog without my written permission. This is original content from www.redpepperquilts.com.