Tuesday, September 05, 2006

The Zen of Chain Piecing




Oh, how I love to chain piece! I can sit at the machine and do that for hours!!! Doesn't take much to entertain me, huh? I am really loving having the scraps cut into usable shapes and could not wait to start using some of my 2" squares. Don't know how Blogger will land these photos but here's what they are: little drawers of 2" squares (hasn't made a dent in the basement bags of odd sized fabric scraps LOL), the actual block of Arkansas Crossroads (sure wouldn't have guessed that this block turns into this quilt!) and four-patches and cross-parts up on the wall. Such fun. I could just pull randomly little squares and chain piece the four-patches. Then I used 3 1/2" squares with little 2" squares stitched diagonally at opposite corners. Press, square up--tada! Okay, this has been more avoidance behavior. I REALLY need to be adding borders to two quilts. I think my least favorite quilting activity is adding borders. Such LONG pieces, for Pete's sake. However, today I really MUST make myself do that. Then I can get back to playing with my scraps. By the way, working title for this quilt is Scrapbag Explosion. I really like random and scrappy!

21 comments:

Hedgehog said...

What a great scrappy quilt - it does explode with energy!

Laurie Ann said...

I love chain piecing too! Very relaxing! That quilt is really cool looking.

Darlene said...

Your Scrapbag Explosion quilt is wonderful.

Someday I need to tackle all of my scraps. Sigh! LOL

Melanie said...

Great blocks - but you are WAY too organized for me. But it does make you feel like quilting more when you can just jump into it and not set up.

Evelyn aka Starfishy said...

Wheee - that looks like a fun quilt! I love to chain piece too - and like you - avoid borders!!! I have been appliquing with persnickery metallic thread rather than adding borders to a top that is soooo close to being finished. OK, I will keep you company the next 2 days and let's see if we can't get a border onto something together!

Cheers!

Evelyn

Joyce said...

Great quilt. I too love random and scrappy. And it's so great to get something nice out of a bunch of throw
away scraps. It does make it hard to throw anything away though.

tami said...

Great quilt. I just love a simple pattern with scraps.

Paula, the quilter said...

Someone just showed me this pattern over the weekend. I gave her some 2.5" squares for it. We worked all weekend too. What is it about Labor Day?

Carol said...

I love the idea of the Zen of chain piecing...you are so right! There is nothing better than sitting down to the machine and chain piecing zillions of scraps together and coming up with a wonderful end result. The ultimate therapy!

Bonnie said...

I like your colorful Scrapbag Explosion and don't blame you for wanting to work on it over doing borders.
I have the exact same plastic drawers only mine are filled with all different size strips. They are good drawers for organizing those cut scraps.

Passionate Quilter said...

love it--and somedays you just need a little mindless sewing--get into your "zone" and sew away! I'm trying on my scraps, but geez, they are worse than bunnies in those bins! LOL

Linda C said...

I love it---looks a lot like those whatever blocks, chiclets, or Debbie Caffrey's method for arriving at the same point. Nice and scrappy but with that nice tan as a unifying element!

ForestJane said...

That's my absolute favorite part of quilting too... give me a stack of already cut squares and 'parts' and I'll be a happy camper... :)

Finn said...

It does look wonderfully scrappy and it's fun besides..*VBS*
I absolutely would NOT have guessed that was the block..quite amazing!
I love the mindless sewing of chain piecing too, and making up the 4 patch parts as well..LOL
I'm easily pleased..*S*

Anonymous said...

It's looking lovely. I really like the way you've stored your small squares in those drawers. That's such a good idea

Susan Tidwell said...

Looks like Tic Tac Toe!

Sweet P said...

I like your Scrappy Explosion. I have an 8 drawer pine cart I use for storing my scraps by size. So far all I've done is fill it up and not use any scraps.

Unknown said...

Nice quilt, I'll have to check in to the little drawers. I've been thinking about some on wheels. Maybe just the small ones for on the counter would work better for me. I wish my small scraps where that organized. And yes I would rather chain sew smaller pieces, over long sashes.

Granny said...

It looks so good!! Love the name too.

Judy L.

Patti said...

Love the scrappy quilt Vera! Isn't playing with scraps just the best? When I'm doing that I don't want to do anything else at all. The quilt is going to be just stunning.

I'll have to hunt down that magazine - several folks have mentioned how much they like it.

Unknown said...

Hi Vera, I love your scrappy quilt. Were getting ready to finish the basement for my sewing room so I'm packing all my sewing stuff and fabric stash up right now I have a feeling I am going to be going thru withdrawls...
Hope you have a great weekend.
Hugs Tina