Little Penguin Quilts Through the Year

Little Penguin Quilts Through the Year

Saturday, August 12, 2017

Scraps and Stripes

A big focus of my sewing this week was to get somewhere with my Improv Stripes blocks.  And I did!


It measures about 35 x 35, a small baby quilt size, and I think that's as far as I will go with it.  I met my goal of using up the gray solid that I started with, and combined it with "sherbert" colored scraps in shades of yellow, pink, green, and blue.


After making the initial few blocks, it was a good challenge to figure out how to fit them all together - the best kind of puzzle! You can see where I added a long stripe here or there, or sliced up a block I had made into smaller pieces to fill in a hole.  I definitely enjoyed this process! 


A little fussy-cutting makes a fun surprise here and there!

Today I pieced a backing for this quilt, and I hope to get the basting done tomorrow, so that quilting can begin.  

Yesterday I went to a garage sale and bought fabric!  I never do that, but this was being held by a local quilt guild which a friend of mine belongs to, and I knew everything there would be sewing related.

I got this gallon-sized Ziploc bag of fat quarters and yardage - anything I could stuff into it - for $10!


Here's what I found - 14 fat quarters - lots of neutrals plus a red and some greens.


Some fun Christmas trees on a light blue background - 


and this really cool piece - not sure what I'll do with it, but it will be fun to contemplate!


I don't have a huge stash, and I especially use up neutral/low volume fabric quickly, so I will enjoy having a few more choices for my next blocks and projects!

Linking up with Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun than Housework for her Sunday linky, Oh Scrap!







13 comments:

Vicki in MN said...

Nice job on your improv-I can tell you enjoyed that process. You certainly did add to your neutrals-nice find!

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

you did really good stuffing that bag!

Linda said...

I love the colors against the gray background on your improv quilt and the "rogue" vertical stripes and fussy cuts. :)
Yay on the garage sale finds!

Marly said...

Your improve stripes have turned out really well; it's a lovely little quilt: soothingly restful! Lucky you, finding all that fabric for so little; you're set to go on some great new projects!

Cathy said...

Oh my, that improv stripe top turned out so cute! Kudos to you! Hey - we'll be seeing each other in about one month!!

Jayne said...

I love your stripes! It is like a puzzle when putting improv together. I love that part of the process! What a deal on the fabric!!

Cynthia Brunz Designs said...

Great choice of colors for your improv quilt. And you did a great job visually laying out your blocks. Have fun with the quilting!

Also enjoy your new bag of scraps. What a bargain! Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!

gayle said...

Well stuffed! And what a good deal!
Your stripes made a wonderful puzzle - I love watching you play with improv!

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

Your improv looks great! I love those little 'rogue' extras, it's all nicely balanced and such pretty sherbert colours!

Karen's Korner said...

What a bargain bag that was. Good job on the quilt.

Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow said...

That was an amazing bargain bag and your improv looks wonderful! :)

Kathy E. said...

Your Improv quilt turned out great! I like how you kept the gray fabric mixed it with all the sherbet colors...so pretty! I agree that the most challenging part was fitting the blocks together. Adding some stripes and cutting blocks definitely made my brain work in ways it doesn't get a chance to often! Great bargains on the fabric. I couldn't pass that up!

Kate said...

The improve quilt is a lot of fun. I really like the pops of the color against that gray. Very fun finds at the garage sale. Neutrals are hard to come by sometimes.