Tuesday, January 20, 2015

A scrappy quilt for Clem, with quality control by Skylar

 Here's a quilt I made for Clem over the last couple of weeks: the fastest actual pieced quilt I've ever made. (Also only the fourth, so no world records here.)

A scrappy quilt, that's almost all garment scraps, and looking particularly 'scrappy' here because I forgot it was in the washing machine for a few hours before hanging it out to dry, very rumpled. Let's call it 'texture'.

 I started out by organising my fabric stash (whatever came over me?), and putting aside a bunch of cotton flannel pieces, mostly left over from making pyjama pants. But there wasn't enough variety there for a full flannel quilt. Sure, I could have sourced more flannel, but I was on a mission to use up scraps. And I thought my tactile, fabric-loving Clemmy would probably love a quilt with lots of soft bits as well as other interesting prints... and so I widened my scrap search.

As the mother of a 13-year-old now (and that's a whole other topic), I am acutely aware that what might appeal one year can be downright embarrassing the next. If 7y.o. Clem had his pick of fabrics now, it would be all cute, cute, cute. And I'm very ready to indulge that for things with a shorter lifespan, like clothes. But for a quilt, I wanted to choose prints that, I hope, will stay in favour as he grows.

By telling Clem the quilt was for him, I knew I'd have a little project manager on my back, pushing me to get this finished. He also wanted to help.



My other expert helper was Skylar, who has happily settled into being the absolute furry centre of our family. Oh, how we adore her! Do you know, greyhounds barely have any 'doggy' smell at all, so you can totally bury your face in that soft, soft spot just behind her ear and tell her what a gorgeous thing she is. Another thing about greyhounds is they are very good at testing out anything soft-looking that you lay out on the ground.

At strip-piecing stage.

At pin-basting stage.

And at post-quilting, pre-binding stage.

I was tempted as a kind of challenge to use nothing but scraps for the quilt backing, too, but didn't have enough of anything suitable. So I nabbed a bit of this Erin McMorris print from the sale trunk at the shop (it's little houses - I love it), chopped it in half and stuck big chunks of flannel down the centre. And then bound it with some snuggly-feely chocolate brown corduroy scrap from the stash.

My machine quilting is inexpert but better than I've managed previously. I'm thinking it was due to massively easing off the presser foot pressure.


And of course, Skylar has tested out the finished object. Clem's pretty happy with it, too!
As I was making this quilt, I was pondering that there's actually not very much I enjoy about making a quilt. Except that I'm, well, making a quilt. I love what it becomes and seeing it take shape. But the cutting? Blah. The pressing? Blah. The sewing? Dull! The basting? Yawn. The wrangling of masses of fabric under a machine? Sweary. Thank heavens at the end you actually get a quilt.

How do you feel about quilts and quilting, if that's not too massive a question in sewing-land?

- Jane x


12 comments:

  1. I've never made a quilt because...well you summed it up beautifully in your last paragraph. I can appreciate the joy and satisfaction from taking 'parts' and creating something whole again. Not to mention something so bloomin' handy. Well done.....on making it over the finishing line!

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    1. I'm glad to hear you feel the same! Having lived with a couple of my handmade quilts for a few years now, I can say it is definitely worth the effort for the ongoing satisfaction they give. But nowhere near as fun as sewing an interesting garment!

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  2. The quilt looks fab (especially as modelled by Skylar). You're right to choose fabrics that last. I let my daughter choose mauves for her quilt that she hated a few years later. The only consolation was that I'd only used it as a border so I chopped it off and added a different border. I've made quilts for all the family but like you I'm not keen on the process but because I use scraps and cut up their old clothes, each quilt has a bit of history to it. I really don't understand why people buy big pieces of new fabric just to cut it up and sew it back together. Madness.

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    1. Lucky you could remodel the mauve! I love the history in scrappy quilts, and Clem has been identifying lots of the fabrics in garments we're all wearing.

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  3. Oh I love it! Great mix of fabrics!! I actually rather enjoy the meditative parts of cutting and piecing. I HATE basting with a passion, and while I enjoy hand-quilting, it takes forever, and machine quilting is super sweary. I think I might try tying my next one with yarn or embroidery thread!

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    1. Yes, I quite enjoy hand quilting too, but I felt like this one needed a quick finish! If I had all the time in the world maybe I cold get into English paper piecing, but then also maybe I could knit, or, read, or....

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    2. Um. Guilty. Of all of the above. I don't know what my problem is, but I'm drawn to ridiculously lengthy and complex projects like a moth to a flame.

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  4. Nice and boyish, nt too cutesy - well done. I'm not the biggest fan of the quilting process, but I quite like the outcome and the sense of "I did that".

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    1. Thanks - that's exactly the look I was aiming for! And yes, I do really love seeing the finished quilt about the house, it's very satisfying.

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  5. I have only made a few baby quilts and I did not enjoy the experience at all. I am pleased though, that my girlfriends love them and treasure them.
    I do admire quilts and people that make them, I just lack the inclination.

    I do like Clem's quilt and Skylar is delicious.

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    1. Yes I think one of the nice things about quilts is their longevity. So, worth the sweariness in the end. Interesting to know your point of view since I think of you as a very patient and detail-focused sewist, which would probably make you an excellent quilter if you had the inclination! Thanks for the Skylar compliment... we're seriously considering adopting another :)

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  6. It looks fabulous! I hear you on the boys growing out of things, I'm trying to pick the right fabric for Roman blinds for both boys rooms right now that will last the test of time.

    I just can't bring myself to make a quilt for the exact reasons you've outlined, but also for your plus reasons know it'll be worth it. I think I overthink the possible design and colour options and never actually go for it. I'm rubbish. Oh and interesting to know about the non doggy smell, yet another reason to get a greyhound!! Bethx

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Hey, I would really love to know what you think. Go on!

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