Monday, December 7, 2015

Christmas Crumbs

When I was in school, and I had a big deadline looming, I often developed a burning need to tidy up my dorm room instead of sitting down to my work. Here I am, decades later, and still the same!

A few weeks ago I bought Victoria Findlay Wolfe's book, 15 Minutes of Play. It has many great ideas for sewing your scraps into "made fabric," and then using that fabric in various quilt blocks.


Down in the basement, for several years now, there's been a small, open box full of scraggly rag ends of this old Christmas fabric. Today, instead of working on Allietare, I had a burning need to sew it all together!

Of course, it was so dusty that I had to wash it again first, and I ironed it dry. But, then I tried not to think too much, and just sew the pieces together. They are a little big to be called "crumbs," exactly, but they are ratty!

You can see that my brain was turned off, because one fabric is backwards there. In the spirit of improv, I decided to keep it.


Now I have a range of approximately 9" square pieces put together:


I tried some curved piecing, but not very well! I think they will flatten out once they are cut again.

I know it looks like crazy, avoidant behaviour, but actually I feel quite refreshed! Now I can mull over how to use them while I finish up Step 2 of Allietare. Most of the cutting is done...


...and I think it will be quick to sew together. 160 blue triangles! It should be downhill from here. :D

12 comments:

  1. I have a good friend who thinks of that kind of sewing as good, meditative therapy. The little improv blocks look wonderful Monica!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Exercise care with those scraps. . .that kind of sewing can be addictive! :) Your blocks look fun and happy! Terry

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Fun and happy" will be my goal, Terry! I hadn't really thought of them that way, but now I definitely am. Thanks!

      Delete
  3. Hello Monica,

    The book has motivated you into a good sewing mood, I tend to put things off if something needs doing as well. Good luck with your projects.

    Happy days.
    Bev.

    ReplyDelete
  4. We had Victoria at our guild last year. She is high energy and lots of fun. I may have the chance to take another workshop with her next year. You learned the secret of 15 Minutes of Play exactly! It really refreshes and gets your creative juices going.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I so admire everyone's scraps with similar colors and limited sizes. Mine are such a jumble. I must remember to try this approach. They look so lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I too have the book and love browsing through it need to do more than browse! you certainly have made some great blocks. I have used my Christmas fabrics yesterday to make 4 table mats and will now use the rest in a runner, just strips laid down on the diagonal but very effective

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm all for crazy avoidant behaviour! It sounds like your little scrappy blocks were fun to make and I like how they look too.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a great exercise. I'm sure it's hard to just let go and sew!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think of this behaviour as preparatory rather than avoidant. When I was in paid employment, each time I was about to go on leave I would go into overdrive - working late into the night to complete every task on my desk or radar, including those that had been hanging around for months. I didn't feel I'd enjoy my vacation unless these old tasks were cleared. This feels a bit the same to me - clearing the decks to plunge into your big task. I may be projecting. In any case the result is good. It's really creative and interesting and. like all creativity, generates more work! I'm full of admiration.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think you're right, Jillian. It's about clearing distractions so you can focus. Well, cleaning my dorm room was! These old fabrics have served a different purpose, I've realized. More next time!

      Delete
  10. It looks like you had a lot of fun with your crumb blocks! That is what is all about!

    ReplyDelete

I'm told Blogger has been bouncing some comments, so if it happens to you I'm sorry! But the settings look right so I can't explain it. In any case, thanks for reading!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...