Bits and pieces are always left over no matter what project you sew. This year, our quilt guild suggested that we all try to make something out of the many scraps we have accumulated. I thought it was a perfect idea since my sewing room was loaded in “useless” bits of fabric.
Enthusiastically, I started putting the bits together. Hours (or maybe days and weeks) later, I realized what a huge job it would be to make a big quilt out of all these tiny pieces. So I began to think small.
I came up with four placemats made of scraps. Don’t look for perfection. They are only scraps.
January 6, 2020 at 1:32 pm
I love them, nice work Anneli! ❤️
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January 6, 2020 at 2:50 pm
Thanks, John. They look better than when they were in pieces anyway.
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January 6, 2020 at 1:40 pm
They are gorgeous. Do they wash well? I’d worry because all the fabrics are different–might shrink, or fade…
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January 6, 2020 at 2:53 pm
I don’t use bleach on them, but you can pretty well wash them in lukewarm water and they’ll come out okay. They’ll shrink a tiny bit even if the fabric is all washed beforehand because the batting inside shrinks at different rate than the outside parts, but after they’re washed once and ironed, that gets the wrinkles out and they work fine. As for different colours, if they are prone to run, you can get some little sheets (similar to the Bounce sheets, but smaller) that are made for absorbing colour that washes out and that stops it from getting on the lighter colours. So far, it hasn’t been a problem. Most of the fabrics are colour-fast.
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January 6, 2020 at 2:55 pm
Shoot–of course–wash it first. Duh. You can see I haven’t sewn in a while! And I haven’t heard of the sheets that absorb color. I’ll have to look for those.
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January 6, 2020 at 2:57 pm
Yes, but don’t feel bad because the batting will shrink either more or less (can’t remember which). I don’t even bother with pre-washing anymore unless I’m sewing clothing. There is always a big debate going on about whether to wash first or not. Right now, the score is 50-50.
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January 6, 2020 at 1:50 pm
Those are so pretty, Anneli. I love that blue!
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January 6, 2020 at 2:54 pm
I agree, the blue is the best part. 😉
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January 6, 2020 at 2:01 pm
Well done, Anneli!
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January 6, 2020 at 2:54 pm
Thanks, Pit. Now we just need Hans to put a meal on them.
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January 6, 2020 at 2:14 pm
Great background for food pics 🙂
Cheers !
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January 6, 2020 at 2:55 pm
Never minds the pics! I need the real thing!
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January 6, 2020 at 3:47 pm
Incredibly industrious, Anneli, and so handsome. It occurs to me that if you have this many fabric scraps, oh my goodness you have done so many projects.
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January 6, 2020 at 4:48 pm
What a detective you are, Jet! You’re right. I have done many projects and I find it hard to throw anything away.
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January 7, 2020 at 6:08 am
Aha – I never thought of that before…so scraps are more of a badge of honor for us quilters rather than a sort-of shameful stash of ‘can’t get rid ofs’. I like that!
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January 7, 2020 at 9:32 am
I’m learning that some of the most fun projects are made with scraps.
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January 6, 2020 at 4:18 pm
Love all the color.
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January 6, 2020 at 4:49 pm
I thought it was good for a dreary winter day.
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January 6, 2020 at 5:11 pm
The cobalt blue border sets them off beautifully!
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January 6, 2020 at 5:55 pm
Thanks, Belinda.
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January 6, 2020 at 6:27 pm
What a nice way to throw a pop of colour on the table! These are beautiful!
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January 6, 2020 at 6:42 pm
Thanks, Sonja. Glad you like them.
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January 6, 2020 at 8:07 pm
Those are great, especially with the blue border. 🙂
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January 6, 2020 at 9:50 pm
Tnx, Lynette. I might be inspired to try some more variations of these.
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January 7, 2020 at 2:09 am
Great idea for using up all those scraps, and if you make enough of these small ones, you could join them all together!
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January 7, 2020 at 9:28 am
That was kind of the idea – to join them first in rectangles and then into squares and then into something big enough for a quilt. I have lots of quilts though, so who knows how it will end. Part of the fun of quilting is “anything goes.”
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January 7, 2020 at 10:15 am
A jacket would be good…
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January 7, 2020 at 10:21 am
Yes, I like that idea!
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January 7, 2020 at 3:05 am
I love the placemats! You did a great job, Anneli.
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January 7, 2020 at 9:29 am
Thanks, Jennie. I gave these away so I may have to make some more.
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January 7, 2020 at 5:18 pm
I think making more would be wonderful! 🙂
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January 7, 2020 at 6:03 am
I’m a scrapper from way back and love it when others share their scrappy creations! Great job!
I’m with jenanita101 about combining them all together, but the placemats make for a satisfying instant gratification project which is something we all need from time to time.
🙂
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January 7, 2020 at 9:37 am
Exactly right, Laura. I was at the stage where I needed that “instant gratification.” Some of those big quilt projects can go on for so long that you don’t even want to look at the sewing machine after a while. I have a log cabin quilt on my bed that had me feeling like that. When I look at the quilt now and think of the hours and hours of work, it makes me tired just to look at it. So maybe it’s the right thing for the bed. I just need to fall into it and I’m already tired. 😉
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January 7, 2020 at 12:49 pm
HA! Great attitude – the Log Cabin’s secret mission fullfilled!
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January 7, 2020 at 1:14 pm
LOL
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January 7, 2020 at 7:53 am
What a pile of work is in those beautiful mats! I admire you and I love those placemats.
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January 7, 2020 at 9:30 am
Thanks, Ursula. They’re fun to make because the projects are small and the rewards come more quickly.
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January 7, 2020 at 3:49 pm
They’re beautiful, Anneli. My mom used to make us quilts out of old sleeping bags (remember the ancient rectangular ones that unzipped into a square?). She’d use scraps from just about everything including our old clothes. We always recognized them in the patchwork.
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January 7, 2020 at 3:58 pm
I do remember (and own) those old sleeping bags with the zippers, and I have a couple of quilts that I made (early days) that have bits and pieces of old clothes. It’s exactly like you said – you get reminders of a blouse or shirt or skirt from the old days. Kind of nice in a way.
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January 7, 2020 at 4:41 pm
I loved them.
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January 8, 2020 at 8:14 am
They’re absolutely beautiful. Lovely work
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January 8, 2020 at 8:34 am
Thanks, Gottfried. That’s very nice to hear. Enjoy your day.
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January 8, 2020 at 3:53 pm
They are beautiful. I love the blue bordering. ❤ Also, Anneli, I love your new header. It's very calming. ❤
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January 8, 2020 at 5:00 pm
Thanks, Carol. I had such a nice time on that beach last summer. Nice reminder of warmer days to come. Glad you liked the placemat borders. I’m going ahead with a smallish quilt and then I hope to have leftovers for more placemats. We’ll see how that goes.
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