TGIFF – Scraps to Cushions
If you missed yesterday’s Biggest Thing To Happen Yet announcement, you should probably take a moment to check that out. We could be having cups of Truth Tea together before you know it!
This must be one of the few florals I have ever really loved. That split-complimentary colour scheme has got me all wrapped up! As Mr. Sparkles would say, “Oh, I really like that fabric. It’s kind of country and old looking while being fresh and modern. To which I say, “Haha, yes, it’s called Vintage Modern.” What would I do without him?
One of the very first quilts I finished was Road to Cronulla way back in August 2013 (just a year into my sewing adventure). The funny thing about those Road to Tennessee blocks is you’re left with a whole bunch of triangles from chopping off the points of your charm squares. As I always say, “waste not, want more,” so I decided to keep them and sew them up into quarter square triangle units.
As you can see, they were a bit small… like finishing at 1″ small. I hadn’t really thought this through at the time, so I shoved them all in a box, hoping they’d commit fabric suicide in my stash somewhere.
But they didn’t. They were healthy as can be, busy taunting me from their box. “Shut up!” I often yelled in the middle of the night. Mr. Sparkles thinks I have terrible nightmares, but it’s really just me talking to my fabric. Don’t mind me!
Eventually, they beckoned loud enough, and I just started chaining them together without a plan. I figured that if they were at least in bigger pieces they wouldn’t be as terrifying. It’s like if you were walking down the street and saw one barking Chihuahua, not that scary, right? But then what if you saw one thousand barking Chihuahuas? And they were chasing you down that street? See? Scary!
Anyway, I kept the improv going, and whipped up these pillows to coordinate with Road to Cronulla. My good friend Gabrielle, who was the recipient of the quilt, has an apartment with a grand view of the beach and a tall grove of Poplar-like trees (I’m not arborist) that sit in front of it. I’m always more interested in the trees than the beach, so I was really pulling from them for inspiration. They may not be a Monet, but I’m happy, she’s happy, and the scraps have stopped screaming at me! Woo!
What an awesome outcome from some little scraps.
That's why I give my scraps away, they take up space and taunt me endlessly – "go be free and live with someone who will love you!" I say to them … ahem .. I'm going to have nightmares about Chihuahuas chasing me now!
You conquered the scraps! YOU WIN! Cool finish 🙂 Camille is in Australia…are you going to meet her?
Love the cushions!
oh I like these alot!
Fun idea! I will have to borrow it.
Wow, those are so pretty. I cannot imagine piecing those tiny triangle together. I usually toss scraps that small. I don't want that sort of pressure to make something from them. 🙂
Nothing worse than Chihuahua barking QSTs chasing you down the street, but you seem to have beaten them into submission now!
Sounds like a win win to me. Waste not want not… 🙂
Awesome way to use teeny tiny scraps.
Those pillows are awesome! I hate throwing those triangles out, too.
Such delightful pillows! Funnily enough I have this same floral fabric.Guess I need to get busy.
Beautiful cushions Molli!! My heart felt congratulations on your debut at the Fair. Well done you! It couldnt have happened to a nicer person. I am very delighted for you. Unfortunately, I won't make it to Sydney but sending best wishes and lots of glittering fairy dust your way! Have fun and enjoy! Marie (quiltswithpersonality@gmail.com)
Great use of scraps! I love the red/blue/pink/green combo. It's bright and cheerful. And I'm biased: my own bedroom quilt is built around red! I made a coordinating pillow out of scraps, too: http://kaesey.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/0031.jpg. Can't say I've ever tackled scraps so small, though! Yikes.
In the process of working on a Road To Tennessee quilt I started through a Bee. I was wondering what to do with all these little orphan triangles (I hate waste too)! Now I know, thanks for the idea!!
Hey Lisa – You're a no-reply blogger … but you're very welcome!
"hoping they'd commit fabric suicide", HA HA!! This is so true isn't it? Thanks for the laugh 🙂 Great finish!
Love the pillows. Really love the quilt. Too bad it already has a home. A question. The trees inspired you, but when it came right down to it did you follow the natural curves that resulted from the tiny imperfections in piecing such tiny pieces, first into tiny blocks, and then into tiny strips. Or did you make your pieces strips fit the solid curves. I love the wiggle in those skinny little pieced strips, and I hope that wiggle came first.