I am always amazed by those quilters who have the focus and discipline to work on one project at a time. I like to have a bunch of quilts cooking simultaneously. That way, if I feel like chain-piecing one day and sewing a backing together the next, I can. This approach keeps things interesting for me.
My Scrappy Granny Square Quilt—moreso than any of my other projects!—was one that I could not bear to sew in one fell swoop. Making this quilt was slow going. The purpose of this project was to obliterate my cool-colored scraps, but doing so meant cutting and sewing individual squares instead of strip-piecing. Specifically, it meant cutting and sewing 1,230 squares. See what I mean? Slooow going!
The Fabric Pull
Everything except for one of the fabrics I used came from scraps and stash. The initial palette was set by the block below, which features prints from Carolyn Friedlander’s Botanics line I had from my Park Bench BOM (see it here). As I culled through my scraps and made more blocks, I eventually added some reddish purples and periwinkles to flesh out the palette and create a generously sized throw quilt.
The outer ring of squares allowed me to bust through tons of low-volume scraps. Sashing the blocks with a 1-inch (finished) strip of Kona Snow provides a nice visual break between the scrappy blocks.
The back features fabric from 1canoe2 and Anna Maria Horner.
The Quilting
The joy in making this quilt was assembling the fabrics that appear in each block. The challenge was quilting it. I knew all those 2.5-inch squares needed the complement of curvy quilting, so I free-motioned a stipple design with pale gray thread all over my assembled granny squares. The only quilts I had free-motioned in the past year were both baby quilts (see the most recent here), and the fight to get nice curves evenly spaced over a 62-inch by 73-inch quilt was formidable! I give my efforts a solid B. : )
I really enjoy making scrap quilts, and I think I will eventually make this one again. After all, it’s lovely and busted through over 5 yards of scraps! Do you have a preferred pattern or two to use up your scraps?
Linking up to Favorite Finish and Oh Scrap!
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I made my scrappy granny square quilt like that, too--individual squares. Love seeing how each block is so different, yet coordinates! My favorite scrap buster pattern is Plaidish. She has Plaidish 2, now, also.
ReplyDeleteI made a granny square (baby size) using jelly roll strips that I cut to individual squares. I was glad I went with a small quilt, it is a slow pattern. Yay for your finish - it looks great!
ReplyDeleteYour granny squares is absolutely beautiful! I want to make one for myself someday but so many quilts, so little time. Happy stitching!
ReplyDeleteoh I love this so much! I have granny squares blocks to piece together too but like you, I tend to do other things :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's one of those tedious tasks that's best done here and there. BTW: I couldn't find an email for you on your site. If you send me your email address (frombolttobeauty [at] gmail [com]), I'll respond to your comments directly from now on. : )
DeleteI love how coordinated the colors look but still has a great variety! I've got blocks of the same type for at least 1 more quilt. A group of friends make blocks for each other and they sent me a ton of them. I'll have to see if I actually put in a sashing -- I can't remember. If not I think I will try that with the rest of the blocks. Enjoy your beautiful quilt.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the finish! A quilt like that I would probably struggle to get finished as well. I really need to get all my fabric cut and prepped or a project languishes because cutting is my least favorite step. And what a great use of your stash. It looks great. :)
ReplyDeleteThis quilt is absolutely gorgeous, Michelle! Pinned!
ReplyDeleteMichelle
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Love your color choices. This is a great block to use those scraps. Great job!
ReplyDeleteThat is a lot of squares. But it looks great. Your stipple also looks great. Well done.
ReplyDeleteI love your Granny Squares quilt.I have always wanted to attempt on of these. I am like you in that I like a lot of irons in the fire. Thank you so much for hosting the link party. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind comment about my project. This quilt's construction is simple--go for it! BTW: You're a no-reply blogger. If you send me your email address (frombolttobeauty [at] gmail [com]), I'll respond to your comments directly from now on. : )
DeleteHi Michelle! I apologize for being absent and remiss in reading and visiting lately. Gosh, your Granny Squares quilt is not only gorgeous but spot on perfect. When I was a young child, we had a granny square crocheted afghan covering a chair. At the time, I hated that afghan. I hated the holes in it. This quilt truly represents it (almost directly from my memory - HAHA). I have always wanted to make one myself and you are definitely inspiring me to do so. The simple stippling does its job of letting the pattern and fabric shine. Great job! {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
ReplyDeleteVery pretty granny square quilt and I am really wanting to put a dent in some scraps. Need to sort into the same pretty colors you did!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had scraps as large as yours. Unfortunately, all my scraps bits are so small that I wouldn't be able to make a quilt like this unless I cut into stash yardage. Maybe that's a good thing. I have gotten in the habit of cutting scraps as I go into a variety of sizes that will work in a Scrap Snap Quilt, or are 1-1/2" X 1-1/2" for whatever I think to do with them. One Charming Postage Stamp Quilt is enough!
ReplyDeleteLove this quilt! I have long admired granny square afghans but never mastered even basic crochet. (I have one tiny square made many years ago by my grandmother that is now a beloved Christmas tree ornament.) This would be so much more enjoyable. My most-used scrap patterns have been butterflies. I don’t really know how that happened. I made one, and then just couldn’t stop.
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful quilt, well done!
ReplyDeleteLove Granny Square quilts and this one is especially nice! Love the color palette! I made one about 30 yrs ago and I hated having to sew those tiny squares together, but loved the end result. I prefer to speed piece. Thank you for sharing this beauty. Now I want to make another!
ReplyDeleteI want to make another, too! I think for my next one, I'll try one fewer round of squares. BTW: You're a no-reply blogger. If you send me your email address (frombolttobeauty [at] gmail [com]), I'll respond to your comments directly from now on. : )
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