where is everyone?

This is the way it has been, with few posts, and maybe 1 or 2 a day. School is starting back here in the US so maybe that has been keeping everyone busy. Today I went to a fabric store to look at patterns but did not buy anything. Then I drove another 30 minutes to visit with a girlfriend (no she does not sew) and we talked some about clothes and family. We try to get together every few months, just to talk about our children & grandchildren. Was 91 degrees today. Barbara in SC

Mine are back to school next week. Beginning to feel autumnal, time to dust of the sewing machine......haven't done more than taking up trousers etc over the hols. Time to play ;)

Janner France

I spent 2 days of the 3 day weekend hand quilting while "minding" DS1 at Manchester Game Jam. Something about insurance, but there were about a dozen guys of various ages all busily plugging away at making their games work with hardly a peep out of any of them. It was blissful!

Tonight I am back onto crumb blocks and am determined not to go back to any other WIPs until my crumb/scrap box is virtually empty. 60 blocks made and a chain of 12 more in progress at the moment, so I am aiming for 72 by bed time.

Lizzy

Are crumb blocks made with a solid back and place the small pieces on top and sew over them to anchor them down? I think I've seen a picture of a few of them. Thanks, Barbara in SC

I had to go look up crumb blocks. It is cool to discover that that's a thing. Now when I get snarky comments from those who had ought to know better about piecing together my bitty bits and using them, I can just look all aloof and inform them that those are crumb blocks!

Why yes I am perhaps overly frugal, but heck if I can make chaotic rainbows out of the weeny bits and use them, why the heck not?

NightMist

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I'm raising a developmentally disabled child.  What's your superpower?

I've been rushing about, achieving little (story of my life these days!) I am still having spasmodic trouble with computer etc, but it is manageable now. I wondered if connections were reliable enough to set out my quilt design idea that I mentioned ages ago. I think I will find a few minutes tonight to have a go.

I have to say that any time I don't see any posts now, I blame my connections!! I am due to have a few days away week after next. I am aiming to have all my administrative-type work done by then; so that, when I return I will be able to settle down and carry on where I left off many moons ago, If I ever had a 'turbo' setting, it is certainly no longer in evidence >g<

Pat on the Green

I love making crumb quilts. When I was demonstrating at the 2012 Manchester Mini Maker Faire my crumb quilt got more comments than the "designed" quilts. I think it is the sheer riot of colour in them that catches the eye. They are definitely happy quilts. And I paid for those little pieces too.

Lizzy

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http://lizzyastro.etsy.com 
http://www.instructables.com/member/lizzyastro/

You basically just sew bits and pieces together, being careful to have straight seams (as opposed to 1/4" seams) so the block stays flat.

Bonnie Hunter, who does more wonderful things with scraps than anybody in the world, has a tutorial at:

You can find lots of other extremely cool ideas at her original website quiltville.com, but most of the links are also on the blog site.

You can also assemble crumb like block by stitch-and-flip on a cloth or paper background, but generally that works best for strips.

There are collage techniques where you quilt heavily over a collage of scraps. Depending on how much you overlap them and what you use for a substrate (e.g. water-soluble sheet) you can get lacy or thick 'art quilt' effects. You have to do a lot of stitching if you hope to be able to wash the piece or use it in an object that will be handled a lot.

In a British book about mini quilts (in this case maybe micro quilts) I saw a technique where you lightly glue pieces on a backing and then cover it with an almost transparent fabric (tulle?), then quilt. The example was a Thousand Pyramids with pieces less than an inch (2 cm) in diameter.

Thank you for the clear explanation! Barbara in HOT SC Bobbie Sews More >Are crumb blocks made with a solid back and place the small pieces on top

I tried to send this rely this morning, but the mail/news server ate it!

Mine are like this:

I use the little trimmings and then put longer skinny bits down the sides and trim to 6 1/2" squares.

Bonnie Hunter does hers as 3 1/2" squares and then joins 4 together to make 6 1/2" squares.

HTH

Lizzy

Thanks Lizzy! Barbara

Today I started cutting 60 blocks I promised to make for a friend. She is up against a deadline but must drive her daughter to college. I will have the blocks finished by the time she is back.

I like the name "crumb quilt" much better than what I have always called them "scrap quilts". This would be a fun event for a guild sew-in. Everyone bring their crumbs, mix them together and sew blocks which would be used in a charity quilt. One secret when working on a community quilt like this is to have one person trim all the squares even so they are all the same size.

Thanks for the "crumb quilt" reminder.

Susan

I must admit I've been lurking. I am in the process of making a new quilt for myself so have been wrapped up in that. I love the crumb quilts, made a few in my day...5 I think. They were fun, but the crumbs just multiply...

Labor Day weekend coming up here in the USA. Cant wait for that 3 day weekend. So much to do, places to go, people to see. Have a good one, everybody!!

Happy Quilting!

here, just homeschool with oldest, attitude with youngest, trying to finish DHs office space and retain a bit of sanity...DDs new quilt (to go with he r new room colors) is about half finished - well the top is.....it will be my color break over the weekend as I will be working with reds, golds, and dark browns in DHs office for most of the time....