Friday 2 May 2014

TGIFF! - Scrap{Bee} 2.0!

If you haven't had a chance to enter the Sew Sisters Quilt Shop giveaway yet, you can do so here. It's sew sweet!

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Also, I'll be teaching another Free Motion Quilting Sampler workshop on Thursday, May 22nd at The Country Quilter in Richmond, Ontario from 10-4 p.m. There are only a few spots left. Very exciting!

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On to the main event! Scrap{Bee} 2.0 is done! Woo hoo! The silver lining of having a cold last week was that I felt totally fine just sitting my butt down on the couch and finishing the binding, while watching movie after movie.

This quilt was started with my Don't Worry {Bee} Happy bee in 2012-13. I wanted to challenge myself to use my more traditional fabric scraps in a modern design. Thank you, thank you, thank you to my bee mates for making most of the blocks:

Katie @ There & Back
Charlotte @ Twelfth Zodiac
Chelsea @ Pins and Bobbins
Elyse @ ElyseSusanDesign
Alisha @ A Squared Craft Affair
Marian @ LookWhatLadyFaceMade
Heather @ Winding Bobbins
Rebecca @ Sew Festive
Bianca @ Sweet Diesel Designs

Previous posts about this quilt and how I made it can be found here, here, here, and here.

The full frontal:


Each coloured square is quilted with a different motif in the coordinating colour. The background was improv quilted using a cream coloured Aurifil thread (thread colours below).




The backing is pieced with scraps from the front and some beige yardage from my stash.


As I've mentioned before, this quilt has been a test at almost every step of the way, but I've learned so much and tried some new things throughout the process:
  • First time doing improv piecing.
  • First time using Essex Linen. Definitely pre-wash!
  • First time finishing the quilt top and then taking it apart again to change the layout. 
  • First time trying this binding technique (Thanks Heather!).  
  • This design does not use as many scraps as I was hoping it would and way more Kona neutrals. LOL!
  • Use colour catchers for blocking a quilt too, not just for washing the quilt once it's done. SprayNWash OxiAction worked though. Phew!
  • Essex linen is thicker than Kona, but it is only noticeably so in the binding where it is doubled. 
  • This quilt really drove home the point that the quilting can really shrink the size of the quilt so take that into account when making your quilt top. It was 93" square before quilting and now it's 86.5". There was a little trimming to square it up, but that's crazy shrinkage!
  • First time doing an indoor photo shoot using lights and a tripod, as recommended by Maria Elkins' tutorial and the Shoot That Quilt! site. Getting better!
Fabrics: Colours - scraps, Neutrals - Kona Parchment, Raffia, Bone, Oyster, Ivory, Natural, Cream, Eggshell, Champagne, Putty, Tan, Wheat, Sand and Essex Linen. Backing - Scraps
Thread: Aurifils 2000, 2314, 2140, 4093, 1243, 1320, 1135, 2581, 2740, 2460, 2870, 5017, 2875, 5124, 1104, 1100, 2885, 1240 and Gutermann 2626
Batting: Hobbs Heirloom

Finished size: 86.5" by 86.5".

Now I have a quilt for our guest bed. Who's coming for a visit? ;)

This is also my first finish for my Q2 FAL goals. :)

Finish Along 2014

Linking up with Laura at Quokka Quilts for TGIFF! Come join us!

30 comments:

  1. Awesome post. Filled with quilty goodness. Exciting to do a FMQ class!

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  2. it's lovely. do you prewash your fabrics? I can't quite get my head around that much shrinkage from just quilting.

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  3. This is going on my bucket list to try - I feel like it's so natural, like something mother nature would create - flows and interesting! Great, great job!

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  4. Amazing! It turned out so beautifully and I still love love love the border you added!

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  5. I've loved watching this one take shape- it came out wonderfully!!

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  6. Great tips. I've just added a few items to my shopping list.....colour catchers and SprayNWash OxiAction. The quilt is striking and it looks even better against the dark wood of the head and foot board. Beautifully done!

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  7. I LOVE it!!! What a great quilt, and a great story. Sorry you were sick - but Yay for the finish!!

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  8. Nice finish! Such a fun and dynamic quilt to look at.

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  9. HI, such a great post!
    Thanks for sharing!

    msstitcher1214@gmail.com

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  10. I was wondering where the traditional fabrics were. Then I spied some.....and then you said you hardly used any. They look really good in this quilt. I like that the background fabrics aren't all the same colour. I might have to try improv quilting myself.

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  11. I absolutely love this quilt. It's the fav of those you made! I want to be the quest in your house for sure. I had to look up what blocking a quilt means. Never heard of it before.

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  12. Awesome. I especially love the rainbow scrap border. Great job!

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  13. We'll be there to visit soon - only 7 months away! :-)

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  14. Such a beautiful quilt! Thanks for sharing your process!

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  15. I just love this! Lots of movement and color

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  16. Your quilt is beautiful! I love the way the rainbow colours pop out of the various neutrals, and the back looks as good as the front. Looks like you had lots of firsts with this quilt... scrap quilts never use as many of the scraps as you thought. I'm also really impressed with your photography, so well done you!

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  17. Just finished catching up! Wow - I have enjoyed watching this one develop and glad I didn't have to wait weeks to see it finished. :-) You do such beautiful work but this one and Purplicious are my favourites of this year so far.

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  18. I love the neutral back ground of this quilt with the bright rainbow blocks. Lovely indeed. And the improvisational piecing would be extra fun.

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  19. Wonderful quilt, M-R! Although it is a modern, it has a very traditional feel for me. Really a fun piece!

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  20. This quilt is so exciting!!! I can't take my eyes off it, and "the full frontal" hilarious!
    LeeAnna Paylor
    lapaylor.blogspot.com

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  21. MR, that turned out wonderful. I really, really like the border - it makes the quilt.

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  22. This is beautiful! Love all the 'firsts' AND all the aurifil colors of thread!!

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  23. Jaw dropping gorgeous. I want to applaud you for all those "firsts" and cheer you for such a wonderful finish. It's the kind of quilt that holds so much interest... the colours, the improv piecing and all that yummy quilting (inspired to use so many threads) - excuse, me... I must scroll back up to do a little more staring. ;o)

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  24. You know I love all your quilts, this one is just stunning! The border really makes the quilt too, I think and I don't normally like borders that much.

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  25. Oh my goodness, M-R. I think this may be my favourite quilt of yours. It's absolutely stunning! I am in love with the border! I originally voted against making changes to the top, but your instinct was dead right. Wow! Amazeballs.

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  26. Congratulations on your quilt. Beautiful! I really like the mix of neutral in different shades with the color of the rainbow. I was impress by the size of it. I didn't realize it was that large from previous photo you posted. Lucky guests!

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  27. So gorgeous! M-R, this is absolutely incredible. Congrats on the finish! :)

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  28. This is amazing! It looks like an artist's paint palette.

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  29. Wow! What a fantastic quilt! I'm smitten. I also appreciate your "what I learned" bit at the end of this post. Some really good suggestions there that I will keep in my mental vault for when I might need them. You must be SO PLEASED with this quilt. It's bound to be a family heirloom!

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  30. What a gorgeous quilt, I love it. I didn't appreciate how big it was from the first few photos! You're photography is great. I just checked the instructions you gave to your bee-mates as I might just attempt this myself!

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