Tuesday, August 3, 2010

A picnic quilt!

I have tried to put my scraps and stash to use, and I have some different projects to show you over the next couple of weeks :)

First I will show you my picnic quilt!
This quilttop is made entirely from scraps. I cut 3" strips to whatever length the scrap would allow. Some are long and some are really short - depending on the length of the scrap-piece it was cut from.
I have pieced them totally randomly, and added each strip once it was finished. It's a little scary for a quilter so addicted to arranging and rearranging LOs as I am :)
I am really happy with how it turned out, though. It is bright, happy and busy enough to hide all the spills....
I quilted flowers like these from Oh Fransson - only mine are connected in a continuous line, I hate securing all those loose ends!

Here is a shot of the quilt in action. The I SPY fabrics in it helped keep the kids busy :)
My favourite thing about this picnic quilt is the carrying strap I attached to it. It is made a'la Anna Maria Horners Totable Towel. Only I didn't do the envelope sleeve.
BTW this year I am definately making a towel like that for a Christmas present for my sister!! I have wanted to since I first saw it, so this year it is going to happen!!
We don't have a car, so we have to carry everything, or be able to balance it all - and the kids - on our bikes. So being able to carry this like a shoulder bag is such a great help!

My oldest is starting school in less than 2 weeks. ACK! Where did all that time go?!
Anyway....looking forward to seeing what I have missed in blogland - I know it's a lot, so I have a lot of exciting reading to do...mmmm a cup of tea and blog-reading!

6 comments:

LJ said...

Good morning!!
It is a great quilt!! Good job!
I'm not sure how stores work over there but here in Canada summer stuff always goes on sale and I can score lovely beach towels for fractions of the original cost. Maybe that would be an option to make your sister a totable towel! While you're at it make one for you too!

free indeed said...

That's a great idea for toting it! I have a picnic quilt in the works made from denim...it's been in the works for at least three years :( I will use that toteable sash for sure. Love the strippy quilt too....oh don't offer me any of those carrots ok? LOL!

Trisha said...

What a great picnic quilt! I love how you made it with a strap so you can carry it. I am not good at randomly placing fabric either. Good job!

ladydi said...

What a stunning quilt! Your random stripes came out so beautifully, and your quilting is wonderful - I love it. It's nice to see you back in blogland.

Messy Karen said...

really cool. random scraps and the quilted flower. love your picnic quilt and the kids must be very impressed!

Katie said...

Oooo. Thank you for the link to the towel tutorial! And I love your picnic quilt. :-)