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Saturday, August 11, 2018

Peas in a Pod


Oh, my goodness,
there are so many beautiful quilts to make.  
There are new ones posted every day.  
I overwhelm myself flitting around the Internet.  
I’ve pinned hundreds.  
I have a folder in my desktop labeled Patterns, 
and it’s chuck-a-lucka full. 
I had to stop purchasing them, I have so many,
but it's so hard! 
I have to keep reminding myself 
that I just can’t make everything I see!

Often, I find new-to-me blogs, and when I take a break, 
I enjoy a little scroll through their archived posts.  
I do that a lot with my favorite blogs, too, 
sometimes scrolling back years.  
Do you ever do that?  
Two new-to-me blogs that have recently caught my attention are

In an attempt to only use the fabric I have,
I have found it very fulfilling this summer to return 
to the roots of my quilting journey - good, old fashioned scrap quilting.  
Utility quilts, if you will.

In my previous post, I mentioned that a sweet friend brought me a bag 
of her scraps  and left over pieces 
that had been cluttering up her sewing space for far too long.
Just what I needed.  More.
What to do, what to do.
I graciously accepted the bag
and while I was sewing later in the day,
I remembered this quilt that Louise of My Quilt Odyssey had made,




and I started pressing, cutting, and sewing as a leader/ender project.
Louise provides links to her inspiration,
if you pop over and take a peek.
She also has more pictures of her lovely creation!

And here's mine, sans the binding,
which was only finished late last night.




I am going to gift this to my only nephew
and his delightfully sweet bride-to-be next month.
They make their home in rural Maine.
I wanted to give them a quilt that they will use,
not deem 'too pretty', and shelve.




I was excited to finish the flimsy 
because I already knew exactly how I'd quilt it.




Peas in a Pod added just enough movement
and a little bit of whimsy!

The label will be stitched onto the back this evening,
and it will be a finish!  
Finally, a finish!
My first this summer!


(Click on picture for a clearer view.)

This is already pretty wordy for me,
but there's more.
The scraps generated from this quilt generated MORE!
What to do, what to do?

So I started another quilt
using a pattern from Stephanie Dunphy's book,
Too much fun!



Too big for the design wall,
it had to be layed out on the design floor.

But wait!
The scraps generated from THIS quilt
resulted in MORE scraps!

I couldn't help myself.



These are the corners from the flying geese in the arrows.




This will finish as a 16" pillow
for a nursing home initiative hosted by
a member of the Maritime Modern Quilt Guild
in Halifax.  
It will be perfect for a male resident.

I think that's it.
Let me check my picture cache....
........Yep, that's all there is!
Whew!

Sewing is slow.
The weather is hot but beautiful,
and here in Cape Breton, we waiting a long time for it,
so I've been busy out of doors.
It's raspberry and blueberry season,
we're rebuilding my front deck,
and the grass keeps growing 
despite the lack of rain and the oppressive heat.




I leave you with one last picture that I took 
while birding in a cemetery 
in Portland, Maine this past spring.

Cemeteries are great birding spots during migration, 
often being the only dark spots among the city lights
where hundreds, sometimes thousands, of tired birds
can finally drop down
and find respite
from their long journey.

Thanks for popping in!
Have a wonderful, funderful day!
~Karen



39 comments:

Linda said...

Oh my scrappy heart! Look at you go! Love all your scrappy quilts. No, we can't make all the quilts but we sure can take a good crack at it.
I am enjoying the hummingbirds at my feeder this morning, Finally, I have hummingbirds in my yard!

Adrienne said...

Fabulous projects Karen! Love that you turned your friends scraps into a functional and beautiful quilt! And all those other scrappy offshoots! Perfect!

hetty said...

Oh Karen. I hear ya! One scrap quilt leads to another. And the scraps keep multiplying! Congrats on your finish! It's gorgeous. And your other projects are fantastic too! Happy blueberry picking.

Karen said...

Oh so many pretty projects. Two peas in pod is a perfect quilt to snuggle under,

Carol R. said...

I'm with you on the 'so many patterns that I want to make'... even if I limit myself to the free ones, there are still more than I'll ever do. But it's so hard to say "No" to that cute pattern and that 'Oh! I've got the perfect fabric for that - I just need to buy something to go with it' pattern. Now, I'm having arguments with myself " You don't need that pattern!" "Yes, I DO!!".. "NO, you don't" and the NO is winning most of the time.

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

thanks for the links and will check them out - like I really need more blogs to look at!-- I too have dozens and dozens of ideas pinned and now and then go look and do not need to buy patterns because I have so many and so many ideas - not enough time to make them for sure.
Have fun rebuilding your deck - we need to replace some boards and will need to work this winter on that when it is cooler but pick days when it isn't wet - we didn't get any snow last winter so I wonder if we will this year - never get it a lot so can do outside work

Bernie Kringel said...

Scraps beget scraps which beget more scraps. Look at you using every bit. I hear you though - when you talked about not being able to make every lovely thing you see. Sometimes as I poke around blogs (which like you, I love to do - looking at quilt galleries, tutorials and posts from way back) I have to tell myself to get off the computer and go actually sew!! Haha. Your projects here are just beautiful. Love the peas in a pod quilt motif and how you tied it into your sweet message on the label. Your nephew and his wife are going to love this gift.

Bernie Kringel said...

Hmmm... I commented earlier but I am not sure it worked? Anyway, I am with you Karen - there are way more projects out there to be inspired by then we can create in a lifetime. I love looking at the backlog of posts on my favorite blogs and their quilt galleries. It just sucks me in and then I realize I should actually be making something instead of reading about someone else's project!!! Love the quilt for your nephew and the reference to the peas in a pod motif on the label. You are so sweet!!

Sheila said...

Karen you have such a gift of making the best use of scraps , your quilt is perfect for the young couple and the resulting projects from those scraps are equally lovely . Enjoy this sunshine ♥️

Sondra said...

OHHH I love it, all of it! I adore the idea of using every last scrap! And when you finish that cut up your hand me downs and make quilts outta them too! It's such a wonderful thing to not fill the landfills with any more than necessary eh? AND what lovely creations--you are such an inspiration.

kiwikid said...

More links to more must be made quilts!!!!😯😯😯😯
Love your quilts, you are so creative with the scraps you generate! !
Love the photo of your bike parked right where it is!!!
There is always a lot to do in the summer months isn't there.
Thanks for the inspiration.

Binsa said...

Love all your scrap projects Karen.I find scrap Quilts hard to make I am too matchy matchy.

Cheryl said...

You do scrappy so well! The combo of colors is diverse and yet they all work together.

Maria said...

OH I hear you about downloading too many projects, especially when bloggy friends give you the links, LOL.....thanks...
WOW! Karen you sure did make great use of the scraps your friend gave you.. Love all you did with them. I'm sure your nephew and new bride will love their quilt and make good use of it.
Happy sewing !!!!!!!!!

Fiona said...

I totally agree that there are so many wonderful quilts and patterns out there... Like you I seem to have a far to big collection. I love the quilts you have made from your scraps, and more scraps and more scraps... just perfect... and they are all so beautiful...

Hugz

Allie-oops Designs said...

Oh. My. Goodness. I LOVE THAT SCRAPPY QUILT! I need to use up some scraps, and have been looking for inspiration. I've done a few like that, but with sashing between the rows. The arrows are awesome! I really love those! And the final one? Swoon. You've inspired me yet again, Karen!!!

Karen said...

Love, love, love your wedding quilt. Simple, scrappy, usable quilts have a beauty that warms our hearts.

Needled Mom said...

You have done such a great job with the scraps. The "functional" quilt is beautiful and I love the arrows. Why is it that we feel so guilty throwing those bits away when there are so many quilts to be made????

Ioleen said...

Your scrappy projects are beautiful and a great use of scraps. I’m going to check out the blogs you mentioned as I have three boxes of scraps which are soon to become four.

JanineMarie said...

I have been eyeing that quilt pattern for awhile, and it is in my mental “file.” I know what you mean about too many patterns. Too bad we aren’t cats. We’d have nine lives’ worth of quiltmaking time. Your quilt is lovely, and I do hope the couple will use it, but I can see how they might want to display it, too. The pea pod quilting shows so well in both the front and back. I’m blown away by your leftover triangles project. All that from leaders and endeds! Awesome!

Louise said...

What a perfect wedding quilt! I love your Peas in a Pod! It's so scrapalicious and the quilting is fantastic. And then it went on to generate more scraps, and more scraps, and even more scraps! I especially love that the final round will end up as a pillow for a nursing home resident. How wonderful a gift that will be for someone :)

Beth @ Cooking Up Quilts said...

Oh my...this is a perfect example of how scraps begat more scraps! LOL I really like the quilt you made for your nephew. It looks like the perfect quilt to cuddle with. My sister is a scrap quilter too. She makes the most amazing quilts from pieces others toss (myself included). The arrow quilt is so cool. I bet it was fun to make!

Lin said...

Peas in a Pod is gorgeous Karen - they will love it. And well done on making the scraps stretch so far - great work, I love scrappy. xx

Anthea said...

So much amazing scrappy goodness there! Incredible, the fabrics just kept on giving.
I love your wedding gift quilt... and like you, I want a quilt to be used, washed, loved, used, washed & love again.
x

Ann said...

Congratulations on all these lovely scrap quilts (and pillows.) It's great to use ALL the scraps and surprisingly difficult to finish them all. Thanks for the eye candy and the links.

Susan said...

A beautiful newsy post. Yes, that's the problem with my scraps, too! I really like how you handled it, though, and that wedding quilt is a beauty. I do hope they will use it, but I could equally see someone saying it was too pretty to use!

Karen S said...

It is a delight to see all that you have made. I am really impressed with how you have stuck to using your scraps and have hunted up quilts that are suitable.
Thank you for the inspiration and the links to the different blogs.
Your first quilt will be a gorgeous gift. Well done.

Anonymous said...

Hi Karen beautiful work my friend and wow what a beautiful wedding gift your quilt will make xx

Judy said...

I love reading your blog! It's inspiring and upbeat, and your love of fabric/quilting shines through. Thanks for sharing all of the lovely scrap quilts. It's good to sometimes set yourself a goal of using what you have, and utilizing the scraps (before they take over the house!)
Happy berry picking and I hope that it cools off soon,
Judy

FlourishingPalms said...

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this blog post. I'm reading it for the second time! How true it is that there are just too many wonderful quilt designs that must be made, and not enough time or motivation to get them all done! As of this afternoon, after doing some traveling and having houseguests for several days, I'm finally back in my sewing room... and so filled with indecision about what to work on first that I'm paralyzed! Of course there are "must dos" which prevent me from playing, which is what I long to do. In fact, there needs to be some unquilting before forward progress can be made. Ugh. Thanks for sharing your lovelies - all of them! I'm terribly impressed by the improvement in your FMQ skills. Those peas-in-a-pod are wonderful! You're very generous with your gifting. I'm sure everyone appreciates that about you. I know I do!

Tish Stemple said...

You are on a roll! Scraps are flying everywhere and I love it! I love that you chose peas in a pod for their quilt, such a cute idea :)

Bob Bushell said...

Your quilts are absolutely stunning, and the bike, funny.

Preeti said...

chucka lucka is going to be my word of the day!!! Your are so right - there are not only lots of quilts, there are lots of spectacular, breathtakingly beautiful ones. And Saija's blog is one of my top favorites. Her quilts and her pictures are magazine-worthy - every single time.
Peas in a Pod is such a cute design. I am sure the newly-weds will love and cherish their wedding gift.

Mama Spark said...

You are amazing! The "utility" quilt is the perfect thing for a quilt that will get used! I love that idea. May have to steal it from you. Those arrows are great but I am in LOVE with the one you used the left over triangles in! You are so right, there is not enough time to make everything we love is there?

Mary Marcotte said...

I love your version of this quilt. Two peas in a pod is a great quilt design for your quilt. You have lots of projects going on and they are all amazing. Oh, and I love your idea of gifting a utility quilt rather than something so pretty that it gets shelved for special occasions. Brilliant!

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

Beautiful projects, i love them all! Love the quilting and label too ;)

Createology said...

Such a lovely quilt and now Two Peas in a Pod will become an heirloom wedding gift to be used and enjoyed. What a wonderfully snuggly heartfelt gift. Your use of scraps is amazing and so smart. Enjoying your photos...<3

laughing gas quilts said...

Love your Two Peas in a Pod quilt! It's going to be perfect for the newlyweds, and really will be used. You're right- the quilt motif is perfect. And then there are the other two projects...It's amazing how far your scraps went, and how lovely the pillow and arrow quilt are. And to think they're "something from nothing"!

Sandra Walker said...

I did not know that about cemeteries as resting places for birds, but TOTALLY makes sense, poor things. Here I hate that our greenhouses (which I love and take lots of advantage of with their cheap fresh produce) often keep DAY lights on all freaking night and it's like LIT up...we think that may be part of why there are fe deer around us in this prime deer territory. LOVE how you quilted the Louise-esque quilt, and all the scrap babies it produced! HOW does this happen? But it does, over and over and over. :-)