Two Scrappy Serendipity Quilts

I got lucky and scored an open time slot on the long arm this week! I quilted the original multi color Scrappy Serendipity on Saturday during my original reserved time. Just an all-over free motion meander, with light taupe thread. It came out great, and no hiccups with the new machine.  

When I went into the reservation system to book my next time slot 21 days out, I saw that there was an opening on Tuesday, so I nabbed it. Per the rules, jumping on an open time slot in the current week doesn't count toward or against your 21 day allowed reservation. Whoo-hoo! 

So with my bonus time I was able to quilt the blue and green version. This time I had a helper, which was great (thanks, Paula). I used a medium blue thread on this one and it worked well with both the pale background prints and all those blues and greens. 

Both have mostly the same backing, a wide back fabric in newsprint, but I had to add in a little of another grey print to bring the second backing up to size.  Both quilts are 60 x 80", good for teens or adults. They'll both go to the local family services agency, which typically experiences an uptick in need at the end of the school year. 

Always one to take a pattern and make it better, Paula suggested using black prints where the whites are, along with bright colors. I'll try that in EQ and see how it looks. I'm sure I'm not done with Scrappy Serendipity yet. 

Link ups: My Quilt Infatuation 5/29,  Alycia Quilts 5/30

Scrappy Serendipity

I might have been a little obsessed with the block I was making for the top shown in my previous post. 

The block is satisfying to make because each block's palette is designed individually, so it doesn't get boring. My scrappy version was fine, once I landed on the half-drop layout, but it would probably look even better if I used an analogous palette. I might have gotten carried away and I started another version. Cutting ensued. 

I had pretty much depleted my low volumes and nicer scraps, so pulling from stash was needed. I cut a 2-1/2" WOF strip of 40+ different blues, greens, teals and purples.  I also cut strips from an unknown number of pale low volumes, probably at least as many. I cut the strips into the small pieces needed and made up packets for 43 blocks. I was so involved I forgot to take photos. 

After cutting, these blocks are quick to make, and sewing them in pairs helps for chain piecing. Within a few days I had another whole top's worth of blocks on the design wall. After a bit of tweaking the layout, I ended up with this finished top. 

Like the first one, it's 60 by 80", a suitable size for an adult or teen throw. It's pretty gender neutral, so it could go to any of the charities we support. Backs for both are ready.  I'll get the first one quilted next week, and this one later when I have my next booking on the long arm. 

I'm calling this quilt Scrappy Serendipity, sort of a nod to all the Scrappy Celebration quilts my friends and I made last year. I'm sure this won't be the last time I make this pattern! 

Link ups: Alycia Quilts 5/23,  Small Quilts and Doll Quilts 5/26, 

Not So Bad, After All - I Like It!

 

It's pretty amazing what just a simple block layout change can do. This went from just a boring grid to something more interesting by just changing to a Half Drop layout. The half drop layout allows the horizontal "arms" of the blocks to interlock into the negative spaces between the adjacent blocks. 

Is it beautiful, wonderful? No, not at all. But it's certainly acceptable. 

Would I make it again? Absolutely! But there are a few things I would do differently, mostly having to do with Value and value placement. I would only use the very lightest low volume prints, avoiding the ones that read darker, like the piece below the red motif at the center. I would also make sure there's enough contrast between the four small patches and both the background and the arms. I might try a more controlled scrappy palette also, such as all cool colors. 

These blocks are fun to make because each one is designed as its own palette, so it's not boring to make multiples of the same block. Want to make your own version? Here's the block plan, but avoid busy, high-contrast background fabrics like in this EQ image: 

For a half drop layout like mine you need 45 blocks and 6 end fillers. The end filler blocks finish at 5" by 10" (5-1/2 by 10-1/2" unfinished). They're made of 2-1/2" by 5-1/2" low volume pieces, 5 per block.  The finished top measures 60" by 80", a good size for an adult or teen throw. 

I have backing ready and time booked on the club's long arm at the end of the month, so this will be finished and ready to donate in June. Since we know that one of the agencies we support has an uptick in need at the end of the school year, this will go to them. 

Link ups:  My Quilt Infatuation 5/8,  Alycia Quilts 5/9,  Small Quilts and Doll Quilts 5/12

Half Drop Layout to the Rescue

The scrappy blocks I wrote about last week are fun to make because each one is designed individually. From a selection of cut pieces, I can lay out two blocks, chain piece them, and have them finished in a half hour. It didn't take very long to make most of the blocks I need for a 6 x 8 block layout. Here they are on the design wall: 

How disappointing! Disjointed. Boring. And no matter how I move them around, they don't look any better. 

I was shooting for a 60 x 80" throw size for a donation quilt, so I still need two rows of blocks. Not a problem to make the blocks, but the resulting quilt will not be one that I'm proud of. So I played with layout options in EQ and landed on Half Drop Blocks. 

After changing the layout on the wall, I need 45 blocks, not 48, and 6 end fillers. Here they are laid out on the wall in the Half Drop configuration, still a 60 by 80" quilt: 

Much better. Still not the most beautiful quilt, but much improved from the first version. I have time booked on the long arm at the end of the month, so I'll get this quilted and send it on its way to the local family services agency PCQ supports. While not a beauty, it can still bring comfort to an abused teen. 

Link up: Small Quilts and Doll Quilts