One of my friendly blog-readers asked me if I would share pictures of my fabric stash. (Thanks, Becky P.!) I said I would and then looked at the condition of my closeted piles. Ugh! They were messy. So after about an hour's worth of tidying, I am glad to share these pictures.
These prints are in a cabinet, stored behind closed doors. Each shelf is 11" high, and 26" across the front.
Mind you, these are only prints. My solids stash is separate.
Does this seem like a lot of prints to you? Do you have a bigger print stash than me? Quilters want to know!
I'm finding it extremely difficult to work with these print pieces because 80% (85%?) of them are less than a fat quarter in size. Every single piece has been cut into. No pieces are "new" and uncut.
Still, my 2026 (and beyond) goal is to not buy fabric. Keep sewing with what I have. IF I should succumb to a fabric purchase, it will likely be a solid, or a print that's needed to complete a project.
I'm not sharing a picture of the three shelves of solids, directly above the print shelves in the first picture. They are still in their messy state.
Last Saturday I attended Sherri Lynn Woods' free Scrap Play workshop on Zoom. It gently tugged me from my sewing funk. It also got me to dump out two bins of solid scraps that I determined to work with. Some of the scraps had been previously sewn and cut away from something else, so I tried to use as many of those pieces as I could. I spent considerable time ironing!
Sherri had us piece improv nine-patch blocks, and gave us a couple prompts. The first was to make a nine patch using only dark values.
It was okay to make a block that was nine-patch-ish, and include a HST, if we happened to have one. Then we were to make a nine-patch using all light values with one dark (bottom).
After the workshop I continued to sew. In my orphan block bin I found some already-pieced HSTs, and from my scraps I sewed more HSTs too. Now, how do I make those nine-patch blocks work with the HSTs?
When I look at that hot mess on my design wall, I wonder how to jigsaw pieces together! I've pulled out Sherri Lynn's book Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters to see what I can come up with. My first inclination is to grab a black and white stripe print and start working it into the design. Or maybe I should piece black and white fabrics to make my own improv strips and checkerboards.
In the past few days I quilted my Sunny Lanes quilt with free-motion swirl hooks. It's my go-to FMQ design when I know I'm going to donate the quilt, and want to get it done on the quick.
Still, my happiest time each day is sitting down to work on my braided rag rug. Thus far, it's about 33" X 43" and will definitely get bigger.
I'm braiding with 14 fabric strands now.
The rug has a nubby texture with its combination of t-shirt knits; poly-cotton, and knit bed sheets; poly men's dress shirts; canvas fabric (leftover from bag-making); a damask tablecloth; and four-way stretch knit (leftover from making leggings). I love it!
That is an amazing rug! I like where you are going with your improv scraps!--TerryK@OnGoingProjects
ReplyDeleteYour improv scraps look exciting.
ReplyDeleteI love your braided rug. What width size are your strips you use for braiding when so many different fabrics are used? Also did you start your rug with the normal 3 strips of braiding? And how do know when to add more strips? Is there a limit to how many strips you can braid into this rug? Dar in Mo
ReplyDeleteI say keep going on that quilt you started with Sherri Lynn. It's looking good so far and those little crosses you've included occasionally add interest.
ReplyDeleteHow busy you are!! I love your colorful rug. I just print the photo of your quilting. I love it and I would like to quilt a next project. I'm also playing with my scraps for my current project. It's so fun! I have prints buy it's not so easy for me to play with. it's one of my goals, playing with more prints with big patterns. I've seen an Jessica Wheelahan's exhibition in France. It was so nice to see how big patterns give life in a quilt! Enjoy your next quilt with solids!
ReplyDeleteI am enjoying watching your rug come to life! It looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome rug!!! So beautiful with all the colors and textures. Was there a class you took for starting? Are you not wanting to use cotton scraps?
ReplyDeleteYour sunny days will be a welcome quilt, I love brightness and your quilting.
Love your colors of your stash! I have more prints than solids but I enjoy them both. The Hoffman 1895 batiks are my favorite for the randomness they hold 😻. Hugs! 🥰
Hi Pamela, and thanks! Yes, I certainly took a class, in November 2021, to learn "Braided Rag Rugs." It was taught virtually by Ilka White in Australia. She figured out how to do replicate old rugs she'd seen, and then began teaching others. She's an excellent instructor - one of the best I've ever learned from. I'm pretty sure she intends to schedule another virtual workshop soon. When I get the info from her, I'll post it here on my blog... you aren't the only person who's interested. In fact, I'm thinking to attend again, as a refresher, because so many different pattern options are also available. To answer your question about using cotton scraps. You can certainly do that. I just found that I am resistant to using $12 a yard quilting fabric to braid a rug, when a $6 XXL t-shirt from Goodwill goes a lot farther. Many of the t's I'm using in this rug are my own - worn out, faded, and with tiny holes or a stain. I feel much more frugal when using clothing and home dec cast offs. Interesting that you like batiks. I know many quilters who do. For a brief time I also used them, but they haven't been in my stash since 2012. I'm glad you're using yours, and both prints and solids. They all have a place in a quiltmaker's self-expression. Keep enjoying!
DeleteThat rug is a beauty, looks so intricate with the complex braiding.
ReplyDeleteYour braided rug is amazing, and growing nicely. You must be so pleased with this.
ReplyDeleteyour improv design wall is looking fabulous! Looking forward to seeing it evolve!
ReplyDeleteSo cool how you can make a braided rug from 14 strands at once, Linda. My mom braided rugs but she used wool coats and 3 strands. I love how light and bright your print stash is. Looks like you have a very good stock of black & white stripe, too.
ReplyDeleteInteresting- I was eyeing those black and white stripes in your print stash and then you brought them up in regards to the Improv project. That could be quite interesting I think. I signed up for the free workshop but have yet to watch the replay. Busy week. Your braid rug is looking really wonderful!
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