Monday, January 08, 2007

Crumby Quilt Top

This is my version of the Crumby Quilt top. You can compare it to Bonnie's here. I am thinking of just bordering it in 4" of black fabric when I get back to my stash, I think that will make the center punch that much more.

I didn't worry at all about where the posts ended up in relation to the 4-patch block. When things got too big somewhere, I just chopped off the extra. I love how working with all the bulk and not being too fussy led to some bendy bits in the blocks, which wouldn't happen if we had really stressed over the piecing and ironed after every seam and basically been finicky. Utility quilts aren't meant to be finicky.

I am laughing at myself as I write this, because compared to Bonnie I AM finicky. I liked having the scraps and strips ironed before using them and rather than sewing on a scrap that is all uneven, I'd take it over to the cutting board and make a clean edge with my rotary cutter. I wouldn't make it a 90 degree angle or anything, but straight. Not Bonnie, she just makes it work - one reason she's so productive and her blocks are so much fun. I wouldn't have thought that I'd ever turn out to be the anally retentive sewer in any group situation.

I was trying to explain in my post the other day about how we started out with an advantage of having pre-sewn strings to use. Well these are what I was talking about in the picture below. They range in width to a maximum of 1.5". You can see how they were used in the bottom right of the block above and in the middle of the top two blocks. That 4-patch block above is 6" finished. 6"-ish anyway.

By the way, this is the rest of the picture from my most recent post. Pokey was stretching backwards to say hello to Howler. Howler was named completely and totally because of all the noise he made on the way home from the vets, which was our initial introduction. A friend who takes care of feral cats had caught two cats and the black one just moaned and squalled at the office, in the car and in my apartment. My initial plan was just to keep just the friendly sweet orange kitty (Habibi) but the vet thought the two cats were brothers and brother Howler needed a weeks' worth of antibiotics. Well surely we could keep him for a week to give him his meds... Famous last words.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

SWOON!

Joyce said...

I love your quilt top. Brave Bonnie for not straightening or ironing. No wonder she gets so much done. I think a black border will look fabulous.

Deni said...

The quilt looks great! Good for you.

Your cats crack me up!

Denise
P.S. Are you feeling better?????

Laurie Ann said...

Love the pic of Pokey. She is a beautiful cat, BTW. I love the picture Bonnie posted of her.

quiltpixie said...

"look at me -- no hands"

The crumb top is wonderful, and yes, I never would have picked you for the anal retentive one in a group :-) Like Bonnie I just sew, chopping off too much large curve after the fact... once in a while it means I have to resew a seam after I press it as it wasn't so straight, but it usually works :-)

Fiona said...

I adore that top. In fact I am drooling over my keypad as I type. Who wants planned perfection when rampant maverickism (is that a word?) comes out with results like this? But you did make me smile about having to straighten your edges.

Holly said...

That picture of Pokey is so funny/cute. I set it as my PC background. Love, love, love your quilt.

Candy Schultz said...

They are so wonderful and funny.

Unknown said...

Love the cat photo - you were so clever to catch it with the camera - I think you're absolutely right about the black border - there look to be lots of little bits of black scattered through you blocks that it will pull into focus - the quilt will be such fun

Lois R. said...

I LOVE Pokey!!! And you're quilt is something special too! I'm drooling on my keyboard here too. I WISH I had access to those kinds of scraps.

I don't know just how annoying Howler's talking is in real life, but I'm fond of cats that tell you what's on their minds.

I'm with you on the ironing and straightening.

Tracey @ozcountryquiltingmum said...

I can only gush further, those colours, all that making use of scraps-I just want to run to the sewing room and start! Black is definitely the way to bind, it'll be great. LOL Tracey

Mary Johnson said...

I can't believe how much I like this quilt top! It's funny but as much as I love string quilts I haven't been a fan of the crumb quilts I've seen. Obviously I just haven't seen the right quilts before. I think it's the letters and blocks that are mixed in with the crumbs that make me like it so much more.

Unknown said...

A black border is an interesting choice. It will absolutely make everything pop. The pictures of your quilt and your friend's quilt have taught me A LOT. I'm all revved up to do another Mile a Minute and I plan to steal a good many of your ideas. Fair warning!!

Lily Mulholland said...

First of all - I just love that photo of Pokey and Howler. Thanks for the story behind Howler's name!

LOL that you are the finicky one! I'd love to watch both you and Bonnie work - I think it would be a very interesting day!!

Think the black will provide a really strong frame for all that colour. Now, how on earth do you quilt this one? Baptist fans again?

Patti said...

The words "anally retentive sewer" just don't belong in a sentence describing you! I would never have believed it if I hadn't heard it "from the horse's mouth". The tops is fabulous. Yours looks just a bit brighter than Bonnie's. Is that the difference in the cameras and pictures or did you really grab all the brighter crumbs. Seeing this makes me want to dive right into my scrap boxes when I get home.

Carol E. said...

Everyone has already gushed over your fantastic quilt, so I will just say how much vicarious fun I am having hearing about the sew-a-thon and cat-adoration that you and Bonnie enjoyed together. I don't know which I like better: your quilts, your stories, or your cats. Keep 'em all coming!

sewprimitive karen said...

Even from the back, Howler looks a little revolted by Pokey's derring-do, but wow, do we humans love poses like that. My Jack talks to me constantly and sometimes I wish I knew what the heck he is saying all the time. Bet Howler would know.

Carol said...

Love the quilt, it's so bright and colourful. As for the kitty pics, I can't get enough pictures of kitties and this one is a beaut.

Quilts And Pieces said...

I still love that pic of Pokey! and WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I want that crumb top! I'm still trying to figure out how you two got such cool blocks out those scrap!

Anonymous said...

Ok I am "lurker' and love you blog,.... so i have your cat pic as my new desk top! Love cats and quits! Thanks Ruth

Beth said...

I think black would be wonderful! All those bright colors need something to shine against. I learned my color lesson once and chose white instead of black. BAD CHOICE! All those lovely brights just faded about 5 shades against the pale white. We had a cat once called Maybe. My son (about 6 at the time), named her (a fluffy white cat..I was expecting Fluffy or Snowball) Maybe because I had told him "maybe someday you can have a cat" Best name ever! Love your blog and thanks for all the pictures...

Cher said...

well, I can't add anything new to what's been commented thus far. I think the red/purple really set off those crumb blocks and the black will be a perfect choice for a border. What truly fun tops you and Bonnie created. I enjoyed the extra photo of the kitties..what a comic pair they are caught like that.
nothing beats stitching with a like minded friend-as your photos prove.
so? how are you going to quilt this beauty?