Here is a close-up. There are fabrics in here that I consider ugly or boring (as did the folks who mailed some of them to me) as well as some fun, lively and and gorgeous prints. But which are which? hee hee hee.
I'm using 1.5" strips but since I'm getting 11 rows in a 10" finished block, I know that they don't all measure 1" finished. Yes, I like little pieces. And no, I'm not strip piecing any of this. Just joining lots of little pieces and loving it.
The quilt I'm making was inspired by an antique quilt posted on a blog years ago. Any guesses? One hint: the quilt was photographed in a quilt shop in The Netherlands. I'll tell you more another time.
Thanks to those who've sent me uglies etc. Some of these fabrics I completely love.
Here are some fabrics I already had. Do you recognize some of these, Kathie B?
These came from Synthia, Carol E and Grass Roots Quilting Sharon. Synthia, I found these florals ghastly as well. eesh. Sharon, I LOVE these, but I can see how they're hard to work with.
Janet R and Roz sent these. I love the little cowboys on orange! and the horrible little white flowers on purple.
These were gifted by Kathy in FL, Stitching Hands Kristin, Rene (with an accent above the last e) and NiftyQuilts LeeAnn. I find the "egyptian" fabric particularly egregious - it looks greek to me and those aren't heiroglyphs.
I've gotten all of the above in the quilt already. But uh oh, I got two more packages in the mail! (that's a surprised whee oh boy! uh oh, not a bad uh oh). Viv M sent these - some are beautiful and look much better in person than in the photo.
QuiltMom Anna wins the prize for the ugliest uglies. Seriously. Check out the middle of the top row. A bilious mix of yellow, orange and green next to Raggedy Andy. eeeeek. I gotta make a block with just these.
I know I should have written a post all about the remarkable time I had in Sisters and Seattle (which I completely did) but I have to get a post done about this so everyone can see what the uglies are up to. And I know, they're not all uglies. Some are just plain grim and sad. or incredibly outdated. And sometimes you just need to use up your stash.
When I first started quilting, I cut strips off of every new fabric that I bought. and then they sat around and I never used them. So 20-some years later, these guys are finally getting used:
I just wish I hadn't gotten rid of so many fabrics (and strips) I considered ugly. I have really fallen in love with oddball, hard to use fabrics. Have I convinced any of ya'all?
I'm still taking donations of 1.5 to 2.5 inch squares to strips. and No, they don't have to be long. Just sending me bits is good. I'm up for a challenge!
I got two baby kitties on my lap, so gotta run. And so I don't get in trouble, a Lily photo:
33 comments:
It's awesome as usual! Send me an address.. I have been cutting 1.5 inch strips from fabric as I cut my projects and I'll send u a handful! I am going to make a postage stamp quilt...someday.
What a crazy quilt, I just love it. I like the to make this kind of quilts and will keep this on my to-do list. Yeah! Than you for this good advise.
Like the way you are doing the strips. Good idea, rather than cutting and cutting like I did for the Fool quilts.
I'll get mine in the post as soon as I can.
oh, goodness, yes! i believe in using every last bit of fabric and "uglies" become beautiful when surrounded by other uglies in small amounts.
great project!
Beautiful work with the "uglies" I'll try to go through my stash this weekend and send you some. :)
What fun. I have always loved uglies. Sometimes ugly fabrics turn into great little scrap pieces. I have never found a fabric that couldn't be cut up and used somewhere in a quilt. Bonnie
Please, send me your address. I'm sure I'll find some that you'll find ugly enough.
Lucy~
Great post! I'm inspired to try using some of my outdated fabrics and see if they look good in small enough pieces! I recently BOUGHT two quarters of the ugliest fabric, so that is going to a church group who use ugly fabrics. Keep up the good work!
Amazing!
I am over run with uglies......some will be on their way to you soon.
Great inspiration Tonya!
Happy sewing
You really know how to find the beauty in anything. You're a genius at putting things together to great effect. Two baby kittens?!?!?!?
Haha! What is it Bonnie Hunter says? If your fabric is ugly, cut it smaller! I definitely think you've got that figured out -- cute post! :)
That was exactly why I sent them, for me, if it's hard to work with, it moves way down the "this is nice" line. I'm so much more selective now when I purchase as I have so many pieces that I look at and put back in the bin.
I think you finally discovered how small you have to cut them. :)
Mine are still here sitting on the desk, but this will force me to send them to you pronto.
Oooooo. I want to make one of those too! :-)
Thanks for sharing the "uglies"! I just love auspicious stuff like this. The more fabrics, the better. I believe that everything has some unique kind of inner beauty, even if you don't see it on the outside!
Have a super day!
Jennifer Schifano Eutsler
curlicuecreations.com
I have uglies dating back to the Seventies. So if you want some old uglies, send me your address, please.
Looks great! Do a quick search on 'scrap vomit' and you'll come up with a similar idea but squares...have fun
Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the sweet kitty is adorable for the photo shoot as always! Hope you are well! Em
Thank you for the honor of sending you the ugliest ugly-:0)
That middle piece would make a nice border believe it or not as it some spiky things that radiate out all over it. Its a large pattern that gives good movement but in a little piece not so much.
Glad to know that they arrived safely and that you will have fun playing with them. Thats why I sent them.
Regards,
Anna aka quiltmom
Your quilt is proving what I have always said...there really is no such thing as an "ugly" fabric. It all depends on who it's "neighbor" is in a scrap quilt. On their own, yes, some fabrics can be yucky. Put them in the right neighborhood and they blend in or give just the right oomph that is sometimes needed! Thanks for sticking up for all those poor fabrics who have been labeled "difficult" or "ugly"!
Deb from clutteredquilter.blogspot.com
Ugly makes pretty! :) Amazing! :)
It's amazing how fabrics that look awful on their own, or even next to certain neighbors, can look great when there are so many of them. You really see the forest instead of the trees! You've got me convinced (not that I needed much convincing given my pineapple log cabin and Ziguener scrap quilts).
Glad that you received those fabrics that I sent--and it proves my point--let's sew that stuff up! I just sewed a very ugly quilt last week. I was happy, though.
I've got some uglies I can send. Please email me your address and I will get them out to you.
Pretty sure the antique quilt you are referencing was on Lucy's blog. (Wish she posted more often these days...) I love it! Can't wait to see more.
You came to Seattle?? Why didn't you tell me!?! I would have loved to have tried to meet up with you.
It looks so good! SO! GOOD! I can't wait to see the raggedy doll in something... it is so gross. I need your address again too-- I have some uglies and some Ghastlies to send you!
Puts me in mind of Jackson Pollack.
Have you ever eaten Scrapple? It’s a Pennsylvania German dish, made with chopped bits of pork, cornmeal, and spices. Apart from the obvious inclusion of the word “scrap”, it would be a great name for this quilt which is made from leftover bits of fabric from many quilters.
Your quilt is fabulous, Tonya! I agree, that clown fabric is the scariest, ugliest thing ever!
This quilt is fabulous! I just love scrap quilts, and love the very different fabrics which go into them. As a 'use everything up' quilter, I can't believe the gorgeous fabrics people think of as ugly - but on the other hand, some of those really are hideous!
Send me your address - can forward you an envelop of fabric for your 'Clown' quilt. (I have a few ugly pieces - but think the majority of fabrics are pretty.) Beautiful work. Are you getting any of the same fabrics? Robert, in northern Iowa.
thank you very much for posting this quilt pattern idea!! I love it and I pre-cut my scraps from friends and my stash as per Bonnie Hunter's instructions. Because of this I have a whole drawer full of 1.5" strips and squares ready to go. When I was telling my friend about this quilt, I had an "eureka" moment! I am going to sew a black strip to each side (not top & bottom)of each block. That way when the blocks are sewn together...they will look like they are woven. I am going to start on this tomorrow at my quilting group's monthly get-together. I SO excited! thanks, thanks, thanks...lol
Deb
You convinced me! I have a bag of uglies and cuties gifted to me to make a Needfil quilt for our closet. I just couldn't come up with anything, but now I have something!
Thank you,
Deborah
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