Friday, November 25, 2016

A Flimsy of Spools

 Spools
81 x 87
783 - 3 inch spools
Right now it is just a top


This was a Rainbow Scrap Challenge project so I made a few spools each month from 1.5 inch scraps in the color of the month.  I've been making spools for several years. 

As I made spools I kept them in little baggies separated by color so I could try to make sure I wasn't heavy on one color and light on others. 
When it came time to assemble the top I threw all of the spools into a paper grocery sack and shook and shook and shook it to separated all of those spools out of their color stacks. 


Then I reached into the sack a few times and pulled out a few handfuls at a time to sew into 29 rows 27 spools long.   And then I cut all of those rows apart and sewed them together into panels of 4 rows.   And then the yucky part...I ironed the rows twirling the seams where the spools meet so the quilt would not have little bumps at each juncture. I'd like to say that was a waste of time but it really made a difference and the top doesn't have little seam bumps now. 

This is the type of quilt I like...one with LOTS of little pieces of fabric, one that fits on a bed, one that looks sort of vintage, one that I could just look at all day and smile. 
I spy three different cupcake fabrics, some chicks, a whale, oranges, apples, tomatoes...



And

ScrapHappy Saturday (where it all started - as an RSC project)

31 comments:

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

love it!! I too love lots of pieces and the vintage look - takes time to make them but so worth it in the end.

Angie said...

Yay for a finish! Love the look! I like your process for making sure you weren't color-heavy in one direction or another. I'll have to dig my blocks out and take stock.

Patty said...

It looks fantastic! What a great job! Congrats on your finish and thanks for linking up with One Monthly Goal Finish Party!

gayle said...

Oh, I love it!
And isn't it fun that little circles appear out of nowhere when the spools are joined together? Now I want to go make spools, too!
Yay for a terrific top!

Val's Quilting Studio said...

WOW!!! Yours is a fantastic finish!! ALl the spools came together wonderfully.

Quilting Babcia said...

I love this, and for all the same reasons you do!

Frog Quilter said...

Love your spools quilt. I too love scrappy quilts. Is there any other kind? Scraps make me tick. Lol.

Nann said...

Yes, yes, yes -- what a splendid quilt! I love how you use scraps. Congratulations on your OMG finish for November.

Ariane said...

Wow! This quilt top is amazing. I just love it. I need to make one of these. Maybe it will become one of my blocks for next years RSC.

Janie said...

Beautiful, scrappy, quilt top, so classic.
The extra work pressing really makes a difference.

Quiltdivajulie said...

Absolutely love this top -- and your process to achieve that glorious scrappiness. It is so easy to get caught up in the hurry hurry part instead of letting the scraps find their own voices.

Monica said...

It is fantastic, Cathy! You are right, any fabric lover will be completely mesmerized by this quilt. You will have fun quilting it! That's a big finish, congratulations!

Tu-Na Quilts said...

Oh, My! This is just beautiful! I'm curious, why did you cut the rows apart and sew into panels of 4 rows? Or are you meaning you cut the chain piecing apart? I've never gotten the hang of twirling seams. Can you give me a couple of hints of how to do it?

Linda said...

What a fabulous finish! The spool block has never been of interest to me but now I have seen the beautiful quilt you have created I think I need to try making some spools myself. Congratulations on a fantastic quilt.

Kaja said...

Great quilt - and so much to look at. I like the idea of separating things by colour as you worked and then mixing it all up again at the end - that's clever!

Deb from frugal little bungalow said...

love Love LOVE this!!! : )

Kathy S. said...

Oh, Cathy!!! This is just gorgeous. It was well worth the wait and the work. I love the way the lights/darks make a little oval from a distance. This would be a fun quilt to snuggle up with in the winter with a good movie and look at all the spools and remember the fabrics. Beautiful! Happy holidays.

Vicki in MN said...

Kudos to you for being able to use all those scraps and for sticking with it to make a great quilt!!

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

That quilt is just happy as can be! I also love those kind that are full of fun fabric, and you can look at all day long and never get tired of what you see. Beautiful!

The Joyful Quilter said...

Congrats! on attaining you OMG. All those wonderful colors in your quilt top... it's SCRAPalicious!!!

PaulaB quilts said...

You did an amazing job, and piecing the whole together so carefully also. Can't believe how much was involved. It's a treasure, enjoy it.

Cathy said...

Amazing top! I am continually surprised by your resourcefulness and persistence. The spools are just stunning!

Quilter Kathy said...

OH my goodness I am clapping for you...it is amazing!
I just love how it turned out! It's my favourite kind of quilt too!
And you didn't even whine about struggling with those long rows and the seam matching, and how heavy it is! But I know how hard that job was and I am congratulating your effort and commitment!
Great job!

Katie Z. said...

Way to go! It looks amazing, and spinning seams is always worth it.

Emily said...

Beautiful! I love seeing everything together!

Karen's Korner said...

Scrappies are my favourite quilt and yours is lovely.

claudia said...

First I said..."Oh you are crazy!", then I said, "WOW! What a great quilt top!!!" Love it. You did such a great job!!!

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

It is perfect!!! I love how creative you are!

Gretchen Weaver said...

What a lovely quilt and what a neat idea. I'm tempted to jump on the RSC wagon next year with a small block but, if I start, I'll do bow-ties. Can't wait to see how you quilt her, perhaps this will be Decembers OMG? Blessings, Gretchen villacrestfarm@gmail.com

AmyScrapSpot said...

Wow! This is so pretty!! You must have the patience of a saint!!

Linda Smith said...

Wow, just WOW.