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Saturday, June 9, 2012

Thriftiness X 3

 Thriftiness #1: I completed the latest three of the Barrister's Sow-Along blocks in my plaids from thrift store shirts. Usually I only catch up the day before Randy posts new blocks, so it feels good to have a little breathing room this time.
You can click here to see all of the blocks made to this point.

 I made these two patterns again using Christmas fabric.

Thriftiness #2: And remember this little quilt from the last post made from Kathie's trimmings from a recent top she made of 9-patches on point? I know I said I was only going to add muslin, but I just needed one more inch of green to make it work. Once I started sewing the HST together to make the sawtooth strips, they weren't going to be long enough, so I had to sprinkle in red HST to make it work. But I was just shy that one inch of green to make enough green HSTs to alternate with the reds. So one of the green HSTs is actually pieced together with a bit of green from my stash. Can you see it?  (The green you see in the lower left corner is what I was auditioning for the binding.)
This measures about 15x20".  DD#2 refers to this as my
"Cheddar Challenge" and I think the name will stick!
Thriftiness #3: Then I couldn't resist scooping up the leftover bits--picking out any seams that were left in the scraps and seeing what I could make out of them. This little four square sampler was the result. I had to add the muslin, six 1" red squares and the green from my stash.  The green was busier than I would have liked, but it maintained the brighter feel of the green Kathie had used, and I wanted to try and sustain that look. When this was made there were just trimmed off slivers and points remaining from the scraps Kathie had sent. I used it all and it was fun! I think I will call this little thing "Making the Best of It".
This is 7" square and each of the four little blocks
 finishes at 2 1/2 inches! Those are 1/2" finished squares
in that 25 patch!
All of this "being thrifty" has consumed what little sewing time I have had lately. I've now fallen behind by two blocks on my "Ramblin' Rose Meets Jamestown" BOM. That will be my next piecing goal. I am also getting some table runners quilted (and one of these days I will be brave enough to tackle a full bed quilt), so hopefully there will be a couple of finishes to show in my next post--but don't hold your breath.
Until then,
Janet O.




29 comments:

  1. Your thriftiness is a amazing! Well done. Good luck with the finishes for your next post.....don't worry I won't hold my breath!But you never know you might a great a good run at them. :-)

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  2. good job on the blocks from Randy
    I am so far behind....

    ok just adorable what you came up with using the scraps we will have to do this again soon!
    or maybe your not up to the challenge? LOL
    Kathie

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  3. Wonderful Janet...absolutely wonderful...I am over the moon with those tiny blocks!

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  4. All your blocks are very nice and I am really impressed with what you made from the trimmings Kathie sent you! Both are great and the tiny one is amazing!

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  5. Your finishes are big but small. Woot woot for you!!!!

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  6. Lots of progress! I just love those tiny little blocks. Enjoy your day
    Kristie

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  7. Such cute little finishes - I think you are getting hooked on tiny pieces!

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  8. I think you are well on your way to becoming the Queen of Thriftiness. You have become very creative with those cast-off pieces.

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  9. Amazing what beauty you are able to create out of scraps and thrift store shirts.... *applauding*

    All hail the Queen!

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  10. *Clapping* Way to go girl!!! You far surpass anyone I know with your thriftiness! I always save any leftover triangles, etc., but so far I haven't made anything with them yet, so I don't think it counts :*) I really love the way you figured out ways to make that cheddar challenge work. It is just the coolest little quilt!!!

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  11. So fun to see what you did with every single piece of the cheddar, green, and red. I can't pick out the HST in the green from your stash, you did an excellent job of matching.

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  12. great projects - and from scraps! how fun...

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  13. Your 'Making the best of it' is amazing! So tiny, and so perfect! And I loved that you were able to use every last little bit of the fabrics! Yay! Awesome!

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  14. I like your thrifty projects. I got a package in the mail today from Kathie. I won her Blog giveaway, so I have another new project to make in CW fabrics. I like quilting table runners, they go pretty fast compared to a large quilt. My Daughters just might get the gifts I'd planned for them last Christmas this year... You are having lot of fun with the Sow-along, aren't you? I need to de-bone the thrift store shirts I got. I had to wear one today, it fit pretty nice. have a good week-end.

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  15. You're amazing Mom! Everything looks beautiful.

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  16. Janet, VERY nice work. Love the plaids! So glad you're caught up. I'm back from Hawaii and ready for some bonus blocks, though!! Hope you're having a nice weekend.

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  17. You couldn't be any more thrifty. The Barrister Blocks are always a joy to see, and the plaids give them a wonderful uniqueness. It's been way too long since I've made any.
    I smiled when I read how you pieced a little green HST. That's exactly how the ladies used to make do. They'd be proud of you.
    Lovely projects, every single one!

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  18. I think you're doing a good job keeping up with all those BOM's. Love your little scrap tops! Neat that you used every bit of what Kathie sent to you.

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  19. gorgeous plaids and blocks janet. and BTW, i think you graduated to bed size a long time ago...and the christmas blocks? very pretty

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  20. You are the thrift queen!!! Fabulous!!!! The Barrister block are perfect!! Always love seeing your combos! And the Christmas blocks - wow oh wow!!!

    Blessings!!

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  21. You should publish a "Look and Find" book for quilters, that would be fun. I had to really look to find the pieced green HST. I'll bet it feels good to be caught up with your Barrister Blocks. We can all learn from your thriftiness and goal setting.

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  22. Beyond thrifty to beautiful! The little leftovers blocks are too amazing. Wow!

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  23. Your blocks look great. I'm caught up, just haven't shown them!

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  24. Wow - you've accomplished a lot lately! I still really like the Cheddar Challenge quilt and if I had to guess whi tri was pieced I would have to guess bottom right but the fabrics match very well if that's the one...

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  25. Everytime you add plaid. blocks to your sew- along, they just make me smile.

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  26. Oh I love all the colors -- so bright and happy!! And your plaids...as usual...always make me smile. I started shopping yard sales for men's shirts! LOL! Ummm, I noticed that the time stamp on this post was 2:46 AM. Was it really??!!! Yikes!! :)

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  27. Hey there you...with the great mountain view! (I'm jealous of that don't ya know).

    Mzzzz. THRIFTY indeed!! That little strip of green was perfection!!

    I certainly wish I could be as productive as you! All great quilty goodness here!!

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