Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Trying to Get Creative With the Scrap Bin

Right back to the scrappy! I have to laugh because there has been almost zero progress on this particular border. I have been blaming it on the fact that we have had company every single weekend now for a month {lots of family coming into town to help my parents with their new home construction} and the weekends are generally when any scrap bin sewing gets done around here.
The new background squares
But you know when an excuse gets a little thin around the edges. I just didn't want to be sewing on this border. At all! And then I finally realized why. The background color for my squares was all wrong. I had decided to use a deep red fabric {which was dulling my quilt down terribly} and I was just too busy to see what was happening right in front of my eyes.
Sewing bits of scraps on the corners...
I finally pulled myself together enough to 'get' the problem and then it was easy. I found various backing strips and a few odd bits of fabric in the right colors and wallah! Biggest problem solved.
Ironing them open and trimming the edges...
I'm still not sure if there should be three rows of these scrappy improv. snowball blocks sewn together....
Auditioning a three snowball border for Scrappy Tulips....
 Or if it's better to leave it at two....
And a two snowball border....
But I'm positive that there won't be any of that dreary red in the background.
The difference between the red and the light pinks and yellows...
Amazing how much better this project feels now that I've figured out the {better} way forward. Not sure these blocks are going to make any real inroads on using up my monster amount of scraps, but it will be fun regardless. Linking up to Scraptastic Tuesday with Leanne and Nicky once again!

21 comments:

  1. I like it with two rows of snowballs.

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  2. I think you nailed it! I love your stack of light fabrics in the first photo.

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  3. tus dudas resueltas ?
    pienso que dos filas esta acertado
    , tres lo veo muy lleno
    dos esta muy bien
    ¿veremos?
    saludos

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  4. Beautiful and happy either way! I like the two rows of twisty little diamonds that the 3 snowball rows make -- it's a little less expected, than 2 snowball rows, but I guess you'll see what works best when you're putting it all together. Delightful! sarah@forrussia.org

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  5. What a unique border for that lovely tulip quilt. If you are taking votes I like the two rows of snowballs best. But I'm no expert on borders...my quilts rarely have them.

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  6. HA - we never make in roads in our scrap bins!!

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  7. I'd also go for the two rows. I love the light snowballs. Something I would never have thought of. It's so interesting to see other peoples work during these link ups.

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  8. Love this project of yours, such fun, happy colors!

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  9. We had friends staying this weekend - lots of food, laughter, good conversation, even some impromptu dancing, but amazingly, no sewing!

    These paler snowballs are such an improvement!

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  10. great snowball blocks. Always love to see your tulip top!!

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  11. I think you made the right choice, and I would say 2 rows...... :)

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  12. I'm chiming in for 2 rows, too. Interesting how much better the light snowballs are than the red ones. Clever you for figuring this out. Sometimes the quilt is done before I discover what is wrong.

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  13. Love you re- think Audrey. I think I like the three rows of snowballs myself.

    Its been a while since I played with my scraps ...I might have to go scrap diving this weekend.

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  14. Yay on the busy rebuild! Not so yay on the time away from sewing scraps....but it seems it gave you subconscious thinking time. It is true that when you don't "feel" the progress that is generally not something you will enjoy in the end. I am learning slowly that I may flit from one thing to other but I will come back to the project that I enjoy.
    I am with you on the dreary and heavy red it had to go.
    Here's to an end to house construction and a beginning to scrap deconstruction.

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  15. I love the two rows of lighter snowballs. But do you think that a single dark red one might work as a cornerstone where the borders meet?

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  16. You come up with the most amazing things. I don't know how you do it.

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  17. I vote for the two rows. I would never have thought of using the lighter fabric, but it surely works.

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  18. Yep - this lighter version is much better than the red - fun!

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  19. Love all your creativity. From this side of the computer 2 pale snowballs looks fantastic and the dark red blah ! Love your blog

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