Friday, November 14, 2014

Channelling BKH

I enjoy the work of Bonnie K. Hunter.  I've made two of her mystery quilts -- "Orca Bay" and "Easy Street" (though both tops remain to be quilted -- they're huge) -- and am considering making this year's offering, though 1/2 size.

Lately, though, I've been watching her Quilt Cam episodes on YouTube while I work on my next 15 x 15 challenge quilt.  As I mentioned last week, the theme this go 'round is "Roads", and I decided my piece needed a pieced background foreground.  I had a pile of green scraps of assorted values and sizes, so decided to use them for this purpose.  I ended up with a fabric that's more than three times the size I needed, and only a partial dent in the scraps.

Assorted Assembled Greens

I also ended up with an urge to merge more scraps into blocks -- to finally tackle the sack of bits and bobs I'd saved over time to use as 'piggers' at the start and stop of my regular piecing. (I was told years ago that 'piggers' was what they were called; no idea why!)

Crumbs, that's what they are, really.  Crumbs.  I knew Bonnie had written something up about how to use these tiny fabric treasures; sure enough there's a page on her blog and a link on that page to even more crumby ideas from a gal named Barb Horte. (Forgive me; I couldn't help m'self there!)  

While I pondering how best to assemble my "Roads" design, I transferred the crumbs from the zip-lock bag to a handy basket and began to piece:

Basket of crumbs, sack of assorted triangles,
crumb blocks started and ready to trim 

True to Bonnie's piecing practice, I decided to go with 'whatever' cotton thread I could find in my stash, thus saving "the good stuff" (my Superior Threads collection) for Priority Piecing.  This is a wooden spool of 50-weight 100% cotton from Coats & Clark.  I filled a bobbin with it, and am using it top and bottom for as long as it lasts -- for crumbs only, you understand!


When the spool is empty, I'll save it to send to my friend Susan Lenz, who collects them for one of her magical installations, "Stitched Spools".  :-)

This morning, besides doing up some more crumb bits (I have assembled only 2 full blocks at 3 1/2" each thus far; the rest are coming along.)  I worked out more ideas for my "Roads" piece.  Still in a 'crumby' mood, I decided that instead of using a full slice of fusible web (Wonder Under) to attach a long narrow strip of foreground fabric, I'd dig into my WU scrap bag and use up some...you guessed it!  Fusible web 'crumbs'.

Wonder Under bits on one edge of a fabric strip.

I keep these bits sealed in a zip-lock bag to keep the web "fresh" -- or at least to have it last as long as possible in this dry prairie climate.  Most of the time, I can find just the size I need and make it work; this is especially handy for my miniatures.

The "reveal" of the "Roads" theme is at the end of this month, and I'm on target to finish on time. Next up?  Sandwiching and quilting.

Meanwhile, I'm linking up to Nina Marie's Off the Wall Friday, where today she's wondering what's on our 'Creative Christmas' lists.  

Hmmmm....for me?  I'm all for NM's Item #5: a great creative book (or two or three).  I'm looking for gift cards for Chapters/Indigo (a Canadian 'Barnes & Noble' or 'Borders') and/or amazon.ca -- because there are some very creative books on my wish lists there, to wit:
And there's more...non-fiction, poetry, memoir...things I wouldn't just buy for myself but also wouldn't want to just borrow from the library. (I borrow fiction; I prefer to own the other.)

How would you answer Nina Marie's question?  ;-)  


4 comments:

Linda A. Miller said...

Great colors in your background/foreground. Thanks for sharing the process. I, too, have a bag of bits for use!

Gwyned Trefethen said...

Thanks for sharing the crumby links. I have thing for serendipitous quilting. It is a great way to take a break from all the decision making that goes into most work.

Art by Rhoda Forbes said...

I too am bit by the Bonnie scrappy bug...all I think is scrappy these days and love the outcomes.

Judy Warner said...

Margaret,
I will have to dig up another scrap project for you from my stitching class buddies. Can't wait to see your challenge piece.