Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Scrappy Squares Quilt

What started out as this:
(a huge jar of 2 inch scraps!)

Has become this:
A twin sized quilt!

Here's more of the process:


My 7 yr old twins were the designers of this quilt.  I figured that it would be easy for them to put together granny square blocks using my jar of two inch scraps -- and it was!  They filled up my little design board with blocks (& sometimes the floor, too!) over and over again, taking time to find the perfect fabric each time.  I didn't rearrange anything that they had put together.  I offered advice now and then, but I really wanted them to "own" this quilt, and be able to put together whichever fabrics they loved!

I really had to think about how to put these blocks together!  Ultimately I decided to use the same layout I used on my Farmer's Wife Quilt -- alternating the blocks set squarely and on point.  It takes quite awhile to sew and then trim all of these blocks when setting them this way, but then the quilt top comes together really easily.

Quilted  with Aurifil 50wt thread, in diagonal lines.

I think I like the back almost as much as the front -- a huge granny square, in some of my favorite Amy Butler fabrics.  The binding is also Amy Butler, blue/gray dots.




Do you see the red ribbon near the top?  We entered our quilt into the Minnesota State Fair this year, in the "Quilts with more than 40 fabrics" category -- and it won 2nd place!  Can you imagine our excitement?!  This quilt definitely makes the summer of 2013 one to remember.

Linking up to the Blogger's Quilt Festival,
Be sure to visit all of the amazing quilts in this year's Festival


35 comments:

  1. This is really lovely! I love the back, what a fun idea!

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  2. How wonderful to let your girls be part of the process! It's a great quilt and you all should be very proud!

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  3. Beautiful! I love your pieced back!

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  4. Lovely quilt, Michelle. I love how your daughters got to be a part of it.

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  5. Your twins are talented in their color choices and block assembly! All three of you made a beautiful quilt. I wish I could borrow them to help me with my two inch squares when my scrappy box gets full enough!

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  6. wow! they did such a good job putting together the blocks. Also love the alternating layout of them. Very pretty!

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  7. This is incredible!!! I really love the quilt, and congrats on the ribbon!

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  8. This is wonderful! I am planning on making a granny square in the new year. I hope mine will turn out as wonderful as yours did!
    - Katelyn @ Sing While Crafting

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  9. I love this quilt and the part your children played in it!

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  10. Wow...it's stunning and how awesome that you had helpers!!! Someone can come help me...I have my squares cut for a granny...I need help with placement. =) Seriously, Congrats on your win, you deserved it!

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  11. Great grannies!! I absolutely love that your kids were the author of this one...

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  12. What a fantastic way to get the kiddies involved. Congratulations on the win too! I'm just starting a FM quilt so I'm going to pop over on your link and take a look :)

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  13. This is beautiful and I LOVE that your girls helped all along! So cool.

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  14. can see your girls have got the eye and will be producing quilts of their own soon. Congrats on 2nd prize it is well deserved a beautiful quilt

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  15. So much fun to see your girls involved in quilting! It's a beautiful quilt Michelle, and a wonderful entry into the festival.

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  16. What a wonderful quilt and such great memories made! I know you family will enjoy it for generations!

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  17. So many great ideas! What a wonderful way to involve your grandchildren, and use a bunch of scraps to make a beautiful quilt. Alternating between straight set and on point added so much to the design of this quilt too.

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  18. Your quilt it wonderful! Love that you were able to do it with your kids and scraps and spending all that time together. Winning 2nd place is very great, too! Nicely done once again, Michelle!

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  19. I had to look twice to see what you had done here, as I thought it was a sampler quilt. I love the layout, the twins did a great job!

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  20. Love this! Great way to use scraps and get the kids involved, too!

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  21. Wow, congrats for winning 2nd prize! And congrats on your lovely and creative daughters! It looks like you had tons of fun planning and making the quilt. What's better than creating memories together? Creating a memorable quilt! Whoopie! Love your unique piece of art!

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  22. Really very beautiful ! This is one that has been

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  23. This is a really really wonderful quilt! And I love that your 7 year olds put the fabrics together. What a great way to make a family quilt - also congratulations on your well deserved win!!

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  24. Beautiful quilts and beautiful children. I hope the quilt lasts for years and continues to give you joy.

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  25. Really love this quilt, your girls did a great job with the blocks!

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  26. This is beautiful. I love that your daughters helped you design it! What a fun way to get them to love sewing and quilting.

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  27. I have a small bin of 2.5" squares that I've been looking for ideas for - this is a great one! What an achievement for you and your girls :) Visiting from Quilt Story.

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  28. Love your quilt and the story behind it! What a great way to involve kids. I wish I had done that when by boys were younger. I do make my 16 year old help with fabric selects every now and then. I love the setting too.

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  29. Such a fantastic project, from design to execution! I would never have come up with that setting pattern, alternating straight blocks with on-point! You have given me a lot of food for thought in this post! Well done, ladies!!!

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  30. Beautifully done, Michelle!

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  31. Congratulations on your win! How exciting for you all :-)
    The quilt is absolutely beautiful

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  32. Wow, Michelle, I loved your farmer's wife quilt but I may love this more! What I particularly love about it is how each granny square looksmsomdifferent and how much the fabric placement made them unique. I would have thought every block was a different kind. And I think ts so wonderful your kids helped. Congrats on the big win at the steal fair!!! Looking forward to seeing your penny patch quilt in holiday fabrics. You are such a talented quilt maker it's sure to be beautiful!

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