Letting an I Spy Quilt Take Shape
One of the biggest hindrances to making extraordinary quilts is the notion that you must have a plan before you begin.
The most creative quilts evolve through experimentation. My most recent “I Spy” quilt is a good example.
Can You Find It? by Diane Harris. Photo by Mellisa Karlin Mahoney. Used with permission.
My idea was simple: Use a novelty print at the center of a Churn Dash quilt block. I made a test block to begin.
I liked it, so I made a few more.
Pretty soon, the quilt’s design story began to emerge. It would be bright tone-on-tones plus black and white prints.
When the center was finished, I auditioned many fabrics for the borders. The bold black and white chevrons surprised me when they worked!
Can You Find It? by Diane Harris. Photo by Mellisa Karlin Mahoney. Used with permission.
Here are some takeaways to use in your own scrappy quilt projects:
- Start with a small idea. Make a test to see if it works.
- Think about value (lightness or darkness) more than color.
- Audition fabrics on a design wall by standing back (all the way across the room).
- If you’re using clear, pure colors, stick with clear, pure colors.
- Never stress over running out of fabric. Piece it, or substitute something similar. The chevron borders are pieced in this quilt—did you even notice?!
This quilt is now part of my “Make Extraordinary Scrap Quilts” lecture/trunk show. I’d love to share it with your quilt group. Reach out today!
I was pleased to learn recently that this little quilt landed on the cover of Quiltmaker’s May/June issue, on newsstands now and for the next month or so. If you see it, wave hello!
You can also get a digital pattern for this quilt. Thank you for visiting Stash Bandit!
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Tags: how-tos, I Spy quilts, Quiltmaker, scrap quilts
Bonnie in Va.
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Quiltmaker has been sitting around at my friend’s house while we were sewing. She shared this little quilt with me because she thought the Fox block was similar to the backing I used on my grandson’s quilt. It wasn’t but I am enthralled with this quilt. It may be a new project for me in the future! It’s good to see what you are doing these days.
Diane Harris
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Ooh, I hope you’ll tackle it! And when you do, please send me a picture. I just love sharing quilt ideas with kindred spirits!
Bonnie
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Love it! I have quite a few children’s prints that would be perfect for that quilt-I’m always looking for ways to use up the small scraps too!