Today on the Earth Day Blog Hop we have Amanda of Sassy Strawberry Print Co!
Hello!
I’m Amanda, the person behind all that goes on at SassyStrawberryPrintCo - I started my studies as a plant biologist, but took a turn into polymer chemistry once I saw the growth that had to be done to find sustainable alternatives to what we traditionally use now. Before that however, I was a person who just loved going thrift shopping - every visit always seems to spark my curiosity with something new to figure out, and I’d always leave with a new (to me) cassette for my boombox. One place I always love to look through is the blankets and linens aisle, where you’ll find anything from crocheted doilies to king sized comforters. Best part is that the latter will make an amazing base for a new quilt! Quilts have a tradition of using every last scrap of usable fabric - both on the inside and out - to make a functional piece of art. My favorite example of this is Caryl Bryer Fallert’s Rail Fence, who talks about how the batting was a worn quilt that was filled itself with what was likely someone’s long johns.
(Link: https://bryerpatch.com/images/quiltrecords/FirstQuilt/RailFence.htm )
Even if you aren’t fully comfortable with the idea of using something secondhand, I still highly encourage you to stop by and look - stores will occasionally donate excess unsold merchandise, and there’s usually a couple comforter/sheet sets that are still in their original packaging. Here’s a couple of things to keep in mind while looking:
Washability - Excessively large or fabrics that will become heavy when waterlogged (microplush/minky especially) can cause your washer’s motor to burn out, or not be properly cleaned when washed but can still be handwashed
Fitted/Rounded corners - Both will reduce the final size of your quilt if you plan to cut around them, and increase the time spent if you plan on unassembling and matching the previous fit
Topstitching - If you are using the original fabric as a backing, remember that your topstitching will either need to complement what is already there, or you can seam rip it out before starting.
Warmth - While not in issue in winter, quilts made with a comforter will be just as warm as one! If you are looking for a springtime cover, it would be more logical to use one of those scratchy pastel polyester blankets that seem to be hiding in the back of every linen closet.
Loft/Fiber content - a lot of comforters use higher loft polyester batting which can be tricky to sew without shifting! Additionally, it’s usually recommended to stick to flame retardant cotton batting for baby quilts.
Once we have our blanket picked out, let’s make something with it!
Despite our best efforts to tame the scrap pile, there’s always some leftover- I’ve found that mine collects mismatched jelly roll strips, leftover 1.5’ wide pieces, and odd lengths of 2.5” scrap tape. Here’s a quick pattern for using up all of those odds and ends!
The heart panel finishes at 32” square (32.5’ unfinished) - you can leave it at this size for a decorative wall quilt, add some additional 2.5” strips around the outside for a crib quilt, or even make 4 panels for a decently sized throw blanket!
Each panel is constructed of 16 off-center log cabin blocks.
This pattern is also adjustable - by swapping out the accent color of 4 blocks you can change the star in the center to a different color (yellow on the diagram) or switch out the solid color blocks for a 8.5” square if you do not want to piece these. The only caveat is that you need an accurate 1/4" seam throughout to ensure your pieces are the correct size.
We’ll refer to the two colors of each block as the “Curve” and “Accent” colors - the curve color is made with 2.5” wide pieces and will be the predominant color. Don’t be intimidated - while we’re calling this the curve color, this pattern uses all straight seams to give that illusion.
For each block, you’ll need to cut one of each of the following pieces:
Curve:
1.5 x 1.5”
2.5 x 2.5”
2.5 x 4.5”
2.5 x 5.5”
2.5 x 7.5”
Accent:
1.5 x 1.5”
1.5 x 2.5”
1.5 x 4.5”
1.5 x 5.5”
1.5 x 7.5”
1.5 x 8.5”
Before we get started sewing, there are a couple of things to remember to keep your orientation straight:
1 ) All seams are ironed away from the center of the block
2 ) Newest seam will always be on the bottom of the block (closest to you) when adding a new piece and
3 ) When adding a new piece, we’ll always add the new piece on top of the existing block, and seam on the right side every time
This will ensure we’ll always be working in a spiral fashion around the center and placing the correct pieces on.
Let's get started with our blocks - the first seam is sewing the 1.5” blocks together and we’ll press this seam towards the Accent color.
Place this block right side up on your table with the accent color closest to you, and place the 1.5 x 2.5” accent piece on top - sew a ¼” seam along the right side. Press this seam towards the larger 1.5 x 2.5” piece.
Place your growing block right side up on your table with the largest piece closest to you, and place the 2.5 x 2.5” curve piece on top and sew a ¼” seam along the right side again. Press this seam towards the 2.5 x 2.5 piece. If you’ll look closely, we’re following the orientation rules previously laid out - always sewing on the right, the newest piece on top, and the most recent seam will always be the one closest to you when attaching a new piece. We’ll keep following these, and add the rest of the pieces in the following order:
2.5 x 4.5 Curve color
1.5 x 4.5 Accent color
1.5 x 5.5 Accent color
2.5 x 5.5 Curve color
2.5 x 7.5 Curve color
1.5 x 7.5 Accent color
1.5 x 8.5 Accent color
After this last piece, your blocks should now measure 8.5” unfinished and will be ready for further assembly into the heart pattern near the beginning. Make sure to take the time to press your seams flat, and admire your handiwork!
Happy scrap-busting!
Amanda
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