Scrap Quilt Secrets

Scrap Quilt Secrets by Diane D. Knott gives us six secrets on how to make coherent, cohesive scrap quilts that look beautiful while using up the scraps. The secrets are coded using the first letters of the word "SCRAPS". Some of them are available on her blog, but I will leave you to find out these secrets.

There are 16 projects, according to the cover, so I am not going to go through them all, but here are my favorites. The colors in this project makes me think of OSU Buckeyes, and I love how the simple pattern can make such an interesting quilt.

I almost wanted to start digging through my stash to make this one, but I remembered I have Glitter which only has one block made, and think I should wait until I have more patience/confidence to make something like this. A four block quilt like this would be do-able though! This doesn't look much like a scrap quilt, but the backgrounds are scraps, and the orange and red are constants in this quilt.

Another simple and pretty block.  Scrap quilts don't have to be bright and colorful!

The cover quilt is also beautiful, and more in line with what I would think a scrap quilt looks like.

Fabric Samplers

Since I have been taking weaving lessons, I have been looking at other fiber arts. I saw a beautiful canvases with fabric and scrapbooking paper collages. I am definitely going to have to try this idea.

When I went to the crafts store to buy scrap booking paper for my niece, I came across this book.that immediately caught my attention and would not let go. Fabric Samplers: Journals Bookcovers Mini Purses, Pincushions/Create Wonderful Collages with Wool, Felt, Fabric, Floss and Accents
is written by Carmen Daumer. It includes different projects such as journals, book covers, mini purses and pincushions. All of these projects include a wonderful mix of wool, felt, fabric, floss and accents. I haven't used wool yet in any projects - mostly because I am afraid to start a whole new stash, but I think I am pretty convinced that I need to start. They all have wonderful touches, and you can examine each piece for a long time to catch all the details.

And since they are patterns you can customize, you can personalize them to make a beautiful and creative Christmas gift. Each of the projects would make a unique gift that is sure to please.

This is the index page showing the projects in Fabric Samplers by Carmen Daumer.

Just look at the table of contents! In case you can't see the index very well, there are several different types of journal covers - Cup Cafe Journal Cover, Sew Journal Cover, I Love Ewe Journal Cover, Hearts Journal Cover, Pretty in Pink Journal cover, Girls Journal Cover, Boys Journal Cover, and Socks Journal cover. Other projects include mini purses, Seed Purse, Games People Play book cover, Framed Seed art, Harvest Pumpkin Purse, Pumpkin Harvest Journal, Gardens Blooms, Flower Pincushion, Sewing Purse, Boxes, Wall quilt, and Tomato Pincushion. I think the journals and journal covers and framed art can all be intermixed, so if you want framed art, and like the journal cover pattern, you can simply make it art.

The first part of the book includes beautiful photos of each of the projects, basic descriptions and tips. The rest of the book include detailed instructions on how to make each project. I found all of them to be quite adorable, and am very happy with my purchase. These projects are not quilts, but they certainly are perfect projects for a quilter to expand her skills. These projects would make great personalized Christmas gifts. Wool projects make me think of primitive style of quilts and folk art. The projects are very stylish and contemporary.