QSD Postage stamp Quilts and cutting charms of many sizes

I love your idea of cutting certain size pieces before you even put the
fabric away.....My quilt group has recently abandoned a Nickel quilt
exchange....5" squares in pairs....I have been in a 6" square
exchange...taht was very useful especially for applique....we also exchanged
6" x WOF.....10" squares for specific project....
When I first started quillting I used to cut 2 of everything ( 2 1/2"and 4
1/2") then exchange with a friend and acquired very quickly quite a stash of
sizes....but I really like your additional sizes, I hope I can keep up the
system!!!!!
How much fabric do you buy of any given fabric when you plan to cut these
sizes first?
Mauvice in Central WI
----- Original Message -----
From: "Johanna Gibson"
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles.quilting
Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2004 3:47 PM
Subject: QSD - Postage Stamp Quilts


On Sun, 16 May 2004 12:37:12 -0400, Pat in Virginia
wrote:

FYI: a postage stamp quilt is one that has many very small
squares, about the same size as, well, postage stamps! So, what are
your views on Postage Stamp Quilts?
(SNIP SNIP)
I cut charms out of all my new fabrics - 1.5" for my future postage
stamp quilt, 3" for my Y2K quilt (I have enough for one now, but why
stop collecting? I can make another), plus 4" if it is suitable for
I-spy (Barb's swap started this collection!) 5" and 6" just because I
have quite a few of that size already, then I have another 8 1/2"
I-spy charm collection (bigger prints mostly) and a 10" floral charm
collection (at this point I think I'll cut them all into 5" and make
some sort of 4-patch of them. I saw a Kaffe Fassett quilt that was
done in that manner, and it was lovely... saw it after I joined a 10"
floral swap about 5 years ago.
Now I swap bitty 1.5" pieces with Tineke in the Netherlands - she
posted asking for scraps about 2 months ago. Any time I am cutting
strips for blocks, etc and there is enough for 1.5" square, I set it
aside in a pile. I started doing this for my friend, Inge in Berlin,
as well. Inge is now inspired to do a postage stamp quilt as well.
So about once a month I post their scraps off to them... Tineke sent
me about 120 different wee pieces about 3 weeks ago. I cut them down
to 1.5" when I want to be doing something, but can't bring myself to
work on any of my current projects.
I guess my postage stamp quilt will eventually be scrappy, but what
I hope to do is alternate light and dark squares. I think mine will
be a true charm quilt as well. Who would have thought there were so
many fabrics out there? I just wish I had started cutting 1.5" charms
out of my fabrics a few years ago. My procedure now is to 1)
inventory the fabric 2) wash the fabric 3)dry the fabric 4) iron the
fabric 5) cut charms out of it. It sounds tedious, but that way the
charms are all cut out before it gets put away and it makes me do
it... though I wait around until there is a stack to do it.
So if anyone wants to trade scraps - just let me know! I'll start
saving them a pile now.


-- Jo in Scotland

On Tue, 18 May 2004 12:10:33 GMT, " mauvicem"
wrote:

I love your idea of cutting certain size pieces before you even put the
fabric away.....My quilt group has recently abandoned a Nickel quilt
exchange....5" squares in pairs....I have been in a 6" square
exchange...taht was very useful especially for applique....we also exchanged
6" x WOF.....10" squares for specific project....
When I first started quillting I used to cut 2 of everything ( 2 1/2"and 4
1/2") then exchange with a friend and acquired very quickly quite a stash of
sizes....but I really like your additional sizes, I hope I can keep up the
system!!!!!
How much fabric do you buy of any given fabric when you plan to cut these
sizes first?
Mauvice in Central WI
----- Original Message -----
From: "Johanna Gibson"
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles.quilting
Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2004 3:47 PM
Subject: QSD - Postage Stamp Quilts

Well I don't bother to cut charms out of solid fabrics. I decided
that they are too distracting from all the print charms I have, when
put together. That's just my decision.
I always buy a half a yard of whatever, when I can afford it. If
the print has a large print suitable for I-spy, I will cut a 8 1/2"
square out of it, and if it is floral I will cut a 10" square out of
it so in those cases I try to buy a whole yard at least so I'm not
taking too much away from my piece!
That's just the new fabric, and it is rather tedious.. that's why I
wait until I have a stack to do. Out of scraps or when I have a bit
left over when I'm cutting I like to cut 3 7/8" squares of light and
dark country colors. You can draw a diagonal line across the back of
a light piece, put it right-sides-together with a dark piece and
stitch 1/4" away on both sides of the line. I have loads of these
squares now - another good mindless project when you can't face UFOs
or whatever. Just sew some seams, snip and you have pairs of
half-triangle squares. Voila!
Sometimes, when I have a half yard of a very nice, all-round print
and I can cut many of the charms out, I'm left with just over a FQ
left - when it is floral or a large I-spy print for example. But
that's fine with me. It's lovely to be able to take a stack of charms
and layout an I-spy quilt in an afternoon, or be able to decide you
want purple and light 5" charms. I like the flexibility in my charm
cutting system.


-- Jo in Scotland

I made a habit early on of cutting out 2 6" charms from each piece of fabric
I acquire. If I've got more than a fat quarter, I will also cut a 1-1/2"
strip. They've come in so handy for various projects! Having two of each
charm means I have enough for two projects.I've been too busy to get in on a
charm exchange, but one day soon I will have everything organized enough to
go back to it. Since I can't find a charm club in the area, and I'm too
busy to organize one, I need to get in on one of the rctq charm exchanges a
couple of times a year to replenish my stock!

--
Carolyn in The Old Pueblo

If it ain't broke, you're not trying. --Red Green
If it ain't broke, it ain't mine. --Carolyn McCarty

If at first you don't succeed, switch to power tools. --Red Green
If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer. --Carolyn McCarty

"Johanna Gibson" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 18 May 2004 12:10:33 GMT, " mauvicem"
wrote:

I love your idea of cutting certain size pieces before you even put the
fabric away.....My quilt group has recently abandoned a Nickel quilt
exchange....5" squares in pairs....I have been in a 6" square
exchange...taht was very useful especially for applique....we also
exchanged
6" x WOF.....10" squares for specific project....
When I first started quillting I used to cut 2 of everything ( 2 1/2"and
4
1/2") then exchange with a friend and acquired very quickly quite a stash
of
sizes....but I really like your additional sizes, I hope I can keep up
the
system!!!!!
How much fabric do you buy of any given fabric when you plan to cut these
sizes first?
Mauvice in Central WI
----- Original Message -----
From: "Johanna Gibson"
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles.quilting
Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2004 3:47 PM
Subject: QSD - Postage Stamp Quilts

Well I don't bother to cut charms out of solid fabrics. I decided
that they are too distracting from all the print charms I have, when
put together. That's just my decision.
I always buy a half a yard of whatever, when I can afford it. If
the print has a large print suitable for I-spy, I will cut a 8 1/2"
square out of it, and if it is floral I will cut a 10" square out of
it so in those cases I try to buy a whole yard at least so I'm not
taking too much away from my piece!
That's just the new fabric, and it is rather tedious.. that's why I
wait until I have a stack to do. Out of scraps or when I have a bit
left over when I'm cutting I like to cut 3 7/8" squares of light and
dark country colors. You can draw a diagonal line across the back of
a light piece, put it right-sides-together with a dark piece and
stitch 1/4" away on both sides of the line. I have loads of these
squares now - another good mindless project when you can't face UFOs
or whatever. Just sew some seams, snip and you have pairs of
half-triangle squares. Voila!
Sometimes, when I have a half yard of a very nice, all-round print
and I can cut many of the charms out, I'm left with just over a FQ
left - when it is floral or a large I-spy print for example. But
that's fine with me. It's lovely to be able to take a stack of charms
and layout an I-spy quilt in an afternoon, or be able to decide you
want purple and light 5" charms. I like the flexibility in my charm
cutting system.


-- Jo in Scotland

On Wed, 19 May 2004 16:56:31 -0700, "Carolyn McCarty"
wrote:

I made a habit early on of cutting out 2 6" charms from each piece of fabric
I acquire. If I've got more than a fat quarter, I will also cut a 1-1/2"
strip. They've come in so handy for various projects! Having two of each
charm means I have enough for two projects.I've been too busy to get in on a
charm exchange, but one day soon I will have everything organized enough to
go back to it. Since I can't find a charm club in the area, and I'm too
busy to organize one, I need to get in on one of the rctq charm exchanges a
couple of times a year to replenish my stock!

There was a 1 1/2" charm exchange a wee while ago - don't see why we
couldn't host another. Why don't you count how many of those 1 1/2"
strips you have, and if you want, we can put a call out for a charm
exchange before I go to Russia. Interested? I have plenty of extra 1
1/2" charms cut out, if you're interested.



-- Jo in Scotland