hey Patrice and Tim,
It actually sounds like something I would try but now I don't know. The "M" word did set me back abit. I have been watching the new show on tv, "Are you smarter than a 5th grader....the "number" questions get me everytime, Don't tell anyone cuz quilters are supposed to be good at this stuff....

if most quilters were good at math, nobody could make a living selling patterns.
:wink:

Janie- what are your favorite kinds of quilts to make and do you hand quilt or machine quilt. My husband bought me a hobby quilter from Nolting about three years ago and I do use it for plain block quilt designs that I make for gifts but for showing I hand quilt although it seems like my latest one is taking forever. can't seem to stay away from my sewing machine or crazy quilt. Don't think I'm going to make the April 30 deline for the currant quilt on the stretcher. May have to be next years entry at this rate.

I love your wall hanging. Great job and great ideas.

I've made 2 crazy quilts and I'm still working on the second one. It's going to be wonderful when it's finished. What I did was use a square of muslin with the same size square of batting then I sewed the pretty fabric directly on the muslin (batting on the bottom). I then sewed and flipped the pretty fabric like someone else spoke of doing. I liked the result then when the block was all together I went back and did my decorative stitching. My first project was a bag. I got hooked on crazy scrap quilting with that bag but it is labor intensive. I'll attach a picture of the bag and block and the back side of the block..the bag is finished, the quilt isn't, yet! :>)

Good luck, keep sewing.
Randy

I like that , now I want to make one of those. Would love to see your quilt when your finished. Did you use all machine stitches? It's hard to tell the difference. and I like your method

Randy's finished products have exactly the look I was talking about except that the cloth I saw was either silk, velvet, satin, or some kind of other fancy material. Colors were impressive too. It had a really glitsy look in addition to the embroidery.

Of course today's machines could easily do the embroidery--at least part of it.

GramMER

Hi, you have to determine how far apart the 'repeat' is on your fabric. The further apart the repeat the more yardage you need. I started a stack n whack in a class 2 years ago but never finished it, I hope to maybe this year. My first recommendation is to get one of the stack n whack books at your library and see what the directions are and what is recommended. I believe I bought 5 yards based on my 'repeat'. some of the gals in class got 7 yds, but that seems too much, maybe they just wanted to be 'safe', or use some for the backing, I don't know.

Patrice & Sis, and anyone who'se interested.
One way to get random is to take 3 sacks and sort your fabrices all the LIGHT into one sack (better label the sacks) the MEDIUMS another, and the DARKs into the third. On second thought don't label the sacks. You can put all the random sized scraps you have into the proper sack.
Now measure out your base squares (which ever kind you want, even newspaper...but be aware that the ink may rub off. ) Now, have you got your sewing machine ready to roar. Good. Starting at the lovwer left corner of the base square (if you're left handed it's okay to start at the right corner.) Pick a piece of fabric out of one of the sacks. Okay, label the sacks "1", "2" & "3" so you can keep track. Pin that piece at the corner right side up, now take a second piece out of a different sack, place it wrong side up,and sew it on to the 1st piece with a 1/4" seam, with the directions as given by another reply-er, turn the 2nd piece right side up and finger press it flat. Now take a 3rd piece out of a sack, and add it to base following the previous directions. Keep adding pieces until the base is covered.
You can take pieces from any of the sacks to add, no need to worry about whether the colors go together, or if they are light, medium or dark. Remember the quilts you've seen made with pink and orange, and even fushia (?). If the pieces don't quite fill the space, cover the "absent" spot with the next addition. Don't forget lace or ribbons, or something you have saved to use sometime.
When, at last piece is added trim the edges of the base and start the second base. Hope that helps the matching Addition. When you have all the blocks finished start the embelishing (?) Have fun! LOL, Cecelia

that would work for a normal person. in fact it's an excellent way for a normal person to approach a crazy quilt and many other styles of scrap quilts. i mean that sincerely and wish i could do it that way.

but i would have a nervous breakdown if i used a system that didn't remove as much choice from the process as possible. i guarantee you ... within 5 minutes i'd be fishing through the sacks looking for something that coordinated better. random really is nearly impossible for me to create. i like it when i see it. i just can't do it myself. if i create something that appears random, you can bet your bottom dollar it took me hours of painstaking effort to carefully place and coordinate each and every element so it ended up appearing to be random.
the real irony here is that my house usually looks like a bomb just went off. go figure. :shock:

(go ahead. let it out. it's ok to laugh. i'll be laughing right along with you. not all the nuts in Georgia grow on trees.)

i'm going for the stack 'em, slash 'em, sew 'em & switch 'em method. (and i'm going to get somebody else to make the stacks and the first cuts so there's no goin' back.) it's my only hope. LOL

For those who have specific color schemes in mind, purchasing is necessary, but if you sew much at all, there should always be enough scraps around to make a crazy quilt. Your friends and relatives probably have scraps and they usually are happy to share. I asked friends to save old silk ties for me, and intend to use them with other fancy cloth. I have seen some beautiful vests made from silk ties, but then I digress... :shock:

GramMER