Quilt of Frankenstein?
 

You know how it is~ it's the middle of the night and you can't sleep... and out of nowhere, this fantastic idea pops into your head!

It just occurred to me that since I'm very early in my quilting career, it might be kind of fun to make an extra block from each quilt, and save them until I have enough to make a quilt for myself. I've only pieced two so far, and I have plenty of scraps. It would end up a memory quilt for me to enjoy when I'm old and gray (hey, wait, I'm practically there now, I'd better get hustling!).

I know what you're thinking... not a bad idea. But wait... my first quilt was a rainbow i spy, the second a citron-and-gray modern quilt, and coming up next is a Norwegian flag quilt in red, white, and blue. Now do you see why I'm asking?? And I'm praying there will be some baby quilts in there before too long.

So, am I nuts? Will this end up the world's ugliest quilt? Will future quilt historians shudder in horror? Or whoever has to deal with my mess of scraps if I die before it's finished?

In the light of morning, this might seem like a truly bad idea, but I'd love to hear your thoughts. :D

I don't think it would be ugly. It would just show a lot of different ways to create with fabric. I too get some "bright ideas" late at night right before I drop off to sleep. Sure wish there was a way to record what my brain sees when I'm sleeping. haha

I cut 2 1/2" squares from every fabric that I put into a quilt. I will one day put together a quilt that will tell a story of all the quilts I have made. I'm planning on doing it just like a postage stamp quilt but with the 2 1/2" squares.

Just think of it as a quilting montage.....no reason why it shouldn't work. Sometimes we need to follow through on those bright ideas. Artists have been doing it for centuries:)

Why wouldnt it work? Wish i thought of it! Ive been trying to cut 1 2 1\2 strip from every fabric i use lately. hope to do something with them later on!
Why couldnt you put them together like those sampler quilts where your learning a new technique each square?!

I think it will be a great memory quilt for you. I make a string block from fabrics I used for each quilt I've made. I embroider the name of the quilt on the center strip. Eventually I'll make a memory quilt for myself so I can remember each quilt I've made.

just add black and it's all good...some how black makes everything look good

We shall call it "The Quilt of Many Colors!" Has anyone else heard of Dolly Parton's song or book Coat of Many Colors? My younger dd just referenced that book yesterday. One of her favorites.

I think it sounds like a good idea. It may look a bit busy, but I'm sure it will be beautiful. Good luck!

I wish I had done that through the years. I do have photos of most of my quilts, and a notebook with little fabric samples from the early years, but some of the photos are on 35mm slides, some are 120 format and the latest ones are digital. Your idea of keeping a block of each quilt is a good one and you will be so thankful in years to come.

i think it would be neat. go for it

I actually love that idea as a memory quilt for you...no matter how "ugly" it will be super special and I'm sure you'll figure out a way to get it all to work together.

I have a pp dbl wedding ring in process. It is scrappy and pieces of each item i sew are used. Someday when the quilt is completed it will have memories of all the quilts I have made. I just throw a scrap in the dwr box and add when I feel like working on it.

#1 - You're a quilter.
#2 - There will be plenty more blocks you will be making. I don't know of a single person who only made 1 quilt.
#3 - Who said you would make only 1 quilt from these blocks?
#4 - Sounds like fun to me.
#5 - If it gets to much, you can make smaller sized blocks.

I think it would be great! And good you thought of now in the begining. I like the idea of adding black or even white. You could put sashing in to break it up and\or use some negative space. You might have to with different size blocks anyway. What a great keepsake it will be. Wish I had thought of it years ago.

Choose your favorite colors and make each extra block in them as a memory of the quilts you have made.
peace

This is a nice idea. I like!

I like that idea and since I'm just getting started, still have chance to do it.....but I'll be 80 in June so better start hustling too! Just thought.....the baby quilt I just finished....nothing left of one fabric....but it's still a good idea!!

Hey! Like this idea too! Good way to get started on learning to do string blocks.

I have most of the patterns of the quilts that I have made. I don't have many extra squares of the quilts, but I think that a random type of quilt would be pretty.

All of your blocks will not end up the same size so if you make wonky blocks with all the sashing the same color, it will unify the quilt. You may end up with several quilts and then you could also group by color, whimsy etc. it's a great idea!

It sounds like a great idea to me! I might need to copy you!

I like the idea. I think you should do it, and, I must admit, now you have me thinking about doing the same thing.

I think it's a fantastic idea!! What a great way to remember all the quilts you have created! Thank you for sharing your 'Frankenstein Quilt' idea! lol

Thanks for the encouragement! But I have to say , I LOVE the string block idea! This way I don't have to recreate the block, just use the fabrics. And the black sashing would be fabulous. I know what I'm doing tomorrow!

I would go for it! You might like to do it as a QAYG and use black sashing to put the blocks together. It will look great.

It would be nice to have a record of all the quilts you made - random blocks can be tied together by a same color sashing. What ever reminds you of your quilts will turn out to be a treasure. I just made a foundation pieced stitch and flip quilt - picked out all the small chunks of fabric, and a bunch of ugly fabric, cut them in various widths and pieced the blocks. It turned out to be such a bright and colorful quilt. They say each quilt tells a story and you will have a very personal story with yours.

I think it would be a great idea. If you have a large theme on one of your quilts, instead of a block, make a small block of the theme or use the colors to make another block which will remind you of your work. Great thinking!!

That is a great idea! At my quilting group(in Bonita)we do a block of the month, chosen by one lady, during the "season". So I make one and then keep one for myself. That way I remember the block, the technique, and can use it later in the type of quilt you are talking about. So each year I have three blocks made for my future quilt. The other block is given to the group for a drawing within the group and the lucky winner will have several blocks to make into her quilt made by all of us.

I try to make 1 practice block before I start to be sure I'm making it correctly. You could use a practice block. It's a great idea! Get a skirt hanger and clip your blocks onto it. You'll have a collection before you know it!

Not nuts but clever! Not ugly but scrappy. Plan and do, so you can review! (High Scope teachers, sound familiar?)

I think this is one of the best ideas I have heard for saving your memories of your quilt journey. As was mentioned before using black or navy for sashing would tie miscellaneous blocks together. Since blocks would be varied in size it would provide an interesting opportunity for clever blocks or parts of blocks. You can let your imagination go wild!

I think it would be a great wall hanging and with each block, stitch the date into it. Either the date you start or the date you finish. Then when you complete it you will truly know your worth. As far as that goes, I myself believe all quilters are priceless as also are their quilts.

I think it would be a wonderful quilt. The years go so quickly and it's good to have memories of the good things we've accomplished to remind us we didn't always just screw up. This made me think...for those of us that didn't think of this in the beginning...how about printing pictures of the quilts on fabric and putting those together for a special memory quilt. I have been considering printing pictures of my drawings and using them to make a black and white quilt. Great idea you've got there...I say go for it...

I have done two quilts with blocks that were each very different, and some were different sizes. I made a "frame" with a coordinating color to bring each block up to about an inch or more larger than the largest block. (So the largest block gets a frame, too.) Some smaller blocks got two frames. Each block has it's own frame color. Then I put them all together with white sashing.

My granddaughter said it looked like a quilt show, and it did. So the name of the quilt is "Quilt Show".

Found a quilt on Pinterest the other day. Think it was "Birds on a Wire." It was really interesting. A lot of orphan (or memory) blocks could use used this way. http://quiltingcouture.blogspot.com/...ire-quilt.html

I think in my own humble opinion (LOL) it would be awesome & very colorful .. But then again that is my own humble opinion !LOL

Good Idea. I have recently had an idea to make a Dear Pat quilt. I started a Dear Jane quilt but just can't get in to making it. I have about 15 blocks finished. I decided to make a small block from all of my projects to make my own version of a Dear Jane. I kinda like the triangles around the edges of the Dear Jane so I might make them.

LOL, that's what I'm doing!! Even thru in a few from making GD's dresses, if it's 2.5 inches, it's mine!!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]410615[/ATTACH]

I did a 2 1/2 " squares scrap quilt. It was 2025 squares (45x 45). I gave it to my DIL. she had a great time with it for impromtu picnics, ball games or where ever they went. It just disappeared, we think it was stolen from her van right in their own driveway. UGH. Now I am starting over, it may be a while before I have another 2000 scrap squares.

Quilt of Frankenstein
 

They have the quilt but they don't have the love that you put into it for your DIL. I hope they feel at least a little guilty every time they look at it :(