when I need a *muslin type foundation block*, honestly I go to GoodWill or another local thrift store and pickup a flat sheet for $1.00 -- nice thread count, just toss in washer to clean, and cut it up. :)

I think sinc I have een such a slump in my quilting I will try this. I wouldn't have to worry about making a mistake and ripping it out. Lost my son and had to put my dog of 15 years to sleep.

I often save up used dryer sheets to make sew and flip crazy blocks. I can get a six inch block out of one. I have a tub where I save them. I decided when I get 144 I will sew them up into a quilt. I am up to 100. I also use the dryer sheets to make cloth books for babies, it is nice to include a "first book" along with a quilt.
Also when I use paper for this type of block, you do not have to remove it. If you are making a scrappy quilt, just leave it in and it will melt away in the first wash. The first quilt I ever made was a crazy scrap done with newspaper. The paper was not removed and washed out with the first laundry. That was forty plus years ago, and the washer was an old wringer. I believe between me and the kids and the wringer that quilt was just used up into a ball of threads long ago.

I can always use another stress free project in my life. Thanks

I would like to do this some day.

Fear of making a mistake keeps me from going further....but this looks like something I can live with. Nice work. Thanks

This might be a quilting project for this year because after 7 yr. of quilting I have stash of scraps. Looks like fun! Thanks for sharing.

The only thing that I find with "Crumb" quilting is that it is so addictive :twisted:

Top tip, I have found is that once you have "squared" off your blocks, I make mine 6.5" is to use a sashing to join them together, that stabilizes the edges as you can have so many seams on one edge. I have made at least 9 for Project Linus and my scrap stash is still huge :oops:

Yes, I cut squares of batting. I press and trim off extra bits before putting the quilt top together. I need to also make strips for any sashing or border I make. The backing is the same as any other quilt, but you don't need another batting. Yo are very welcome. I had really good help getting started with my quilting. You'll pass it on too.

Thank you, Quilting Addict, for mentioning the Quiltville. I had not come across that yet - but have now - that is great!
Marysewfun

very nice!

The polyester fabric that is used to attach bed ruffles is a perfect backing for these scrappy squares. I have tons of it from taking apart bed ruffles for the fabric. I have been wondering what to do with it, and now I know!!!

If you use dryer sheets for block foundation does it stay together or come apart after a few washings? Does anybody know? If you use batting for the foundation wouldn't you want it bigger for the sashing and then would'nt it be a QAYG block and put backing on?

I like this block! I made a scrappy block like that, and then trimmed them all to be the same size. It worked out great. I separated them with sashing in a beige tone on tone and the blocks really stand out. I love my quilt!
Janie

Sounds like me wildyard...I saved all mine too. In a tub just waiting to be used!
Thanks so much for the tute & your blocks are so very pretty. I love the idea of putting a sashing around each block. This is a definate "bookmark".
Thanks for sharing :)

Very nice, I have so many scraps and scraps of batting so I guess I should make a scrapy quilt next! Thanks for sharing.

:-) Ahhh, I didn't think to use batting scraps. Good idea!
judee

I can imagine that kids would love looking over these scrappy fabrics and discovering different motifs...like an I Spy quilt.

I had a friend that made colorwash quilts but she would love to sneak in a tiny object that blended but could be discovered if someone took the time to look closely. Fun!

We all have scraps, thanks for posting this!

Very nice to know this. Thank you for the tutorial.

Awhile ago, some one mentioned that Fabric sheets were flammable and not to use them for baby quilts???????
Anyone remember seeing this on a board?????

I'm not sure how this works with the batting, dies someone have a tut that qould show how to get started? :roll:

Oh my gosh...........this is just right up my alley so to speak. I have to start with this first and see what comes out of it. Thanks for sharing.

What a great idea. This is going to make me think outside of my comfort zone... I'm kind of anal about symmetry and straight lines. I'm definitely going to try this. Thanks! :)

I love these scrappy blocks. I made a quilt for my son like this and it was so much fun. I couldn't stop making the blocks. I would say "Just ome more and then I'll start dinner... Just one more and then I'll clean up...Just one more and then I'll go to bed!!" Well, you get the idea. It was so much fun because each block was different. I always used a fun picture fabric (like animals, or soccer balls...) for the center and then all different width strips around it. I want to start another one soon.

If you frequent thrift shops and garage sales, you can often find a bolt of inexpensive cotton to use for backing, too. Or sheets will also work nicely. This is a great way to use up scraps!

Haha!! Love your comment... I was thinking... this IS MY comfort zone! I'm intimidated by fussy cutting and precise angles, etc! You can't go wrong here! : )

It is absolutely perfect for a beginner as there is no problem with cutting, seam allowances or anything, all they have to do is to make friends with a quilter and say they are willing to take some scraps off her hands :mrgreen:

This sounds like a great idea. I have done one in the past...but have never put a backing on it yet.
What size blocks do you sart with?

Didn't know there were so many "scrappy" people out there!
I am one too !

Thank you QM for being a fellow Project Linus blanketeer. I too have fun stash busting quilts. However, I do not use dryer sheets as foundations any more after learning that all fabric sheets contain an oil base. I have industrial allergies and had a terrible time when I pressed the blocks made with fabric sheets--no wonder. They left a stain on my ironing board too. The residue also turned into a spot on lighter colored fabrics within the blocks that I used with dryer sheets. Presently, I use the cheapest, lightest weight junk fabric I can find and cut that up for my foundation. Then I use my better fabrics on top for strip or scrappy piecing. As for fire safety, well, that is another reason I do not use the used fabric sheets. Happy stitching everyone.

You are very welcome.

Please notice that Nolee's lovely avatar is another good use of scraps.

The purpose of the foundation is to hold the shape WHILE you put the block together. You could use old (ironed) newspaper pieces and have the work of tearing them off. I decided to use batting scraps both because I have them and because I am going to need batting anyway. The drier sheet won't fall apart, but if it did, the fabrics are sewn to each other and are as strong as any pieced quilt blocks.

What I used to use was squares of freezer paper. I got tired of pulling them off again. Also, 18.5" (the width of my freezer paper roll) turned out to be a bit on the wide side for the sort of effect i wanted.

BTW, I have made blocks that incorporated the sashing. I brought the scrap pieces to a sashing width from 2 edges of my foundation, then put the sashing directly on each block's foundation. For me, the making, folding the foundation back to trim, etc., was much harder than backing the sashings separately. Of course, if you are using you drier sheets or other fabric foundation, the whole question does not arise.

One time, I used puffy poly batting scraps for the block foundations, sashed normally and used a low loft batting under everything. The poly batting was very awkward ro work with as a foundation, but the results were very cute and cuddly.

I read somewhere that someone used sheets of the water soluable interfacing for scrappy blocks. To me, that seemed to be a way to throw your money away, since almost any fabric is cheaper per yard.

Note that I have heavy duty allergies and don't use drier sheet for anything.

The size of your blocks in unimportant. It should be something you are comfortable with. I have done 18.5", which is too big to make the kind of free form pattern I enjoy. I have made 6" subblocks, which I posted, I usually now use either 9" or 12" (finished size) blocks. If you want to go to the work of serious layouts, you could have different sizes and shapes in a single quilt. I have not done that one ...YET.

In our quilt guild we have a scrap bag exchange. You take agallon bagg and fill it up with your scraps. you can fill up to 3 bags per person. Each person then can take another's bag for everyone they bring in up to the three bags. We then make scrap quilts out of those fabrics.

that sounds like a great idea. sometimes we can be very tired of our own scraps.

My DH reminded me of a couple of points I should have made.
1. If your foundation is an old sheet or something like that, it is a good idea to stabilize it with startch or sizing before you begin.

2. If you are not comfortable working with bias, it's probably a good idea to stay stitch (machine baste) the edges of the block less than 1/4" from the edge to keep everything in place and stable until you sew the blocks together.

Another way of doing scrappy quilts for Project Linus, I am the North Wales Coordinator for them, is to get some plain Quilters Muslin, I can get it at a really good price locally, make it up and back it with Fleece, leaving out the batting, it makes a lovely, light but cosy quilt.

Question: What is the difference in this and a crazy quilt?

Yes, it would. I have done something similar before.

I guess I'll have to make another. DH has decided that he can't do without this quilt. I'll probably get it bordered tomorrow.

You may note that I have staggered the blocks, ro reduce the bulk of the corners, since I decided to do without sashing on this one.

Thank you for sharing. A wonderful and QUICK way to use scraps. I love PP and this will be fun without all the tearing afterwards...:) A super quilt for the kids to use when on a picnic

Crazy quilting has a lot of embellishments like so: [IMG]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...razy-quilt.jpg[/IMG]

BTW this is NOT one that I have done :( which I had.