Pick & Choose (my way) Scrappy w/solids

You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose but
you shouldn't pick your friend's nose!
Don't know why I find that amusing, I just do.
http://www.myquiltblog.com/entry.php?w=ozarkcastle&e_id=96

One thing I like about my quilting-cyber-friends is that I can view their work and not have to make one myself. After all if I see a project I can enjoy the pattern, materials, or story about the piece. I am an adult and don't have to have one of everything other's have.

However, some of the quilt bloggers I like to read have a bad habit of showing the same piece over and over as they work on it. I try warn them to stop but it falls on deft ears. Why is scrappy so addicting?


Case in point: Erin decided to do a scrappy quilt she saw in a mag.
No big deal, I have the same mag and have already decided I don't like the project enough to give it a second thought.




Not Erin, she jumped right in and started showing off completed blocks. (I think hers looked better-) I was still able to enjoy her progress and not commit to making my own. To me that is the true test of self-control- Let her do the work, I will look at the pictures, everything will be good.

The other day I saw that Nancy-Rose has been posting her lovely blocks and showing signs of competition with Erin for who is getting theirs done first. (I don't know if $$ is being wagered but you never know with us OCD types!)

Seeing that both gals are getting close to the end, I thought "Good for them!" That is until Erin posted a couple of more blocks. That did it, I added the Pick & Choose to my "TO-DO" list. There, happy now?

I would have been fine just having it on the list if I could quit thinking about it. I didn't want to copy any-one's. I love scrappy and considered using a cream on the backgrounds to make mine a little different. I doodled out how to strip piece it. I know I told myself I already have way to many UFO's to start another one. I was figuring the numbers just in case I changed my mind.


Then yesterday while digging though some older hand-me-downs, I found the stash that put me over the edge. Two large zip-lock bags of pre-cut sqs. I am guessing the original quilter was going to make 9-patches with them.


I immediately realized I could use them for an interpreted version of the top Erin and Nancy were making.

It is amazing how fast construction goes when half the cutting is already done for you. THANK YOU to the friends who shared these pieces with me. Makes me realize how much fun others are going to have in the future when they get gifted my PIGs, etc...

I spent about an hour last night cutting solids for this top. The tri/sqs and the 4-patches are good blocks to know how to do. I made mine smaller b/c that is what I had to work with.

Earlier this year I purposed to bust stash and work solids into my scrappy. Two points for me, I am doing both!


Notice to all cyber quilters: Plz don't start anything new until I get a few things finished.- bet you won't listen!

part II: just for giggles I decided to add or edit in my progress so one can read it start to finish (if/when)

I am proud to say that my 'blocks' are coming along. I have down graded this project to a L&E (leaders and enders) I hope to work this in between other TO-DO's in the coming month. Each block is more exciting than the last!
I tend to get tired doing the 'same' thing over and over. Even though this block is just two 4-patches and two 1/2 tri/sqs it is keeping my interest for the time being.
Nancy posted her more traditional scrappy version, which got me thinking about setting strips and borders. Mine is so busy that at first I was happy with the idea of just setting the blocks in groups of four and then those 5 x 5 for the center of the top and figure out a border later.
Then I 'found' this beautiful scrap. Who doesn't just love paisley (other than me who doesn't love it?)

I always say if you don't like a fabric you just haven't cut it up small enough. I think this plays very nice in a 1 3/4" setting sq. with a matching size black strip.
I need to make a few more sets before I start setting them together. I tend to figure it all out and then set it aside. This one is totally cut out. I am leaning towards using the extra paisley in the outer border in a saw tooth pattern. (don't hold your breath- it will be awhile)

Two points for me, one for totally using stash, the other for working solids into each block. Two more points for having and using black paisley! While we are awarding points, you can't tell it yet but I snuck in some checks, plaids and polka dots while I was at it. - cw


Be good- cheryl