I am obviously easily side-tracked because over the next few days, I kept returning to them and eventually ended up with this.
I sewed four of the squares together to make a (wait for it) 4-patch square.
Then I decided to sash them in either a variety of shot cottons, dotty or striped fabric.
There was no real master plan.
I was just having fun faffing. (I've linked that last word because according to comments left on my IG post, Americans do it but don't know what it's called).
I added a couple of borders; one skinny, one not so skinny, and called it done.
Completely love the backing fabric.
Completely forgot I had it until I started rootling.
Yesterday, my first Massdrop purchase arrived - a selection of Tulip needles.
I'd heard only good things about Tulip needles (they're a Japanese brand) and I was keen to try them out.
Nice packaging but for $35 this is what I got.
I'm not sure if that constitutes good value - which is what Massdrop is supposed to be all about. I used one of the generic sewing needles (purple label) to sew the binding down. Initial thoughts are the needle is super smooth, felt good quality but didn't feel as delicately sharp at picking up a tiny bit of fabric. Several times I found I'd gone through to the front. It's early days though and I haven't tried them all yet. Would be interested to hear if anyone else has used this brand before.
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| Linking up to Finish It Up Friday |
Lots to love about this post! I used the word 'faffing' today! Its a great one! I have the Tulip needles and pins and I love the applique ones! And I'm no appliquer, so I'm sold!
ReplyDeleteI love the backing (and the front) of your quilt- I have a fat quarter of that bird fabric waiting for the perfect project!
Super colourful - what a great use of leftovers! I am very impressed.
ReplyDeleteI've ordered the same needles and how interesting to see that yours arrived before mine. Nice quilt!
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful eye candy! Very impressed that you used leftovers, great work.
ReplyDeleteFaffing - I need to do some more of that in my sewing room and get back to the enjoyment of playing with fabric :-) I love this quilt - bright, colourful and fun. And the backing is divine :-)
ReplyDeleteWell, I think I just learned another new word! Never really heard the term "rootling" and just had to type it 3 times, so if auto correct doesn't like it, is it really a word?
ReplyDeleteLove, love your quilt. Off to my sewing room I go to play in my scraps. Have a new great niece to make a quilt for. Daddy is our nephew and god child.
ReplyDeleteHaven't used Tulip needles before but I like Massdrop. And faffing. And your quilt. :-)
ReplyDeleteA lovely scrappy finish! I like the way you have used the plains & spots! and I'm always on the lookout for ideas to use up those scraps!
ReplyDeleteGreat scrap quilt! Adding to my inspiration board for the day I feel like "faffing about" with that little bin full of leftover squares that's lurking around here somewhere...
ReplyDeleteHmmm faffing and roofling....improving my vocab on your blog. Just my kind of quilt...scrappy..no think, get to play with color and choose a great backing...love it...I also have that bird fabric...Nice happy post
ReplyDeleteMucking about can only lead to creativity in the end clearly! I called my blog Faffling for the same reason. According to the book The Word Museum, which is a dictionary of redundant words I refer to now and then, Faffle is "said of work which occupies much time, the results not being satisfactory or commensurate with the labour and time expended on it".
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely result for a bit of faffing! I love the blues you have user for the border and that backing is just gorgeous :)
ReplyDeletewhat, no low volume? ;-)
ReplyDeleteGreat Quilt! Love the baching fabic , so cute.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cheerful quilt! Love all the colorful fabrics. I recently joined MassDrop, too, but hadn't heard of Tulip
ReplyDeleteI love the way you went into your sewing room for a tape measure and came out having made a glorious quilt! I've not tried Tulip needles and at that price I won't ever be trying them! I use John James needles (various kinds) and think they're marvellous and they're far, far cheaper!
ReplyDeleteEvery little scrap DOES count. I LOVE your faffing quilt, and I cherish the fact that you thought to explain what faffing is. I am going to start using the term, so that at least Canadians get to learn it too. Hahahh
ReplyDeleteI love scrappy quilts, and find that the less of a master plan there is, the more interesting it becomes. The colours are lovely, the borders too and I like what you did with the quilting. Simple and sweet; the bonus is, that the quilting shows up perfectly on that gorgeous backing fabric too.
All in all.... good faffing!!
It's all in the packaging - apparently!! Don't know anything about tulip needles I do hope they are worth the $35.
xo
eva
You have that artistic eye. I love how your scrap quilt came together! If I ever manage a scrap quilt so appealing, I will be very proud. I've ordered from Massdrop several times (quilter's dream batting, some fat quarter bundles) and have been very pleased. I don't care enough about my hand sewing to spend this much money on needles.
ReplyDeleteMy dad would call faffing "fiddle fartin' around". I am also adding rooting to my vocabulary.
ReplyDeleteMy dad would call faffing "fiddle fartin' around". I am also adding rooting to my vocabulary.
ReplyDeleteMy dad would call faffing "fiddle fartin' around". I am also adding rooting to my vocabulary.
ReplyDeleteObviously you are genius at faffing. This is adorable! What fun to just do something fun and not too complex. Yet with such beautiful fabric, the result is still dramatic!
ReplyDeleteI love your bright quilt - even better when you have made something beautiful from scraps. I love the word 'faffing which really sounds like what it means. Also noticed your use of another lovely word 'rootling', much used by a Yorkshire friend of ours.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely bit of faffing you have there (my hubby is English so I'm well versed in faffing). I almost bought those needles too - I'll be reading all the comments you get about them :)
ReplyDeleteI also completely love the backing fabric.
ReplyDeleteYou will have thrown them with 'rootling' now!! I grew up faffing, but it wasn't until others questioned it on Instagram that I thought to refer to a dictionary. It is one of those expressions that one just somehow knows.
My needles are still sitting pretty in their box.
"Faffing"; great word. You are right, I do it all the time and never had a name for it. No longer a problem. And the resulting quilt looks great.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if you know Sean Hayes, but he and his husband make short videos for his Facebook page that are pretty funny. Shortly after reading this blog post I saw his most recent video on "faffing". Thought you'd enjoy...(if the link doesn't work, just check out his fb page. He has a bunch of funny videos)
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=889140491142269
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=889140491142269
ReplyDeleteTrying the link again
Oh that is nice quilt. i like it and please check it out Hotmail contact telephone number UK
ReplyDeleteLooks great, and thanks for the link on gagging... I had no idea, Lol, of course I am very good at it!!
ReplyDeleteSo happy that I found your lovely blog! I received a free box/vial of quilting needles, these, from Quiltmania as we can now get a subscription here I the U.S. So it was w gift. They broke so quickly. Now, I was quilting a quilt with flannel backing. I am a bit of a brut. I don't know, not impressed. Those are the only ones I've tried though. Went through them all in a day. Seriously!
ReplyDeleteI use to live on an island with no bridge, stores, msil, nothing! Cumberland island national seashore here in the u.s. Now I live in the smoky moutnisins of North Carolina. Island life is something wonderful that nobody understands until they do it