Take Three: Production & Quilting

Please stay with me today. It is a long post with 28 images.  I took some clear shot, but do please let me know if there is any part that's not clear.  When I first start with the patchwork making it is always overwhelming with amount of the scraps I store and where to start?? On { Take Two} I have mentioned on looking for small pieces.  Some quilters sort their scraps by colors, prints, designers, etc., but I keep my together. We have a very small space and I try to keep scrap box low if I can.

I picked some small pieces of the scraps and start looking. Hint: Go with your instinct!  If the first piece catch your eye then that would be your first start off piece.

In the center?

The scarps batting is about 10"x7". I freely cut with my scissors with out measuring. Later on, you will trim the edges off, so don't worry at this stage.  Where to lay the first piece?? Play around your first piece composition.  

 Off center? lower side of corner? 

 Upper side of the corner? 

There's no rule where you place your first piece or what you should put your first piece.  Sometimes, I might start around the center then my next piece would be off.

The first piece was around the lower corner. I began with simple straight stitches. I set my sewing feet to 1/4" seam. Between each quilting lin it is 1/4" apart. The method is called quilt as you go.

 You will be seeing quilting lines in the back of your batting.

After finished the first piece. Look another piece that's either similar in length or in width. If it is too long trim it off with your scissors. With the color choose: what I have done here is using contrast color which is cool and warm.  I don't use any ruler or rotary cutter until the very end of the assembling stage.

 Lay the second fabric right side to the first piece then match edge to edge

 Piece the second piece of the fabric to the first fabric piece

Flip the second piece of the fabric. I used a 1/8" seam for the top join seam. It will help to secure the seams together better.

 Find your third piece do the same method from the second piece. 

 Now, you have a small patchwork piece.

 After a small patchwork. I began look for a large piece of scrap. 

As you can see from the ruler the quilting pieces aren't level! It is off, but don't worry about it! Keep playing!

 My fifth piece cover the top of the patchwork, so it is longer and bigger! 

 The edges are off? You could use your fabric to adjust the off edge. Cover over the quilted part. 

 It is uneven and the composition is not squared! 

 Sometimes, I use large pieces to cover the edge of the batting. 

 Simply keep quilting then you can trim it off then save the other un-quilting piece { back to scrap bin}.

The fuchsia is became the key color for this small patch. I went look for some gray print. The one the Right took over the key color, so visually they are fighting. The left piece still have some gray print on it and it helps the other scrap pieces took out more! Color choose: light and dark 

 Again it is uneven patchwork, so I use the top piece to level the patchwork 

 So far the patchwork! 

Added a little strips on the bottom to give a balance. Any batting that's no being quilted will be trim off later.

My sewing machine doesn't have the thread cut! So I ended up need to trim off the threads as I go! Sometimes it is such a waste!

Finished  patchwork! 

I will make 8-10 of patchwork for one tote! I will come back with all the finish patchwork piece for Take Four. If you are sewing the patchworks, too. Please have fun!!  Hope all the images help out to explain the process.. I will be back and share {Take Four}. 

Take One: Fabric
Take Two: Scraps

EDIT: I would like to invited you to join my flickr and share your patchwork process. Thank you!

xxC