How tiny is too tiny?
The question came up in the comments yesterday about how small does a piece have to be to be rejected, and do I save them. Yes, I save them in a little plastic bag. Another point I need to make here is that these are all batik fabrics. They are a pima cotton and the seams press very flat, unlike regular quilting cottons. Hoffman is my favorite brand and the finest weave. Here are some of the too small pieces, narrower than 3/4".
Here are a few I rescued back out of that bag while I was looking for ones that contrasted with the green cutting mat (so they would show up in the photo).
OK, you encouraged me to "never mind" cleaning and have fun. I did hold off sewing though until evening while watching TV and made all of these groups. For those of you who think I agonize over color choices and placement, I have to say I only have one thing in mind when I pick up the next piece, contrast. It is either a light to dark contrast, or a color to color contrast. I am using whatever is in the bag of scraps, not cutting anything special. This is total relaxation making these little bits into something bigger.
What do I do with the little bits? This is one of the projects I have made. I took an 8" square of Wonder Under and put it glue side up on my press cloth. I place little bits until they totally covered the surface and extended off the edge a little. I pressed the pieces lightly to the Wonder Under.
Then I peeled off the paper and placed the square on top of another piece of fabric which would become its border and pressed with steam. Now everything is firmly held in place with raw edges here and there that might raise up a little as you are stitching. I then layer it with batting and backing and stitch, stitch, stitch, like in the book "On the Surface".
I will use this piece as a pocket on a tote bag.
Here are a few I rescued back out of that bag while I was looking for ones that contrasted with the green cutting mat (so they would show up in the photo).
OK, you encouraged me to "never mind" cleaning and have fun. I did hold off sewing though until evening while watching TV and made all of these groups. For those of you who think I agonize over color choices and placement, I have to say I only have one thing in mind when I pick up the next piece, contrast. It is either a light to dark contrast, or a color to color contrast. I am using whatever is in the bag of scraps, not cutting anything special. This is total relaxation making these little bits into something bigger.
What do I do with the little bits? This is one of the projects I have made. I took an 8" square of Wonder Under and put it glue side up on my press cloth. I place little bits until they totally covered the surface and extended off the edge a little. I pressed the pieces lightly to the Wonder Under.
Then I peeled off the paper and placed the square on top of another piece of fabric which would become its border and pressed with steam. Now everything is firmly held in place with raw edges here and there that might raise up a little as you are stitching. I then layer it with batting and backing and stitch, stitch, stitch, like in the book "On the Surface".
I will use this piece as a pocket on a tote bag.
18 comments:
Your bits are wonderful. I also, make things with small scraps and ones that are "too small" make it to a Fabric Post Card overlapping a tiny bit then adding a lot of quiltng. But the "really too small" I layer with toile and then quilt. What fun!
I guess your real answerer to how small is too small... is nothing. I just love what you did with the little bits. What a fabulous idea with the wonder under and the fantastic stitching! Wonderful!!
Great idea. I may have to go into my garbage can and rescue a few scraps. Lol.
I love working with tiny bits too -- but would never have thought of the Wonder Under idea. Now I'm thinking one could make a small one and use it as a needle-book cover. Hmmm ...
What a grand addition to a tote bag... and what a good idea for a Priority Quilt! Lots of little bits in my quilt studio waiting for their "call out" - thanks, Wanda!
If I saved all the tiny bits like that, I'd never run out of fabric and never be able to buy any more. Not sure if that's a good thing! lol
Wow... that's all I can say. It's awesome that you can take the tiniest bits and turn them into art like that. Wow.
Wamda, A wonderful lesson, as always!!
thank You.jmh
Hi Wanda
Thanks for the info on what to do with little bits. An the sum is so much greater than the parts.
I have heard that Gwen Marston goes around the class and picks up bits of colorful fabric that students have dropped/discarded. She calls them "crumbs" and uses them in interesting ways in her "liberated" quilts.
Vicky F
Wowsers! That is an awesome tutorial, and I have just the thing to do that with. I have 2 baggies full of gorgeous hand-dyed fabric pieces that are too little to do much with, and this is the answer! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
And, by the way, it's beautiful, Wanda!
Such a good idea!
Tiny pieces, little bits, etc. etc. As always... there is some 'magic' in your creating. I think my magic wand got lost in my workroom somewhere. (*._,*)
J~MT
I'm glad to see that you chose fun over cleaning. I know that for me, I feel more comfortable in someone else's environment if it is not so tidy. I like the composite that will become the pocket.
Thank you so much for the great lesson! And the projects are wonderful!
hey this is a great post! I have a TON of those little scraps. I used to throw them away until about a year ago I realized maybe one day i'd get into some kind of 'art' that would make great use of them. Thanks for the inspiration. Love all your colors!!!
Oh, please don't encourage me to save little bits! I'm aleady saving far too much fabric! I save anything bigger than one and a half inches but put the rest into the recycling bag. However, that way of using tiny scraps is intriguing......
creative,
Hmmm..., the motive, u make a new pretty thing...
I took a class with Frieda Anderson
some months ago and she did the same kinda thing with little bits. She used them to make little tiny 'purses' (like something you might use in Houston with your badge, room key and a few bucks). They're really cute!
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