The Summer Scrap Elimination 2023: Week 1
Good morning Summer Scrappers and welcome to our kick off of the Summer Scrap Elimination 2023! I have been bursting to share this summer's projects with you and we're starting the program with a personal favorite of mine.
This project is a strippers best friend! So if you have left over long strips or a partially used package of 2 1/2" strips this is a great project to help use them up. You can see I also had a lot of leftover background pieces from various projects and that made this scrap quilt even more fun! So let's look at the details of what we need to make one of these beautiful arrow blocks.
Cutting for 1 Block (unfinished size 10 1/2" x 14 1/2"):
Arrow Top Dark 2 ½” x 10 ½”
Med 2” x 10 ½”
Light 2” x 10 ½”
Background 5 ½” x 5 ½” (2)
Black 3 ½” x 3 ½” (2)
Arrow Shaft Background 4” x 9 ½” (2) (or make from scrap)
Color 2” x 9 ½”
Dark 1 ½” x 9 ½”
Medium/Light 1” x 9 ½”
Base Color of Choice 2 ½” x 2 ½” (2)
Secondary Block (I used 5 of these as fillers)
Background 4” x 14 ½” (2)
Color 2 ½” x 14 ½”
Dark 1 ½” x 14 ½”
It's June so I decided that I would go with a rainbow of colors and make 15 arrow blocks and 5 filler blocks for a total of 20 blocks and create a rectangular throw with this project. It might become my next couch cuddle. I also designed an alternative layout for this quilt using 16 color coordinated arrow blocks and I will share that at the end so you have options.
Step 1:
We're going to start with the very simple rail fence variation filler blocks. I laid each one out like you see here with the 4" x 14 1/2" background on the outside of the block. I chose a 2 1/2" x 14 1/2" strip of color to match one of the arrows in my layout and a 1 1/2" x 14 1/2" strip to partner.
Step 2:
Start by stitching the two center rails together and press toward the skinny dark rail.
Finish the filler block by stitching the background strips on both sides of the center rails and press toward the center rails.
This filler block will now measure 10 1/2" x 14 1/2". For my design, I needed 5 different colored filler blocks. You may want to look at what color layout you would like to use before you determine which colors you should use to create your filler blocks.
Step 3:
To start the shaft of the arrow use
Background 4” x 9 ½” (2)
Color 2” x 9 ½”
Dark 1 ½” x 9 ½”
Medium/Light 1” x 9 ½”
Use the same rail fence technique from our filler block above and press the block as shown here, making sure to press toward the background strips this time.
Step 4:
Position the 2 coordinating 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares of color as shown in the #1 image and draw a line from corner to corner on each of the squares.
Stitch on the drawn lines.
Trim away the excess as shown in the #2 image.
Press toward the added color as shown in the #3 image.
Your arrow shaft is now complete and will measure 10 1/2" x 9 1/2"
Step 5:
Start your arrow top with by laying out the three 10 1/2" strips of color, shading from light to dark.
Stitch your strips together and press each seam toward the darker fabric.
This unit will now measure 5 1/2" x 10 1/2".
Step 6:
Position one of the 5 1/2" squares of background on the unit from above. Draw a line from corner to corner a shown. Stitch on the line. Trim as shown.
If you would like to create a little bonus project from the portions that you will trim away like you see here, go ahead and stitch the trimmed away sections as extra Half Square Triangles (HSTs) and set aside.
Step 7:
Press toward the background and repeat the process on the other side of the unit with a second 5 1/2" square to create a giant flying goose.
Add a 3 1/2" square of black to the upper left side of the unit and repeat the process.
Step 8:
Repeat the process on the right hand side of the unit with the last 3 1/2" square of black.
Press toward the black.
The unit will still measure 5 1/2" x 10 1/2".
Arrange your block sections as shown here and pin together.
Step 9:
Stitch the two units together and press toward the top of the arrow.
Your block will now measure 10 1/2" x 14 1/2".
I created 15 of these, making each of these in the planned color sets to give me a beautiful rainbow of arrows.
Step 10:
I created several possible layouts before I settled on this one based on the color sets I had available and the fact that I had so many beautiful purples that would give me this lovely staggered set of purple arrows.
This quilt top will measure 56 1/2" x 50 1/2".
I'm calling it Points of Pride.
If you wanted to create 16 blocks with a similar color set, this was my original design for this arrow block and allowed for a more uniform and Art Deco feel to the project.
If you add a 4" border to the project, it will measure 48" x 64" and is a great size for either a lap quilt or a child's first big kid bed.
If you save all of the trimmed away portions from the creation of your arrow tops from 16 blocks and square them to 4 1/2" x 4 1/2", you will have enough to make two coordinating pillow centers to go with your quilt top!
Since I only had 15 arrow tops, I cut 2 additional 4 1/2" squares to make these two pillow tops. I had fun playing with the color sets to get two fun groupings I liked. All of my pillow forms are 20" forms, so I added 2 1/2" borders to my pillow centers to make them large enough to fit the forms.
Still in the strip piecing mode? Well then you are in luck! I have some amazing guest designers this summer and you are going to love this week's project from Sally and Sally at Sally's Sewing Circle!
Summer Scrappers, meet one half of the Sally and Sally team! They share a love for sewing and quilting and have a combined 30 years of experience between the two of them. The Sallys love quilting and hanging out and quilting together.
They have put together a great scrap busting project for you using the string piecing (lots of strips of no specific width) concept. To keep going with your scraps this week, please visit the Sally's Sewing Circle Blog Post where the Sally's have created a quilt called Underwater Blues, which is a fabulous opportunity to explore the movement of light moving through water. Want another bonus? They have created a concept that ranges from 56" x 56" for a great baby quilt, all the way up to a 101" x 101" bed sized project, offering three possible layouts
Next week we'll be back with a new Scrap Project from me that works as a great table topper with a few blocks or a bigger quilt with even more scraps! We'll also have another guest designer project from Becky Jorgensen at Patchwork Posse.
Finally, how about a little extra fun with the Summer Scrap Elimination this year? You got it!
1. Keep track of the Scrap Projects you create with both my blogs and those of the guest designers.
2. Post any project you complete (it doesn't have to be quilted, but it does have to be a completed top.
3. Tag me @SwanAmity on Instagram or Swan Amity Studios on Facebook. Be sure to also tag the guest designer if your project is from one of their blogs.
When I see your tagged post I will comment and add your name to the drawing for a prize pack of new batik fabrics, a brand new rotary cutter from Quilters Select, and a mystery package of patterns to play with! This prize pack will include beautiful fat quarters from my last two signature lines from Island Batik. We'll also be drawing two additional names and those winners will also receive fabric packs and fun products to keep you stitching happy all year long!
