Everyday Quilt Inspiration: Someone Else’s Scraps

scrap quilt

31 Days of Quilt Inspiration in Real Life

If you like to quilt, there are few things that are more everyday than a growing pile of scraps too big to throw away and too random to fit most patterns. In theory, making a scrap quilt is a great way to get another quilt made with little further outlay. But what if you don’t have enough scraps? Can’t work out how to work them into another quilt? Or worse? Are you Bored with your scraps?! What if your scraps are just not inspiring?!!

Finding Quilt Inspiration in the Everyday: Day 29

Create your own free-form quilts book

When I first started quilting, I didn’t have many fabrics or many scraps yet. But I’d bought a book with a technique I wanted to try. So when my friend (Romana – who got me hooked on quilting) said she needed to clear out some space, and did anyone want her (considerable) pile of very random scraps, I said “Yes!”.

That was when I discovered that it is much more fun to work with someone else’s scraps than your own! So if you are uninspired by your scrap pile, consider asking around. It may be that someone you know will happily send their scraps to a good home. Or swap scraps with you.

Improv quilt made of scraps

How was I inspired by Romana’s scraps?

The book I had bought was “Create your own free-form quilts” by Rayna Gillman of Studio 78 Notes blog. If you are looking for some improv quilting inspiration, you should definitely pop over and have a look at her blog. Coincidentally, she is releasing a new book really soon that is a follow up to “Create your own free-form quilts”, called “Create your own improv quilts” (this is not an affiliate link, and I don’t know Rayna, I just thought you might be interested).

improv scraps quilt block

Anyway, the quilt project from the book that inspired me was a nine patch set out in a wonky fashion. I loved it at once. So I set out to make something similar. I took a scrap I liked from Romana’s pile and built up an improv block around it. Rinse, repeat 8 times and…. blahhhh!

improv scraps quilt block

I loved every block individually, but together they just didn’t work. So, I made some more, with the intention of swapping some out. But eventually I got to 16 blocks and discovered that I loved them all as a set. So the quilt just ended up considerably larger than intended.

improv scraps quilt block

Then I showed my quilt to a mutual friend, Susan. And it turns out that a good portion of the scraps that I had gleaned from Romana had actually originated with Susan. Susan makes her all own trouser pants, and often makes them out of batiks.

improv scraps quilt block

So we were sitting there, with Susan pointing at fabrics on the quilt, going “That’s pants. That’s pants. That’s pants”. Until she got the giggles. Turns out that Susan had lived in the UK for a while, and there the phrase “That’s pants” means “That’s rubbish!” We laughed until we cried. And then I named the quilt “That’s Pants”. It was indeed made of other people’s rubbish. What else could I do?!

improv scraps quilt block

Not long after, “That’s Pants” was gifted to Romana for a birthday and now it hangs at Flinders University. One day I would love to make another “That’s Pants” quilt. I certainly have enough scraps to give it another go!

improv scraps quilt block

How about you? How do you find inspiration in your fabric scrap bin? Have you ever had the privilege of playing with someone else’s scraps? What did you make?

Do you have scraps you’d like to send me? hahahaha ….. of course not. You’ll be wanting to rush off and make your own scrap quilt now! But how interesting would it be to generate quilts from readers’ scraps and blog about all the stories that go along with them!? All those quilt stories from around the world, all come together in Australia to continue their journey….. mind blowing idea!

I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend. There are only two days left in my Write 31 Days challenge! Where did October go?!!

P.S. If you are looking for scrap quilt inspiration and improv is not your thing, you might find what you are looking for on my scrappy quilt boards on Pinterest:
Scrappy Quilts – Amazing Quilts made from Scraps
More Scrappy Quilts – Amazing Quilts made from Scraps
String Quilts, Crumb Quilts, Selvage Quilts

Or, of course, you can follow all of Clever Chameleon on Pinterest for a broader range of quilt ideas. 🙂

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts, Busy Hands Quilts.

October 28, 2017January 19, 2024

Everyday Quilt Inspiration: Quangdong Christmas

Quangdong Christmas color scheme from Clever Chameleon

31 Days of Finding Quilt Inspiration in Real Life

Do you know what the picture above is?!

It’s a ripe quangdong. An Australian native fruit. I took this photo in Arkaroola (a desert oasis in South Australia) in early October, two years ago. Isn’t the fruit glorious looking? And doesn’t it scream Christmas?!!!

cracked quangdong seed — The kernel inside

Quangdongs have a thin dry flesh surrounding a large dimpled seed.

The kernel inside the quangdong seed is known as a candle nut. The seed has a high enough oil content that you can light it and it will burn like a candle. Candles also make me think of Christmas. Especially after spending last Christmas in Europe.

quangdong seed burning — Quangdong seed candle

Quangdong flesh is awful to eat raw. However, if you dry quangdong, it magically becomes delicious. You can eat it just as it is, or turn it into jam or pie or whatever you desire. It tastes a little like rhubarb, but less sour. Mmmmm.

Quangdong Pie — Quangdong pie from a café in Quorn

Finding Quilt Inspiration in the Everyday: Day 28

I found my quangdong photos while still looking for the quilt photos I mentioned yesterday. It turns out that looking through old photos is a great way to find quilt inspiration. It happened to me yesterday as well!

Finding these shots is fortuitous. I needed an easy post today, because I have spent all my blogging time playing with ideas for a new Christmas tree decoration instead! I am going to be joining in the Ornament Exchange blog hop in November and I’ve been trying a few things out. So it seems apt that I tell you about my Christmasy quangdong inspiration today.

How was I inspired by the quangdong?

The reason why I took a whole set of photos of quangdongs two years ago was because I thought they would make amazing quilted postcard designs to use as Christmas cards. Especially for my overseas friends.

Appliqué the fruit and leaf shapes onto postcard sized quilts and then do a stack of fun thread painting over them. Or maybe draw them with Inktense and then thread paint. Sadly I haven’t got around to making the postcards yet, but time has not diminished the desire too. Every time I see these photos I think I must do this project one day.

Do you make quilted postcards? Where do you find your inspiration for them?

Or have you accidentally been inspired to make a quilt while looking through old photos? I would love to hear your stories. 🙂

P..S. If you are new to the 31 Days of Finding Quilt Inspiration series you can now binge read it…. access it through the first post, or follow me on Bloglovin’ to catch up on 4 weeks of everyday quilt inspiration.

P.P..S. You’ll be glad to know, I finally found the quilt photos I was after. I hope to tell you about them tomorrow. Take care until then!

October 27, 2017January 19, 2024

Everyday Quilt Inspiration: Children’s Drawings

Monster cake made from a child's drawings

31 Days of Finding Quilt Inspiration in Real Life

I was actually looking for a photo of a quilt I want to tell you about, when I found this picture of a cake I decorated for my boy’s 4th birthday. I had forgotten all about this! Suddenly I knew what the next instalment in my 31 Days of Everyday Quilt Inspiration series should be.

Finding Quilt Inspiration in the Everyday: Day 27

Today’s quilt inspiration source is probably the most simple of all. If you want to know what someone wants on their quilt, just ask! Especially if that someone is a child. You might be surprised by the answer you get!

When I asked my young son what he wanted on his birthday cake, he gave me a very detailed answer about the monster that he wanted. I didn’t understand a word of it. But it was obvious he had a very clear vision in his head.

So I asked him to draw it. And this is what I got:

A child's monster drawing

All I had to do then was adapt the drawing to fit on the cake, ask him what colour icing he wanted (purple!) and the rest was relatively easy. And he was stoked! Absolutely rapt in the perfect cake he had designed himself. Especially after he had helped stick on the lollies.

monster cake inspired by my son's drawings

It strikes me that I could have just as easily adapted this drawing into an appliqué and made a cushion. Or got him to draw me a few more monsters and made up a quilt. He still routinely draws lots of detailed fantasy creatures. I probably could still get him to participate in such a project.

Quilts from Children’s Drawings

Appliqué is one way you can transfer a child’s drawings to fabric. Some other ways I know that you can incorporate children’s artwork into quilts are:

iron fabric onto freezer paper for stiffness and get the child to draw on it with wax crayons. Iron the piece over paper towel to absorb out the wax and leave behind the colours.
My daughter’s crayon drawings on fabric (wax removed)
have the child paint you a picture on fabric with fabric paint or acrylic paints mixed with fabric medium.
use fabrics paints to print the child’s handprints or footprints onto fabric.
scan the child’s paper artwork and print it onto printable fabric
copy the child’s drawings onto fabric with free-motion stitching
have the child draw you a picture on fabric with Inktense pencils or crayons.
get your child to decorate some fabric with puff paints.

This is not an exhaustive list. I bet you could tell me more methods – let us know in the comments.

And do you know who else would love a quilt with a child’s artwork on? Their mum or their grandparents. This is not an exhaustive list either…..

So maybe next time you are looking for a quilt project, all you need to do is enlist the help of your nearest enthusiastic little helper(s). I guarantee it will be unique, if nothing else! 🙂

P.S. Hopefully I will find that quilt photo for you tomorrow!

P.P.S. Linking up this Friday with Busy Hands Quilts, FreeMotion by the River and Crazy Mom Quilts.

October 25, 2017January 19, 2024

Everyday Quilt Inspiration: Turtle Fabrics

31 Days of Finding Quilt Inspiration in Real Life

About a month ago I signed up for the Splash of Color quilt along from Busy Hands Quilts. The rules mostly consist of a few deadlines for the quilt stages, and that the colours of the quilt are to be predominately black and white with colour highlights. Apart from that, the direction the quilt takes is up to each quilter.

So, I decided to do a quilt with some fabrics my husband bought me in Vanuatu some time back. Two of them are black and white, the other is red. Here are my original fabrics and the post I wrote about my idea for a black, white and red turtle quilt.

black and white and red fabrics from Vanuatu — The fabrics for my Splash of Color quilt inspiration.

Vanuatu décor color scheme from Clever Chameleon — The colours in our Vanuatu bedroom.

Since that post, we have been back to Vanuatu to continue Paul’s humanitarian telecommunications research. While we were there I acquired more fabrics specifically for this project :). And some more inspiration. I decided to add a little greyed blue or teal to my splash of colour, thanks to the Vanuatu décor in our bedroom.

Here is my final pile of goodies to work from:

Vanuatu fabrics — The white, grey and teal fabrics are from my stash here at home. The red and black fabrics are all from Vanuatu.

Finding Quilt Inspiration in the Everyday: Day 25

The next challenge in the Splash of Color quilt along was to choose a quilt pattern. Well, I am not known for working to a quilt pattern. So I have opted to design as I go, as per usual. But I do have a basic idea of where I am headed. I am making a turtle quilt inspired by the tribal turtle motif on two of the original fabrics.

I have now designed my turtle appliqué. It is influenced by the turtle above, but also by a beautiful turtle batik I have in my collection. If you like batiks, you might recognise this fabric, its been around for a while.

Turtle batik fabric from Lunn Studios for Artisan Batiks from Robert Kaufman Fabrics

I actually started a quilt for my nephew two years ago inspired by this turtle batik, that I also intended to put a turtle appliqué on. But he got a monkey quilt instead. Long story for another day. But it s nice to be returning to the turtle idea. Perhaps I can knock off this UFO too.

My Turtle Appliqué Quilt Design Concept

Here is my turtle appliqué design:

It is quite likely that the quilt background will be significantly different from my quick diagram. The basic plan for the background of the quilt is to create 8×6″ finished blocks out of the black and white fabrics. Some blocks will be fussy cut 6″ squares. Some blocks will be created from 4″ and 2″ squares, with possibly some half-square triangles and/or pinwheels thrown in. I will decide on their overall layout at the end. Basically, I am going to give the free die that comes with the Accuquilt GO! cutter a whirl.

Accuquilt GO! die

Then, the intention is to add a 1″ red border, and then an 8″ piano key border in black and white. It will finish at 66″ square and I will bind it in red. Or teal. Subject to mind changes, of course!

Where am I at?

Well, the sharing link for having the fabrics cut opened 10 days ago or so. So, you can tell I am a little behind schedule as usual. But the link is not closed yet, and I have my appliqué printed, traced and cut out, so all is not lost!

Turtle appliqué design — Turtle appliqué templates

Turtle appliqué cut out — Here are my turtle appliqué pieces. The teal fabric will be mostly covered by the red, so I bought a cheap Prima solid for this layer.

I actually have no intention of pre-cutting my black and white fabrics. I will do this as I create blocks. Not efficient if I was producing a quilt from a pattern, for sure. But it is the way I design quilts from scratch. So I am claiming that this QAL stage is done to my satisfaction. And I hope you will find my design process more interesting if I actually report it like it is rather than showing you just the end result.

Linking this post up with the Splash of Color QAL on the cutting fabric page.

If you would like to see the other projects in this quilt along, the original ideas links are found here. There were 14 projects joined up from the very beginning – there may be some late comers too if you keep an eye on the progress linkys. There is certainly a great variety, you are sure to see something that inspires you!

See you again tomorrow!

Linking up to:
Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Freemotion by the River, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Crazy Mom Quilts

October 24, 2017January 19, 2024

Colour Inspiration Tuesday: Bougainvillea Surprise

Bougainvillea color scheme from Clever Chameleon

Colour Inspiration Tuesday: weekly colour stories for your quilts and other crafts.

Have you ever taken the time to really look at something you had always assumed you knew well, only to discover something unexpected? We live such fast lives these days that the little details can start to slip by. At least, that is true for my stage of life, with 2 young children and a travelling husband. But today I stopped to “smell the bougainvilleas” and discovered something.

Nope, it wasn’t that bougainvilleas have a fainter scent than many flowers. Or that the bright leaves that surround the tiny flowers are indeed leaves, not petals. I did already know both of those things. 🙂 It was something more subtle.

Purple Bougainvillea color scheme from Clever Chameleon

Colour Inspiration Tuesday: Bougainvillea Surprise

The photo of the hot pink bougainvillea at the top of this post was taken at our accommodation in Vanuatu a few weeks ago. At the time, I made a colour board and noticed the pretty form of the tiny flower in the centre of the showy leaves. “Funny”, I thought. “How come I’ve never noticed how cute the little centres are?” I even toyed a little with a free-motion quilting design to celebrate my discovery, but it never really got very far.

And the bougainvilleas went by the wayside as other inspiration presented itself for my 31 day series.

But now we are home, and I find that the local council has repainted the local outdoor pool surrounds. In colours not unlike the tones of the Vanuatu bougainvillea, but with a powder blue thrown in for good measure. I would show you but I keep forgetting my camera when we go to the pool. Anyhow, the new pool décor reminded me of my bougainvillea colour board and I thought I would take another look.

The bougainvillea surprise

Since we have a huge bougainvillea just outside our back door, I also thought I should make a colour board of the that one too. Just for some extra material. Our bougainvillea is in full bloom now. It is the rampant purple variety that grows well in a lot of climates. But when I went to take photos, I noticed something more. The centres of the purple variety actually do not have the charm of the pink one. Their basic construction is the same but there is very little definition between the petals. “Ahhh ha! The purple and pink bougainvilleas are more different than I realised”.

And all this noticing of something I had long taken for granted finally spawned a bougainvillea FMQ idea that might actually work….. bougainvillea flowers.

Bougainvillea FMQ motif — Stages in quilting the bougainvillea flower

I could immediately launch into the next flower, like pearls on a string. This would work to fill borders and other long thin spaces. I don’t think it matters how many petals fit around the circle, as long as there are 4-6 sets of one long and one short petal.

I also thought I could return and add leaves to the string to make a wider border in a second quilting run. Something like this:

Bougainvillea quilting idea — String of bougainvillea flowers with leaf triplets to fill a wider border.

It will take a bit of refining, but I think I could quilt this.

I hope you like the little bougainvillea-inspired FMQ design. Next time I need a warm-up at my Sweet Sixteen I am going to have a go at this one.

Today’s post doubles as my daily Everyday Quilt Inspiration offering. See you for more Everyday Quilt Inspiration fun tomorrow. In the meantime, if you haven’t been following along, you can find the start of this 31 day series here. Only one week left until the daily writing challenge is over! Amazing.

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts.