Happy May!  I’ve begun a scrap quilt to have ready for donation (my pink and gray one went to West, TX, #19 here).  I started with this beautiful piece of Japanese (I think) dobby weave fabric in blue, navy, and taupe, with a silver thread.  While this was not a scrap (half yard), it is a piece I have had a long time without being able to use.  I wouldn’t exactly call it loosely woven, but the dobby texture makes it stretch like crazy.  I tried starch, but it didn’t seem to help.  It really stretched too much to fussy cut the pieces one by one, so lined everything up the best I could and cut it into 6 1/2″ strips, and then 6 1/2″ squares after some more adjustment.  Cutting four layers actually seemed to help the fabric stick to itself and cut better.  Also, it helped when I used my revolving cutting board.  I can’t think what that’s called- the one like a lazy susan.

I pulled blue, cream, and orange scraps in 2 1/2″ and 3 1/2″ squares to sew into 6″ blocks to alternate with the textured fabric.  I like the way the shading in this fabric makes it look like tubes.

Here are a couple layouts with the blocks I’ve made so far.  Do you like one better than the other?

 

 

The Project Hope quilt is progressing.  I’ve cut and fused fabrics to the background, and I’m waiting for the mood to strike me to shade them with pens and thread.  Today I just wanted to sew stuff together.

I’m linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.