The second quilt being featured in the Week of Using What You Have is called Scrap Rainbow and it features the best of modern quilting. Not only does Alexandra Ledgerwood effectively use scraps but, this is a quilt that was inspired by a quilt that was inspired by even another quilt! Alexandra is the Vice President of the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild (KCMQG) and blogs at www.teaginnydesigns.blogspot.com. You can also see a lot more of her work under the flickr name teaginny. Read on as Alexandra shares more about her quilt and the freedom that quilting with scraps gives her.
Scrap Rainbow by Alexandra Ledgerwood
Tell Us About Your Quilt
I was inspired by this gorgeous quilt by Jolene of Blue Elephant Stitches. I changed the orientation of the color progression to move in vertical stripes. I used improvisation to create each stripe of color. The different shapes that emerge from this technique fascinate me every time. I continued the rainbow theme on the back of my quilt with a log cabin block that radiates Roy G. Biv. The grass green solid on the back is a surprising favorite of mine. I love how this saturated color balances out everything that’s happening on the front of the quilt, as well as frames the log cabin on the back.\
A glimpse of the back of Scrap Rainbow by Alexandra Ledgerwood
What Do You Love About Using Scraps or Re-Purposed Fabric?
Scraps are so much fun to use. I feel free to experiment with them, since they’re just scraps, right? I don’t have any anxiety about chopping them up and trying something that might not work out. Scraps also make me feel I’m being frugal and resourceful, using every last piece of what I have. Sewing with scraps is actually the way I prefer to sew, as opposed to cutting into yardage. Although, you have to do that sometimes, or you wouldn’t have more scraps!
Scrap Rainbow by Alexandra Ledgerwood folded
Tell Us About Yourself and About You as a Quilter
I’m a mom of two little boys. They don’t leave me as much time for quilting as I ‘d like, but when I do get a chunk of time, I’m focused and ready to sew! I love sewing and quilting, and I really enjoy being a part of the KCMQG. The modern quilt movement inspires me tremendously. I’m excited to be able to participate in it!
It is really neat how the colors blend together rather than being distinct in rainbow order.
I absolutely love this quilt! The black and white binding really help to anchor all the colors and I can’t tell you how much I love that green!
Beautiful quilt! Love the colors and specially the black&white stripe binding. It adds such a pizzazz to to quilt! I really like the wavy quilting stitches, well done!
I love this quilt, and I’m inspired by the improv piecing. I will get better at it! Also love that stripe on the binding!
Forgot to mention that I think the wiggly line quilting is the perfect touch for adding a little more whimsy to the quilt! Well done!
What a great idea-love the scrappy look. Thank you for the inspiration.
Gorgeous quilt! And I really love that green background with the log cabin block. What a fun touch, and a great way to ground the quilt.
One of the most beautiful quilts I have ever seen!
Wow – that is a beautiful quilt. i love that green – I had a chenille bedspread in that colour when I was a kid, and I would play farms on it.
It’s just gorgeous! I love a nice color progression quilt, and the fact that all these scraps blend together just makes it that much more beautiful.
I love it!