Ripping Again!

Well, I'm back at it. I won this top at the AQSG silent auction in Charleston, SC, last month. Here's what it used to look like - it's a poor photo and from this distance it looks much better than it did in person, trust me!


It was poorly made in many ways but the squares are a nice size to do something with  (3.5" finished -give or take) and there are some great fabrics in it so....I started in.

Some people think I'm crazy. A friend watching me in wonder said, "Why don't you just cut it apart?"
That stopped me for a minute. I had never thought of that! But I went back to ripping. It just seems the right thing to do and preserves the most fabric.

Do you believe me now?

It was both hand and machine pieced and a real bear to rip out. On the hand pieced seams she took a back stitch about in the middle -common and a good idea for creating a strong seam but not fun from the ripping standpoint. On top of that she backstitched at least once at the end of each seam and when four seams come together - all backstitched -  what a nightmare.

I just have to wonder.
How could anyone think this could 'work'?

The funny thing is that in spite of all those secure seams she apparently didn't think it was important to cut each square the exact same size - OR to sew a consistent seam. Doesn't have to be 1/4" but consistent would be nice.

Have you joined the group that thinks I'm 'crazy'?

Can't blame you.

Nevertheless....

...TA DA



Done ripping.

A shoe box full sorted by color - they will be hand washed in color groups, pressed, errant threads cleaned up, re-stacked in their nice shoe box....and then the fun begins. What will I make?

I like to keep some element of the original in at least one of the resulting pieces so maybe the first one will use the Trip Around the World pattern pattern in some way.

For now, I'll put this shoe box next to the shoe box from the last top I ripped....I've made two doll quilts from that one already.

Links to the two posts about that ripping project as well as a link to ripping out some embroidered blocks and what I did with those:

Ripping Project Part I

Ripping project Part II

Embroidery Ripping Results

Every morning, Every evening, Ain't we got fun!

Listen to Peggy Lee here.