Clamshell Pickle Scrap Quilt

There was a good question about Clamshell Pickle in the Inklingo Yahoo group today.

Nancy wrote:  “I love the new patterns, but mainly scrap quilt, using lots of different fabrics, so, is there a way to get the templates & do all this, without having to print it on the fabric?”

There are two answers to this. (We like # 2.)

1. TEMPLATES  Yes, every Inklingo shape collection also includes the shapes to print on freezer paper without seam allowances to use as templates, but it would be very slow to prepare the fabric that way when you could be printing with Inklingo.

2. PRINT WITH INKLINGO  Inklingo is the best way to use up your scraps! We love scraps. Printing the shapes on scraps with Inklingo is GREAT!

Some quilters don’t realize how well Inklingo works for scrappy quilts, so Monkey and I have prepared an example.

This worksheet is provided in each Clamshell Pickle Shape Collection.

• 11 inch blocks = 88 x 88 inches
•  9 inch blocks  = 72 x 72 inches
•  6 inch blocks  =  48 x 48 inches

Counting the pieces can be confusing, but it is manageable if you cut up a copy of the worksheet.

• Make a copy of the worksheet.
• Put the original in a safe place. Do not cut it up.
• Cut the copy of the worksheet into blocks.
• Sort the blocks into identical piles, like this.

With a pencil, write the number of each block, and the number of each shape in each fabric, on Monkey’s Cheat Sheet.

Wow!  I need more than a thousand—1416 of Tri A, to be exact!
(8 x 11 = 88,  plus 112 x 11 = 1232, plus 8 x 6 = 48, plus 8 x 6 = 48 )

If I want the triangles to be printed on scraps of 100 different fabrics, I would need 14 or 15 from each fabric. If I was using the 11 inch collection, I would print 100 sheets, each 6.75 x 7 inches. It uses very little ink, and I would reuse the freezer paper at least 10 times, maybe 20.

Every shape collection includes Suggested Custom Page Sizes in the Catalogue of Shapes, like this:

 

Write the custom sizes on Monkey’s Cheat Sheet. It will keep you organized when you are cutting the freezer paper. Use the suggested custom page sizes in the Catalogue of Shapes in each collection—or make up your own!

I can print 1500 triangles in an afternoon. Most of the time would be spent choosing the 100 fabrics!

BUT WAIT!  THERE’S MORE!

CONTROLLED SCRAPPY?  Every arc is different but the triangles in each arc are the same. This has possibilities! There is variety, but it is not truly scrappy.  In this example, based on the cut up worksheet, I would need 112 different fabrics for the body of the quilt and another 24 different fabrics in the partial blocks around the edges of the quilt.

136 different fabrics, 136 sheets through the printer. Zip zip! Then I just need to print the centers and the other triangles. No measuring, no templates!

COMBO LAYOUTS  The other triangles can be scrappy too, of course, and they are fast to print in the COMBO layouts. (There are two different white triangles in this example.)

CHARMS AND JELLY ROLLS  You can also use charms and jelly rolls. There is a message about printing hexagons on jelly rolls in the blog archives. It works for these shapes too.

 

 

5 x 5 inch charm packs are charming. Resistance is futile.

FUSSY CUT  Cathi of Quilt Obsession is fussy cutting her “Pickled Ladies” and there are tips for fussy cutting with Inklingo in the archives too.

See the previous message too. Whatever you decide, I know you will have fun with your Clamshell Pickles!

Linda & Monkey

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