Wednesday 24 September 2014

Library Project Update : Ticker Tape Wilbur

Our online group of Modern Irish Quilters are having a sewing day in Galway this Saturday. I’ve been trying to figure out what I should bring with me to work on. Having had a glance at my Finish-A-Long quarter 3 goals I’ve had a bit of an oh oh moment. It’s not that I haven’t been busy, its just that I’ve been busy on other things… Bit of a theme across all 3 quarters this year so far!
  

As its Library project up date week too, (make something from your books and magazines instead of browsing through them and putting them back on the shelf!), I decided to dig out Wilbur and finally get around to choosing and sewing down the scraps to make up his body. He’s had a head for a while now and is the opposite of Nearly Headless Nick, more like Floating Headed Dog so I’ve been chopping up scraps and matching them to the contours of his body.


It’s been some time since I looked at this project and a previous photo where I had roughly laid out some scraps came in really handy for jump starting me again.  The idea behind Ticker tape projects is to sew down the pieces one at a time and build it up as you go.  That kind of randomness wasn't quite what I had in mind.  I wanted a strong Basset shape with some kinda sorta Basset Hound shading in terms of colour placement.  I'm not being too true to Wilbur's colouring, using it more like a guideline!


Basset's can be any hound colour - most are brown and white.  Wilbur is a Tri-colour Basset (black, white and brown) so I'm using blue to give a hint of the black and cream for the white with shades of mustard, pink and a bit of red/orange for the rest of him!

Last February I started this project with a hand sewn perle cotton outline and have written about the ticker tape process in this earlier post. The idea is to sew down your scraps through all three layers at the same time. As I ran out of fusible paper earlier this week making Japanese applique motifs, I'm hoping Steam a Seam fusible tape will keep these scraps in place while I sew and some of the smaller pieces I've glued down with Guetermann fabric glue. 



I've spray basted the 3 layers together and am using a zig-zag stitch to secure the pieces.  I plan on quilting over the whole thing with horizontal wavy lines as in the Elephant Ticker tape quilt that inspired my Basset Hound Version. I hope to do the final quilting on Saturday if I can get all these little pieces down before then! 



I like the way it’s coming together though it hasn’t used up as many scraps as I thought it would.  The piece is 40 inches wide and Wilbur only takes up a third!  Might have to make a matching one of Charly our miniature Jack Russell. I have quite a few scraps of this fabric (Karavan by Valori Wells) left.  I may have to buy some binding fabric as I used up the bit I had intended for this on my Colour wheel swoon!  I'm thinking it has to be orange!  Wilbur, the real one has a lovely red/orange brown shade to his coat


Every time I work a little bit on this small project I think about other shapes to try this on like a turtle, rabbit, hot air balloon, or a butterfly.  I'm imagining a Rudolph or Christmas tree version!  So many possibilities and fun too, I think it would be a great project to work on with kids.    Linking  up to

WIP Wednesday at Freshly PiecedSew Fresh Quilts
Chezzetcook Modern Quilts

38 comments:

  1. Ruth, this quilt is so cool! I think you have done wonderfully capturing Wilbur's likeness! Well done!!

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  2. I love your dog!! Amazing how Wilbur looks with all those beautiful scaps! I must try that technique. Thanks for posting. Will be back to see a finished Wilbur.
    Love from Amsterdam

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    1. Thanks Maartje, these are scraps left over from my very first pieced quilt in 2012! They do seem to suit for Basset colours and I finally get to use some of the them (quite a bit left still!)

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  3. Hi! Wilbur is so beautiful and the basset on your work just amazing! I would love to make Nero like this. Thank you for inspiration! x Teje

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    1. Thanks so much Deb! The real Wilbur is adorable most of the time - the rest of the time he is Wilbur the Wrecker!

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  5. This is such a cute quilt. I love this idea for using up small fabric scraps.

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  6. I love what your projects are called. Will nick always be nearly headless nick? I also love the hand stitching. Thanks for sharing!

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  7. that is looking fab! Is the Gutermann glue easy enough to sew with? I've used it on clasp frame purses and it seems to dry quite hard

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  8. I too like your Wilber. He is such a cute basset and is adorable.

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  9. As a person who grew up with a Bassett Hound...not only do I love the brilliance of the concept, but the dog being stitched as well. What a fun and unique idea...that I will have to copy. ;) Thanks for the inspiration!!! Wilbur is darling!

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  10. What a fun project - I love your ticker tape Wilbur!

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  11. What a cool project! I love this idea. A Christmas tree would be really fun, too!

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  12. Wilbur looks great - I haven't seen this done before but really like it.

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  13. I just love this! I want to do it now too!

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  14. Wilbur is so cute! What a great way to use up scraps!

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  15. This is wonderful! I need one for a pomeranian :)

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    1. Oh that would be cool! you could have great fun with the little ears and bushy tail!

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  16. I just love your hound! Fabulous!

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  17. What a fun quilt! I think it is turning out nicely!

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  18. so cute!!! i love doing puzzles and think a fabric puzzle would be even more fun!

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  19. Wilbur looks stunning! This is such a cool idea, might have to steal it for a giraffe outline :).

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  20. Wilbur looks great, Ruth. I love your comment about Nearly Headless Nick, it made me laugh out loud. :)

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  21. That is turning out so amazing!! I didn't realize how big it was! Now I want to make one for Mishka. :) Throw it on the list!

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  22. Great idea! Love your Wilbur quilt!! Having a great model helps of course :)

    -Soma

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  23. I've not seen a project quite like your Wilbur quilt - lots of possible variations too.

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  24. Haha! Great little quilt, great name for your bassett hound! Glad I found your blog!

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  25. Wilbur looks fabulous in fabric scraps! This is such a cute quilt... I can totally see how you would be inspired to make all kinds of other shapes. Love it!

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  26. He's looking very handsome indeed! A hot air balloon would work really well :)

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  27. How exciting! I can't wait for tomorrow - it will be so fun :) I too am packing up projects to work on. It's hard to decide what's too much, too little or do you want big projects vs quick rewards? Decisions, decisions.

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  28. This is so awesome!! And that colour palette is to die for!

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  29. So cute! I love the design and the hand quilting just adds a wonderful touch.

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  30. I LOVE Wilbur - both the actual and the quilty version.

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