Scrap Happy July (Waste Not Waistcoat)
Waistcoat scraps
A few years ago I bought a waistcoat at a charity shop, made of burgundy velvet, with horizontal bands of embroidered ribbon sewn on. It never was for me to wear – I just loved the colours! For June ScrapHappy Day, I decided to assemble the scraps from a previous project to make a doll quilt.
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lining and binding
A doll quilt this small doesn’t usually get any batting, or it gets too thick and puffy. I did find some backing fabric that I thought would work, and pinned and trimmed it to shape. Then the binding was stitched to the edge of the quilt top with a running stitch…
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slip stitch
…then folded over to the back and slip stitched into place (I liked the plain purple better than the print side so it is applied “upside down”.
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Thrums
To hold the layers together, I got out my tangle of silk thrums…
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embroidery
…and embroidered over all the seams using featherstitching in green, and herringbone stitching in orange…
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Shells
…and embroidered little blue shells all round the edges.
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z-z-z
…Constance is sleeping happily, knowing that the waistcoat scraps were not wasted!
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ScrapHappy is a group of bloggers using up scraps of anything – no new materials…Anything made of genuine scraps is eligible, and posts come out once a month on the 15th!
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Here are the links for the ScrapHappy people – headed by Kate and Gun, who devised and run the group. This is my fifth Scrap Happy post – Yay!
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Kate , Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean,
Joanne, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Connie, Bekki, Pauline,
Sue L, Sunny, Kjerstin(me!) and Vera
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Quimper Hittys 
that’s lovely. And thank you for naming the embroidery stitches.
Thank you, and you are very welcome…embroidery is not my specialty, but easy stitches I can do!
Constance will have sweet dreams for sure. Her quilt is sooooooo wonderful! You do work magic. Scrap happy day has become a highlight in our month! Thank you for sharing the experience. LOVE this hybrid crazy quilt!!!
Merci beaucoup! I think Constance is blessed with ability to sleep well whatever the circumstance or covering…but she does love this particular quilt – the colours are so rich they make her feel warm and cosy.
Absolutely glorious and the embroidery stitches definitely finish it off 🤩
Thanks! The original waistcoat reminded me of the 19th century crazy quilts, and their fantastic embroidery. I couldn’t in a million years really reproduce that look, I was happy with the result on this little quilt, like an echo.
I am in total agreement, the colors of the quilt top are rich and beautiful. I’m so glad Constance set up shop with you to help make those gorgeous pieces into a useful article for her bed. Her work (!) is intricately done, colors chosen enhance it all and sleeping under this little masterpiece must be a glorious experience. I always love your scrap projects.
I appreciate the comments, as I know your quilts are a delight to behold…Constance reports that her dreams are indeed rich and beautiful! I love working on the scrap happy projects!
Oh, I’m so envious of that quilt. I want something exactly the same to wrap up in on cool winter evenings. I love the rich colours and textures…
I’d love a people-sized quilt like this too – the colours and textures are what made me buy the waistcoat in the first place, and I love that the little quilt turned out so well!
This is gorgeous! Lucky Hitty snug under her new quilt.
Thanks so much! Constance is very lucky, and she is glad of the snug quilt – we’ve had a cool and breezy summer so far!
This is stunning! How lovely would it be to have a human sized one? Those colours are just the thing for a cold winter’s evening and I’m very jealous.
Wouldn’t it be so comfortable and comforting to have a human-sized quilt like this? I would love it too…hmmm I think I have a velvet quilt top somewhere that my grandmother started…
The feeling that comes to my mind about this quilt is luxurious. It appears that Constance would agree. Just beautiful.
Thank you very much – Constance definitely agrees that sleeping under this quilt top is luxurious…she may even sleep in tomorrow morning!
wow….anyone would sleep happily under that gorgeous quilt! And I (of course) love the embroidery embellishments!
I was sure that you would appreciate the embroidery – and Constance is happy to be the first one to try it out – she is pleased and surprised with the drape, and enjoys the warmth on these cool summer evenings!
That is the most glorious quilt! The colors are so rich and the textures exquisite. Your craftsmanship is superb! I enjoy the Scrap Happy posts so much. You always introduce us to the most interesting things! Thank you 🙂
Thank you very much, I loved the colours and textures of the original waistcoat, and it is a bit of a dream come true to have made it into this treasure for (and with!) Constance. I enjoy the Scrap Happy group very much – there is always something interesting to see and admire in the other group member’s posts too!
What an elegant quilt! Truly a Scrap Happy success. 🙂
Thanks! We were very pleased with it too – it was a project begging me to finish it, and perfect for Scrap Happy!
sweet dreams Constance.
She is sleeping sweetly…but I want to thank you for the encouragement to use thrums as embroidery threads – they worked perfectly for this!
The waistcoat looks like something Mrs. Who, Mrs. Whatsit??; well, one of the ladies in “A Wrinkle in Time” would have worn. If you haven’t read the book, at least read the bit describing the 3 ladies. Creating a quilt based on those descriptions would occupy you for a lifetime. & don’t cheat and copy the movie creations! : )
I did read the book many years ago, but I don’t remember which “Mrs” wore the beautiful coat!
What a lucky dolly, and it looks like she was quite a helper, too. I think the choice of green and orange was effective for the embroidery.
Constance is a great helper and encourager! I appreciate your comments about the green and orange…they weren’t my first choices, but the purple was too dark and the yellow too startling!
I missed this adventure! Constance’s new quilt is spectacular. That waistcoat was a very serendipitous find and you and Constance have extended its life in such a beautiful and imaginative way. Constance will be warm and cozy and comforted on chilly nights.
Thanks very much! We were very pleased with the way it turned out, and Constance is already snugging under it – nights are cool here on the west coast!
May I ask where you got such a lovely dolly? I love how you do your blog with her. Such a wonderful scrap happy blog to visit. 🙂 ❤
I carved Constance in 2007 – she is my first and dearest carved doll, though I have learned how to make more realistic features since then!
Excellent work! I thought she looked wood carved… But a lot of clay or dough artists can make it look that way, too. She’s darling! I’ve carved a few spoons and spatulas but that’s the extent of my abilities.