Crazy crumbs, but why?

      Sometimes I have no idea how I get down a rabbit trail (squirrels). I saw Jo Kramer's post and video on red center crumb blocks, so I cut some small red squares and used blue, green strips to create blocks as leader enders. I used the cut off triangles from attaching binding strips to sew around 1 1/2" red squares. Then I added strips to build blocks. Lots of fun. I have a pile of blocks in various sizes sitting here.
     I haven't the faintest idea how to put them together. I enjoy sewing them as leader enders, but I need to stop and make a real comfort quilt as the leader project, so I selected Triple Treat- Bonnie Hunter's leader ender of the year to make. The crumb blocks will sit until I can somehow think how to connect them.

Have about double this amount and some bigger

Plain blue strips, a border maybe

Two sample blocks. I have plenty of squares cut for the 4 patches,
have to cut 2/12" strip scraps into the 2 1/2" and 6 1/2" lengths yet

Quiltville at the Museum

    On September 19th, I took a class at the Buffalo Niagara Heritage Museum sponsored by the Amherst Quilt Guild with the indomitable Bonnie Hunter from Quiltsville.  I had been waiting for the day to meet her and learn from her. She has taught me a lot through her blog. I owe my love for vintage machines, treadles, my sewing mates table, crumbs, scrap savers system, leaders and enders, and all the assorted knowledge from her blog and quiltcam. I took the Crumb piecing class. She taught basic crumb piecing, maverick stars, crumb hearts, letters by piecing, and string quilt blocks. She was so friendly, enthusiastic, and generous. My sister in laws and I took the class together. Bonnie put us on her site, we are down aways, three from the bottom.http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2014/09/galaxy-gram-lunch-break-crumbs-class.htmlcrumb class
   It was such a special day. One more peg for the big birthday year. Thank you Bonnie!!!

Pieced Letters

Crumb Hearts

Maverick Stars

4 1/2" blocks

    A lot of people brought show and tell. Here are just a few.

    And two of Bonnie's she used as class samples.

Making Valentine Crumb cards

  Every year, I make Valentine cards. Usually, I silk screen them. However, I am immersed in quilting lately and in love with crumbs. So, here is how I made a bunch. The insides need to be stamped yet. The stamps are from my former life as an art teacher. Every year, I taught the kids to make valentine cards. We made cards for the local VA hospital using collage and stamps. That was a great thing for the kids to do.
  I started with red and white and pink scraps sewing crumbs together. I love to do this.

I like to throw smidges of other colors in

     I keep building the crumbs until I get a large hunk. I ironed Heat and Bond on the back. I don't like it for quilting, so this was good to use for this.

     Then, I cut some heavy interfacing and fused the crumb piece to it. I traced a heart shape on in pencil, as close to each other as possible. I even made some small hearts out of the leftovers.  I made my heart template making sure the heart was not equally symmetrical (boring). I cut out the hearts. I like the heft of the hearts cut out.

    I buy the cards already cut and scored with the envelopes, using a coupon at Joanns, AC Moore, or Michaels. I put Crafter's Pick, The Ultimate Glue on the back and glued them to the cards. I have this quirk I can't make two things the same. So, I tried some pastels and crayons behind the hearts for a few.

     I wan't really crazy about that. I glued some buttons on some of them as an accent.

     Then, I sewed some fancy yarn around the edges using the Singer 401 zig zag and invisible YLI thread. It was a lot of work. I don't know how much it added.

      The rest, I just glued them on as I thought they had a lot of design going on. It is hard for you to see that they have dimension to them.

     Bottom line is, I just think they need to be on a quilt. I am not making 20+ mini quilts. I did not want to make postcards because I wanted the hearts 3D. I thought the hearts might look good on mini painted canvas but who besides me would hang them up? I am thinking maybe I should make some mini quilts in these fabrics and have them next year for a few people. I just should be happy that I made plenty of cards with crumbs to give away. The line between card and quilt is hard to break.

Just had a brain flash! I could have bought valentine scrapbook paper, like red lines or simple small shapes and glued it on the card first, then the heart. Sigh....