Thursday, August 14, 2014

Cut the Scraps

 What some quilters would refer to as scraps, I call Stash. You will find pieces as small as 10 inches square or even 6 inches wide folded neatly and sorted by color in my fabric drawers along with fat quarters and larger pieces up to a half yard. As I work on quilts, I cut the even smaller leftovers into squares and strips of various sizes and store them together in plastic containers.
 Most of you probably know by now that I'm always working on two quilts at once because I use my previously cut squares as leader/enders. Currently, I'm sewing together 2.5 inch squares in sort of a light/dark combination. Instead of creating square blocks, as I usually do, this time the little squares are being sewn together into long rows.
 My goal is to make 48 rows of 44 squares. Yesterday, i reached the half-way point so took some pictures of my progress. I started this in January. (Once in a while, when I want to do some mindless sewing, I admit to working on this project by just feeding the 'twosies' under the pressure foot one after the other!)
Once I get all of the rows made, it will be an easy job to press the seams to one side, after I lay out the rows, making the seams nest together as I sew the top.
 This morning I spent a little time going through my 2.5 inch strip containers and loose charms, cutting off more squares for this scrappy quilt. 
All those colors make me so happy!

16 comments:

  1. They look so pretty! Impressive that you've got so far with it too. I started doing leader and enders with my 2.5 squares but them kept forgetting to do it!!

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  2. I'm doing exactly the same with my smaller fabric pieces, and a postage stamp quilt top is slowly but steadily growing. I also safe narrower pieces for strip projects and usually only throw out what is under 1" x 1". Fabric is costly and using up everything is part of my hobby. Thanks for sharing and a pleasant day to you!

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  3. This is going to be fabulous Carla! What the perfect use for your scraps! Very cool!

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  4. Oh yes, this would make anyone smile. I love this.

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  5. Love postage stamp quilts and yours is going to be lovely. I've got a ton of blocks made with 49 3.5" unfinished squares and have wondered if it might be better to construct in long rows like you are doing. Will be curious to see how you feel about this method when all is said and done. TFS!

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  6. Yeeeessss. I'm a scrap hoarder/curator. I love love love my scraps and use them whenever possible. I really prefer a scrappy look to my quilts, so I keep even the tiniest shred of beloved fabrics. Looking good, Mama Carla!

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  7. (Scrappy) Sunshine on my shoulders, makes me happy....okay that's a stretch, but it is what popped into my mind, lol :) Such sweet sunny pictures!

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  8. I am squirrelling away small squares with a similar long-term plan, but the scraps are not growing fast enough. I hope the end result is as cute as yours. One day!

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  9. Oh Carla, you must be so organized! Obviously it pays off by all the lovelies you make.
    Fun pictures

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  10. This is great Carla! ANd I need to hire you to help me with organization. I wish I could just be half as organized! It would make life so much easier! This will be a fabulous quilt!

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  11. What you do is such a great idea and I just love how it's coming together. lots and lots of color and pattern will become a beautiful quilt. Wish I was as organized.

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  12. I sure love seeing how you work your scraps, and I'm terribly impressed by how much you're able to accomplish in between other projects. This all-squares quilt is going to be stunning! I'm still working with my 1-1/2" squares, on the never ending quilt. I started it two years ago, come October. Now you make me want to sew only with scraps!

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  13. I'm impressed with your organization. I aspire to it. Just haven't even started, however...

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