a lifetime of scraps

This has been an eclectic scrap bucket.   Sorting this scrap bucket, I have found some fun surprises. I obviously just threw everything I wanted to clean up into the bucket at one point. I really like old blocks and feel a real urgency to rescue them. But, I don't know what to do with them. So, with indecision, they were doomed to a scoop and tidy. 

aren't these wonderful vintage fabrics?

I had already cut the 10 inch square. This was the pile of  scraps that I thought were big enough to have a 5 inch square cut from them. 

I layered them with the right side as even as I could get it and used my stripology ruler to even the right and cut 5 inches.

But the only ones that were 5 inches were these. The rest I put in the less than 5 inch strip pile. Some were close but about 1/4 inch too small.

The strip pile is the biggest group in this bucket. I will work on them next. If I can get 3 1/2 , 2 1/2 , 2, 1 1/2 inch out of it, I will. and so on. If it doesn't make a strip I have started a small chunk bucket for them. I am also putting more into the string/crumb basket and even the trash than usual. I am trying to be brutal.  If each small bucket takes a week, then I will be done in a little over 100 years. I actually enjoy doing it, I just don't like the mess.

My favorite tools for scraps

1. stripology ruler

2. easy angle ruler

I  am linking to:

midweek makers  

wednesday wait loss

oh scrap sunday

5 quilts Jan 17 2022

 My 5 quilts progress report.

1. Rainbow scrap challenge - color red -candy is finished. I am sorting through the red strips and cutting for the next rsc project. These are the 2 1/2 inch strips. I want to clean up the bag and set a minimum of 12 inches in length to keep in the bag. Anything smaller will be sewn into 4 patches.

less than 12 inches

 I cut for Hunters star blocks using a new die I bought during the Holiday sales.

2. full stop quilt that Angela is doing for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy.- I have the bracket row all together and the width I will use for the rest of the rows. I used the word full in this row.

3. rhododendren mystery - hunter - I finished clue 4 and, now, I am working on clue 5. I have the triangles cut. I started sewing them to pieces we have already made, but, I forgot about the matching fabrics, so I will be unpicking a few and starting the sewing again.

4..  too many circles - I was able to lay it out with the pieces for the outer border at Friday group. I don't have a pattern for what I want to do with the border so it is taking a bit of fussing and mumbling to myself.

5. use a jelly roll -  dart a free pattern. I have it all cut and ready to sew. I am using an old moda jelly roll called bistro

MY  next on the longarm of my own quilts in the 'to be quilted' closet

 hourglass leader ender challenge - hunter - on the frame - quilted - needs binding - trimmed -preparing to bind - done!

1. end of the rainbow rsc - on the frame - no change- started quilting -quilted - needs binding

2. row rainbow rsc - on the frame

3. gray baby flannel - find it

4. Pineapple blossom - hunter

5, Christmas sparkle

I am linking:

Monday Making

design wall monday 

oh scrap

to do tuesday

stash report jan16 2022

I found these lovilies in a scrap bucket I am trying to tame. I am not sure why a piece of yardage was in the bucket, unless there was a mass cleanup and everything went into a bucket. The rest of the scrap bucket had mostly really small pieces.

I sorted the scraps into piles of pieces that were big enough to cut of 10 in, 5 inch, strips, and chunks. I've only recently started cutting 10 inch pieces.

only 1 piece at least 10 inches.

After I cut the 10 inch piece I threw the left and right pieces into the strip pile.

stash report January 16, 2022

fabric added -0000000yards  still haven't bought any! or brought home any scraps - a new record

fabric added year to date -0000000yards

fabric used 22 yards -hourglass leader/ ender finish

fabric used year to date 30 yards

30 yards used more than bought. I am starting the year ahead on using fabric. 

I sewed at least an hour every morning last week. It was good to get back to my projects after a few weeks of the flu.

 I finally worked on vivians rug and I did the peach color to the bottom left. By my count, I have done everyone's rug, so, I just wait until mine comes home to work on the background and border.  I have another rug ready to start, so I might work on that first, or when I am bored with my sheep rug.

vivians rug - I am the peach

  I am linking to:

Slow Sunday Stitching

Oh scrap

sunday stash at quiltpaintcreate
patchwork and quilts

15 min to stitch at life in pieces

 

a sweet block

I am so thrilled to finally move this project from the 'maybe someday' to the wip list. I have a few string/crumb blocks made over the years by color and enough strings to add to them this year. These pieces of candy are sugar free,, so I can have as many as I want.

I also cut red strips for my go fish leader/ender challenge. Each strip will make 6 hsts or 2 sets of fish.

 I am linking to:

rsc21 super saturday
oh scrap
put your foot down

wednesday wait loss

finished hourglass quilt

 I started this leader/ender challenge with quiltville in July of 2016. My friend Lucy, my daughter, and I swapped hourglass blocks all year. The top was done in September 2017. It has been waiting in the 'to be quilted' closet until this year. Now it has a chance to shine as a completed quilt. There are over 3000 pieces in this quilt. It was such fun to get a new package in the mail with new hourglasses. And fun again as they were sewn into the top.

This also completes my one monthly goal at elm street quilts. And is my first finish for the year. hooray.

I am linking to:

TGIFF

TGIFF different     here  and here

Whoop Whoop

creations

peacock party

from bolt to beauty

put your foot down

oh scrap sunday

Phd

one monthly goal at elm street quilts

scrapbusting tool

Another favorite tool I use when I am taming the scraps is the easy angle ruler. I bought mine years ago from the lady who invented it. I used it for years. I bought Bonnie Hunter's ruler too, but, find it a bit confusing, so I revert to the easy angle almost every time. I think you can still buy them at Joann fabric but it is a different brand

 

I needed to cut hsts for my star and crown block, so, when I grabbed the easy angle ruler, I realized how important this little ruler is to me. I like to start with the black diamond at the top so I use it upside down. I am sure there are other demonstrations on line. I was using a 2 inch strip for 2 inch hst. 

Then, I flip it to continue down the strip

I cut my scraps into strips and that is how I store them. If I need hsts in any size, I can grab a strip in that size and my easy angle ruler and I have them.

My favorite tools for scraps

1. stripology ruler

I  am linking to:

midweek makers  

wednesday wait loss

5 quilts Jan 10, 2022

My 5 quilts progress report.

1. rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy - color red -candy - All the string blocks are sewn, trimmed, pressed and ready to sew into blocks. I trimmed them to 4 1/2 inches

2. full stop quilt that Angela is doing for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy.- I made the letters for the purple row. I really like purple. That's it for letters. I hope to start making the rows now.

3. rhododendren mystery - hunter - After a count of finished hourglass blocks for the mystery, I was 60 short.

Back to cutting and piecing. Surely, it won't take as long to finish these as it did to get this far.

4..  too many circles - inner border is finished. I started sewing the 1/4 circles into twosies for the outside border.

5. use a jelly roll - I want to make dart. Time to cut. not even started

MY  next on the longarm of my own quilts in the 'to be quilted' closet

1. hourglass leader ender challenge - hunter - on the frame - quilted - needs binding - trimmed -preparing to bind

2. end of the rainbow rsc - on the frame - no change- started quilting -quilted - needs binding

3. row rainbow rsc

4. gray baby flannel

5. Pineapple blossom - hunter

We are still battling this flu thing at our house - going on 4 weeks  - stay safe out there.

I am linking:

Monday Making

design wall monday 

oh scrap

to do tuesday

midweek makers