Saturday, March 9, 2019

The Green Green Scraps of Home

 Green is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge color of the month.  I usually start off a new month with the scrap chunks.  I had a lot of green chunks this year. They have been accumulating since I used them all in 2014-2015 in my 56 Shades of Envy quilt. 

 I define a chunk scrap as something bigger than a 4.5 inch square and smaller than a fat quarter.   

First I put all the fall-ish looking greens aside to be used with a couple of autumn themed UFOs. 
 I set aside all the light greens to be used in my low volume String Hearts. 

If the remaining chunks were big enough to cut pieces for a cat then I made a cat.  I've been using some gray scraps for backgrounds. 

Then, since these Double X Variation blocks use different sized pieces (1.5 and 2.5), I cut chunks that were big enough into 1.5 and 2.5 strips and made blocks.   These blocks finish at four inches and this quilt is inspired by a vintage quilt. 

I evaluated the rest of the green chunks and cut them into sizes of scraps I keep separated by size - 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5 and strings. 

Then I dug into the green scraps in the 1.5 inch bin and made some little rails. I've been making these for several years so by the end of this year I'll probably have enough for a large and very scrappy quilt. 
I've also been making these Bit Coin blocks for years.  
I think I have about 58 of them and am aiming for 84 so maybe this will be the year of the Bit Coin quilt too. 

After I use a 1.5 inch strip to make the Rails and Bit Coins the remaining piece goes into the Spider Web quilt project box. 
Then I dug into the 2.5 inch green scraps and made some Garlic Knots - a new block I started this year. 
I also made some Plus blocks from 2.5 inch scraps. I made a few several years ago and then forgot about them so I'm resurrecting this as an RSC project this year. 

I keep the 30s repro scraps separate from the other scraps in the 2.5 inch scrap bin.  I had quite a few greens in there so made another Bit Coin block this time using 2.5 inch scraps instead of 1.5. 

Next up was the 3.5 inch scrap bin. 



The 3.5 inch scraps were also made into some Broken Dishes blocks...
...and some Sixteen Patch stars. 
If any remaining 3.5 inch scrap was less than a 3.5 inch square it was sewn into a strip. I've been doing this for a couple of years instead of throwing the pieces into the crumb box.  I think I'm going to have fun playing with a rainbow of scrappy strips one of these days. 

I have the 2 inch and 4.5 inch scraps left for the rest of the month. 


22 comments:

maggie fellow said...

oh my goodness - you have been busy and all of it looks fun - way to go

cityquilter grace said...

feeling like a slacker here...i am only doing 4 crayon box (bonnie hunter pattern) blocks each month...they are 12" so at year's end will have a good size flimsy top for something charity...awesome collection of blocks!

Wendy F said...

Wow! I'm super impressed with how many green creations you made this week! I'm a big scrappy fan, so I'm sure all of them will result in beautiful quilts.

cspoonquilt said...

I like your approach. You get a lot done and I'm thinking the variety is fun and helps keep you moving?! I especially like the 16 patch star. I like the asymmetry of it. I'm going to try that one! cheers!

Quiltdivajulie said...

Wowsers - what a lot of progress for so early in the month!!

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

I always enjoy seeing all of the scrappy blocks you make, but this time the 16 patch stars are my favorite! I'm going to have to put those on my list to make.

Katie Z. said...

What a collection of fabulous blocks!

The Joyful Quilter said...

I'm blown away by your productivity in GREEN!!!

audrey said...

It's always fascinating to see all the different ways you can use each color! Love it!

Quilter Kathy said...

You have quite an amazing system going there with many wonderful projects on the go!

MissPat said...

Yikes. I've not even started my greens, but then I just got home on Thursday night. Hope to get sewing again tomorrow and I still have to catch up on the yellows I missed while away.
Pat

lvkwilt said...

For some reason, that garlic knot block is interesting me...is it in a Bonnie Hunter book? Not sure why I like it!

Linda said...

Been trying to decide which blocks I like best..... Very difficult because I like them all. Star blocks which I've made lots of.bitcpins because I think they're a great way to use small scraps
Garlic knots because I saw them originally on Bonnie's blog and I'll definitely make some soon. Well, ALL of them really!!!

Kaja said...

Boy, that's a lot of green!

mangozz said...

I don't know how you keep track of all of your projects. One of these days, you need to explain/show how you manage to stay organized so you can accomplish so much.

Janie said...

Yes, that Sixteen Patch Star block is clever.
And thanks for the insight into your process. A little bit here and
there, steady, gets a lot accomplished.

scraphappy said...

So many great projects. Surely some of those will turn into finished quilts this year.

Ann said...

As usual you have so many lovely quilt blocks. Very creative and productive.

gayle said...

So many many many wonderful projects! (I'm awfully glad I don't have to pick a favorite! Too hard!)

Cathy said...

I love those 16-patch Stars, too. Oh heck, I love everything you do, but I’m just mentally picking out the next project of yours that I want to copy. 😂😂😂

Lynette said...

Oh, wow! Such a cool post - you are my hero, queen of wonderful scrappy piecing. I am in awe of all the wonderful on-going projects you have here, and one day you're going to have the BEST collection of really neat scrappy quilts.

Carol E. said...

Cathy! Come up for some air! I am in awe.. and disbelief that you get so much done, and you have it all so organized! (Ah ha, that's probably the secret.. being organized.) I look forward to seeing all these beauties as finished projects hanging on your clothes lines.