Sunday, November 22, 2020

Cleaning Out The 2.5 Inch Scrap Bin - Part II



Yesterday I left off with a view of my 2.5 inch scrap box full of bags of 2.5 inch scraps sorted by color and mentioned that today I would show you my plans for emptying the box of scraps.  

I started with the bag of gray and bag of black scraps.  If the piece was long enough to cut 5 squares I cut 5 squares. If the piece was at least 2.5 x 3.5 I cut that size and made a pile of those. If there was enough for 2.5 inch squares I cut those and put them in a pile. And finally if there was not enough for a 2.5 inch square and it was at least one inch wide I put it aside in a pile. 

Going forward if I have 2. 5 inch scraps left over after making a project those scraps will be cut and put into these categories. If I want to use scraps as I go I was thinking I needed to have a plan for those scraps moving forward. 



With the pile of 5 identical squares I paired them up with light neutrals and made nine patches.  These will just accumulate in the Parts Department. At some future date they can be made into a quilt or used as the center of Star blocks or used as a border or alternate blocks. 

The 2.5 x 3.5 inch scraps have been accumulating for a quilt similar to the quilt at Blue Elephant Stitches. I think the quilt I make will have a few more columns and rows to make it a little closer to the 60 x 80 size I aim for when I make comfort quilts. I figured I need 800 rectangles. I've been cutting scraps for this for awhile and now have 639 so I'm sure I'll easily have 800 rectangles as I sort through my 2.5 inch scraps. If I go over 800 I will start another bag for a second quilt. 

Currently I am cutting and accumulating 2.5 inch squares for a Jack and Jill quilt like I saw at Klein Meisje Quilts.   After I accumulate enough squares for that quilt I will continue to accumulate squares for whatever suits my fancy- four patches, sixteen patches, who knows? There's any number of quilts that can be made using squares. 


Those pieces less than a square were sewn into strips and join the other strips of all widths and colors that I've been making for a couple of years now.  After I finish clearing out the 2.5 inch scrap bin and have the rest of the 2.5 inch strips made I'll make a Chinese Coins quilt.   Then moving forward I think the strips will be sewn together by width but contain a mixture of colors. 

So that's the plan for cleaning out the 2. 5 inch scrap bin and for moving forward whenever I have 2. 5 inch scraps left over after a project. 





 

14 comments:

Nann said...

I like the Blue Elephant quilt -- rectangular units but not too rectangular. Thanks for sharing your stash reduction plans.

JCH said...

Wow - such organization! Can you come to my house and organize my scraps?!? Lol.

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

I'm always impressed with how you make coins after you've cut all the squares out of a scrap. You truly do use it all up!

Sylvia@Treadlestitches said...

Oh, I LOVE your ideas and inspirations! Thanks for such a great post!

Julierose said...

Very impressive!! I really like your "works in progress" idea--for the 2.5" scraps...I have a ton of mini charms (2,5") and need to sort them...
thanks for sharing hugs from afar Julierose

cityquilter grace said...

love to see your scraps in progress....all very nice...

Cynthia Brunz Designs said...

I always love to see what you are up to. Thanks for linking up with Oh Scrap!

mangozz said...

I am still amazed you haven't run out of scraps yet! Or steam! You keep on going full speed ahead.

The Joyful Quilter said...

That sounds like a great plan, Cathy! Both of the quilt you linked to have worked their way onto my To Make list.

Linda said...

And the scrap using up continues! I’m always amazed at your organisation. Love the Blue Elephant quilt, a great idea for using those rectangles you have cut.

Marianne said...

I love that term the "parts department." That's what I've resolved to do this coming year, too. I started making 9 patches yesterday and will keep adding to a large baggie until I have enough for... something.

gayle said...

You can never go wrong with a box full of nine-patches!
As usual, thanks for all the inspiration! (I can hear Jack and Jill whispering to me to come out and play!)

Bonnie said...

Wowzer -- you are very organized on these plans. Good job. I thought I'd make a good dent in my 2" strips with Bonnie Hunter's Easy Breezy block. Um, nothing seems to go with anything else. But I'll keep at it as I'm sure I have other bags of general scraps that might help out. Keep on working your way through these.

Louise said...

I borrowed your idea of making coin strips out of 2.5" chunks smaller than a square. They make great leader/enders! The Blue Elephant quilt design is neat; I look forward to seeing your version :)