Sunday, March 13, 2022

I Cleaned Off The Cutting Mat And...

Back on March 9th I took a photo of my cutting mat that had a bunch of scraps encroaching and threatening to take over. I have since processed most of those scraps instead of my usual practice which was to throw them in a box, bin or bag.   I felt kind of like I was playing that old memory game played in the car when younger...I went on a vacation and I took along an apple, I went on vacation and I took along an apple and a balloon...and so on. 

So, while playing in my sewing room I cleaned off my cutting mat and I made...

...a bunch of Eight Patches from 2.5 and 3.5 scraps I came across...


...a bunch of Bear Paw claws when I found 2.5 inch pieces (the 4.5 squares came out of my squares bin)...

...a bunch of 2 inch scraps sorted out. I have not yet managed to clean out my 2 inch strip bin so top right stack will go into that bin and later be made into blocks I make for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge like Little Bow Ties. The middle brown stack and the upper right cream colored ones I put with the Double Four Patch currently working on. The bottom left pile are darker colored pieces at least 13 inches long that I put into my Trip Around The World Project Box. And the bottom right pile are 2.25 pieces of binding I put in the binding box. 



Oops. I should have put this photo first. It shows me sorting out bigger and longer pieces first. I did put away several chunks (defined as anything bigger than a 6 inch square and less than a FQ now sorted by color) and put some strings (wonky end cuts, wonky cuts, cuts that end up a weird size or less than 1.5 inches) away into a string box. 

I ended up with lots of 2.5 inch squares. The little stack with purple on top has four of the same fabric so those go into making Indian Hatchet blocks. The rest go into a squares bin for some future quilts. The 3.5 squares are also in the squares bin.  The 1.5 x 2.5 pieces are now in the Lego project box. 

A lot of pieces in different sizes less than a square got sewn into strips for future Chinese Coins quilts.  I put several into the project box before  I took a picture. 

I have not yet managed to empty out my 1.5 inch scrap bin and am still working on several projects that use those scrap pieces so these pieces went into that bin. 


I also had a little box of HST strips that needed ironing. A year ago someone gave me a bunch of their little "bonus HSTs". So I've been working on these for about a year as leader/enders. First I sewed together the triangles for a HST then trimmed the dog ears and then sorted and sewed them into strips. I don't really care if they are a little wonky - I did not bother to trim to size. 

So anyway, that little box on my cutting mat has now been emptied and alll HSTs ironed and now they... 



...are all in the project box waiting to be made into my version of this vintage quilt someday. 





Now I'm just down to that little pile that I think needs to be cut into squares...

And the bottom of this little box still needs to be sorted. I think it will mostly go into a crumb or slab pile.  I'm making a couple of different blocks with crumbs and a slab block with heart centers. 




Before

After

with the last of my yellow scraps I'm working on for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. 


 

18 comments:

Linda said...

Wow! What a lot of sorting, cutting and sewing you did. Still loving those Bear Paw blocks!

Julierose said...

Nice job with all that sorting and cutting!! I am using the little itty-bitty cut offs for snippet strips--to be used in crazy quilt plans and my journals as decorations...Just sewing them onto a muslin strips contains them and saves on trash!! What fun hugs, Julierose

Chantal said...

So many gorgeous fabrics, so many eye-candy blocks! Your hard work is inspiring me to do the same with the pile on my cutting board. Enjoy! ;^)

Sylvia@Treadlestitches said...

It's fun watching you sort your scraps! You always have so much great stuff going on. Good luck with that vintage quilt with the hst strips, it will be amazing.

grammajudyb said...

Kudos to you! So much fabric overwhelms me! I’m going to try very hard to get my mess organized!

gayle said...

Wow! Now I'm feeling inspired to clear off my own cutting mat! (Soon) (yeah, soon)

Linda Swanekamp said...

I have been trying to deal with my fabric mess- yardage and scraps. It seems like I have hit a brick wall where it just seems overwhelming. I can't see how to get out of it step by step. I am refolding the yardage mess, but don't know how to recover an orderly place. You seem to have solid plans for getting through it and making progress on quilts. Thank you for sharing.

Cynthia Brunz Designs said...

That was a big pile of scraps to process Cathy. Great job getting them all cleaned up. My cutting board is getting a bit cramped lately too. Maybe I should clean mine up too.

Thanks for linking up with Oh Scrap!

cityquilter grace said...

terrific scrappy blocks and love those bear paw blocks! nice vintage is whispering to me...LOL

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

That was a TON of sorting, cutting and filing! You are amazing accomplishing all that you do!

Lcos said...

How many boxes and bags and stuff do you have?

Deb said...

Funny how those scraps pile up so fast! It is so rewarding when they get sorted or sew up tho! I am getting two more batches of scraps this week, just in time for my birthday! Yay! I sorted out my chunks and got them all color separated and stacked in their cubbies. Now I can just grab a pile and go when I am making up rainbow 1/2 color string squares. Stay safe and sew on !

Quiltdivajulie said...

I KNEW you could do it - and you have!! I'm working on my variation of that wonderful vintage HST quilt , too!

Quilter Kathy said...

You are a scrap organizing machine!! Way to go!

The Joyful Quilter said...

Nice job on the sorting and even better with using the scraps up!!

Pamela Arbour said...

I knew you could do it! Quicker than I thought.

mangozz said...

I don't know how you can keep track of what size fabric pieces are used to make what block design! I can't remember one quilt's block sizes.

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

Go you!!! I am partial to those bear paw claws!!