Saturday, May 27, 2023

Emptying Out A Bag of Three Inch Squares


Orange is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) color of the month. I really don't have many more orange scraps except for a few crumbs and a few chunks. I decided to cut off a 3 inch width strip from a couple of orange chunks. 

Back in March I received a bag (gallon size?) of 3 inch squares and started making Four Patches with pairs of complementary colors.     I've been working on them since then as leaders/enders and saw I was only 26 blocks away from my goal of 140 blocks for a 50 x 70 donation quilt.   I had pairs of blues but didn't have any orange pairs to match with them so cut my squares from those 3 inch width orange strips. 

After that....
...I only needed 11 more Four Patches and so I made those and now...

...I have 140 Four Patches and there's some assembly required. 

Then I moved on to make blocks for donation quilt #2 from 3 inch squares.    I decided to make Four Patches in blacks, whites and one other color.  Again, my goal is the same size of donation quit so I need 140 Four Patches. 



I was able to make 53 Four Patches of blacks/whites/one other color with what was in the bag. So now I'll set these aside until I come across more black and white scraps. 

There were some novelty squares in the bag so I thought I would see how they would look in some 16 Patch Stars.   The blocks finish at 10 inches so I only need 24 blocks for a child's donation quilt.  There are more novelty squares in the bag but I'm going to look through my novelty scraps for a few more squares for variety before I make more blocks. 

I made a few Nine Patch blocks with the pastel and white squares. There's a lot of white squares but not that many pastels. 

I have a small box of pastel bits and pieces I rarely use so it might be a good idea to dig in and use some now to finish up blocks for a donation quilt. 

I pulled out sets of four brown 3 inch squares for the outside of the square in square blocks. The centers are 3.5 inch squares I pulled out of my 3.5 inch squares stash.  I'm not sure what I will do with the rest of the brown squares in the bag that aren't in sets of four.  Time will tell.

The block is called Pavement Pattern - tutorial by Beth Shibley - inspired by a vintage quilt.  And it's a new block just in time for June when the them in my sewing space is "brown stuff".  I have a giant bag of brown scraps waiting to be used in some of the Pavement Pattern blocks and lots of other stuff. 

So that's what will come out of that bag of 3 inch squares and then some. And if after all those blocks are made any squares are left over they will be cut into four 1.5 inch squares because I do have a postage stamp UFO.

And sew on...




 

10 comments:

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

I really like the pavement blocks! They look like another fun way to use square in a square blocks!

Sara said...

Oh my goodness, you have really been busy! And such good use of those leftover squares. Makes me want to run downstairs and make 9-patch blocks and 4-patch blocks.

The Joyful Quilter said...

With SEW many ORANGE quilt blocks, how did you ever find time for gardening, Cathy?!?!

grammajudyb said...

Your donation pile of quilts is growing! I love the orange and blue together. And those Pavement blocks, so interesting. Good for the browns and blacks that end up in our stash somehow!

Pat at Bell Creek Quilts said...

What a great way to use your limited orange scraps and chunks!

Anorina @SameliasMum said...

I love how much you've made with a bag of leftover scraps. Fabulous!

Jenny said...

Its always exciting to read your blog and see what you have come up with, yet again. So many blocks, I really admire your industriousness!

Astrid said...

I enjoy reading your blog and see what you have been up to. Great use of the 3" squares. Love the Pavement block, looks like a fun one for scraps.

Helenchaffin said...

where there is an inch of fabric to be found a quilt can be born 😄 luv your blocks!

Susie H said...

You sure turned that donated bag of scraps into SO MANY different blocks that will turn into beautiful quilts. Great job!