With 3 Inch Width Scraps, Novelty Pieces and Quilt Back Trimmings

 

16 Patch

10 inch block

made with 3 inch width strips

This past year has been a blur with hubby in and out of the hospital and with me helping him and doing all his chores as well as mine around here. I've also been working on clearing areas of land for some more of my dream gardens.   Also this year I have been blessed with scraps and other quilt makings from many folks who know I like to sew with scraps and also like to make donation quilts especially for kids. In previous years I used to have a few quilt blocks going for almost any size scrap I came across and I would make blocks as scraps happened.  I have fallen behind on that task and now am trying to get back to business as usual.   

So this set of blocks all use 3 inch width scraps. Not only will I use 3 inch width scraps as they happen but I also hope to use up a little box of novelty bits and pieces and empty a box of quilt back trimmings.  The novelties and quilt back trimmings will probably be used along with other widths of scraps but I'll get to that in a different post one of these days. 

So, as you saw above one of the blocks I'm making is 10 inch finished 16 patches in reds,  blues, yellows. Goal is 24 blocks in a 4 x 6 layout.  I have gone through a few quilt back trimmings and novelties and cut a few strip sets. 

Peaks and Valleys

from Jo's Country Junction

Modified to use 3 inch scraps for a 10 inch finished block. 

I will be using that green fabric in all the blocks. 

Goal is 24 blocks for a 4 x 6 layout. I had some 3 inch squares so counted out enough for all my blocks and moving forward I hope to have all pieces cut for this quilt by year end. 

Bits of Bricks

From a Youtube video. I rarely watch them because my computer takes forever to load them and then they are sometimes broken up; however, someone sent me the link so thought I would check it out. 

These units finish at 2.5 x 8.5 and consist of two 3 x 6 inch rectangles. 

The units get staggered a little so there are no seams to match.   I will be adding a 3.5 inch unfinished scrappy border. 

I sewed together the waste triangles from the Bits of Bricks units and will keep them in a baggie and decide what to do with them later. Some might be wonky because I don't take the time to cut an even 1/4 inch from seam lines. I just take a big scissors and snip. I'll just use them wonky in something so I don't have to do a lot of measuring, trimming, etc. on those snippets.  

Also while sorting 3 inch width scraps I cut 3 x 5 rectangles and 2 x 3 rectangles to be used in something later. I cut those sizes because someone gave me some rectangles cut to that size so why not expand on those sizes. They can always go into some type of coin quilt. 

I also cut 3 inch squares for some future use. 

And anything greater than an inch and less than a square gets sewn together into strips for some future use. 

 A month or so ago I emptied out a box of 3 inch width scraps and ended up with 10 tops.  I had also cut a lot of the remaining scraps into pieces for Four Patches.  I'm still working on those. 

So now when I have 3 inch width scraps I know what to do with them right away!  I keep this notebook next to my computer. It is full of doodles of quilt layouts, math, block goals and so forth. It's kind of fun to look back through the notebooks once in awhile.  I also keep a notebook next to my computer that has all sorts of notes and scribbling in it from reminders to quilts to make to seeds to order to quotes I like to tips and research on health, homemade remedies, recipes, and house maintenance. 

And now when I have 3 inch width scraps I can go look in my 3 inch project box and add units and blocks to it.  

And on to the next size scrap...

And sew on...

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CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

November 27 - I received my order of native wildflower and grasses from Prairie Moon nursery that will sow 1500 square feet. I recently finished clearing the area out front near the ditch. Now is the time to sow because most seeds need cold stratification. More on that later with pics.      I also received a surprise sampler box of 9 Amaryllis from hubby John.  He said he ordered them for me when I was having what he thought was a really bad day. I don't remember what day that was but, hey, maybe I'll have to pretend to have a few more bad days in the future (wink, wink)! 

November 28 - Thanksgiving. I have so much to be thankful for every single day. 

November 29 - Finished a book! Plum Springs by Dan Lawton. A dysfunctional family, child abuse, addictions and vigilante justice. Plum Springs was the winner of the 2019 New Hampshire Writers' Project Readers' Choice Award For Fiction but I'm not sure I really liked the book. I liked the writing style; however, the plot just seemed too far fetched to me. 

Sweet!

A sweet finish!

56 x 72

I finished the top in January 2022; however, some of the blocks were much older than that and came from a swap.   An explanation of the unusual kind of swap is on that Jan. 2022 blog post. 

I quilted it on my sewing machine (Brother PQ1500SL) with horizontal and vertical lines. 

The nice thing about this one is since it is candy themed I could use some Christmas and Halloween candy fabrics from the holiday themed fabrics without them seeming to be related to any holiday. I think I mightt have some Valentine's Day candies in there too. 

The binding is scrappy and pieces came out of the leftover binding box. I had to piece a back. 

The backing has all sorts of sweets and a strip of chocolate. The sweets in the turquoise tone on tone don't show up very well but there's almost the same sweets in it as in the pink. I think I bought both pieces a long time ago (pre-retirement in 2017) on clearance at Connecting Threads and they were part of the same line. 

And now it's ready for donation! 

And sew on...

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CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

Nov. 26 - Finished a book! -- Other Birds:A Novel by Sarah Addison Allen. Magical realism. "an enchanting tale of lost souls, lonely strangers, secrets that shape us, and how the right flock can guide you home."   

"...untold stories. What happens to them? Where do they go? If you never share your stories with at least one other person, does that mean they weren't real, that they never really existed?" - Sarah Addison Allen

It's light easy reading with a happy ending for when you are not feeling well! 

 

What's In The Hoop?

What's (finally) in the hoop?

Cherry Baskets

I'm big stitch hand quilting with red perle cotton. 

I need to decide on a motif to quilt in that half circle area  inside the basket handle. I'll decide after all the rest of the quilting is finished and just think about it until then. I need to dig out my quilting stencils and see if there's anything in those I can use. 

And sew on...

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CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

Nov 21 - Received another seed order. A lot of the seeds are for my new goth/moonlight garden but with a few veggies thrown in. And I received a free packet of mixed lettuces. 

Nov. 22 - Received a surprise box of scraps from Jeanie B! Oh, joy! They are sorted and quilts designated!

Nov. 23 - Received a box of scraps and other goodies from Donna! Wooohoo! Again they are all sorted and quilts designated!

Nov. 24 - Recovering from shingles and feeling a lot better! My eye was swollen shut, I had a horrible headache, and swollen lymph nodes as well as buring pain and rash on half my face from ear on up over scalp. I never take naps but was so tired I would wake up for an hour and mosey around and then go take another nap. Today my eye is open, headache is gone and lymph nodes are not as swollen; however, I am pretty crusty looking now from my ear through scalp. This too shall pass but right now I'm not really a sight to behold! 

Nov. 25 - Seed Saver's Exchange! They are located in Iowa where I live. I received today their 25th Anniversary 2025 Seed Catalog.  I've been ordering from them for years starting in the old days when nothing was ordered on the internet. I used to be a member long ago and was able to get seeds cheaper than non members and seed varieties not available to non members in exchange for membership fee and some of my saved seeds sent to seed bank. 

NOTE! 

This is a Google blog. I noticed a few weeks ago that Google was making some revisions to the way comments on blogs work. I used to get notice of your comment and it would come to my email along with your email address if you had it marked public on your google profile. Then I could reply via email. Now I get notification via email; however, I don't get your email addy anymore. If you have replied in the past I have now put you in my contacts so I can still reply via email. If you are an anonymous commenter then I will start replying to you on the blog.   I think Google wants all comments and replies to stay on their servers. (What happens on Google stays on Google?)

I have a Google Pixel 8 phone. At around the same time as this comment thing was happening my phone told me I needed to change to a new messaging ap. 

I am not a Facebook member; however, I used to be able to go visit most public Facebook pages. I had a winter sowing one I liked to visit from time to time.  Well, about the same time those Google things were happening public Facebook pages stopped being available to me the non-member. 

So, I think these are all moves toward Artificial Intelligence. Big Tech (Brother) is watching me! Or trying to watch me!  Not sure I like that. 

 

Framed Squares Top

It's a top!

Framed Squares

54 x 72

I said I was working on "oldies and biggies" this month and this is one of the oldies. 

I won these Block Lotto blocks back in January 2018.  Although Block Lotto has disbanded the instructions for making the block are still online. 

And sew on...

***

CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

Nov. 20 - I am so thankful for the time you all take to comment. Sometimes I laugh, sometimes I learn more about you, sometimes you give me a big head and sometimes I learn something new. On my last post I mentioned I had a burning rash on my face and thought it was from spider bites. A couple of comments mentioned the possibility of shingles. Well, I did not know you could get shingles on the face but when I read about it I figured out that's what I had. My husband told me the "spider bites" were swollen lymph nodes. I've been to the family doctor and opthamologist and am on the road to recovery thanks to a couple of comments. Thank you! 

FYI -- I've been asked if I got a shingles shot. The answer is no. I have a history of Guillaine Barre Syndrome (GBS) and evidently a shingles shot can trigger GBS so I opt out on the shingles shot. I don't want GBS ever again. So far shingles is a breeze compared to GBS. And even so the shot is only 90% effective in preventing shingles. 

 

Zip-A-Dee-Doo--Dah!

Zip!

It's a finish!

60 x 81

 I think I started making blocks in January 2022. 

The Zip block instructions can be found at Klein Meisje Quilts.

I finished the top July 2023

I quilted it on my sewing machine with vertical lines. 

The binding is scrappy and came out of the leftover binding box. 

The backing is bleeding.

I think this was the quilt from hell. And it is full of cuss words.  I ripped four rows of quilting out because there was a big fold in back.  Then when I went to sew the binding on I noticed that the quilted lines down the middle of the quilt pulled the quilt wonky. I quilt one side top to bottom and then turn the quilt and quilt bottom to top. Well, evidently when I turned the quilt I pulled the quilt wonky when sewing. I couldn't live with it even though I will give the quilt away so ripped out about ten rows of quilting and straightened the best I could and re-quilted. Then...I rarely have bleeding quilts but, of course, this one had to bleed.    In my defense I was not feeling well when working on this. I think a spider or something bit me a couple of times on the face and neck and one whole side of my face had a burning rash. Still today my eye is swollen almost shut, I have swollen glands, the rash is spreading and I have a terrible headache.  So, I think this poor quilt needs to have some good vibes put in it before I pass on this quilt from hell.  Hopefully in a couple more days I'll be back to normal with the help of ice, tylenol and diphenhydramine. 

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CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

Nov. 17 - Finished a book! Happiness For Beginners by Katherine Center. This book is not my usual type of reading but it was recommended and happened to be available with my kindle unlimited subscription so I decided to read it. I enjoyed the book. It was light reading.

 “The more you register good things,” she went on, “the more you will think about and remember good things.”― Katherine Center, Happiness for Beginners 

Nov. 18 - A gentle rain that brings up the smell of the earth.  A guy who smiled, said "'good morning, ma'am" and held open the door to the grocery store for me. 

Nov. 19 -- This morning my husband John had an appointment with his pulmonologist. Good news! He is the first doctor  out of many many we've had that said there may be something that can be done for his inability to swallow! - speech therapy!  and maybe another esophageal dilation.  He needs to continue with his head and neck physical therapy exercises and continue to gain weight and overall strength and when he goes back for appointment in April the doctor will hopefully have reviewed all of John's records and consult with a few other docs and come up with a treatment plan. John says at this point he'd be happy just to be able to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning! 

 

Pickle Dish Progress

I've appliqued by hand all 25 of my Pickle Dish blocks to the background. 

I had to piece the background fabric. I'm glad it is a collage. You can't really tell it is pieced.  I love that Tim Holtz background fabric. It was on sale at 40 % discount at Hobby Lobby many years ago so I bought several yards. 

Now I have to decide on fabric to use in the borders. 

I'm making this unusual Pickle Dish quilt from the book Making Quilts by Kathy Doughty. 

And sew on...

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

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CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

Nov. 14 - Finished a book! Smoked Out by Jeff Carson. It's a mystery thriller and page turner and #6 in the David Wolf series. Who killed David Wolf's ex-wife? Who framed David Wolf for the murder and why?

Nov. 15 - A beautiful supermoon, Beaver Moon, lit up the night sky. 

Nov. 16 - Leaves! I really have the urge to rake up a pile of them to jump into. I would if they weren't so wet with dew. One of these days (hopefully!) I will rake some up and put in garbage bags to make leaf mold for the gardens. 

 

Old Forest, New Growth

Tree of Life

12 inch block

with a leaf out of place. Ooops!

An old post records that I started making these in February 2015.  

In 2015 I made 12 blocks. 

In 2018 my forest grew 6 more trees. 

This week I made these 7 trees and after I fix two blocks I'll assemble the top because this month in my sewing space the theme to move UFOs forward is "oldies and biggies".   This is definitely an oldie. It will be nice to empty this box that had 18 blocks plus leafy fabrics plus a few tree trunk fabrics and blue solids. 

And sew on...

***

CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

Nov. 13 - I received another shipment of seeds from two different companies.  I'm getting ready for some winter sowing in January. A lot of this batch of seeds is for my new Goth/Moonlight Garden that I hope will be full of mostly black and white flowers with a few pops of pink.   My oldest son, father of my granddaughter Kayla who passed away unexpectedly several years ago was suffering a severe bought of depression after her death. Then he had a wound on his foot that would not heal and found out he was diabetic and had to have part of his foot amputated. Then he became even more depressed. One day I mentioned to him that I was thinking of clearing an area out back that had become overgrown with mostly honeysuckle, stinging nettle, black raspberries and wild grape. I told him the reason I wanted to clear it was for a Goth/Moonlight garden in memory of Kayla who was "perky goth".  I have been watching a couple of British gardening shows where they frequently visit community gardens aimed at helping folks with both physical and mental illnesses and I know that gardening certainly keeps me grounded (haha) so I thought I'd tell him I needed his help with the project. He was eager to help and ended up clearing the whole area himself. He worked on it a little each day. After that he asked me for more outside chores and his attitude and appearance have changed a bit.

 

It's A Finish! Coin Toss

It's a finish! 

Coin Toss

65 x 80

I made the top back in 2021. I used up a pile of 3 inch width scraps plus some quilt back trimmings. 

Long strips got matched up and sewn into strip sets and then cut into 5.5 inch lengths and then were sewn together again to make a "block".   Blocks ended up different lengths.   Any smaller 3 inch width scraps got cut into 3 x 5.5 inch rectangles and I used those to separate the columns of "blocks". 

I quilted it with vertical lines on my sewing machine (Brother PQ1500SL). 

The binding is scrappy - leftover pieces of binding. 

And here's the back!

And sew on...

Finished Or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

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CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

Nov. 10 - I slept in my bed for the first time in about a year!  My husband John is on a feeding pump because he cannot swallow. He has to take in the formula and water slowly over a period of 12 hours or else aspiration becomes a problem and he can end up with aspiration pneumonia again. While he is on the pump and for several hours afterwards he has to be in an upright position - again, to avoid aspiration - so he sleeps in his recliner. He hooks up to the pump in the late afternoon so he can do some physical therapy exercises and try to be a little more active while he continues to build strength and gain a little strength.  So, anyway...I have been sleeping on the couch near his recliner since last year in order to help him get unhooked, get up to help him to bathroom, add food to his bag, get him suction device if needed, etc.   Last year at this time he could not get up out of a chair or walk without walker or set up his pump. For the last month he has not needed my help at all during the evenings and he can do everything by himself. So, from now on I will be sleeping in my bed and not on the couch! (But I saw a mouse in the bedroom when I was getting ready for bed last night so I might end up sleeping with John in the recliner if I don't trap it soon!)

Nov. 11 - Veteran's Day! We have several deceased and living veterans in our family. God bless them all!

Nov. 12 - A box of scraps and orphan blocks arrived from Gail and a box of novelty scraps and yardage arrived from Cheryl. Oh happy day! 

 

It's A Finish! Valued Coins

It's a finish!

Valued Coins

63 x 76

Back in 2021 I cleaned up some 2.5 and 3.5 inch width scraps, cut 2.5 x 3.5 rectangles and made a couple of different "valued" tops. 

To make this type of quilt I had to decide upon size and then have all the pieces cut  and sorted by value before the sewing began. 

I quilted it with vertical lines on my sewing machine (Brother PQ1500SL). 

The binding is a floral. The backing is a gently used sheet from the thrift store. 

And sew on...

CELEBRATE! (My word of the year)

Nov. 9 -- Another book finished!  - A mystery thriller  - Cold Lake by Jeff Carson. It is book #5 in the David Wolf series. I've read the previous 4 books in the series in the past. After I finished this one I started right away on book #6 in the series.