Nine Patch November: Path and Stiles

I just returned home yesterday afternoon from a short trip to a state park. Five of my husband's seven siblings and spouses rented a cabin rented a cabin in the woods and a good time was had by all although I think some folks (mostly women but not me) were disappointed that internet connectivity was almost nil and they became rather anxious. I think it's nice to get away for a bit but I am always glad to be back home. Groups of people make me anxious and I'm not much of a socializer. 

Today I finished up the rest of my Path and Stiles blocks. I now have 100 of these nine inch finished blocks. 

It's Nine Patch November at my house. I chose to try to reduce both my inventory of six and three inch Nine Patches. I swapped three inch Nine Patches quarterly for a number of years and although I've made a lot of quits that use them I still have a bin of them. I used some of those Nine Patches as the centers of these blocks. 

I went through my chunk scraps and tried to match up my scraps to the Nine Patch centers. I actually had a lot of fun doing that. 

Now my three inch Nine Patch inventory is 100 Nine Patches lighter. 

After I finishing ironing the remainder of the blocks they will all go into the Some Assembly Required box where complete blocks sets rest until I feel like assembling a top. 

Now I have a little stack of 3.5 inch width pieces to deal with and my Shoe Box project box will be ready for another project. 

 

Tales From The Scrap Yard: Top #4

Double Four Patch

42  x 54

This is top #4 made mostly from some of the green scraps given to me a few weeks ago. 

As seen previously on Tales from the Scrap Yard: 

Backstory and Quilt Tops #1-#3

I made this one to use some precut scraps in the bag that were 3.5 and 2 inches wide. 

I supplemented those scraps with some 3.5 and 2 inch wide scraps still sitting on my cutting mat left over from making last month's green Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) blocks. 

I also had a few scraps of green left in my 2 inch scrap bin that went into the quilt top. 

 And I also used some precut 3.5 inch lime green and bright green squares I received last year from a quilty friend. 

More tales to come!

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Thirties on Tuesday

I keep my thirties reproduction and civil war reproduction fabric scraps separate from the general population of scraps. Don't ask me why. I just do and always have. Anyway, I have been trying to use up all bins and boxes of scraps and I found a little box of 3.5 inch thirties reproduction scraps and was pondering what to do with them. 

First I combined some of those scraps with some muslin pieces and solids and made a couple of Dove in the Window Variation blocks. Well, they didn't really excite me all that much so they are now in the orphan box. 

Then I tried a couple of Economy Blocks, got a little excited and decided that is what I would make using the 3.5 inch scraps as block centers.   I reviewed lots of charts for making Economy Blocks using 3.5 inch centers and finally decided on using two 3 inch squares cut on diagonal for the inner corners and two 4 inch squares cut on the diagonal for the outer corners.  That leaves very little to trim or waste. 

 I've been quilting a lot lately so after each bobbin I get up and do some other activity like block part cutting.  Then when I've finished quilting I am able to quickly chain piece all those parts. These blocks are ready for the first trimming and then I need to cut scrap chunks into 4 inch squares for the next round. I'm in no hurry to finish but now know what I am going to do with those 3.5 scraps and larger scrap chunks. So when I have a few spare moments I know what parts I need to cut. 

3.5 Plus 2

Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC)

For years my scraps have been stored mostly by width size (1.5, 2, 2.5, 3.5 and 3.5 and 4.5) and I have had a 16 quart bin for each size that has almost always been full of scraps. Each year as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge I have picked a block or two to work on for each bin using scraps in the color of the month. I have been working diligently to use up the scraps from each bin for years. Now I have emptied the 3.5 and 4.5 bins so I am not making any blocks using only that size of scrap. I almost have the 1.5 inch bin emptied. That leaves the 2 and 2.5 inch bins. 

Now I am mostly left with scrap chunks - pieces that are greater than 4.5 in width and less than a Fat Quarter (FQ).  (I do have boxes of strings and selvages and crumbs but that is a different story for a different time).

So that brings me to the title of this post --- 3.5 plus 2 and that equals the blocks you see in this post which are all made mostly from 3.5 inch and 2 inch pieces cut from my scrap chunks.  I figured if I'm going to cut a chunk I might as well spread it out between a lot of blocks. 

Flower Baskets

A few months ago I started making the Basket blocks you see above. I have been using all the 2 inch floral fabrics from my scrap bin and 3.5 inch and 2 inch fabrics cut from chunks. The basket is in the color of the month, the background is scrappy neutrals. Goal is to make a queen sized quilt with blocks set on point.

 

For the last several months I've been making Buckeye Beauty blocks from scrap chunks in the color of the month then paired up with men's shirts scraps or dark multi-color scraps. Again the pieces are 3.5 and 2 inches. The blocks finish at 6 inches. Goal is to make a twin sized quilt that will probably be donated or gifted. 

Last month I started making X+ blocks using 3.5 and 2 inch pieces. Here's this month's batch. Goal is to make a twin sized quilt. 

Last month I also started making Uneven Nine Patches. The centers are 3.5 inches and the sides are 2 inch pieces. The four corners don't have to match the center and the sides are neutral scraps. I've been trying to use up the last of my 2 inch scrap bin making these.  I'll see how many blocks I have at the end of next year before I decide size of quilt or quilts.  These will be made into donation quilts. 

After last month's RSC linky party for the color purple I made a couple of Antique Tile blocks to use up a few scraps I had left over from making other blocks just to see if I liked how they looked and to see if I liked to make them. I did so I added this now to the list of blocks I'm making from 3.5 plus 2 inch pieces. They finish at nine inches. I'll wait until the end of next year to decide the size of quilt. Again, these will probably be made into a donation quilt or quilts. I get to have the fun of making them. 

Another block I made after last month's purple linky party is the classic Propeller block. You guessed it...they are made from 3.5 plus 2 inch scraps. I have a lot of small gray tone on tone (TOT) pieces I'm going to use for the backgrounds. I decided the center square will be black scraps and the outer squares of the cross will be in reds. I see I need to fix the bottom center one. 

And finally I made a couple of Dove in the Window blocks from 3.5 plus 2 inch scraps. 

3.5 plus 2 = lots of blocks

Rainbow Scrap Challenge ScrapHappy Saturday

Purple Passion

This week's Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks are all made from 3.5 and 2 inch scraps. Since I emptied my 3.5 inch scrap bin a few months ago I cut the 3.5 inch pieces for these blocks from a scrap chunk and then try to use it all up in various blocks. That is why I decided to make several blocks using 3.5 and 2 inch pieces. 

I started making these Buckeye Beauty blocks a few months ago to use up a box of shirt scraps and some black multi-color scraps.  I'll combine them with scraps in the RSC color of the month. 

I also started making these baskets of flowers a few months ago. The baskets will be in the RSC color of the month and the flowers will be floral 2 inch scraps.

I've already pulled all of the floral prints for the baskets out of the 2 inch scrap bin as part of my effort to empty that bin and I cut a square and two HSTs out of each piece that was long enough. So each month I just need to pick out some flower pieces for each basket. When these run out I'll reach into the scrap chunks for a floral 2 inch scrap. 

This month I started making some X and + blocks using a tutorial found at Badskirt.  I used the tutorial in the past to make a quilt out of cherry themed fabrics and I've always had it in mind to make a scrappy one. Now I don't have to keep that in mind anymore. 

And finally I made some Uneven Nine Patch blocks with 3.5 inch centers and 2 inch sides.  This was another new start this month. 

Now all I have left to deal with for the rest of the month are purples in the 2.5 inch scrap bin. 

Rainbow Scrap Challenge ScrapHappy Saturday

 

Good Grief, Girl! What Is All That Stuff On Your Cutting Mat? (Table Scraps Part I)

 Ok. My cutting mat is on a small wooden table about the size of a card table. When it gets to the point where the table is piled high and  I only have a 9 x 15 inch space or so left to use of my 18 x 24 inch cutting mat it is time to do something.  First I put away all the big pieces of fabric and the chunks. Then I sorted out the bigger and longer  pieces that were in sizes I save in bins which happens to be widths of 4.5, 3.5, 2.5, 2 and 1.5 as you see in the flat above.  I also sorted out some strings that didn't fit into any of those categories and/or were wonky and threw them into the string box.  There's still a big pile of stuff left to sort through as you can see in the background but I'll get to that later.   

 I started with the 3.5 inch scraps from the table...

 ...and the bin of 3.5 inch scraps.  

I've been trying to clean out those bins too. So I worked those scraps. It's an easy thing to pick up and put down in between garden work. 

 The bin of 3.5 inch scraps and the table scraps now have a purpose. 

 First  I assessed what UFOs I have that use 3.5 inch scraps. Six inch Broken Dishes is one of those UFOs I've worked on off and on over the years sometimes as a Rainbow Scrap Challenge Project and sometimes when I had some leftover HSTs. I found that I had 86 blocks. I've been trying to make at least twin sized quilts this year - most to be donated locally - so I figured a quilt with blocks with a 10 x 13 layout would make a nice sized 60 x 78 quilt.   So, I got out my Easy Angle ruler and paired up some of the 3.5 inch scraps and cut enough HSTs for 44 more blocks. 

I've already started sewing those HSTs together in between other projects.  I throw them in a little basket after ironing and trim the dog ears at night while watching TV with hubby. I don't really ever do any squaring up. 

 Wishing Rings that finish at 3.5 inches is another block I've been making from 3.5 inch scraps. I cut the two inch center and four 1.5 inch corners from a 3.5 inch scrap...

...like this - one two inch cut and two 1.5 inch cuts. That leaves an extra pile of 1.5 inch squares that I've been using to make Plus Postage blocks.  Those tiny rectangle pieces are the only waste which is not waste around here because it goes into the flower garden path or compost pile. 

I cut enough centers and sides for 45 dark corner blocks and 25 light corner blocks. (Later I'll cut the side pieces from 1.5 inch scraps). 

After all that cutting for Broken Dishes and Wishing Rings I put all the 3.5 inch strips that were longer than two 3.5 inch squares back into the 3.5 inch scrap bin. Not sure what I will do with those right now. 

 Next I cut a big pile of 3.5 inch squares.  Use to be determined later...

...for now I added them to my new bin of various sized squares. I need to get more baggies to separate the sizes better but for now the new pile of 3.5 inch squares is in the corner there. 

 The rest of the 3.5 inch scraps I cut into 3.5 x 2.5 pieces for a future scrappy quilt to make like I saw at Blue Elephant Stitches. 

Any pieces left that were more than an inch wide were sorted into piles by color...

...and sewn into strips to be used in a Chinese Coin quilt someday along with strips of other sizes. 

 I've been making the strips for over a year so I'll probably have enough to make a big Chinese Coins quilt at the end of this year. 

 Next I tackled the 1.5 inch strips I found on the table as well as some from the 1.5 inch scrap bin...

 ...and I cut those sides for the Wishing Rings - two 1.5 x 2 pieces and two 1.5 x 4 pieces. 

 Now I have all the pieces cut for 45 Wishing Rings with dark corners and 25 Wishing Rings with light corners. 

The rest of the 1.5 inch scraps went into the 1.5 inch scrap bin. After I finish making my Plus Postage blocks I will probably cut all of the 1.5 inch scraps in the bin into squares or make a Lego quilt or something. For now I'm just glad they are in a bin and not on my cutting mat. 

Stay tuned for more table scraps. I still have 2, 2.5, and 4.5 inch scraps left in that cardboard flat and in bins to deal with as well as that big crumby pile on the table. 

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun than Housework

The Taming of the Purple Scraps

 This month's Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) color is purple. 

I dug into the 3.5 inch scrap bin and made some Broken Dishes blocks.  A few pieces left over that were less than a 3.5 inch square was sewn into a strip. Long ago I used to throw those pieces in the crumb box but the last couple of years I've been sewing them into strips for a Chinese Coin quilt. 

 I made a few Cat blocks from chunks of purple. I've been using different gray scraps for the backgrounds.  My goal is a twin sized quilt.  I'm not sure how they will be laid out. 

 I made little rail fence blocks from 1.5 inch scraps. I included a few light blue I didn't get finished last month.  I've been making these for a couple of years and probably need close to 200 more for a queen sized quilt. 

These Sixteen Patch blocks came out of the 2 inch scrap bin. 

RSC ScrapHappy Saturday