It's A Top!

It's a top!

Quirky

49 x 63

I'm trying to empty a box of 4 inch width scraps that I have accumulated over the years from others. I usually have a couple of Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) projects going for each width of scraps but sometimes I just have so many odd lengths of different colors so I decide to just see how many comfort quilts I can make to empty the box. 

For this quilt I used the blue, pink and purple pieces in the box. 

I made 7.5 inch unfinished Four Patch, Two Rail and Rail and Two Squares blocks...

...and I added in some saturated purple 7.5 inch unfinished squares.

Then I randomly sewed blocks together.

*** Edited to add...this morning when I went into the sewing room I found another row for this quilt under some other tops I had webbed together. So when I get that row added to this top it will be 49 x 70.  Sheesh!

And sew on...

Oh Scrap! at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

***********

The box of 4 inch width scraps I've been working from is a large flat rate USPS box. 

So far I've made the following tops/block sets with scraps in that box:

1. Yankee Puzzle Top

2. Yankee Puzzle #2 block set of 48 blocks

3. Blue/Orange Four Patch Top (also added orange solid)

4. Basket Weave (also added orange solid)

5. Four Patch and Two Rails (brown, orange, yellow)

6. 29 Wonky Stars (for an ongoing Wonky Star project)

7. Squares on the Diagonal 

8. This top

I still have pieces in my box of 4 inch width scrap so guess I need to make some blocks and/or another top! 

 

More Blue Scraps

 

Bricks and Stones

2.5 x 4 inch bricks + 2.5 inch square black stones

Started last year. 

Blue is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) color of the month. I have so many blue scraps (scrap=<6 inch square) and chunks (chunks=>6 inch square and <FQ) so I don't think I will get them all made into blocks this month so will probably also work on my remaining scraps along with other RSC colors.  

Waffles and Rails

For two separate comfort quilts

5 inch finished

Both made from 1.5 x 5.5 rectangles and both started last year.

I have blue scraps for other blocks cut out so maybe I will finish up a few more blocks this week before we move on to another RSC color.  The theme this month in my sewing space to move UFOs forward has been "itty bits, fiddly bits" so I've also been working on blocks in all colors with itty bits. 

And sew on...

RSC ScrapHappy Saturday

Snowballs and Rails

 

Snowballs and Rails

36 x 42

It's a top!

In previous posts I mentioned that someone gave me a bag of six inch Snowballs with red corners. I divided them into groups for different quilts. This is the third Snowball top. All tops are different.

 The first had a sporty theme. 

The second had a railroad theme. 

This one has a sort of toy theme. 

I had to make one more Snowball for this quilt. I had a 6.5 square with teddy bears to use and made that block down in the corner. 

I also made the Rail Fence blocks I used as the alternate block. 

And sew on...

Planning for Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2022

You have probably heard of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC). If not head on over to Angela's SoScrappy blog to read all about it. I've had fun for years making blocks from actual scraps in the color of the month. I'm hoping Angela will host again in 2022 because I've made plans for my scraps in all colors of the rainbow. If she doesn't host and declare a monthly color I guess I will pick one myself. 

So, anyway, let me tell you of my plans for RSC 2022. 

Most of my scraps are stored by color and are less than a FQ or 6 inch width piece. These blocks will be made from scraps in those scrap bags and not from yardage. If I don't have scraps large enough to make any RSC blocks I don't make them. My scraps are getting smaller and smaller so most of my RSC blocks are too. A lot of these blocks are rolling over to 2022 from this year because sometimes it takes awhile to accumulate enough blocks for a quilt when I only use scraps. 

Above is a new 12 inch block I will make in the RSC color of the month plus it's color complement. Above blocks is how they would look if blue was the color of the month.  The block is called The Dandy at Quilter's Cache.  I've made two quilts in the past with this block - one in thirties reproduction fabrics and one in all green scraps.    This block takes 4.5 and 2.5 inch pieces. 

5 inch scraps in jewel tones get made into Chips. Free pattern by Alison Glass

Sometimes that same 5 inch scrap can be cut into a couple of 2.5 inch pieces for some smaller Chips off the Old Block. 

If there are scraps 5 x 9.5 I will make Horizon Blocks. 

This year I've been making several blocks from 3.5 x 2 inch scraps. I completed block sets for Dove in the Window and Antique Tiles made from 3.5 x 2.5 inch scraps but a few will roll over into 2022. 

  Buckeye Beauties.

 The color of the month is combined with old shirts or dark red or black multicolor scraps. 

I currently have 84 blocks and have a target goal of 120.

X + blocks. Also made from 3.5 and 2 inch scraps this year and will continue to be made in 2022. 

Uneven Nine Patch or Puss in the Corner.  I've also been making these this year from 3.5 and 2 inch scraps. If I don't reach my target by year end these will roll over into 2022. 

I have 85 blocks and would like 130. I noticed there aren't a lot of blue blocks in the mix so will try to make blue blocks by year end and see how many are left to make and go from there. 

Next year I will start making QST Four Patches. I am inspired by a vintage quilt that alternates QST Four Patches and Four Patches.  I will use the Companion Angle ruler to cut the QST parts from 2 inch pieces. 

I don't need to make the Four Patches because I made a lot of them last year when I cleaned out my 3.5 inch width scrap bin. Plus I've been making them for the Parts Department whenever I have left over 3.5 inch scraps. At last count I have 62 Four Patches that finish at 6 inches. 

Bow Ties made from 2 inch scraps. I found a little baggie of these that I think was from a long ago swap. Might as well make more. 

Indian Hatchets.  I made a few of these this year but did not really make many of them or make them every month. I want to concentrate on making a lot of these this year. They are inspired by a vintage quilt.  They are made of 2.5 inch and 2 inch scraps and finish at 4 inches. I want to use a lot of bright colors. 

Rails. I made these when I tried to clean out my 1.5 inch scrap bin. They finish at 5 inches. For a 40 x 6o donation quilt I need 96. I have 51 so will make them until I reach my goal. 

Small Change.  Made from 1.5 x 2.5 inch pieces alternating lights and darks of one color. They finish at 6 inches. I have 23 blocks but will aim for 120 or 130 of them. 

So that's the plan for RSC 2022. If after I make the above blocks I have scraps from making scrappy blocks then I will use those in...

LEFTOVERS

These are blocks I make or pieces I cut any time I have scraps left over from making other blocks. I have been letting them accumulate in the Parts Department or project boxes. So if I have scraps left over after making the RSC blocks I may make some of the following rather than put the remaining scraps back in the scrap bag. 

Bear Paws made from 4.5 and 2.5 scraps. 

If there are four pieces of a 2.5 or 3.5 inch width scrap I cut four 2.5 x 3.5 inch pieces for the 8 Patch project box. 

4.5 inch width scraps may be made into 4 Patch HSTs. 

1.5 or 2.5 inch width scraps may be cut 1.5 x 2.5 for Lynn's Lego blocks. They go into a project box.

If there are dark 2 inch width scraps that are 12.5 inches in length I put them in the Trip Around the World ( TATW ) project box. 

Rainbow Scrap Challenge ScrapHappy Saturday

 

Tuesday Tidbits

I recently received a gallon bag of 1.5 inch strips in a variety of lengths. 

I wanted to process them right away since I have slowly been trying to empty my 1.5 inch scrap bin and it is actually almost empty except for browns and blacks. So I put the browns and blacks from the gallon bag into my scrap bin and I pulled out the few colored scraps left in the scrap bin and went to work  play. 

With the longest pieces I made some 5 inch (finished) Framed Nine Patches. The other day I was musing as to how to set them and I received a nice comment with an excellent suggestion so I'm going to try that and keep on making these. 

Then I made some 5 inch (finished) Rails. I should count how many I have now because I've been making these for awhile. Maybe they will turn into some Diagonal Bars Blocks. 

Then I cut 1.5 x 2.5 pieces and made some 6 inch (finished) 18 Patches. Maybe I should count these also.  When I make these blocks I try to alternate light and darks of the same color in each block. 

Then I made some 3 inch (finished) Nine Patches in two colors or two shades for use in my Framed Stars and Path and Stiles.  Even though I have a bin of these little Nine Patches I don't have many in two colors. 

Then I cut more 1.5 x 2.5 pieces (bundles of 10) for Lynn's (Klein Meisje Quilts) version of a Lego quilt.  I've been wanting to make a Lego Quilt for ages and this method just makes the most sense to me.  This box is small so when I see I have 8 bundles I will make a block. 

Then I cut some postage stamps (1.5 inch squares). 

Then I made a Lego Block that looks a little crooked. I guess I will revisit those last three rows. (Maybe someone doesn't cut accurately.) I made this block before I took the Lego Box photo so it looks like I'm already due to make another. 

 

Bits and Pieces in Aqua, Teal, Turquoise and Blue-Green

My Postage Stamp Pandemic (PSP20-21) Blocks have been on hold for awhile because I ran out of postage stamps. I've slowly been trying to replenish my supply but then a friend sent me a gallon bag of postage stamps so now I'm back in business, thank goodness! Meanwhile I'm still cutting some because I don't think you can ever have too many postage stamps.

Continuing on from last weeks blocks made from 3.5 and 2 inch strips cut from scrap chunks I made some Puss in the Corner blocks. 

This year I've been trying to empty out the 1. 5 inch scrap bin and I'm pretty close to empty now. I've been making 5.5 inch (unfinished rails) and 18 patches with 1.5 x 2.5 inch pieces in light and darks of the same color. 

Then I played around a bit and framed some 3 inch Nine Patches. I wasn't sure I liked how they looked together so...

...framed a couple of light corners thinking I could reverse light and dark corners. I wasn't sure I liked that configuration all that much either so I tried out...

...alternating light and dark corners in a few different colors.  The jury is still out on this one. I'm thinking these will go into the orphan block box.  Or I may go with the light corners/dark sides only and set them on point or maybe...

And speaking of Nine Patches...last year I made six inch (finished) Nine Patches with 2.5 inch scraps when I was emptying my 2.5 inch width scrap bin. Now I'm turning the light and pastel Nine Patches into Sister's Choice blocks. This was the only Nine Patch that looked like a light aqua but now that pieces have been added to turn it into a Sister's Choice it looks like it is light blue. 

Rainbow Scrap Challenge ScrapHappy Saturday

 

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