What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

While cleaning other parts of the room, the ironing board became a staging area for more sorting and organizing, until, it was a disaster again.

I  am linking to:

midweek makers 

 

wednesday wait loss

My quilt infatuation

oh scrap

I am still working on the room next to my sewing room.  I have unearthed more mess, and, I can see some progress. I do the cleaning dance - go through messes on the floor and sort them onto a bed or ironing board, then, go through those messes, and put them back on the floor, and repeat. Eventually, the messes finally shrink and the spot is empty.

bed

ironing board

ta da

I  am linking to:

midweek makers 

 

wednesday wait loss

My quilt infatuation

oh scrap

I tidied the 1 1/2 inch blue strips and separated light and dark. I pulled shorter pieces for 4 patches.

60 +

I am linking to:

rsc23 super saturday
oh scrap
wednesday wait loss

 I don't need any more blue for my rainbow scrap challenge projects. So, I decided a little tidying was in order. I separated my dark and light blue chunks in the scrap drawer. I added some pieces to the 'cut or get rid' box. And, then, I found a little more room. hooray

I decided to make a cutting hit list for scrap management. You can read about it here. It has been a month. and, I am surprised at how much I have gotten done. I made a list of what I would need to cut for a few quilts in my ufo and maybe someday lists. With a pile of scraps, I move down the list and cut what I can to fill the need for these quilts.

It went from neat and tidy stacks to zip lock bags as I cut more and more. I am not worried about numbers ...

I blogged about making a cutting hit list here. And, I am surprised at how successful it has become. I was able to add to my projects on the list, and, I had a few leftover scraps to add to the scrap users system that has served me well for many years. I have a tray of 2 1/2, 2, and 1 1/2 inch strips.

I am frustrated with the scrap piles again. A little bit here and a little bit there, can really add up over time. I have let a lot of time pass since the last time I have been sitting to cut scraps. I dumped all the bits into a container, and started cutting. This time, I  made a hit list. I have several projects, that I still need pieces cut to finish. When I pick up a scrap, I check to see if I could use the color in any of the projects. If so, I start cutting the sizes ...

As I am cleaning around my sewing machine, I have found scraps and more scraps from projects and messes. I cut as I go. I have an odd assortment of fabrics this way. I cut 2 1/2, 2, 1 1/2 in strips and squares. I cut bricks this time in to 2 1/2 x 4 1/2 and 2 x 3 1/2.

Now, I can change my mindset to think about the new Quiltville leader ender challenge called triple treat. and use more of my 1 1/2 inch scraps. I have been working with them ...

This has been an eclectic scrap bucket.   Sorting this scrap bucket, I have found some fun surprises. I obviously just threw everything I wanted to clean up into the bucket at one point. I really like old blocks and feel a real urgency to rescue them. But, I don't know what to do with them. So, with indecision, they were doomed to a scoop and tidy. 

aren't these wonderful vintage fabrics?

 My favorite tool for taming my scraps is my creative grids stripology ruler. I have the strip dies for the accuquilt and I use them a lot. But, when I have odd sized smaller pieces of scrap that I plan on using to add variety to my bins, I like to use the template. I have both sizes. I use the original template with a larger scrap, and, the smaller one for ( wait for it) smaller scraps.

This is a scrap print that never ...

 Last year I accumulated 173 yards of fabric - which had to weigh 519 pounds. No wonder my house is creaking. If each quilt averaged 20 yards that is 8 1/2 quilts. I used 233 1/2 yards in my quilt making. In my mind I pick up a little here and there, not almost 200 yards. If I say I won't buy any over 100 yards this year. what will I do if I buy all of that in January. That leaves 11 months of no fabric.

fabric I cut from gifted fabric

The last stash report of the year - I hope you all had a merry Christmas. Ours was quiet

I am facing a scrap dilema. I am sure I have officially more scraps than yardage, but I can't find room for them or all the scrap quilts I want to make. They are piling up higher and higher. And it seems that the more I cut, the more there is. They are lurking behind every corner, under every surface, hanging from the ceiling. There is some in the garage, attic, and basement. Somehow, I must make a stand. I am ...

I have added a new word to my rsc project. I had forgotten how much I like to make letters. I use Lori Holt's alphabet book.

I am trying to prepare for next year and a new rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy project. I want to do strings and crumbs by color so I have started sorting the big bucket into colors. I was afraid  I wouldn't find enough of each color, but, alas, I have plenty. And some have already been sorted into baggies. If I do a little every day, I may have it sorted ...

I cut and pieced the second clue of rhododendron mystery quilt this week. It doesn't look like much, but it was a lot of cutting and piecing. And I was off with my numbers and didn't have enough to finish the opposite colorway.

I have been cutting scraps again. I can't take much of a break from scraps or they will overpower me.

I have a few ideas for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy next year that will use strings and crumbs.

10 inch -1 pound 4 ...

 I am doing a bit of catch up on my rainbow projects for rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I had an idea to make a few words. This may be one of those squirrel projects. We will see.

2 ...

Thanks to the horrible utility company, Pacific Gas and Electric, much of Northern CA was without power for a couple of days. We had some wind which makes PG&E nervous because of their antiquated equipment (which was deemed responsible for several of the disastrous fires we have recently experienced.) So when a bit of wind is expected, they shut down the power in case a tree or limb should fall on a line and start a fire. That means no power for the duration of the wind – usually a day or so. Then the next day PG&E flies ...