Thursday, April 10, 2014

scrappy, scrap, scrap

I realize that this is NOT a news flash, but I've been playing with scraps again. Ha! It's messy work, but someone has to do it!
I made these banner blocks for the Minneapolis Modern Quilt Guild. The only requirements were to use brights and white fabrics and they needed to be 6.5" square. I had a lot of fun making them.
This one is my favorite! It's a mini version of my bright birch trees quilt. The block is made up of 31 teeny tiny scraps....and one big white scrap. I love it so very much!
I like this one, too, although not quite as much. It also uses 31 scraps...that must be the magic number or something. After making these teeny tiny ones, the pinwheel pieces felt absolutely huge! I could have kept going and made scrappy blocks all day long, but I kind of ran out of time.
I'm counting these blocks as scrap project #58/101.
These name tags are for some of my friends at the MMQG. (Can you tell that it's meeting night?) Also made from scraps. I love making these because they use small scraps of batting, too. There is never a shortage of those floating around the craft room. These are scrap project #59.
This is an orphan block-turned-pot holder. Each square finishes at 1"! I used Insulbrite AND batting, so the quilting got a little bit funky....but it will just get used and stained...so, to quote my daughter, "it don't matter!" This is scrap project #60! Woo-hoo!
And these are still waiting to be sewn up into something, someday!
I wonder what they will become...

55 comments:

retstickan said...

The blue and green block is my favorite too, but they are all beutiful. Tanks for all the wonderful inspiration!

Marie said...

Love, love, love that wall of scrappy blocks!

Kat said...

Hooray for scraps! I love your design wall!

Schulz Family said...

Wow I love love those little 6.5 inch blocks

Linda said...

Looks like fun! Maybe I should donate some of my scraps to your mix. I never seem to have time to do much with them. :)

Unknown said...

I love your creativity and how you use up all those itsy-bitsy pieces to make such lovely things. You are very inspiring!

Unknown said...

Oh wow. I'm always wanting to go into my sewing room and not have to be committed to a "project". What fun to put together little scraps like that and set them inside and then turn them into all the fun little things later when I need something to do to satisfy that smaller sewing urge. Thanks so much for bringing that to light for me. I finally have built up a stash of tiny scraps after 2 years of quilting, and I needed that inspiration. Thanks for your wonderful blog. I enjoy it so much!

Unknown said...

In getting ready to put the house on the market, I cleaned out my quilting fabric, donating lots of scraps to yardage. But a girl just has to have something to work on, so have been slowly rebuilding. Right now, I'm working from "One Block Wonders", and am loving the different blocks I get from one fabric. Yours are super-wonderful!

Live a Colorful Life said...

I sure like the looks of that design wall! :)

Live a Colorful Life said...

P.S. I often quote Abby--she has a couple of good ones, right?

Svetlana said...

lots and lots of amazing scrappy gorgeousness. You make me want to drop everything and dive into my scrap baskets.

Tracybug Creative said...

You should put those scraps one canvas and name it something fun like scrappy Dreamin' I love the birch trees!

Vicki said...

So much scrappy goodness! I love your name tags.

Karee said...

Darling! I, too, love the blue & green birches. Showing your scraps awaiting fulfillment on the wall is brilliant!

Cindy said...

I just love these blocks - I think I need to start digging into my scrap bins.

Sweet bamboo said...

Love the pot holder! Lovely idea!

Sweet bamboo said...

Do you ever sleep?

Marilyn said...

Sweet bamboo, of course she never sleeps. Did you see that mug? Mark of a caffeine addict if I ever saw one. :-) I love the mug almost as much as the scrappy projects--where can I get one?

Anonymous said...

Love the little pot holder! So many fun colors. :D

Venus de Hilo said...

These blocks are so cute and fun, and your entire 100 scrap projects thing is inspiring. I'm gonna go sew some scraps together right now.

Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O) said...

Venus de Hilo, just above, said it best: Inspiring !~! And that's truly what this project is--inspirational. Thanks for sharing.

Shirley said...

Paying attention avidly. Some great ideas there and love the bits and pieces on your design wall.

margaret said...

you are so inspiring, think I will have to move in with you!! Seriously the teeny weeny scraps look amazing. Envious of the drawers you have there too for all the scraps etc

Ann said...

I love what you do with teeny tiny pieces of fabric! You make me feel less crazy for keeping all mine too :)

Vera said...

what a great use of scraps. I love that mug rug! fab!

Jo said...

Fantastic ideas, my 6yr old daughter usually takes mine to play with but I think I'll start keeping them.

Unknown said...

FuN! Happy to see you back in blog-ville. :) You've inspired me to set some scrap project goals of my own!

sonia said...

You are a master of little pieces! I love all your projects, even your design wall looks amazing!

Hilacha (loose strand) said...

Now I know why I was keeping all those teeny weeny scraps that I see other people throwing away! thanks for the inspiration. :)

Thimbleanna said...

You're killing me with these teeny tiny scraps -- they're SO cute. I LOVE that little rectangle!!!

Lorna McMahon said...

Looks like you were having a ball! Those blocks are fabulous. And I love the name tags. Perhaps I am a bit biased. I have a daughter named Erin!

Katie said...

i think the remainders would be a fabulous quilt

Helen@Till We Quilt Again said...

Scrap sewing cleansing for the soul! Ok that my philosophy anyway and I think several others. Look at all the wonderful things you are creating! You Go Girl!!!

Heather Pregger said...

Your color palette is fresh and exciting. I always enjoy looking at your work!

Sharon said...

adorable! you are like a magician. my scraps pile up, but I don't seem to use them for anything…your projects are inspiring!

Cheryl said...

Your scraps are so fun, just looking at what you made makes me want to dump out my tub of scraps and start playing :)

Cathy said...

I love your blocks. Cant wait to see what you make with the pieces on the design board. Hugs

Unknown said...

Yoo hoo indeed! You go girl!

Anonymous said...

You have inspired me to go and work on my scrap pile! I love the little table that you use for ironing while sewing. I have an extra one myself and am going to go and do the same!

Liz said...

Thank you for the inspiration! I love the bright birch trees block too, but then I love all of them.

M.W. said...

I used to throw my scraps away but you have inspired me to save them by color and make something fun. Thank You.
Shawn

Kay said...

I am really impressed by your drawers full of tiny scraps. Really love the pot holder too.

Suzanne said...

What I liked most about the potholder (mug rug) was how the quilting made it look like there were even more pieces sewn in. I love to revel in your creative output. In fact, it makes me so happy that I mentally conjure it up when I need a smile or an attitude adjustment.

SewPsyched! said...

Lovin the blue and green one as well:) you'll be finished with your scrap total in no time!!

Emily G said...

Wow! such fun ideas! I have way too many scraps and now a ton of inspiration!

Dee said...

I was never a scrappy quilter until I bought your book-- Sunday morning quilts.Now you are my idol!!!!

Cheryl Arkison said...

Another scrap vortex...

angelica malciu said...

its so nice. you have so much patience to gather together all tet scraps and transform them into something so nice. thumbs up

angie,
http://lovelifeandhandmade.blogspot.fr

Barb Neiwert said...

This is just fun, fun, fun! Love all the color.

Jen said...

Oh my goodness! So many tiny scraps! I love the bright colors and white background. My scrap boxes are in need of a going through, thanks for the inspiration!!

pandchintz said...

So much fun!!

Janet said...

It makes me smile to see that there are others that have scrappy block put together but hanging around for a someday quilt.

I really like the little name tag idea.

You are so inspiring.

janequiltsslowly said...

Oh what fun!

Granny Maud's Girl said...

Some of those scraps are so tiny they are crumbs!
I thought I was bonkers keeping tiny scraps. It is reassuring to see others do it too - and use them.

Unknown said...

I love your scrap projects! You inspire me to keep saving and using mine. :)