This morning I spent several hours cutting in an attempt to bring some order to the scrap chaos that is currently in my sewing room. My main objective was to cut 1 1/2" squares for my lost in the crowd quilt...but I ended up cutting up some other size scraps, too. There are some 2 1/2" squares, some 2" squares and some 2" x 2 1/2" rectangles. I have a goal to SAVE nothing smaller than a 1 1/2" square, but if you look at the photo above, you can see that I'm not quite there yet. Those little random bits in the top of the photo are keepers....
I did some sewing, too! I was able to add 25 new blocks to my total. It doesn't take long once the scraps are cut.
Earlier in the summer I hit the half-way mark....shown above are 600 little bitty blocks! I'm so glad that I decided to package them up into baggies of 100. It's kept the blocks orderly and makes the entire quilt seem attainable. (Hurray!) You can see the original quilt inspiration
here.
It seems like every time I post about this quilt, there are questions about how I press the blocks. The beauty of this quilt is that there will be a plain 2 1/2" alternating square between each patchwork square, so the seams won't need to nest. That's one of the reasons why I took on this project...it's not fussy. I press to the dark when sewing two squares together, then I press the middle seam open because it helps distribute the bulk nicely. It's been working out great for me.
I only have 575 more blocks to make! Hahahaha!
20 comments:
You're making great progress. Love seeing all the little fabric bits you have included. I have a hard time throwing away those little bits of fabric too.
2-1/2" squares are the smallest I will deal with. Working my way through remnant cutting for an eventual postage stamp quilt.
I love that you cut all the sizes. I also do! I cannot bear to part with fabric until it is made into a quilt.
I just noticed - if you press the joining/last seam open you are still pressing to the dark side.
This looks like such a fun project! I was going to make a snarky comment about how I needed a reminder of what this quilt looked like and bam! you delivered LOL. Hope you're having a wonderful start to fall! Any roommate opportunities in your future haha???
Have you heard of spinning the seams? Check out Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville for the tutorial.
As always, I’m totally inspired by your post!
Loved seeing your progress! I am also making a quilt with the same blocks (tiny 4 patches), only I won't be putting white in between - as the primary goal for me is to USE all the scraps I can (40+ year quilter). I also did the baggies of blocks (100, 200 & 500 bags). Spent lunch hours & breaks at work, squaring up so that all are exactly the same size. Final total = 4000 of these 4 patches made up, which is slightly over the size I need, but I did it as invariably I will find the occasional one I don't like here or there with extras to go on the back. Next step is putting up design walls (4, as my final size of at least 124" x 124" isn't going to FIT on one wall even if I could reach the top! Laying out each block and making sure I have a good mix of colors, textures and interest in each will be fun! Deb E / Oregon mdenders@msn.com
You keep tempting me with this quilt! I am smitten, but not yet committed! "heehee" I love the pressing hint. You don't always have to "spin the seam"!! Do what works with the least amount of fussiness! It is coming along and I can't wait for the finished "flimsy"!
ps: I missed you over the summer, you photo and posts are so so fun!
This looks like a great project and you are motivating me - just not sure I can work with squares that small! Are each of the squares 1 1/2 inches unfinished ... so you end up with a 2 1/2 inch square 4 patch ?
Your projects always inspire. This one is awesome!
Scrap projects are my favorite. I must get to cutting up scraps, my tub is way too stuffed. This is going to be a wonderful quilt. Great idea to bag the blocks so that you don't have to keep counting and things stay much neater. I will keep watching your progress.
WOW! You are a brave lady!!! This will be an epic quilt for sure!! I love your fabrics so much - they are bright and fun!!! I will be cheering you on and everytime I come across a 2 1/2" square of fabric, I will think of you and be glad I am not the one making 4-patches this size!!!!:)
My first thought when I saw the little blocks was, "Cute, cute!" Great idea on putting together bags of squares, I need to do this to clean up my scraps.
I have been cutting batik scraps into 1 1/2 inch squares and sewing them together every now and then. I love this idea because I can decide on the background when I have finished the 4 patches. Thanks for a great blog with so much inspirationš
I'm starting to cut scraps to 1.5" squares for Lost In The Crowd. I'm actually cutting for three quilts while making another. As I deal with scraps I cut 2x3.5" rectangles for Scrappy Triangles, 2.5" strips for 9-patches for Sister's Choice (Bonnie Hunter quilt) and 2.5" squares for Subtle Irish Chain. Any old scrap can be cut into one of those sizes. It's a tip I learned from Bonnie Hunter. When you're cutting scraps, look ahead at the next quilt you want to make and cut your scraps the right size for that quilt!
I will be anxious to see this quilt, we all might end up making one. Paula in KY
Oh goodness I recognize some of those fabrics. Contributing to your chaos for more than 10 years , ha!
Periodically I find I need to do the same thing... go through scraps to cut pieces into useable and manageable sizes. My goal too is to keep no scrap smaller than 1-1/2" X 1-1/2". I use these 1-1/2" squares as leaders and enders. And instead of making four-patch blocks as you are, I make 16-patch blocks. I too have a project in mind, though I have no clue how many more patches I need to complete it! Mine's one of those figure-it-out-as-you-go projects. You have "only" 575 four-patches to go, huh? I think maybe I'm better off NOT knowing how many I need!
I started this after seeing the quilt on your blog. I have been cutting 1-1/2" strips from projects I'm working on. Then I sew the strips together and cut in to 1-1/2" pieces. I throw them in a box and then randomly pick out a 2-patch to add to another randomly selected 2-patch to make a 4-patch. I also had some neutrals I have cut in to 2-1/2" squares and have started sewing them with the pieced blocks to make 9-patches. That way I feel I'm making some progress. The trick is to make sure everything is random. It will be great... eventually. :-)
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