Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Scarp My Scraps

For the title of this post, I intentionally used a made-up anagram from the word "scraps." That's because a blogger I follow (She will remain nameless so as not to embarrass her - Hi Char! 👋) used the word "scarp" in a recent post title. I got such a kick out of the word - thinking when I saw it that surely I was going to learn something new, related to qiultmaking - that I'm using it intentionally, 

As you can see, all I've been doing lately is Scarping My Scraps

It's been a tedious, messy task. 

I've been handling leftover bits from projects made ten to twelve years ago. Certainly, I've made a number of scrap quilts during that time, but it's clear I've never dug to the bottom of each canvas bin. 

I am now.

Even hubs noticed, asking, "What are you doing now?" And later, after pressing, sorting and cutting for several hours, "Aren't you getting tired of doing that?" 

But I have a goal. I'm simultaneously working on three projects! 

The first continues to be Harvest Moon. To make these, you create fabric from your scraps and then use templates to cut two shapes. Free tutorial by Megan here

Then, thanks to a blog comment from my friend Anne @springleafstudio, who pointed me toward the Unallocated scrap quilt on Instagram - see @mckillopmichelle here - I'm cutting pieces for my own Unallocated. These are my test blocks that measure 4" X 4" unfinished. 

Believe it or not, I am feeling productive, though I don't have anything to show for it except sorted piles. 

Oh, and an ever-increasingly full basket of 1½" X 1½" squares! I need to change my rotary blade today.

Another bonus has been to find the bits of brown and black prints that have been lurking, unused, in my scraps. These are colors I don't use in my quilts, so I'll be taking them to Big Cypress to give away. 

I've also begun cutting some of my larger scraps to make a Posh Penelope quilt, a pattern by Sew Kind of Wonderful that uses the Quick Curve Ruler.

After seeing two of these quilts made scrappy - the first at our QGOTV quilt show, and another on Instagram - I knew it would be another good way to use scraps. 
Made by Tammy Kaplan, QGOTV

Made by Chris Simon @thecolorfulom

By the time I'm finished with these projects, my scrap bins will be nearly empty! Right?! They will, won't they?

I will have Scarped My Scraps! 😁

Book Recommendation
When the Lights Go Out
 by Mary Kubica, is about Jessie Sloan whose mother is dying of cancer. Not knowing who her father is, Jessie understands how alone she is. Deciding she can no longer live in the house where she and her mother shared their lives, Jessie tries to go out on her own - applies to college, rents an apartment, and gets on with her life. But her inability to sleep is playing havoc with her thoughts: what she's seeing and hearing. When the college contacts Jessie, and she learns she doesn't have a social security number, she begins to suspect that she isn't Jessie, and that her mother kept dark secrets from her. Jessie finds a hidden-away picture of a man, and believes he could be her father.

This is one of those plot lines that goes back and forth, from present day Jessie to back-then Eden, Jessie's mom. Though I most often like Mary Kubica stories, this one wasn't quite up to her usual standards. 

Linda's score: 3.8/5.0

Linda

14 comments:

  1. Ack, I love it! Thanks for the shout out. I'm not embarrassed at all! I don't believe we're supposed to ever reach the bottom of the scrap bin. Thanks for posting about the Unallocated scrap quilt. I plan to check it out.

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  2. Let us know if you do indeed empty those scrap bins, I dont believe it will ever happen!

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  3. I am loving those Harvest Moon blocks!

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  4. Love your scraps all scarped out🥰. Are you making a postage stamp quilt with the small squares? Spice drops time🤗

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    1. Yep. These scraps are a scarpy mess at the moment. Not sure what I'll make with this batch of 1-1/2" squares. It's a never-ending basket that I have used to make several different quilt designs, the latest being the Sunny Lanes Quilt, which is awaiting quilting. Pictures here: https://flourishingpalms.blogspot.com/2022/04/eight-wips-on-retreat.html Also, during the pandemic, I made a Color Block Postage Stamp Quilt. See it: https://flourishingpalms.blogspot.com/2020/11/charming-postage-stamp-quilt.html

      As for spice drops... I'm trying very hard to pace myself by not opening another bag. When I do, they're gone in a blink!

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  5. I am SOOOO curious to see if your scrap baskets will indeed be empty by the time you're done!!

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  6. Just took a break from cutting scraps for Unallocated and see that you are too. My biggest challenge is finding enough large enough for the 3.5" square. I tend to have tiny scraps. I have no plans to actually start sewing them yet. Maybe as leaders and enders once I start my next project. But at least I'll have a bunch ready to sew.

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  7. I've begon to scrap, iron, and put in boxes my scraps. One or two colors per box. 8 boxes. I did two!! What a work!!! It's positive to see "no more mess in a box"! And I don't know what I'm doing with. We go on holiday and I've prepared a small project with the scraps of some quilts I made. One plastic bag per quilt... I'll begin when we come back. I love your Harvest Moon project!

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    1. Sounds like a great plan! I know what you mean about thinking you'll do such-and-such, and then realize that the task is more daunting than you thought. I've reached that point with my efforts. Just last evening, I studied the table of dumped out scraps, and the pressed and sorted color piles, and I can see the end in sight! Hoping that by the end of March, I'll have finished-up. You have a good idea for prepping your projects. Good job! And thanks for liking where I'm going with Harvest Moon!

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  8. Every quilter knows that the more scrap quilts you make the more your scraps multiply. Nobody knows why, though. The posh penelope pattern is beautiful--can't wait to see your version!

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  9. In my experience, you can never get to the bottom of a scrap basket! I love all the projects you are working on!

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  10. Love all the scrappy goodness you have going! Do let us know if you reach a bottom and I’ll send you reinforcement 😂😂😂

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  11. Snap! That is what I have been doing, night after night, in front of the TV. And yes, I have gone to the bottom of several bags, but there's still more to do, drat it. LOL

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