Sew Day Saturday

I did a lot on Saturday at Sew Day.

Mom came along, but I didn’t have to do as much for her. She is moving slowly, but moving around a lot more. It is great to see her progress.

Superbloom 3 & 4 pieces
Superbloom 3 & 4 pieces

The first thing I did was cut out pieces for my next Superbloom totes. I was able to, mostly, cut out the larger pieces. That is super helpful, because of my small cutting table.

I thought I had everything in a project bag, but I didn’t check before I left. It turned out that I forgot ShapeFlex, Soft & Stable and lining for one of the bags. Oh well! I cut out as much as I could, so that is some progress. Definitely better than nothing.

I also worked on Old Town a bit. I had to line up and mark the pieces for a million Flying Geese, so I did that.

March Sew Day scraps cut
March Sew Day scraps cut

Finally, I worked on my scrap bin some more. Did I make as much progress as I wanted? No, but I never do. I had about 2 zipper bags of scraps. Now I have 1.5, so some progress.

First, I cut all  the shapes I need for various projects. Not tons, but quite a few.

Scrap strips
Scrap strips

Next, I cut strips, which will be used for quilts like the white color strip top I discussed the other day.

For some reason, I have a lot of orange. I also have a lot of grey, which will add to the grey improv top sitting on my design wall. I know they are strips and I should make some color strip blocks with them, but I want to get that grey improv top to the community quilt people. It has been hanging around for an eternity.

Sew Day: real scraps
Sew Day: real scraps

Finally, I had various real scraps that will end up as an improv quilt in the various colors at some point.

I also found some triangles, which I will make into HSTs for that mythical HST quilt I have on my mind.

Not bad for a Sew Day. I would have liked to have gotten more done, but what can I do?

Mary C's baby quilt
Mary C’s baby quilt

Mary put a baby quilt together. It is Playmat – newborn size and made from two charm packs.

Mom worked on the binding of her first (!!!) quilt while chatting with Friend Julie’s mom who joined us also.  The quilt has been finished except for the binding for years. I am glad she is working on it. I am also glad she has something on which to work.

Another Sew Day

Scrap cutting result - February
Scrap cutting result – February

Another month, another Sew Day. I spent another Sew Day cutting up scraps, just like last time. I cut a big pile and made a dent, but I didn’t finish cutting up all of my scraps. I spent about 5 hours. My scraps are still not limited to the Desktop Cube I made for the purpose, which is disappointing. They need to be contained since my cutting table is small enough without it being overrun by scraps.

Mom and Jaye
Mom and Jaye

My mom came with me. Yay! She was well enough to spend the whole day out! I kept her supplied with pain medications and food. She said it went well. I kept her quiet and at home the next two days and she is doing ok. I was so relieved that she didn’t have a complete relapse. It sound ridiculous, but I can’t help but worry about her.

Tim's Jittery Wings quilt
Tim’s Jittery Wings quilt

Tim just got back from a retreat with Mitzi of Jittery Wings. He came over the other day to use my design wall and continued that work at Sew Day. His quilt is a whole bunch of HSTs and Flying Geese. Sounds like Old Town, right? LOL!

One thing I love about HSTs is how many different designs quiltmakers can sew using only HSTs. Of course, as I said, Tim’s quilt has whole bunch of HSTs and Flying Geese.

Mary's Crisp Blue quilt
Mary’s Crisp Blue quilt

Mary was working on a quilt for a friend going into the hospital and it looks so crisp.

This is a simple Rail Fence design. She used a couple of jelly rolls she had and it looks so great! I also like how complex it looks. I just love block quilts. 😉

The guild was having a Community Sew Day. People worked on a variety of different designs. I cut up my scraps, as noted above, and didn’t participate there. I couldn’t bring Mom and my machine. I just wasn’t up for it. I did, however, bring Orangeade and several donation blocks. I definitely want to contribute but I don’t need to do it at Sew Day.

One of the quilt tops they worked on was similar to the Infinity Quilt I made for one of my nephews.

Community 9 Patch quilt
Community 9 Patch quilt

Claire is a great one for rescuing usable fabric. She had a group of men’s shirts and people were working on 9 patches out of that beautiful fabric. The fabric was very soft and had a nice weave. I don’t know what the ultimate design will be, but it will work very well for a boy or man once it is finished.

Mom was sitting across from Lynette who was working on these blocks. I wanted her to sit at the other table so she had some new people with whom to talk. I am sure it is boring just talking to me all day.

Community quilt design
Community quilt design

The other design was similar to Mary’s Rail Fence. I couldn’t figure out why this was a such a weird shape. I think the rectangles were actually made in two parts, but I really don’t know.

Anyway the Community quilt team did a great job prepping for the event. There were a lot of people at Sew Day, which was nice. Mostly, I was pleased that Mom had a good time and was able to get out and see the world.

2025 Organization

Processed scraps
Processed scraps

The other day, I wrote about what I accomplished at Sew Day. I worked on cutting up scraps into shapes and sizes I need for future projects. A big blob of unorganized scraps makes me anxious. It also takes up a lot of space on my sewing table.

I generally keep a list of shapes I need/want to cut from scraps and yardage on my cutting table. This list includes shapes I use all the time such as 2.5 inch squares as well as special pieces I need for certain quilts.

As part of my preparation for the 2025 quilt- and bagmaking – year, I looked at my list of shapes.  I found that I didn’t update my list in 2023 or 2024. That was the first step. This year, I will cut a variety of shapes for projects known and unknown.

As usual, I will cut 2.5 inch squares. I find I dive into those bins pretty frequently. Old Town needed a bunch of 2.5 inch squares. I didn’t need to cut any, because I had the right colors in my 2.5 inch bin.

In general, however, I cut two sets of 2.5 inch squares. One is for my own projects, like Old Town, and the other is for donation blocks. Often, when I cut from scraps, I cut one for myself and several for donations. It depends on how big the scrap is and how much I like the fabric.

I plan to make another Scrap Dash quilt, so I am hunting and gathering 1.5 x 2.5 inch squares as well as 1.5 inch squares.

Finished: Rectangle donation top
Finished: Rectangle donation top

I like the donation quilt I made with 4.5 inch x 8.5 inch rectangles, so I am collecting more of those. I am not cutting those sizes from yardage. I only cut these when I have large scrap. I do get them sometimes.

I am also still cutting 2 inch x 2  inch cool colors for Blueberry Lemonade. I really need to start making that quilt. I probably have enough squares to make two quilts!!

When I find scrap triangles, I make them into HSTs. I have a lot of randomly sized HSTs. I plan to put backgrounds strips around each unit and then put them all together into a quilt.

I also cut 5″ charms. I haven’t dug into them as much, but they also come in useful. I will dig into them to make the sashing for Old Town.

I have to be more diligent about cutting for the Spin Wheel quilt. This pattern is the Fons & Porter Spin Wheel, 1200 series, episode 1201. I need to work on gathering background fabrics, which are the triangles, but I can use squares and then cut the triangles.

2.5 x 4.5  blue rectangles for a Blue Rectangles Gradation quilt. You can see some thoughts about this quilt on a recent ‘Dream’ post.

I also cut 2.5 x 4.5  pink rectangles for a Pink Rectangles Gradation quilt. I have a lot of these rectangles as well, so I should get on this quilt also.

When the above are exhausted, I cut strips. I use these for the Color Strip and Chunk quilts.

This seems like a lot of work and, to some extent it is, but it is also useful. For me, it is pre-cutting or processing. Cutting is my least favorite part of quiltmaking, so having shapes already cut is great for me.

Chips Scrap Quilt

I was over at Tim’s the other day for an impromptu Sew Day. Yes, I have a million holiday related things on my to do list, but who cares? It’s sewing! How could I say no?

He was tidying up after finishing a couple of quilts while I cut out more bags that will be gifts. In the process, he found a lot of scraps.

Tim's chips
Tim’s chips

He described creating “chips” to me. This is a method to use up scraps. It is based on strips and called Stashbuster #7 on the Just Get It Done Patterns page. He created some ‘chips’ while I was there. (photo, left) . The process went pretty fast, because he found pieces with straight edges and sewed them together. Like everyone, Tim has a palette, so with a little juggling of fabrics, his strip sets went together well.

More of Tim's chips
More of Tim’s chips

He sent me a photo the next day with a few more chips. I think he is close to having enough for a baby quilt. I don’t have a good sense of the sizes, so it is hard to tell.

I think this process can be done as leaders and enders while you are working on something else.

What I noticed about the Just Get It Done Patterns page is that there is a pattern as well as a video AND a coloring page. Perhaps you just want to color and relax that way? Great idea.

Tim commented “I sew the pieces together and trim them to 1.75 x 4. [To do that,] … I measure 1.5 from the seam and trim before I open and iron.  More accurate.” This is interesting. I never thought of measuring before I opened and pressed the strip sets. Interesting. I’ll definitely try it when I made one of these quilts.

This might be the perfect project when you are busy or can’t concentrate on something complicated. It looks complicated, however, so it satisfying.

Tim's finished chips quilt -2019
Tim’s finished chips quilt -2019

Tim showed me the finished version he made back in 2019 or so for friends.

I like the addition of the squares. It breaks up the rectangles.

This is the great thing about being a member of a guild. As much as I try, I can’t watch every video or see every pattern. Having quilt friends do some of the work is a boon.

Finally Rest for the ‘Wicked’

Green scrap drawer - Oct 2024
Green scrap drawer – Oct 2024

Back in April I started cleaning out my green scrap drawer. While I didn’t work exclusively on this project, it was a constant companion. I made progress through the summer. Finally, I have cleaned out my green scraps as much as I can.  The pieces left, which I have sewn together, are not big enough to make anything, but will be the basis for a Journal Cover or the next Color Improv donation quilt.

Of course, this clean and clear state of affairs won’t last for long. As I work through other projects, this drawer will fill up again in a never ending cycle. It’s the nature of the beast, I guess.

The good part is that I made a few quilts, mostly from the scraps in this drawer, for people in the community. These aren’t super large quilts (approximately 40×40 inches), but there are still three of them. These three help me meet my goal of 12 donation tops for the year.

In another part of the never ending cycle, I need to decide which color is next. I might want to work with blue, for example, but really need to choose the drawer that is the fullest.

The Swamp Thing Continues

Green Improv #2 (The Swamp Thing) in process
Green Improv #2 (The Swamp Thing) in process

Slowly, but surely I am making progress on this green improv donation quilt. I am exclusively using it as leaders and enders so I can finish it for the guild Community Quilts project.

It is about 40 inches wide and I want to make it that long as well. That is about the minimum useful size for a baby quilt, I think.

It is fun to remember quilts and bags I have made with the various fabrics in this piece. I am pleased to be cleaning out the random bits of green, but it is hard going. Piecing ‘made’ fabric takes time.

Green Strips Progress

Green Strips progress
Green Strips progress

I am making good progress on the Green Strips donation top. It might be a little hard to see, but I am sewing sashing strips to the blocks. I have some of the top sashing cut, but haven’t decided what color to use for the cornerstones. I keep thinking red as that is opposite to green on the color wheel, but I don’t want a Christmas look at all. These blocks remind me of a leafy green tree and I want to keep that feeling. More green, I think. Or a blue tending towards green.

Cleaning Out the Scrap Drawer

I have shown some of the green scrap blocks I have been making in the May Donations blocks post. I am sure you have seen the other blocks and quilts in different colors I have made in other posts.

I decided to show you my process of making these blocks as well as the color improv donation quilts as well.

My scraps start out in a pile on my cutting table. I have talked a little about the processing of scraps that I do. After I cut the pieces I need for future projects, I cut strips and then leave whatever is left and large enough as is. The goal is to not have too many scraps, but the scrap drawers do fill up.

Rainbow Cart Double - 16 x 10.8 x 26.5 inches
Rainbow Cart Double – 16 x 10.8 x 26.5 inches

I store my scraps in a cart with rainbow drawers**. This is very handy, because it makes sorting scraps and finding scraps easy. Also, it looks nice. It is on the small side as my workroom is not very large. The drawers can fill up quickly and my process is to work on a drawer that is getting to be too full. I know it is too full when I start to have trouble opening it.

Green is the most recent drawer I have been trying to clear out. I was surprised to find how many green scraps I had. I can really think what I have made with so much green. I made some green donation quilts early on when I had the idea of Color Strip blocks and quilts. Maybe I only made one quilt when I first started? I don’t remember.

Anyway, I have a lot of green scraps and I am getting down to the odd shapes. I have made about 50 green strip and chunk blocks, but the strips don’t last forever. Eventually, I need to make some improv tops with the weird shapes, like I am still working on with the grey and black improv tops.  I am at that point, probably with the green. I am still eeking out a block or two, but they are becoming more chunky and less strippy.

Green scrap drawer - June 2024
Green scrap drawer – June 2024

My drawer looks like this. I position the drawer I am working with by my sewing machine so I can grab some pinned pieces as leaders and enders while I work on other projects.

In the photo, I have added some arrows to help you navigate. The blue arrow in the upper right shows pieces that I have sewn, but are not yet pinned to any other pieces. They have already been trimmed and are ready to be pinned to something else.

In the bottom right pile, those are larger pieces that I have pinned together or pieces that probably not going to be used in a green donation quilt, like two triangles that will make a half square triangle and be added to the HST quilt I have in the back of my mind.

The purple arrow, bottom left, also shows pieces that have been pinned together. These are pieces that are generally smaller. They can also be the first two pieces I am sewing together. They will be added to something later. The small pieces get lost easily, so I like to keep them were I can see them.

The area with no arrow on the top left is a pile of pieces that are not yet attached to anything. I can use these to sew to something else.

It seems to take forever to clean out one of these drawers. I haven’t even made a new green quilt yet, though I am still sewing. Soon!

I find that sewing small pieces into larger chunks makes them easier to use. My scraps are really small. What I consider to be yardage, others consider to be scraps. You have to decide what constitutes scraps for you and work out a system that works. These drawers work great for me. I probably couldn’t tolerate more scraps than I have and scraps make great leaders and enders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

Generating Donation Patches

Scraps to be processed
Scraps to be processed

Periodically, I get so many scraps and various leftovers on my (already small) cutting table that I can’t actually cut. The other thing that happens is I run out of patches to make the 16 patch donation blocks for the guild.

Then, as weird as it sounds, I have to process them. I create three piles: 2.5 inch squares, strips longer than 4.5 inches and everything else.

That is what I have been doing on and off for the past week. I am also trying to find all the black pieces large enough to use in the donation blocks I am making now.

This can be a tedious job and I usually do it during Craft Night, because I can talk and cut at the same time. This week, I have been a little on the distracted and unmotivated side, so this is a good task. It is usually so boring that I start to want to scream and that drives me to a much more interesting project.

I am finding a lot more grey pieces I can cut strips from than black. I am also refilling, a bit, my 2.5 inch square bin for donation patches.

More Pink Strips

Pink Strip donation blocks progress
Pink Strip donation blocks progress

I am making good progress on the Pink Strip Donation top. It is VERY pink. I am enjoying working on it. It doesn’t feel like a must do project. I do want to get it done, however the pink is so cheerful that it is a joy to work on. This one will definitely not be gender neutral.

I did a big clean out and organization of the scraps in my pink bin, which was required to finish enough blocks to make a reasonable sized quilt. It looks a little skinny, so I am debating adding another row.

Finished: Scrap Dash

Scrap Dash Finished Top - June 2021
Scrap Dash Finished Top – June 2021

After years of hunting & gathering and months of piecing, Scrap Dash is ready for quilting. I have a date soon with Colleen to hand it over.

I really like the way this quilt came out. If I am diligent, I can see making a baby quilt, or small child quilt, using a smaller version of the pattern. It is really easy to modify the size.

Finished: Scrap Dash Back - June 2021
Finished: Scrap Dash Back – June 2021

I tried to go with a sea/water/ocean theme. I bought the fish fabric for some idea I had. Now I don’t remember the idea and I, clearly, never executed it.

I decided that, although I really like this quilt, I will give it away. My house is overflowing with quilts and I have to give more of them away. You’ll have to wait to see who receives it.

Scrap Dash Borders

Scrap Dash - end of May 2021
Scrap Dash – end of May 2021

I spent most of Saturday working on Scrap Dash, though I also worked on the Yellow Strip Donation quilt as leaders and enders. I continue to be pleased with how the piece is progressing.

I cut a bunch of pieces for the borders during the previous week. I had sewed some of them together in snatches of time also during the week. On Saturday, I stitched many more together. I also started placing them in their spot on the wall. I now have sections of 3 sides of the borders sewn to some other piece.

I didn’t want to sew the entire border strip together then sew it to the quilt top as one piecing. I am chunking all the pieces and I am glad, because I have to fiddle with some of the border pieces to get them to fit. I am not sure why as my 1/4″ looks good and the pieces are cut accurately.

I have started, in a small way to sew the chunks together. I am not seeing much shrinkage yet as that depends on quite a bit of sewing the chunks together.

Scrap Dash Again

Scrap Dash - Mid-May 2021
Scrap Dash – Mid-May 2021

I spent a lot of time on Saturday working on Scrap Dash. I am pleased with my progress and feel like I can see a glimmer of the end of the project. I am still far away from it, but I see a glimmer.

I am getting more of the border on the wall and will soon start to sew it together. I need space so I can get the rest of the right hand column up, too.

Hooray for progress!