All Into Fours!

This is where things start to get really exciting!

I have loved making the little Cracker blocks...making them a bit more scrappy than "usual" in an attempt to use up the many small pieces of various fabrics just big enough to do the job.

I love watching a pile of possibilities find their way into adorable blocks with really nothing left but trimmings and dog ears.

Did I completely sew up ALL of that bounty?  Nope.  There is plenty left over so I'll have to find another paper piecing project to dig into another day - but for now...this is all I need of these!

For those who asked - there is no paper in the blocks at this point. They are also for a quilt pattern releasing sometime in 2026. There is no pattern yet.

I remove the papers after trimming the individual units.

Once things are trimmed, the paper has done its job and there is no reason to keep the paper in there any longer.

From this point, it's the same as traditional piecing with 1/4'' seams.

Besides...I hate removing paper from seam allowances, and having paper in the way really makes matching points more difficult amongst other things.

Sew it. Trim it. De-paper it. And Sew On!

And now the other fun begins!

These are the LARGE scraps I had sorted out and put in a tub, thinking that I would cut them down into Scrap User's System sizes when I had the time.

Yesterday, while starting to make my kits for the alternate block, I turned to these pieces for *things of the right color* to go with the charm squares I am attempting to find a purpose for, and as I pulled each piece I was determined not only to cut one strip needed to make my block, but to process the whole piece down so I would use some, and stash some.

There was so much good stuff in here!

And I'm all kitted up!

This process didn't use up nearly enough of that *cut it down* bin.

My one hint at organization for kits:  I put 10 block kits stacked in a zip-lock bag. (We all keep reusing and reusing our zip lock bags for quilting pieces, right??)

It's easy to keep count, and pieces don't go missing.

And you know how it is with charm squares?  They are usually one fabric line.  Multiple colorings of the same print.  Sometimes two of the same in the same color, depending on the number of colors/prints per line, and sometimes those big prints are cut weird.  

The block I'm doing will allow me to annihilate many of those "large print - off center" charm squares that I just didn't know what to do with.

They are colorful, and they will be GONE.  And that's about all I care about at this time.

I'll start sewing today.  I'll be able to share what these are after I've made some assembly progress, likely after the weekend.

I'm excited about a round of *regular* machine piecing (not foundation paper piecing) and binging something fun and mindless on the TV while I do so.

Meanwhile, nextdoor!
Son Jeff is working on repainting the banister spindles.  Who knows when they were last painted.
They had previously been painted in a high gloss paint that may have been oil based, and the brush marks are evident. There was chipped paint along the baseboards and on the wainscotting at the bottom.
He's priming everything so we can go over it with a satin finish - no more reflective shiny.
He'll do the kickboards on the stairwell the same way and continue to other trim.
We aren't changing colors - we're just giving everything a fresh up after 6 seasons of retreats.
And then the stairwell wall needs to be redone where people's luggage has scraped and banged.
Friday (tomorrow) - we have a guy coming out from Lowes to measure for a new back door to the back Foyer.  
The old door is heavy and leaks cold air and it's time for an upgrade there.
I'd like it to match what we did for the kitchen-to-porch doors. Something pretty that will insulate better.
So much for the Winter Hiatus Slow Down?  There's always something going on -
What's instore for your Thursday?

Quiltville Quote of the Day -
I don't know about you, but I am feeling all of this this morning.⁣

I'll be at the sewing machine if anyone needs me...

Have a terrific Thursday, everyone!