Can't Take The Scrappy Out Of The Quilter!

These blocks don't look like much. Honestly.

Not by themselves, anyway.

But just wait until you see where they are going!

That New Year's encouragement I gave myself (I refuse to use the word goal because that becomes a rule and rules are meant to be broken, or at least procrastinated upon!) had me diving in to a section of my Scrap User's System that has been ignored and passed over for years.

1980s/1990s archaeological dig.

I used to do a lot with pre-cut rectangles before I had an Essential Triangle Tool.

I'd use them to make flying geese or diamond-in-a-rectangle or picket units with squares sewn on in stitch-n-flip corners.

I saved them in multiple sizes to work with the sizes of scrap squares I also saved.  It worked for quite a while, but also created a lot of fabric waste and...they've been ignored.  I stopped saving rectangles, opting for simple squares instead knowing I could always cut rectangles from strips if needed.

Back to this bin - When I was redoing my space after putting cubbies beneath the table side of the long arm with bins to hold my strip stash, these other stacked drawers were moved and placed beneath my cutting table and I caved into their taunting.

See that blue piece of VIP calico on the top?  I bought a whole flat-fold bundle wholesale in 1980 something while my doll making was underway before pattern writing began in the early 1990s.

Many of the pieces of fabric in this bin are like that - they've got stories and memories attached to them of a very much younger me.

I paper pieced these because I wasn't going to rotary cut everything down into a weird increment that would work for the diagonal piecing in the block.

These will be connector blocks in an upcoming string quilt obsession.  But I'm setting these aside for now.

There's not many rectangles left in this bin now.  In fact, the bin is empty as I moved the remaining rectangles to a zip lock bag and stored them in with the larger squares in the Scrap User's System.

They could also find their way being used as corners in upcoming string blocks - 

I'm smiling that these old friends have found a place to be sewn up into a fun quilt.

Repeat after me: Fabric does NOT have an expiration date.  It just goes vintage!

I've got X-Plus blocks already cut out and I'm determined to finish them up before I move onto the next stage for this string quilt.

Though slow going - Progress is being made on the banister side of things at the inn. Freshly stripped and repainted spindles are being replaced as new sections of old ones needing stripping are pulled so the banister is still supported.

Not a very clear photo, but these newly refinished ones look so much better!

You can actually see the grooves of the turned wood - better than the 7 to 9 coats of paint they used to have.

Someone even painted them bright yellow once! (Hello, 1970s - I'm looking at you!)

There is still wood grain that will be evident - these spindles are very old, any dings and marred places will still be somewhat evident after 140 years of living, but at least they'll be fresh with all of the old paint layers gone, and a new one in place on top of primer coats.

Christmas is put away!

I've hung my newly finished Four Patch Fun Leader & Ender challenge in the front foyer, and placed the Forever Mine table topper size on the round table.

Looking forward to Spring, Garlic Knots is hanging in the Hen Den.

I love the face lift that changing out the quilts brings.  Do you rotate and change out your quilt decor at home?

Ivy being adorable while I was working on my hexie border.  I'm hoping to have this one finished tonight so I can begin working on the top and bottom borders.
It's our last day with Jason - we'll be taking him back to the airport tomorrow and he'll start his long journey back to Vancouver.  I will miss having him around!
It's so funny how kids can be in their 40s and they will do things and say things and make certain faces that remind of their growing up years - from the time they were 3, or 13, or 19, or 23, 30, and beyond.
They are who they have always been.  That young person with their own personality and agenda is still in this full grown middle aged person.  My baby is still in there. Even if his hair is beginning to turn grey!

Quiltville Quote of the Day -
"A creative life is an amplified life. It's a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more interesting life." - Elizabeth Gilbert⁣

Have a terrific Tuesday, everyone!