No Scrap Neglected!

I was anxious to get to the studio yesterday so I could throw myself into getting this little sewing machine stitchery together.

As I look through the scraps I gathered from my pre-cut squares box to sew into this border...how many decades of scraps are represented here?

I spot a print I know is from the 1980s as I used that print (in a different color) when Jason was a baby.  He's going to be 43 in November.

There are recycled fabrics, civil war repros mixed with Kaffe, novelties, more contemporary/modern prints...what quilts and previous projects were these scraps left from?

Who knows, really?  Can you spot the Millennium Y2K fabric that keeps showing up? LOL!

The best thing about the Scrap User's System - all the way down from strips sorted by color family in various sizes to squares cut from the smallest of scraps as part of the clean up process of every project is that they are ALWAYS at the ready.

The variety is what makes it all so fun.

Can you imagine the process of having to press and cut from fat quarters or yardage if I wanted to create a scrappy border like this - without a Scrap User's System?

As it was I just sat down with a bin of squares, made scrappy four-patches with no real thought or prep at all.

Sometimes I think folks say "Oh, I don't do scrappy." or "I don't like scrappy" rather than admitting that what they really don't like is the prep time it would take to gather a whole variety of scraps that would work together.  

The cutting of all of these various pieces of fabric would be mind numbing if there were to be few repeats at all if any in this scrappy border alone.

I can see why folks go for a charm pack or a jelly roll or a layer cake pre-cut and call it scrappy.

But instead of running out for more fabric, I'm trying my best to do the fabric I already possess justice.

I want to give the fabric I already have in my studio a chance to BE SOMETHING.

Once the checkerboard border was on, I hit up my Scrap User's System strips to cut out the pieces for the needed spool blocks for the next pieced border.

Were you with us when we did Spoolin' Around as our Leader & Ender Challenge?

It was 2012.  14 years ago?!?!  How can that be?

At any rate...my preferred techniques may have changed a bit since then.  

At that time there was no Essential Triangle Tool and I couldn't pair that with the  Simple Folded Corners or Simple Folded Corners Mini to do my trimming BEFORE sewing.

I haven't made these little spool blocks since 2012! But cutting the triangle pieces first with the Essential Triangle Tool for corner triangles and using the Simple Folded Corners ruler for trimming the background pieces made these so easy to sew together with great results.

No drawing lines.  No wasting half of a square when doing stitch & flip. 

It meant that I could get by with a shorter strip than I would need if I were cutting the center unit plus 4 squares as corners. 

I got this far yesterday.  There are more to sew today....

All of these spools came from Scrap User's System strips, some really old, some fairly new.

I'm going for color variety.

I can't wait to get this border together and get this little top finished.

My plan is to get it quilted this weekend while the Pieceful Hearts gals are here on retreat.

This little Tula Muffin was sitting so pretty on the steps -

Likely waiting for me to come give treats.

Always treats.

And I always comply.

She is doing so well.

Last night's hexie progress on the next-to-the-last motif!

I'm getting antsy for this one to be done, but more neutrals need to be added before I start on the aqua.  We'll see what damage I can do to it tonight.

I've got finishing touches to happen at the retreat today.  Jeff is on hand to mow the yard. I'm looking forward to having this place bustling with activity again!

Anything going on for your Wednesday?

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

You will never convince me that less is more when it comes to fabric or quilting!

And a true confession - I've never made a Dresden Plate or fan quilt.

Have you?

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!