My Scrappy Saturday

Today I worked on my red scrap project for the 2011 Rainbow Scrap Challenge, and was able to get several of my red and white four patches sewn into 16 patches, a couple larger all red 4 patches sewn, and part of another block that will be going into the project.

I also had to do some adjustments to the size and cutting measurements for my 2011 UFO Challenge project #10. When I first started this quilt, I had only a picture to go by and no real pattern measurements. I thought I had measured everything correctly, as to what size to cut each piece, etc. I had already made three of the four smaller blocks, which are sewn together to make a bigger block. I didn't remember until it was too late, that, I had cut these blocks down to accommodate the slight errors in the pattern. So today I was going to piece the fourth block together, so I would have one completed block done. But, things weren't matching up right, and then I noticed that there was actually several errors in the cutting directions that I hadn't noticed when I first wrote them down almost a year and a half ago. Unfortunately they were seam allowance errors on the triangle section,wedge sections, and the width the wedge piece should be trimmed down to. So spent most of the evening reworking the pattern and cutting measurements. The hardest part was trying to figure out what size to cut the corner triangles that match up to the wedge shaped piece of the block. But finally got it worked out. So now I am back to square one, oh well, I'd rather have it right, than try to make borders fit to a top that wouldn't ever square up.

The saddest part of the ordeal to me is, that since I found my errors today, and not Thursday, all the strips of pieced 2" X 6" scrap pieces that I had gotten sewn together and trimmed, Thursday are all useless now. Unfortunately they were trimmed to the incorrect size. And my luck, the correct measurement was larger, not smaller!
Oh well, I'm off to bed, its late and I have Church in the morning. I'll upload pics of today's progress tomorrow. Happy Sewing!

2011 Rainbow Scrap Challenge- Red- 2/4/2011

Throughout, the last several years. I have spent a considerable amount of time cutting my scraps into Bonnie Hunter's Scrap User's System. Separating them not by color, but, by usable sizes. This system has proven to be very useful in my own personal quilting world. If I wanted to use a pattern that needed 2.5" squares, I just went to the appropriate drawer and pulled out a handful and started sewing.

When I came across soscrappy's scrap challenge I was really excited to join, but found myself debating what I was going to do, about my dilemma! I had lots, of already cut red scraps, but, if I used all the red ones out of my scrap user's system, then what would I do when I needed red in another quilt project. And yes, lol, the thought did occur to me to just go shop from my stash! But, that is easier said than done when you really only want one or two little 2" squares of red fabric that was readily available before without cutting it first!

My solution to my dilemma! I will leave all sizes of my squares, bricks,etc. in the drawers,and instead of using them for the scrap challenge, I'll use my pre-cut strips, and pieces that are larger than 3" X 6" ( I have lots of bricks this size) but, that are still smaller than a fat quarter. I will also use any red scraps that I have in my unsorted drawer. Where I toss trimmings and such in, when I absolutely don't have time to cut them into certain sizes right then. And lol, even leaving the ones I chose to, I still have more red scraps, than I can imagine using up!

I am really glad that soscrappy has this challenge going! It is really giving me some motivation to brainstorm for ideas on more projects that I could also do!

So,today I pulled out the rest of my red scraps and cut some of my white scraps, that I will be using with the reds in my project. I was able to get 40 red and white four patch blocks sewn, and 14 red and white three part blocks done. Next week, I'll cut larger squares out of some of the bigger red scrap pieces.

2011 Rainbow Scrap Challenge- Red- 2/3/2011

Today I started on my Red project for February! I cut lots of 2" squares, and lots of 1.5" X 3/5" bricks. Tomorrow, I'll be cutting the same, but in white.

I'm seeing red today!

Lots of red scraps that is! scraphappy from soscrappy posted the color RED for February's 2011 Rainbow Scrap Challenge! So, how about grabbing a pile of your red scraps or strips, and joining in the fun!

Since I jumped in at the end of January, instead of the beginning of January I have some catching up to do! Like resorting my scraps by color, not size. I have had mine sorted into squares, bricks, strips, etc. So while I am going through my scraps, getting all the red ones out. I am also, pulling out blues because January's color was blue. I'd like to try to use some of them up although right now, I don't have a clue as to what I'll do with them! I actually have more reds than I thought I did, and I've still got tons to sort through!