Sunday, June 3, 2012

To Sort Or Not To Sort

Stashbusters.com has had an interesting discussion on the pros and cons of scrap sorting and whether or not to cut fabric up into usable shapes. I like to do a middle of the road policy.

As a rule, I do not cut up strips or strings from yardage unless I need them. But I do generate a lot of "squaring-up" strings when I take a first cut. Often, I will make that first cut an inch extra so that it becomes a usable string, however wonky it is. Those all go to my scrappy string quilt tops, unsorted by color, just right into the string bucket beside my machine. Lately, I tried making a few skinnier strings to use as gift wrap ribbons for an olde homey look to gifts. I also use wickedly skinny strings folded over to double them and make calico catnip mouse tails out of them.




I do quite a bit of cuttingfor my swap groups, too. When I cut nickels, I may get some chunky scraps. These can be great for the triangular corners of the string blocks, but I don't save too many of those. Better to cut most down into light and dark 2 1/2" squares. I keep two piles of these, light and dark, right beside my machine. It only takes 3 short seams to build a nice four-patch out of them and that's my leader/ender. In the course of a year, I was able to get enough four patches made to assemble this quilt:
 Here are the blocks of four patches sewn into a nine patch configuration with scrappy reds in the layout.
 Here is the finished quilt in my guild's show.
Here is the quilt being field-tested for comfort quality!!!! And it all started here:
This rusty ole shelf is perfect for being right beside my machine with lots of lights and darks to grab quickly.
Here are a few of the random dark 2 1/2" squares waiting to be chosen next. "Pick me, pick me!" they scream at me as I work on other projects.
Here is a big stack of pressed four patches waiting to go into some wonderful next quilt!

3 comments:

Auntie Em said...

Thanks for the peek inside your scrap storage. I'm kind of a "middle of the road" scrapper like you are, but not nearly as organized.
I love your quality control tester!

Cathy said...

Haha....I have to comment on your quality control tester! I have one that looks just like that, also with a white chin and teeth sticking out. I think I see a human arm also in the pic...lol!

Debra said...

Hi Vic, I keep scraps from leftover quilty projects, then cut them down to Bonnie's Scrap saving system. They're in plastic drawers separated by size. And I do use them! Oh, I LOve your Baskets. I have a thing for Baskets!! ;-) Wish you were on FB, you could see my sewing room!

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