My Scrap Attack Block

I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out what block I want to use for my Paper Piecing Bee groups group.  (I'm so sad about dropping out of the [3x6] Sampler Bee, but I think it will be good to have one less thing on my plate right now. Maybe I'll do it again later...) Anyway, yesterday I came up with a block design and decided to test it out with my scraps.

It's still a work in progress, but I am really liking it. I didn't really have a plan when I started with the first segment, but then decided to do a warm/cool contrast with it. I definitely want to make a small quilt or wall hanging with this! I think it's going to be cute! :) (or maybe pillows?!)

Did you want to see my scraps?!

I keep them sorted by color, and am currently going through them, sorting them by size and getting rid of what I'm not going to use (like the pieces that are too small for anything). I sort them into 1"-2.5" pieces, and then 2.5"-5" pieces (they have to have at least those dimensions square, so a really long piece that isn't 2.5" wide stays in the smaller stack). It makes it a little easier to find pieces I know I can use for certain projects. I also have a bin for pieces less than 1" that I could use for ticker tape or applique pieces. Rachel, at Stitched in Color, did an interview with Badskirt Amy about her scraps, and I absolutely love what she said about what she keeps and tosses. Why keep pieces you aren't going to use?! I got a bunch of fabric I got from my Stepmom, but some of it I don't know if I'll ever use... now I have one more thing to look for when sorting my scraps. 

I do however like to keep some scraps around for practice blocks, or if I need to run something through my machine after I've oiled it, etc. Perhaps I'll just have a bin for using strictly for trash scraps. ;) - but not let it get too full of course! I am totally on a clean up and clear out mode lately! (My resolution of getting rid of something everyday/7 things a week, and been very successful! The people at the donation center are going to get to know me very well I think! So far we've dropped stuff off every other week. Keep that up and I think we might just become best friends. lol.)

Don't forget to check out the Scrap Attack flickr group, if you haven't already. There are some great projects going on!!!

Scrap Attack!!!

Did you hear about Rachel's Scrap Attack at Stitched in Color?? Well, if not, it's been going on since the beginning of the month. (What? It's already the 19th? How did that happen???) Anyway, I've been thinking about it, and with feawz my room/sewing room (heehee!) I have found a lot of scraps and am working on organizing them better. I have so many of them I'm sure I could make 10 quilts. Ok, not really that many, but I have a good collection of them. :)

So I started with this little mug rug that I finished, and is happily sitting in it's new spot. :)

The back of it is ALL scraps plus my first curves!

(I still need to load a picture of the back with the binding on. oops!) ;)

 Rachel is having a giveaway for anyone that finishes their quilt by the end of March, but I'm not so sure that a mug rug counts. I do want to do at least a mini quilt by then though! (But OH how my to-do list is too long. We'll see what happens). It also makes me want to finish my Bottled Rainbows! But I know I don't have time for that. How do you all find the time???


Anyway, I hoping that sometime soon you'll see a little more scrappiness going on! :) If you want to join in but need some ideas, check out the flickr group! There are loads of great projects going on there.

Made It: Blogger's Pillow Party

Yup, amidst all the other projects I'm working on I decided to make my very first pillow, ok pillowcase, and alright, it's my second if you count the one I made in 8th grade sewing class,  and enter it into the Blogger's Pillow Party. :) (I think part of it is from going stir crazy being stuck at home (modified bed rest)... and it's a way to feel like I am having some sort of interaction with others.)  ;)

I've found so many great projects and techniques lately that I want to try, and when I decided to make my pillow I knew this style would be perfect! :)

I really love the background on this little quilt. 

(Delilah from Love.Laugh.Sew made it and shared it at Canoe Ridge Creations. That's where I first saw it.)

But I also love this cute embroidery that retro-mama did and added into her bag.

The design is from this book: The New Crewel: Exquisite Designs in Contemporary Embroidery, which I think is fantastic and is on my wish list. :)

We already have so many pillows that I wasn't sure that I would really use a new one. We do have one giant pillow that my hubby bought a few years ago that we don't use too much anymore. Mostly because we don't have a pillowcase long enough to fit it. I know with having a new baby coming this will be the perfect pillow to prop up on, and how fun to have a cute pillow to go along with a cute new baby?! It will probably mostly stay on our bed, but I wouldn't doubt if it followed us around where ever we might be hanging out. ;)

I used the tutorial at Comfort Stitching for the background, and decided to make up my own picture/design for the flower embroidery. To construct the actual pillow I used the tutorial at Fussy Cut. So simple. :)

The whole pillow was so much fun to make! I loved going through all of my scraps and figuring out where to put them. I thought that I would end up cutting into my stash of bigger pieces of fabric, but I didn't!! I was so happy! Pure scraps. :)

The back isn't my all time favorite fabric, but I had to use it because the colors match the front so perfectly. I also lucked out that I had a solid navy that matched the color perfect. I couldn't be happier with how it turned out.

Hum. I can't quite tell what he thinks of it. ;)

Links:

pillow making tutorial:  http://fussycut.blogspot.com/2011/04/tutorial-basic-pillow.html

scrap background tutorial: http://comfortstitching.typepad.co.uk/comfortstitching/2010/01/raw-edge-applique-tutorial.html