A Scrappy Rabbit Hole

 In a post from last week, I said, "Theoretically, all of these various strips and squares are separated into dedicated storage tubs or baskets. Truthfully, a lot of them are more-or-less stacked and simply corralled in a corner of my room." Click here to read the full post.

As I went about my day after tapping the 'publish' button, I found myself thinking about that corner with all my so-called organized squares and strips. I wondered just what kind of order I would find in that particular corner of the quilting room. As I said, theoretically, things were sorted - perhaps not neatly, but somewhat.

Oh gosh. What a rabbit hole. I had more of a mess on my hands than anything resembling order. You know how a simple task becomes an overwhelming JOB and you feel as though you've lost control? That's where this simple look-see took me. Golly.

The two containers in the picture above represent some of the corner's goodies. At the bottom of the picture a long bread basket contains 2.5 inch strips. That looks pretty neat, and besides the fact that the strips are toppling over the basket's sides, the organization is working pretty well.  Here's another view of the basket. 

That plastic tub, however, is an entirely different story. It contained stacks and piles of all manner of scraps. Maybe I toss things into it just to get it out of my sight? Like I would never have to deal with it if it couldn't be seen in my immediate line of sight? Ahem...

I know you want to investigate what all I found in this tub. I am not too proud to show you the mess - yes, I will share. 

These interesting blocks were among the buried treasures in that tub. I had to search back to 2017 to find the approximate date on which these were made. Claudia, my student from several years ago, had asked to learn about curved piecing, and this is from that day's lesson. 

Rather than just set them aside, I sewed some together, and now I need to figure out what I will do with them.

Three blocks with round centers. I have no idea how to proceed. So they join a ga-zillion other orphan blocks. I will show you that collection another day.

Moving on, this collection of related fabrics appeared. Check this post from last summer for details on the fabric and beginning the project. Check this post to see the finish. Shown in the picture was what was left over. Always the dilemma - what to do with leftovers!

I have a bunch of squares paired up for additional HSTs, and I really ought to go ahead and make them. I have no idea how they'd end up being used, but that would be a step in the direction of some sort of finish, right? 

For now, they are put aside while I think on it. Next up is a grouping of remaining orphan blocks and leftover bits from previous projects.

Besides these random blocks, I found a wide assortment of scrap fabric which I cut down into the prescribed sizes I have been cutting for weeks - strips and squares - and added them to the various tubs that are now actually pretty well organized by size, still in the corner of the sewing room.

I have talked a lot about scraps and controlling them, and when I read comments from followers, I see that I am not alone in realizing that controlling scraps is an ongoing concern for many a quilter. I love reading tips for managing the accumulation of scraps. Keep 'em coming!

Happy Quilting, Friends!