A Closer Look At The Process

Never have I devoted such a huge amount of time to sewing nothing but scraps. I had no idea it would be as time consuming as it has been. 

Now don't get me wrong. I am glad that I've done this. I took lots of time over the past 5 years or so trimming and prepping all these scraps, so putting myself to the task of turning the scraps into something useful was always going to be the necessary next step. Using the 3 snowbird months to focus on this was a really good idea. Besides making a few curtains, a pillow cover and two slipcovers, I have only stitched scraps into 9-patches and 4-patches.

 My 2.5-inch scraps contained an impressive mountain of strips. I dumped them all out onto the guest bed and removed all the Kaffe Fassett strips. I will use those all together - maybe with some solids. That's all yet to be determined.

With the remaining strips, I paired them in pleasing combinations and began chaining. 

And chaining. 

Miles and miles of chaining. 

The collection of long strips you see above is a mere fraction of what I have waiting to be subcut into 2.5-inch units. I did cut a lot of them, but have many, many more to do once I get home. I made it my goal to sew as many of the strips as possible, attempting to pair ALL of them. That did not happen, but I did lots, and it feels as though I made a significant dent in them. For the ones I did subcut, I now have quite a nice-size collection of 4-patch blocks that will serve me well when I decide what quilt - or quilts! - these will become.

 

The photo above shows the subcut units. I stack these near the iron and press them to finish.

I had an equally hefty tub of 2.5-inch squares. Mostly, the squares are singletons or perhaps just a few squares of the same fabric. Not entirely, though, so I sorted out the squares with lots of repeats. My thinking was that if I could make 15-20 blocks that were all the same, then I could create a quilt with the "organized" scrappiness that I frequently prefer. I also sorted out neutral fabrics. I learned with the 1.5-inch scraps I used in January, that sorting saves time. I still know that to be true, and will continue sorting when I get to the 2-inch scraps which I will eventually get to.

With all this scrap stitching, I did create a few routines into the process. For example, I always pressed to the dark on the side seams, and pressed open on the final center seam. I made all my squares have the darker fabric in the upper left and lower right. And, I rarely lifted my presser foot. I employed the Bonnie Hunter method of "leaders and enders" so as to waste as little thread as possible. (Google Bonnie Hunter or 'leaders and enders' - you'll definitely learn, if you're unfamiliar.)

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Belated Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

I declare on the old blarney stone that I sure need to get my act together! I had every sort of orderly plan for doing a cheery "top 'o the morning" Irish greeting yesterday, and then completely dropped the ball. No good excuse, either. Just never got around to it!

It was a rather subdued day and I had no need to wear the green because we didn't see anyone until late in the day. We Face-Timed with our daughter and granddaughter. Called my mom. DH painted the bathroom while I painted a bedroom door. Rode the bikes. Took a walk. Had game night over at the cousins' house. Best of all - I made a whole bunch more 4-patch blocks out of 2.5-inch strips from the scrap tub. One of those new blocks is shown above with my one and only St. Patty's Day trinket.

 

Speaking of green, Florida is really greening up here in our area. We went out on the boat Saturday and noticed quite a difference from the gray we saw back in January. Plus the water lilies are taking over! In another week, they will be a loaded with blooms. Below is a picture from January.

So, only 2 more weeks here, then we head for Ohio. As I continue making 4-patches, we are making plans for what stays here and what goes home, when we'll go, important tasks to tackle once there, etc. Most important of all: getting to that darling granddaughter! We have missed her so very much.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Scrappy 4-Patches

Whenever I find a few minutes to sew, I’m working my way through the vast, seemingly bottomless tub of 2.5-inch strips and squares.

Over the past 4-5 years, I've made a concerted effort to "manage" the excess of leftover fabrics from old projects. The best management method I have found has been to cut remnants into typical or standard-sized parts for quilts. The 2.5-inch square and strip are about as standard as it gets in quilt making; consequently I have loads of fabrics cut in these sizes.

Above and below is a tub of completed 4-patches. These were all made with strips that I sewed together and then subcut into 2.5-inch units that I then sewed together for the 4-patch. As a result, I have stacks of 4-patches with the same 2 fabrics which will be very nice for a "controlled scrappy" quilt.

I have some very bright combinations as well as many subdued combinations. I can see some children's/baby quilts for the bright 4-patches; I can see a more traditional scrappy quilts using the darker reproduction fabrics.

Behind my machine is a big pile-up of strip sets. I pair up two fabrics and chain-sew them together one after another. When I get in the mood to subcut them, I stop chaining, and move on to cutting and pressing.

I have plenty of subcuts ready to press and also ready to sew. It seems that whatever I'm in the mood for, I have a stack of that waiting for me. I've got all the bases covered.

Sew long strips? ✅ Cut subunits? ✅ Press subunits? ✅ Sew subunits? ✅ Press finished 4-patch? ✅

I am surely going to be glad to get home to begin sewing on something other than scraps. While this has been a suitable endeavor for me while snowbirding in Florida, it definitely lacks variety. Gratefully, we have been busy doing all the 'fun-and-sun' activities, so dull sewing hasn't been anywhere near burdensome. And, face it -- I will be so glad to have actually made an effort at using these bazillions of bits salvaged from the scraps and remnants from 40+ years of sewing.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Done With Little 9-Patches

On the first of March, I officially quit working with 1.5-inch squares. I'd spent about 6 weeks digging around in these small scraps of fabrics to make 9-patch blocks, and I very nearly used them all. 

 

My tub was full and running over when I began. Now it is empty, and I have 402 9-patch blocks to show for my efforts. Additionally, I made about 100 4-patch blocks, in the hopes that I could use them all. This picture of an empty tub is truly one I am celebrating. I thought I'd never see the bottom!

However daunting the task, I did stay with it and I'm really glad that I did. There is some future quilt waiting to be made out of these blocks, and I will be so glad I have this tedious part of the process finished. HINT: That floral fabric under all those blocks might be involved in whatever quilt comes next.

Next on my agenda is to work with 2.5-inch scraps. My supply of squares and strips cut to 2.5-inches absolutely dwarfs the 1.5-inch tub. Gracious! This is a very common go-to size, though, so I admit that I've prepared more in this size than in any other. Wish me luck!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

February Wrap-Up

I've missed a lot of posting this past week because I was having trouble loading pictures here on the blog. I don't know who is doing something different, but I have done things the exact same way for ages, yet the photos just would not load. I ended up doing an "end-around" by iPhone to load pictures to a draft, then coming to the laptop to write and organize the pictures. Whew, so much bother.

I'd not yet posted my February collage, so even though I am more than a week into March, I will go ahead and share, just to have the record and to remind myself of all the Florida fun.

TOP ROW: We actually had hail one afternoon in early February, so to be sure such a rare event was recorded, we snapped a picture of hailstones in DH's hand. The next two photos are from our fun outing to a remote area along the gulf. We went to Ozello, a small fishing town, and found a quaint little restaurant, Peck's, for a mid-afternoon cocktail and appetizer. It was a perfect Florida day.

MIDDLE ROW: For sewing updates, we need only look to my efforts in scrap control. I brought all my 1.5- inch squares and strips for some focused efforts at making 4-patch blocks and 9-patch blocks. I did that until I had no more! (Well, nearly no more; I admit to leaving a few odd bits unused.) Because I found an Instagram sew-along called #tinyninepatchchallenge hosted by Taryn @reproquiltlover, I made as many 9-patches as I could (402!) and tried a super-small 9-patch made with 1-inch squares. Only one, thank you very much. *wink*

BOTTOM ROW: The lake by Moonrise Resort is called Tsala Apopka; DH and I went out with cousin Dave for an early morning fishing excursion. Oh, what a beautiful lake! So peaceful, and so pretty! No fish were caught, but I sure do love the gentle rocking of a pontoon on the lake! More sewing - making slipcovers for 2 "cubes" that slide nicely under our kitchen bar, and a cushion re-covering for my cousin Sandy; this matches her kitchen valances and table runner.

With a new month, I have turned my attention to the tub of 2.5-inch squares and strips. I piled a few of the 9-patches alongside some of the new blocks, and the size difference seems massive. I feel like I am working with giant-sized squares after 2 months of those little 1.5-inch pieces. It is a refreshing change, that's for sure.

So far, all I've done with the 2.5-inch squares is to make 4-patches. At some point, I might switch over to 9-patches, but I am content to continue these for awhile longer. Since I don't really know what will be next for these blocks, I can just keep producing them in the hopes that some amazing quilt will present itself. I get ideas eventually. Just trust the process, right?

Wish me luck at future posting. I swear these photo-loading issues are about enough to cause me to just quit blogging altogether. I hope whatever needs to be done becomes clear to me at some point.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Hello March!

And just like that we turn the page on the calendar to March. Whoosh! The first two months have just flown by. 

The first of March is a sharp indicator that our excursion this winter into being snowbirds is 2/3 over. We considered ourselves lucky to have gotten an extra day yesterday with the leap year day. These next 31 days will be just as jam-packed as the previous 2 months, and I am trying to enjoy all of it.

I made a promise to always say "yes" when someone wanted to go do something. I am such a sendentary person by nature, and I didn't want to just sit around while here. I wanted to enjoy all the activities that Florida had to offer. So when my cousin Dave asked if I wanted to go fishing Wednesday morning, I (reluctantly) said I'd go. At 7am!! Gracious. That's early!

Being on the lake that early, though, had magnificent benefits. The water was so calm, the skies so blue, and the morning songbirds so melodic. It was heavenly! I didn't go for the fishing; no, I went for the atmosphere! And I sure got it!

 

Here is my cousin Dave checking his lines. DH was along, too, and he manned the lines off the back of the boat. 

 

Did I say I wanted atmosphere? Yes, there was more. As we entered a remote cove, a decrepit pier had become the roosting spot for these fowl. Close up below.

 Another activity that I try to always agree to is biking. We have a pair of recumbent bikes and a great trail very near us. The effort is minimal when it comes to riding. I have been rewarded with so many peaceful stretches of trail, the most pristine blue skies, wildlife and ... exercise! Whoa! Here's a screenshot of the longest ride yet.

A 10-mile ride pretty much resulted in jelly legs for me. I was wiped out. We don't go fast, and we have few inclines (Florida is pretty flat), and we have several crossroads at which we must stop. It's pretty easy, actually, but 10 whole miles - nearly 11! That was a lot for my untrained leg muscles.

We are off for a shrimp lunch here in a little bit. Our habit of frequently eating out at restaurants has been tempered significantly since we have our house, so this is a treat today. DH and I will share an order  - 1 lb. of grilled shrimp. YUM! We have eaten at this restaurant in previous years - delish!

Happy Quilting, Friends!