Tuesday 23 September 2014

Scrapastic Tuesday

Leanne who quilts at She Can Quilt and I are both on a mission !

We want to reduce the amount of scraps we have and invite you to play along!

We are going to be working on scrappy projects and will show you our progress on Tuesdays. 

You are welcome to link up with us on the Second Tuesday of the month with your own scrappy projects - don't worry they don't need to be finished.   

Leanne is working on a button (as I am a techy numpty) and she is hoping to find some prizes to share.  

So please encourage us with your enthusiasm, your own projects and any scrappy information or links you care to share!



To start off I thought I'd let you know what I call a scrap:


  • Anything leftover from making a quilt - the strips left over from trimming; excess pieces cut, especially ones that were not quite right; bonus triangles etc
  • Anything I don't like anymore - some quite big pieces in this category as my fabric habit goes back a long way
  • Charm squares and other pre-cuts - I now cut charm squares from any fabric I buy to encourage me to use it!
  • Holey bits I have fussy cut from
  • Bits trimmed off from paper piecing
  • Odd shapes left over from applique
  • Bits of fabric people have thrown away at workshops I've been on (yes I have retrieved stuff from the bin)
  • Scrap bags bought from various sources
As you can see I am a bit of a magpie but having paid lots of money for this fabric I am most reluctant to throw it away. Even the small bits.   



But it is time to use it, or lose it, I think, so this is my first scrappy project of many I hope




As you can see I am well on my way but sadly it seems to have made little difference to my huge piles of scraps!

I started off making those border blocks - it was going to be a whole quilt.  Then I decided to make Dresdens from some tumbler shapes I had cut to excess for another project and thought they went well together.  

I was going to use a sheet as the background for my Dresdens but thought it wasn't scrappy enough.  I raided my LV scrap bin and cut and stitched over 500 2.5" to make my background.  

My next task will be to applique those Dresdens down but I am trying to decide if they look ok as they are or whether they need a skinny border like the one third row far left to make them stand out!

Why not let me know what you consider a scrap!  And let me know what scrappy project you are working on or plan to!

Do visit Leanne too as I'm sure she has something scraptastic to show you! 

Happy scrapping!

25 comments:

  1. This could be fun as I accumulate tons of scraps. I feel guilty throwing away the tiniest piece : /
    Those dresdens are great on that background

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  2. your scraps never look like scraps, love this scrappy project.
    I agree with your definition of scraps, wish I was as frugal as you are.
    I have been sewing some triangle scraps from a friend. You know scraps from friends are always so much prettier than your own. lol
    Finally found a block I love to utilise them in.
    I love the border you have auditioned for your dresden. It looks great.
    Happy scrapping

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  3. I love the idea! I have lots of scraps. Maybe I'll join, I am thinking about it. Your scraps look lovely! I don't think the Dresden need the border. I like it the way it is. It will become gorgeous !

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  4. I have plenty of scraps, mainly leftovers from previous projects! Now I need to see if I can get myself organised...trying to decide what block or pattern to make usually has me stall at the starting gate!

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  5. Great idea Nicky and Leanne! I'm drowning in scraps but I hoard anything that is wider than an inch and a half square, foolish I know!

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  6. Scraps multiply if you use them, not logical I know but fairly sure it's true! I've just made a couple of disappearing 9 patch blocks for a Siblings Together quilt, all from scraps even though I don't really consider 5" squares to be scraps!

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  7. I'm a HUGE fan of my scrap basket for all kinds of bags, quilts, bee blocks, etc. Nothing better than a scrappy star in my head (as you well know!). Super idea for a series of posts, N and L.
    Here are my thoughts on the dresdens: 1. they look fab. 2. I love the look of the border 3. if it were my quilt I'd never have the patients to do that and I'd just applique them on as they are. You can't go wrong no matter where you go from here.

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  8. Yay! Count me in! I've done one quilt from scraps this year (my beloved Scrappers Delight medallion) but was actually thinking last night I would like a new blue quilt for my living room. That's a twofer - new quilt and scrap busting!

    (and FWIW, I wouldn't put a border on the dresdens - I like how they play with the LV without it and they are colourful enough to balance the border on their own. My tuppence worth! *g*)

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  9. Of course I love playing with scraps, and just love what you are doing with yours!

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  10. Scrap busting is a great idea but I daren't start anything new or I will be responsible for my own nervous breakdown! I shall watch and cheer. I like the softness of your dresdens without the border. You don't want them to stand out too much with the border or blend away into the lv background. But I think I would be tempted to leave them without. You'll make the right choice, you always do.

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  11. Damn! Another thing to add to my list! My scrap bin won't fit anymore in and I keep giving it away! In fact a lot of my stash could be considered scrap too! I like the dresdens just the way they are, but I'm too lazy to sew a border on them!

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  12. Great idea! Count me in. I always make scrappy quilts because I usually by only fat quarters or half meters. Scrappy are cheerful, colourful fun quilts. I need to mark my calendar on every month else I'll forget. Second Tuesday, second Tuesday, got to remember second Tuesday. Ok I'm ready! ;^)
    Oh BTW I like the Dresden plan as is. To me, the plate with the border looks more like a wagon wheel than a plate. Just saying.

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  13. I like your idea of a scrap - I think we think the same. This looks fun!

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  14. Great idea you two's :-) I'm always on a Fabric Diet therefore I'm always looking at making scrap quilts from stash! Torn between making yet another Scrappy Tripalong or a Scrap Vomit at the mo, am in need of scrappy inspiration! Love the dresdens as they are btw :-)

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  15. I'll definitely be playing along as I always seem to generate more scraps than I use up! Jxo

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  16. I want to - you know I want to. But have I got time?

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  17. Very admirable project! I'll definitely follow along and try to join in too! Mine are out of control and totally unorganized.........

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  18. I just started a scrappy flying geese, but I'm having the same physics problem of removing scraps from my bin, but the bin not getting any emptier! How should we link up

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  19. This sounds like great fun Nicky! I put anything too small to fold into a giant green bin.........which is now over flowing! Need to do something about it!

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  20. Hmm, I think you might need a house-cover sized quilt to use up all your scraps given how prolific you are ;o)

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  21. I have two large boxes of scraps on top of my fabric cupboard, and I honestly don't know if I am brave enough to try a whole project with them!! I keep thinking I should just get rid, but I can't seem to do that either. I think I probably need some form of intervention.

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  22. I love scraps!! For me, a scrap is anything 1" x 1" or larger (0.75" x 0.75" if I'm particularly fond of the fabric!) which is too small to be folded into my FQ drawer. Also, my FQ drawer is very tight for space (a minor understatement!) so the 5" strips which a fabric fairy kindly sends me (I believe you know her..!) also go in my scrap boxes. The boxes are my first port of call for bee blocks and I'm amazed at how often I can get two 12" blocks just from scraps (provided a scrappy background is called for!). I love the idea of a scrappy linky party - any chance you can issue me with a reminder on the first Friday of the month, so I have time to write a blog post?! Many thanks xx

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  23. Here you go Ladies, you infected me to reduce my scraps... I am with you :)
    Love your Project so much!

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  24. Count me in please, I already have your button on my sidebar! Some serious organisation required on my part as I am also taking part in Choose Your Own Block-Along!!

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  25. Mmmmm i really like this challenge. I am a huge fan of scrappy quilts. I have about a box full of cut offs. Think i am going to join you in the scrappy quilt challenge and empty the box. Even though progress might be slow *grin*

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