This challenge of Rachel’s is looming in my mind, now that I’m past the red/white quilt, and feeling like life has resumed its rhythm. She has a terrific Flickr group, and I spent some time there this morning, looking at various ideas.
I used to be a real scrap saver until one day I looked at what I had and realized it was mostly junk. Making a quilt can be a bit like falling in love, with that rush of excitement, the novelty, the promise. You work your way through the fabrics and patterns and ideas and a quilt evolves into something that becomes comfortable and comforting. I don’t need the scraps because I have the real thing. But every once in a while, I do get on a saving jag, but I have decided to confine my scraps to this large bin drawer in the bottom of my studio closet.
I printed out the paper piecing chart from Sew, Mama, Sew for this mini-quilt by Kelly of KelbySews, setting the printing to 50% as I wanted it tiny. Quick. Something to do this afternoon while I listened to my novel on the computer. Something to keep my hands busy and into the scraps. I don’t know why the corners are skewing like they are–I’ll have to figure out what’s going on before I stitch down the binding.
One way I’ve heard to hang a mini is to make folded triangles in the upper corners of the back. So I did.
I found many other ideas while browsing.
This one, titled Veggie Star Quilt, by Dana who write the WaterPenny blog, is really wonderful with its wonky star blocks and twisty layout.
This is from the balu51 and her own Flikr pool, and I wish I know who that was, but she has a cute fluffy white dog and lives in a place with LOTS of snow. She attributes her inspiration to Amy of Badskirt. (Who wouldn’t find inspiration on that blog?)
And who wouldn’t want to make this variation? I found this on Rachel’s Stitched in Color blog, but you can also find it on Ayumi’s blog.
I tried to balance the day with some looking, some sewing. I sleep better at night knowing there’s something begun in a day, whether or not it is completed. I’ve put all these links and pictures in here, not so much for you, but for me–to remember my wandering journey (a hallmark of the internet is this wandering quality). Rachel has laid out her plans, with a culminating Festival of Scraps the last week of March.
And an reminder: the Leap Day Superior Thread Giveaway is in less than a week! I’ll have two giveaways, and one of them has a wee packet of fabric to go with it–something to help you with your scrappy quilts? See you on Leap Day!
OccasionalPiece--Quilt! 
Ha! Gorgeous. I made a Love block this week, too. And at 50%. (Great minds?) It’s going into my education project quilt.
I admire your restraint with scraps. Mine are totally out of control.
Oh, cute! Love your take on scraps. I used to save everything thinking I’d make a string quilt one day. I’m more realistic about scraps now, if they can’t be cut into 2.5 in squares, they go in the trash.
Thanks for sharing my quilt! I agree with the fine line between saving scraps and saving trash that is just taking up space.
Surprise! While looking at all the entries of Rachel’s Scrap Attack I found your blog and my pillow. Thanks for sharing the photo. As a lot of people know already, I can’t throw away a single piece of (cotton) fabric. In 2012 I’ll make as many scrap quilts as possible. Afterwards, we will see. Perhaps … but only perhaps … I’ll throw away the remaining scraps. On the other hand I dream of a scrappy postage stamp quilt!