One WIP Down

... Well, sort of.

 

I got to cross one project off my list because I put the offending blocks in the mail to someone who makes charity quilts. 

A few years ago I did a monthly block swap, but the blocks I kept getting back were very 'traditional' in fabric choices. I had planned a purple star quilt for my daughter but the fabrics just weren't to my taste. 

This was a very good lesson for me and I dropped that block swap and decided to be very selective about my bees - that may sound snobby, but I would much rather know I can trust the fabric choices my bee mates come up with.

At the time I put the blocks aside but when I pulled them out recently I knew I was never going to want to do something with them so I found a lady who makes charity quilts and offered them to her. She was thrilled - they are well constructed blocks and there are already 12, so it will be an easy finish. 

I am relieved to cross another thing off the WIP pile. 

I need to be more ruthless like this because that WIP pile is holding me back from what I really want to do.

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Dealing with Scraps

I love scraps, I really do. But my scrap bins were overflowing and I had a stack of stuff to go in them and when I looked through them for a project the other day I realised I didn't like half the stuff that was in there any more. 

So last night, quite spontaneously, I decided to clean out my scrap bins and put the new scraps away. Now they look like this. 

I love that they're neat and ordered and filled with fabric I like. 

And this is the bag to go out. The ugly fabrics, the poor quality fabrics and the teeny weeny pieces.

The teeny pieces were hard. I had put them aside to make a ticker tape quilt. But in truth, I've made one ticker tape quilt and I don't much want to make another. And it's just another thing on a never ending to do list.

I also think I need to factor in that making any scrap quilt costs money - the top may be free but the backing and batting and time aren't. And it's not like I need to save fabric because I might run out tomorrow. Even if all the fabric manufacturers shut their doors next week I'd be good for a little while 😉.

I'm not saying I don't love scrap quilts, I really do. My Dismond Stars EPp is mostly scraps. 

The border I added to the latest round of the Possum Magic bee is all scraps.

 

For me, the key is not keeping ALL the scraps, just the best ones.

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Cuties for the Kitchen

I'm on a decluttering kick at the moment, and of course the kitchen is a big target. The past it pot holders, the old cork trivets... Ugh. 

I'm also trying to make more cute things for the home and last year I got these fab placemat panels from the lovely Cat&Vee. We're not really placemat people, plus there are five of us, so I hadn't done anything with them yet.

But tonight I pulled out the insulbright I'd been hoarding, some scraps of batting and some black fabric and whipped up four super-cute, very useful pot holders/ trivets. 

Then I immediately tossed the old ones out. Now all I have is cute and handmade, which makes me much happier. And there's one less thing on the sewing to do list. 

Win all around. 

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