Oranges and bikes????

I have come to the conclusion that I NEED to be committed. I CANNOT help myself - I am ADDICTED to quilting. I am ADDICTED to cutting, I am ADDICTED to sewing - I am ADDICTED to scraps. It just happens. It is VERY SAD when your thoughts before you go to bed are "how can I cut up the next box of scraps?"


Before I let myself get immersed in scraps - I did get a quilt quilted. We have to get the priorities done!!!

Community project quilt - DONE - well it is quilted. I still have to trim and add the binding (and I thought it was due for THIS Thursday - NOPE - it is due NEXT Thursday!!!!)

Quilting detail

YES - I am a bit behind in quilting on the machine so I will be making a push to get that done. One a day!!!! Well for most of them!


Then I heard the scraps calling my name and I got pulled in...............  You see - I am taking a workshop on Saturday and I have to get some cutting done. There are THREE choices and I like them all. What to cut?????   I decided to use my batik scrap boxes.......

TWO overflowing scrap boxes of batiks

The pattern calls for 664 (or something like that) 2 1/2" squares. I went to Ruti's and picked up a deep blue batik for the background. So then I started cutting..............

As I was cutting and seeing what was left of the batiks - I started to sort as well and visions of MORE scrap batik quilts came to mind.

At the end of the day - this is what I was left with...............

One overflowing box still to cut and sort

A box of strips - got TWO ideas for quilts from this box

A box of odd shapes  (they are small) - got ONE idea for a quilt from this box

I found some triangles that went into another box with the rest of the big triangles (yes - these will all be put together into another quilt)

And well over the required number of squares. Those piles (except the big one in front) are in 10s. There are six hundred squares cut and laid out. As I was cutting, I was checking for contrast to the background. Then I said - who cares - I will cut EVERYTHING I can into 2 1/2" squares. Then I can make a dark quilt and a light quilt. YES - TWO quilts are better than ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   OR - I can find another use for the squares, but they will be cut!!!!!!   

My scrap basket at the end of the day.

I was reading Bonnie Hunter's blog yesterday and she was teaching one of MY favorite blocks of hers. Well - I decided it was the perfect quilt for something new. Here is the story............

Our guild has a "challenge" for their outreach program. They have kits and give it to the guild members to make up what they want. This year - the 8 FQs were packaged as a book and I think Vicki made this one for me. The cover was orange and it was filled with brights!!!!!!

Eight FQs doesn't make a big enough quilt for my liking - so I dug into my stash and found 8 more fabrics. Then I cut them last night. 

Now I shouldn't really show this - I don't want anyone copying me!!!!!   But I am so excited, I can't help myself.

Here is my block - I LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the link to the blog where Bonnie has pictures of a guild making this quilt.


Scrappy Tripping


And if you do a search through her free patterns - you will find it - it is called Scrappy Trips. Just click on the name to go to the tutorial.


Got a PLAY (SEW) day scheduled today with Julia. I've got two projects in my bag - all cut and ready to sew!!!!!!!!!!!1    Can't wait!!!!



But while I was getting ready for bed last night, I thought about this box with border prints in it!!!!!

Oh yeah - I have a couple of ideas on what to do with this.

Box of border prints

While I was searching for the fabric to add to the Scrappy Trip quilt - I found a couple of fabrics that I really don't like. And I put them back on the shelf. THEN I had a light bulb moment. Why not separate those from the "good" stash and cut them into scraps?????   I will use them in a heartbeat as strips, but NEVER as yardage!!!!   DUH!!!!!

So..........................

I grabbed a couple and threw them into this laundry basket - when I have a few minutes - I will cut them and future UGLY fabric that I come across in my stash -  - OFF WITH ITS HEAD (well - I mean cut it up into strips!!!!)   

As you can see - I am hopelessly addicted to this scrap business. It is like solving a puzzle, it is exciting to see what you can make from stuff that no one wants. While I do enjoy making NEW stuff, this is what gets me excited!!!!!!!!!!!   And YES - I know that I need to be working on what I love. And there are a LOT of UGLY fabrics in that stash!!!   Stuff that I bought because it was on sale or I thought I liked it!!!   Don't worry - I won't go crazy - just when I see something I don't like - I will set it aside, but I won't actively search them out. Oh please - DO NOT let me search them out. I might have to put a big sign on the door to prevent from doing that!!!!!!


Remember when I posted this bar code fabric that I had to have. Well so did someone else !!!!   And since they only needed a small piece - they traded me bar code fabric for bike fabric!!!!

Bar code fabric

New bike fabric - fair trade!!!!!    Thanks Mary!!!!

Found this at the CreativFestival - had to get it. It is only a FQ - no need to panic!!!!!

Beautiful curly bows!!!!!   Orange of course. Hmmm - I could almost make a wig out of those. OK - I'm kidding!!!!!!!!!!!

And Linda was sewing at my house a week ago and she borrowed one of my sewing machine feet. Inadvertently she took the foot home. So to NOT forget the foot when she saw me at the CreativFestival, she tied it to this sparkly orange ribbon and put it around her neck!!!!   I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I tell you - it pays to have a FAVOURITE THING you collect and a favourite colour!!!!!    Makes life more interesting to say the least!!!!!!!!!


It is post card exchange time and I received TWO of them this week.

Postcard Number One

Postcard Number Two

I should get working on mine - OK - even though I have something else planned - I should try to work some scraps into the mix.


On that note - it is time to head out for my play date!!!!  


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!