Scrap Happy in May

I've been doing more needlework than patchwork lately so when the reminder came from Kate about Scrap Happy Day I had to scramble. Parts Department to the rescue! Every block in that inventory was made from scraps or fabric that's been in my stash for years. The one rule of Scrap Happy Day is no fabric purchased for the project, whatever you choose to make.

The only patchwork I've done recently was another effort to use up even more of my old prints in Card Trick blocks.

I only made three, and I wasn't that thrilled with the end products. There's nothing very wrong with them, they just didn't float my boat as the saying goes. That's when I turned my attention to using ready-made blocks for a new quilt top. Because the Rainbow Blur pattern is on my mind (see previous post) I decided to see whether I could plug scrappy blocks into that layout.

I started by placing the largest blocks in each of the five rows. The original pattern calls for 18" blocks but I don't have anything that big in the Parts Dept. (at least I hope not!). So I'm scaling the pattern down, using 12" and 8" focal blocks.

Filling in around them will be 4" (finished) whole cloth patches and 4 Patch blocks. That will make the quilt top 48" x 60." I didn't get very far laying out the 4.5" patches before the placement of 4" patches vs 4 Patch blocks became confusing. I don't have 4 Patch blocks in my Parts Dept. so I was having to leave blank spots where they would go. Finally I had to resort to coloring in a graph paper version of the quilt plan.

That made it easier to see what belongs where. It will also facilitate the creation of the 4 Patch units (I hope). The question now is whether to make those 4 Patch blocks before I sew anything else together or to sew as much as possible and make the 4 Patches as I go.

I worry about pieces falling off the wall while I debate the best approach so I'll probably assemble as much as I can first. Or work one 12" square at a time and pin everything else to the design wall until I get to it...

On another note, I've almost finished sewing down the binding on the Disappearing 9 Patch quilt I made out of my food prints.

That print that was donated for the back is playing havoc with my astigmatism. By the way, the eye exam went well. My prescription needs to be tweaked a bit (I'm less nearsighted than I used to be!) so new glasses will be in order. I couldn't stick around to choose frames though, that will have to happen another day.

These are some of the others who may be sharing their scrappy efforts today. You'll find lots of inspiration in their blogs. 😊

Kate, Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Nanette, Lynn,  Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan, Karen,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean