How many projects do you work on...
 

actively at any one time?

I have spent the last couple of months taming my backlog of scraps from the past 14 years of quilting (that's alotta scraps). I had postponed dealing with them because I am not really into scrappies, and because other, more interesting projects kept coming up. Then I saw a pattern in a book, and a technique on the Board, and I got all inspired to make a TON of blocks that (someday) I will turn into a quilt (or six). Now I have a scrap management framework, and I can deal with my scraps as I generate them. Yay for me!

So today I decided to turn out the closet that holds my stash in order to find fabrics for my next regular quilt (the William-Morris-fabric bargello quilt that I have been eager to start for months...). I found tons and tons of great fabrics that will work well with each other and I also found...another giant tote box full of scraps!! Aargh!!! So now I will go back to cutting and "processing" scraps until I get the decks cleared again and can start my planned, non-scrappy quilt because I can only work on one project at a time!

How about you?

Alison

I usually have at least a couple WIP. I think I have AADD because I have trouble with getting board with a pattern.

I try to limit myself to 3 - one in piecing, one quilting, one binding. However, I have to admit to 2 Block of the Month currently in addition to that. I just finished 2 quilts (ready for quilting), so now I can start my next "big" one. But I'm probably going to jump into a mystery quilt too. I think the most I'm ever actively piecing, aside from BOM and mysteries, would be 2. And the second one is usually just if I need a leader/ender project for a big quilt I'm working on (or bored with). More than that and I start to lose pieces.

Now, having said that - I have a pile of scraps I was just eyeing today. Will you share the pattern/technique that got you inspired?

I have about a dozen in the works. Some quilt tops ready to quilt. Some quilt blocks ready to sew together.

It depends on the size of the project. If it's a bed-sized quilt, I'll only work on that one project. But right now, I'm working on placemats, a table runner, potholders, fabric postcards, pillowcases, and christmas ornaments. They're all kind of in limbo until I decide to work on one of them, and some are further along than others. With the small ones, since I make a bunch to try and sell, I like to change up what I'm working on so I don't get bored. For the larger quilts, though, I don't like to lose my focus. And they take so long that I like to plow through. If I didn't, they wouldn't get done for a very long time. Even going straight through, my last quilt took me 4 weeks, all told (from shopping for fabric to hand-stitching the last bit of binding). It's a bargello, actually, and it's here:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...o-t198506.html

I get bored very easily so I usually have 15-20 WIPs in progress; some big, some not; some for babies, some for pups and kitties and some for some very grown-up kids! I guess I do okay, I've finished 29 projects (the smallest was 20"x20", and the largest was a king-size) in the last 14 months...and what's even better is I'm not completely nuts (yet)...but I do cheat a bit, I use my LA to quilt...:)...and I LOVE scrappies!

The pattern is just a square framed by rectangles, like the individual blocks in this photo:[ATTACH=CONFIG]361877[/ATTACH]
(The frame is two rectangles 4.5 inches x 1.5 inches, and two rectangles 2.5 inches x 1.5 inches; the middle square is 2.5 inches) You can quickly cut zilllions of sets of rectangles, and zillions of squares, and then mix and match.

The technique is string piecing on a foundation; I'm afraid I can't find the post. The person posting used 6 1/2 inch square backing; I'm doing 4 1/2 so my finished "box" squares and the string pieced squares could be used in the same quilt(s) if I want. This technique uses up all the offcuts of long skinny bits left after I've cut the 2 1/2" squares and 1 1/2" strips for the rectangles!

I admire people who keep their scraps organized by width and shape and value, but I just ain't there yet. I think this system will work better for me...but ask me again in fourteen years!!

Alison

14 years of scraps!!!! WOW that would be Lots and lots of scraps. Hope you are having some fun making up quilts from them.
I can only work on one project at a time. Maybe its my up bringing... I can still hear my Mom saying "did you finish....?" when I would ask for fabric for a new project. I was never allowed to start something new without finishing anything I started. I tried it a couple of time but I got too anxious ..and this overwhelming feeling of I had to get one done so there would only be one project in process.

I remember admiring this when you first posted it - it is gorgeous!!

Alison

If I may, you might try strip chain stitching the rectangles (and the inner squares for that matter), a la log cabin construction. It goes so much faster, and you'll be making all the identical blocks at the same time.

Also, I also found the string quilt technique today and thought it'd be a great way to use up my scraps!