This is probably way more information than anyone needs, but maybe if you see where someone else is going, you can decide where you want to go (and how to get there) more easily.
WHAT CAN I DO WITH THOSE WEIRD & SMALL SCRAPS? There are so many patterns for scrappy quilts, and several members have posted them already. One very recent one is BOTTLED RAINBOWS:
http://www.stitchedincolor.com/2011/...-to-make.html. Here's another weblink to a photo of someone else's design for this quilt block technique:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-141917-1.htm.
WHAT WE'RE DOING IN MY GUILD: We had the first meeting to organize the newly formed SCRAP BEE yesterday afternoon.
- We all decided that we all needed to start cutting the scraps into usable sizes and shapes (squares and rectangles for "the usual," and hexagons, tumblers and equilateral triangles for those who want to do hand sewing).
- We all decided that once we start cutting, we can start sewing the component units for a quilt, whether for our own quilts or someone else's. We also decided to use our cut stash pieces and components for swapping or barter with each other. We're VERY generous, so no problems are anticipated - generosity is infectious!
- !!!!! We decided that all those pieces that usually end up on the floor (or should end up in the wastebasket) will be saved and given to both our community service bee to use as stuffing for the fleece bears they make for community outreach and to our local chapter of the American Sewing Guild to use as stuffing for Anti-Ouch pouches (pouches made for breast surgery recovery, which fit between the arm and the side of the chest to prevent friction during the healing process - since it's 100% cotton, there'll be minimal heat retention since cotton breathes). If either activity reports an overabundance of stuffing scraps, we'll still save them for stuffing pillows and such for our bee members.
- We also decided that once we start cutting, we can THEN start sorting into "general pile" and specialty shoeboxes (batiks, 1930's fabrics, Civil War fabrics, novelty/animal, Christmas/Halloween fabrics, etc.)
- We decided to start stash-busting by bringing to next month's meeting 25 Half square triangle blocks that finish at 5" square. We will swap at that time or give away what we're sick of looking at.
- We passed around a chart of columns labeled with colors and a separate page listing fabric TYPES (batik, 1930's, Halloween, etc etc etc) and colors. People at the meeting put their names in the blank column on the left and checked off which types of specialty or theme fabrics they liked or had a lot of. Now we have a list of who wants/likes what so swapping stuff between meetings is a lot easier. Someone who has a lot of yellow can find someone who needs or wants more yellow. The bee coordinator is now typing up this master list and will email it to everyone in the group for reference; new members will be added to the master lists and the updated versions will be sent out.
WHAT I AM DOING NOW: I am cutting and sorting into the following:
-SQUARES (UNfinished): 2.5”, 3.5”, 5”, 6.5”
-STRIPS (UNfinished): 1.5” x WOF, 2.0” x WOF, 2.5” x WOF, 3.0” x WOF
-RECTANGLES (UNfinished): 2” x 3.5”, 2.5” x 4.5”, 3.5” x 6.5”
-THEMES: 1930's, ANIMALS, BACKGROUND, BABY, BATIK, CIVIL WAR, FLANNELS, HALLOWEEN, JUVENILE, PATRIOTIC, SOLIDS, XMAS
-BLOCKS (finished): 4-Patch 3.0”, 4-Patch 4.0”, 9-Patch 4.5” WHITE, 9-Patch 4.5" BLACK, HST 4.0”, HST 5.0"
-SHAPES: Hearts (various sizes), Hexagons 1.5" side, Triangles 3" base (finished), Tumblers 3" base (finished), Yo-Yo circles 5" (2.25" finished)
Some members of our scrap bee like hand piecing and applique, so we're all cutting those shapes to swap or give away to those who are interested to help build their components.