on what to do next. Have books, mag, patterns, fabric. Lots of pics of quilts, too. I think the problem is I want to get rid of scraps and having a terrible time. Scraps are in 3, yes 3 HUGE containers with no rhyme or reason. Most are small and I want to get rid of them. Some are odd sizes. Don't send me to Quiltville...nothing there trips my trigger either.

So much is up in the air which is probably why I'm lost. DH may be taking a new job which will require me to quit my little job and stay home with Mom..alz patient. I'll try to hire someone to come in and stay with her a couple hours a week so I can get groceries.

I have to quit ordering fab cuz it's not matching anything that I have.

Think maybe I'll just put all the fab away and work on my Santa redwork that I have from Bird Brain Designs. I feel like a bird brain so maybe this is apporiate. When everything calms down, I'll be able to sew again. Think maybe drinking too much coffee may be bothering me too...but it tastes sooo goood!

See! Even my thoughts are rambling. Right...redwork it is! After I walk on the tread mill for a mile....need to work off my belly!

Thanks guys!!

Maybe a crazy quilt would be the answer. He He :-D :-D

Check out www.quiltville.com. She has lots of quilt patterns for scraps and lets you download for free

LOL! LMBO!!!!

Yes, work on the redwork for a while. When you are in the mood to tackle your scraps there are several things you can do. I like to make several HSTs and keep on hand for projects. You can also make string blocks if you have strips. Just do some at a time, don't try to tackle all the boxes at once.

I won't send you to quiltville, but I just started their string quilt. I had never made a scrappy quilt before, so I made 4 - 6" blocks. I'm not sewing them together yet because I'm not sure exactly what pattern I want to make, so I'm just going to make those little squares, keep making them until I get enough to make a lap size. I'm working on three quilts that I just want to make the blocks right now, then when the mood strikes, I'll put them all together. The are three completely different types/patterns so when I'm bored with one, I move to a different one. Keeps me fresh. Where in NM are you, I'm on the eastern side just along the border.

Or do some crumb blocks. That's what I do when I want to sew,but also take a break. Crumbs are fun and you can use up your scraps.

OMG! LOL!!

Gayle can you explain what you meant by OMG LOL

Oh My Gosh...Laughing out loud!!

On the end of the first paragraph she said 'Don't send me to quiltville, nothing there trips my trigger' Hope I quoted that correctly.

Try contacting Office of the Aging in your area. They are a wonderful resource for the elderly or those caring for them. Best of luck.

Julie, I am a newbie to quilting so I can't help much there but what I can tell you is this. When taking care of a loved one with alz... you need to make sure that you also take care of yourself!!! Make sure you get out and have 'me' time at least like 15 mins EVERYDAY!!!! I hope you have help!

I will keep you and your family in my prayers.

I don't want to offend you. I know that you want to 'do right' by your mom. But a lot of times the best thing you can do for her is to make sure you take care of yourself!

Thanks guys really missed that paragraph feel so dumb
They need to have a short form list, have fiqured out some but still get snagged

I don't know how large a town you live in, but one of the churches here has an alzheimer's daycare.

I had to pull out all of my scraps and create order out of chaos. Once I sorted by color, it was much easier to see what went together and what did not. Could it be that you are in a state of emotional upheaval and the thought of pouncing through a stack of scraps does not give you any peace of mind? Dealing with your mother requires a lot of patience, I'm sure - and I bet it is very challenging at times. Redwork might be a better project to calm your nerves. Don't worry - the creative juicse will come back when the time is right.

Take a deep breath, have some more coffee and a danish. Think about something else for 30 min then try just sewing some pieces together, that may spark your imagination, if not there is always chocolate :lol:

Have you read the book "36 Hour Day". It's an old book, but helpful when you have to care for a loved one with memory problems.

Walked the DREAD mill last night and getting ready to walk again. BUT...funny how sleep helps. Found a pattern this A.M. on Moda bake shop called Fandango Clams! USES CHARMS! Have a pack of batik charms so will make up a somewhat controlled scrappy quilt. I'll change the pattern around a bit. Not getting rid of what I wanted but what the heck, I'm sewing and that makes me happy.

Now..thank you for the support RE Mom's alz. DH works from home so he is primary care giver. She's a invalid so she is not a "flight risk" which is a mixed blessing. We can't afford respite care...bills out $20.00 an hour but occasionally DS will stay in the house for an hour or two so we can have a quick date at our local coffee shop that has FABULOUS DESSERTS!!! I really don't want to attend a support group. Just don't want to hear everyone else's sad story. We've been caring for her for 4 years and so far so good.

Ok..gonna get the walking shoes on and start my walk to no where. Best way for me to feel better is to control my sugar intake, walk the tread mill and see the number on my scale go down and the fat tummy shrink!

Happy Thanksgiving a little early. No work on Thursday. No one coming over so I can sew sew sew sew..well you get the picture! haha

If your mom is on medicare, they provide lots of in-home care services (not only visiting nurses)that we are not aware of in our everyday lives. Do get in touch with them. Also contact the senior citizen's center. There are folks there who volunteer to do all sorts of things - arrange to have a caretaker in twice a week, so that you have two free afternoons to yourself. It's important, as other posters have also said.

God bless you as you care for your mom with Alzheimers. I did the same and it's not easy. If anyone offers to help - take them up on it because you will need more than just grocery shopping time away from caring for her. I turned to the church for help and had several wonderful women come by each week to "visit" with mom. Find a "lap" project that you can pick up at a moments notice to keep you sane.

I just recently got the book Crazy for Scraps. It has some really cute scrap quilt patterns, ideas, tips for sorting and organizing scraps etc. I got it from connecting threads. Maybe it can offer some inspiration for your scraps. Also having them all mix matched up in 3 bins may make them seem overwhelming and daunting. Like mad quilter suggested, maybe take some time to just sort them by color or maybe by dark medium light. I use zip loc bags to try and keep them under control. I also cut into strips for a scrappy log cabin that has been a WIP bordering on UFO for years. Here is a link to the book.
http://www.connectingthreads.com/boo...s__D45069.html

I don't know how bad your MIL is but maybe sorting a pile of scraps by color might be something she can do with you?

Office of the Aging is a great idea. Could you also try a parsonage because they very often have persons who volunteer to help in cases such as this. I know because my church's volunteers got me back to life by visiting me and taking me on short drives to start. I know your situation is different but try and don't be afraid to ask for help. Good luck to you and prayers to for your Mom. Remember to take care of yourself.

Heres one to add to your to do list. Learn how to bake sourdough bread! When the sewing gets too intense, thats what I do from scratch. Just takes everything into perspective. :-D

First off, my understanding with your dealing with your Mom's ALZ - DH's aunt is suffering with this and we see the turmoil.

2nd, I too have been in a "funk" for a couple weeks - today I just told myself - Self - you are going to do something!

So I pulled the rag quilt blocks off the design board and started sewing. Now all I have to do is clip and it's done! Wheeeee.

Next I want to work on some bookmarks I am making for friends for Christmas. They are small so will go fast and I will feel like I have accomplished something. Maybe you can find a small project that goes quickly. Sometimes, it's harder to start than to do.
Good Luck! :) {{HUGS}

I have also been having a hard time figuring out what to do and a friend suggested a mystery quilt. So when Bonnie Hunter's Roll Roll Cotton Boll Mystery Quilt was posted here I thought I would give it a try, as I have been thinking about making a quilt in those colors anyway. (Bonnie is famous for her use of scraps.) Even if you didn't want to do it now, you could save the "clues." Here's the link:
http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2010/...l-yardage.html

Isn't this a wonderfully loving group? Prayers for you in caring for your mom.

Maybe she didn't see the line that said "don't send me to quiltville.........

Ok got it figured out. I'm slow but I eventually get where I want to go. Most scrap quilt pattern seem to use chunks, FQ, half yard cuts of fab. I want to get rid of itty bitty. So...drum roll please....since we are not having a house full of company on Thursday, I will get my freezer bags out and start...ready...SORTING BY COLOR AND SIZE!!! Too small...trash...oh painful I know...and since sorting by color, will be easier to see what I have and will b/a to do planned scrap quilts. My goodness...see what sleep and a good meal or two will do for brain power.

We're always up by 6ish so I'll be able to start early on this project. Poor DH...he gets scard when I start sorting. Afraid he may end up sleeping on the couch!@

All better. Just love the shoulders you've let me lean on.

What on earth is a crumb block???

Like you, I too have a "ton" of scraps. However, I have found sorting through the fabric scraps & compiling different sizes,shapes ie. strips, squares, triangles, small,med.,lg,etc has been very therapeutic for me. in fact, the more I do it, the more intrigued I become. I'm planning to make scrappy log cabin, crazy quilting, etc. I work part-time & have a 27 yr old special-needs daughter remaining at home, out of our 5 kids. She requires 24/7 care. Thankfully, she goes to adult daycare for 6 hrs, Mon thru Fri. So, I can relate to how you feel, being a fulltime caregiver. Also, it has helped me work through my grief at burying our youngest daughter a year& a halfago(age 23,due to a motor vehicle accident). I find myself thankful for all my wonder blessings & I hope to pass blessings on in the form of quilts, especially "scrappy" quilts. Hope that helps you feel better in being able to vent here! Take care!
:lol: ;) :thumbup:

Julie, before throwing out the ones you consider too small, you might offer them to readers on this board. I know there are some quilters here who would JUMP on those!!!

good idea !!! blessings to you !!

my cures for "funky" days is to make some string blocks--I always have some of them started (in their own box0. and sorting fabric is the perfect brainless project. I cut mine to size as I sort the small stuff. don't cut into too many sizes, it just makes another mess. one thing I wish I would have done while sorting is to also sort lights, darks, brights, etc. You usually don't mix them too much in a quilt.
I have stacks of 5" squares (when those patterns were popular) then I decided cutting up after you sew was not fun. 5" can be used for D9P,put corners on for stretched stars, and all 4 corners covered for snowballs.
I cut 1 1/2" strips, 3" sq, 5" sq.-- bigger than that strips usually stay in my stash.
sometimes I just pass a whole sack onto someone else that is saving for scrap or string quilts.

giggling...

cjomomma, I see you changed your avatar pic... nice photo!

If you want to do something with the tiny scraps, you could always make miniature quilts. I make mini's and donate them to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (http://alzquilts.org) and when you donate all the money they make goes to funding research for a cure for Alzheimer's.

You might want to offer your "too small" scraps to some board members, there are tons of people here (including me) who use everything up.

Sort your fabric by colors - maybe you can make a scrap log cabin

Sure now that I have projects in mind, have two gals to do a quilt for. One a baby girl quilt and another for a cat lover! Have a tesselating cat pattern some place that I need to locate and away she goes. Guess the sorting will be later...maybe!!

I've checked Quiltville and Bonnie's books. These patterns are NOT for small scraps---when you see a large quilt everything seems to be matching very well. That's not what I call a Scrap quilt because in my way of thinking Scraps are many small pieces not large ones.
Sorry if I'm a "downer", Good luck, Kutnso