I don't understand why?
 

I just saw a scrappy quilt made with 9 patches and the directions said to cut a bazillion little 2" squares and sew them together. Why wouldn't you just cut strips and then put them together and cut the correct size squares? I just don't think I want to piece little 2" pieces together. Are there some that really like doing that? just curious what you all think. hoping all are having a great Tuesday!

Maybe they don't want repeats. Strip piecing is much easier but individual squares would have much more variety. I would strip piece it. But I also won't cut 1 7/8" squares diaginally and sew them together for HST,

If the color combinations are repeated, I would strip piece the units.

Maybe since it's scrappy, the assumption is that you're working with a lot of small and irregular sized pieces?

I've done it with smaller squares than that and was very pleased with both the process and the result. All my fabrics were different and I wanted specific color/value placement with no repeats. Strip piecing was not an option. Isn't it wonderful that we all have different ways of looking at things?

If you don't want to make that pattern the way it says, don't. Simple as that.

I certainly never thought of that. I don't save smaller scraps....not enough room. I just think I'm better with the strip piecing. Thanks for all who responded. As they say, to each his own! have a wonderful day all!

I actually love chain piecing smaller squares together. I love the variety of the fabrics I get over strip piecing but mostly I just love the process of whipping through my scraps! It all depends on the look you are going for and if you're going to enjoy the process.

I think some folks cut and store their scraps in certain sizes and shapes, so if you happen to be one that has a super organized scrap storage and bunch of 2" scrap squares already done it could help. Or, it could be a leader/ender project, or as the others say, for variety. I also am working on a free pattern on the moda bake shop that uses their precut charm squares and it says to cut each charm square into 4, 2.5" squares to sew together as 4 patches. I too thought stip piecing would be much easier. To each their own I guess!

You can use strip sets & still get a pretty random scrappy look. Cut your sets of 3, toss em all in a grocery sack & pull out & sew together randomly, as opposed to a planned xox+oxo+xox nine patch.

Some people go for a true "charm" quilt, which I take to mean no two fabrics repeat, so they are able to say "there are 4,320 different fabrics in this quilt" (90x108 queen sewed with 2" cut squares)

Carefully understand the complete instructions before you do things differently. I have enough experience that I ended up making many quilts my own way. If strip piecing is easier, then cut a strip and cut it into smaller pieces such as 10" then sew other strips together.

When I make scrappy quilts, I don't like a lot of repetition in my fabric combinations and I end up cutting my pieces separately and putting them together so my blocks are as varied as I can get them. The smallest squares I have used is 2.5" cutting them from jelly roll strips and strips cut from yardage. I don't think I could go smaller than that.

When my little niece comes over she likes to take the smaller pieces and lay them out. Then she pieces them together on my used dryer sheets. They're Seventh Generation and perforated all through. When I'm done with them, I just put them under my iron rest to flatten them out. They ten to curl and you can split the sheets down the middle (3" strips). Just right for her and she whips out quite a nice size block in no time.

As I finish projects I cut the scrappy sized pieces (10" or less is my rule of thumb) into squares
1.5" and 2.5"
Then if I'm at lose ends in danger of starting something new, or chain piecing I use the twosiezes as leaders and enders.

Pretty soon I have pretty blocks.

That said, I have also made three Scrappy Trips quilts by strip piecing and they are cool too. It all works!

I would have to say I'm not cutting out 2'' squares out, I want to do something simple I like my piecing but that seems like a lot of work. I would rather sew strips together then sew them to make a 9 patch scrappy quilt. I really think it is better to do it that way because my points don't always match up. And when I just sew them together I don't always get my squares the right size for the quilt to look like I want it.

i'm with you okmama! I am for quick and easy I guess and I don't think my stitching would be true enough to do all 2 or 21/2 " squares and have it square up. But as I stated, to each his own. Just the way I roll! and you too I guess.

That's another reason for my GO......when I want to be in my sewing cave, but don't really want to sew, I'll pull out GO, basket of larger scraps, and wring out my 2 1/2" squares...for leaders/enders...(scrap squares)..... Gets me back into sewing mode and empties out a bin! The fabric slivers go to guild for beds for local pet rescue/shelter....and the circle continues.....

many of us use them as leader/enders like Bonnie Hunter does.

I wouldn't think there would be a reason to write the instructions that way unless it is an old pattern. I sew my squares by hand so I cut individual squares. I usually cut with my rotary cutter but guess what? Sometimes if my back hurts I use a little template and sit in my chair watching TV and mark my squares and cut with the scissors. It's pretty relaxing that way and I can use small scraps up.

I made 2 quilts with 1" finished squares. I have to say by the end I was loving them little buggers. One I cut squares, threw them in a paper bag and pulled out and sewed one at a time. I truly wanted random. My only rule, I could not sew two same colors side by side. Someone said it reminder her of Skittles. It is a Burgoyne Surround.
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The other is a baby quilt. This one is strips because I had a really good variety. I think it really depends on the look you are going for.
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I like variety in my scrappy"s. If it too repeated with the same fabrics, then IMHO it's not that scrappy.

Can't you piece strip sets and then cut them and mix and match with a bunch of them? That's what I would do.

To get more random (I'm doing 1" finished squares) after I ran out of scraps, I started cutting strips. I sewed them in groups of two -WOF. Then I cut all those in half and sewed them together to get rows of 4. Cut them in half again (now down to about 9") and sewed one more row on them to get five rows. Then cut them 1.5" wide, so I don't have more than about 7 exact repeats.

Right now it's in my UFO pile.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psksedoj5e.jpg

Macy...wow!

Oh My! I can't wait to see what you make from this batch of goodies!