Scrap Happy
 

In an effort to get rid of some the scraps I've saved for years I'm looking for project ideas. The one thing that has kept me from seriously diving into a scrap quilt project is the thought of cutting a gazzilion strips/squares/triangles. Just doesn't seem like a fun thing to start a project out with carpal tunnel from hours of cutting and prepping fabric. I appreciate your suggestions.

Scrappy is beautiful! Try a style of 9 patch in squares that are not so little. Just choose a pattern that has bigger size pieces and you won't feel so overwhelmed-promise!

You can make ANYTHING scrappy... just find a pattern that you have on your bucket list that uses smaller pieces.. and work away.. Thats the joy of scappy- you dont have to fret over what color goes next to each other...

you can do a light/dark HST quilt...

Check out: www.quiltville.com
Bonnie Hunter is a scrappy quilter... Im sure you can find something that may interest you..
Heres a good one for smaller scraps: http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2005/...ick-stars.html

Why don't you try crumb quilting? It is so much fun, here is just one web site:
http://www.quiltville.com/crumbs.shtml

Most of my quilts are scrappy. I cut and sew and cut and sew. I hate to do all step 1 for a jillion blocks and then move to step 2......So and don't cut very far in advance. It works for me:)

Love love love the link. I do something similar but do wacky log cabins. I save all my scrap whites and muslin and cut the for foundation blocks. That way I don't have to worry if I wind up pulling a scrap that has poly in it. I have a top done. I'll take a pict tomorrow when i have light and post it so you can see.

The best pattern I found for strip scraps was on Sewing With Nancy years ago. The booklet is out of print but after yrs of searching it finally showed up on Amazon. It is called Scrap Happy Patchwork.
Use cut strips from 1 1/2 inch up to 5 1/2 inch to combine to make 6 1/2 in blocks that combine to make 12 1/2 in blocks.
So much fun to make and very easy.

I have made "controlled" scrappy quilts for years and have never cut all the pieces before sewing. Sometimes have 2 or 3 quilts in progress at the same time. I cut a enough pieces for a few blocks and then sew until I need more peices. Cannot stand cutting for hours. Works for me. Try it, you might enjoy it as much as I do.

I invested in an accuquilt go cutter and the 2 1/2" strip die. It's so easy that my 13 yr old son cuts my strips for me. I also don't have to buy jelly rolls which sometimes are frayed and not accurate cause I can cut them myself. Just a thought to make cutting easier for you.

I work the same way as scraphq. I have a QS 16 patch and pinwheel quilt laid out on the floor (my design wall) while I make the final 5 pinwheels and then sew it together. Pattern from www.quiltville.com - a great source for scrappy ideas. My blocks are made from 2.5 inch squares and 4.5 inch HST blocks. While I was sorting out scraps for these final blocks I also sorted out scraps for two other projects and strings for heartstring blocks.

There was a thread on here a few months ago that LOTS of ideas for scrap quilts. It was a fabulous thread.

Scrap quilt picture thread
 

This might give you some inspiration.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...e-t135936.html

Thanks for all the great input. I'm going to try the cut/sew/cut and see what happens. Believe it will be more enjoyable and much more of an adventure.

I use an ergonomic cutter and a slotted ruler. I also mix scraps with 5 inch charm packs. I cut a few 5 inch squares mix them with charms cut sew than cut a few more. finding matches in my scraps is challenging

Do you paperpiece? I've made a couple of quilts using this pattern and will make more! You can use even the smallest scraps, too
http://www.quilterscache.com/M/MichiganBlock.html

I'm going to do a scrappy quilt using the BOM pattern from www.persimmonquilts.com. If you want a real scrappy I love Bonnie Hunter quilts butthere does seem to be a lot of cutting..

I'm going to do a scrappy using the BOM from www.persimmonquilts.com.

Soome great ideas thrown out there, I will have to try the links myself. Thanks everyone for the tips and ideas.
Pat

I have done a quilt with scraps in a mile a minute quilting technique that required little cutting until the very end. Here is a link http://patchworkpie.blogspot.com/200...ute-quilt.html. It was fun and easy and only required that you divide your piles into strips and rough squares. Hope this fits the bill.

Why not do a paper pieced quilt? You would not have to prepare the scraps - just find a piece big enough to cover each section.

I do this on a 13" square of fabric (fountation piecing ) for a charity . Start at diagional in center with 2 pieces of fabric strips and work outwards .Strips get smaller with each outward placement. Trim to 12 1/2"

How about a crazy quilt, no cutting, just sew the pieces as they are. Happy Quilting!

I was looking through some of my older magazines last night because my oldest daughter wants me to make her a sampler quilt so I was trying to find some blocks that I could use. I came upon the Flying Kites pattern. I really fell in love with it. Before I thought it looked so complicated but now as my quilting is getting better, I'm feeling more confident about trying to make other different kinds of blocks. They said that you could use scsrap fabric for this block and just use plain background fabric but if you use black it would really make all the scraps pop out. I'm realling thinking to finally get out of my confort zone and make this. Now that I look at the pattern, it looks really simple. Just two pieces. Maybe that would be a good block for you to use up some of your scrap fabric with. I know I am going to try it, after I finish this sampler quilt. Good luck. Have fun.

I really love crumbing... so relaxing and you never know what you will end up with.

Try Mile a Minute blocks. They are so fun!
http://quiltingisstillmypassion.blog...-tutorial.html

judee

I personally prefer to do scrappy quilts. After all, scraps are an endless source as they multiply as you use them. lol

I don't know what I'd do without my accuquilt go cutter and the 2 1/2" strip die. I'm working on a quilt for my GD that is all black/white/red strips done in a "split rail" pattern....will have enough scraps left over to make one for me:o

Once you get going, it will not be such a daunting task. You can do a bit at a time so as not to harm your wrist. Sometimes I make only a few blocks at a time and then do more on another day.

For your hand problem I have a few suggestions. First ask a friend or two to come and help cut the scraps. Share with them or have them bring their scraps to cut too. Second make piles of fabric scraps to cut. Cut only fot 10 mins at a time. Third organize the cut scraps for 10 or 15 mins rest then start again. It will get done. Just do a little each day. Fourth get or find someone with a go cutter. I find it easier to turn the handle then cut with the cutters. Luann who is getting ready to do just this project with 5 large bins of scraps!

I buy books that are made for jelly rolls or specifically for 2 1/2" strips. There's loads of patterns online too. Split rail is a good one to do. After other projects I run the leftovers through the go cutter.

When my quit project is finished, this is when I cut whats left into scrappy different size squares or strips 2 1/2 inches wide and smaller strips kept in plastics boxes for when I get enough to make a scrappy or string quilt. Each size has it's own box or bag, so if I need something for a small project, it is ready to go.

Here is a quilt that was just posted on scraps. I bet she sewed them in strips first and then cut the stratas the width she needed and then put in the solid fabric. Looks cool though. http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...t-t174385.html

I love the link. Thankyou all for sharing it.

I made a row by row quilt where I used "controlled scraps". Just sewed one row at a time, the whole top went together quickly. I liked only making 5-6 blocks per row before making a different block.

Bless all you crumb quilters - - it would send me to the insame asylum. I love scrap quilts but make mine in strips. I throw out what you use; maybe I'll start saving them and give the scraps to someone for postage, huh?

To all of you that do scrap quilts, have you noticed how you seem to accumulate more scraps when your done? I haven't figured it out yet. Mine is growing no matter how many things I make with my scraps!

I dislike the time spent cutting also, I just want to 'get right to the sewing'. A question: When making a pin cushion, what do you fill it with?

I love doing scrappies, too. My method, if you can call it one, is to put all scraps from a current project into a basket at the end of the cutting table as I am working on it. After the project is completed I go through the basket and cut everything into sizes and shapes I commonly use in scrappies, such as 2 1/2" squares, 2 1/2" strips, 1 1/2" strips, triangles, etc., depending on the size and shape of the scrap. I keep separate plastic tubs for each shape. This way prep is pretty much done already, and I can just pick and sort when ready to use them!

I find the if you cut scraps as you finish a project, it's much easier. Just keep them stored together and it's handy.

I just love crumb quilting and my pupils, I do a weekly beginners course on Patchwork, abosolutely adore it, just one word of caution, it can become really addicitve :)

The picture is just one of many that I have made for Project Linus