I make extra blocks when I teach at my club and these always end up being orphans. One day I'll getsmart and use the same fabrics every time! I use Eq8 to design everything. I love it.

I had questioned the forum about “crumb” blocks awhile back. One of the suggestions on making same was to cut up orphan blocks. Perhaps cutting up two or three just to see if you like the results while adding a few other scraps to the mix. I haven’t tried this but will. Only a suggestion.

I almost always have extra blocks. Either it's abandoned quilt blocks, blocks that didn't work or I simply made too many. I will sometimes put them in a strip on the back to extend the backing fabric or I will simply put them on the free table at Guild. Since this pandemic, I have lots built up for the free table when we resume. I have decided that I don't always have to use what I sew.

Well, if the nine patches have the dark in the corners a snowball block in between works well to extend it out to a larger quilt. I recently made the wall hanging like that I posted a couple days ago. The post is called red work birds.

Also, you can set them on point with a solid white squares to make a cute picnic quilt.

I need another mask that fits and I was thinking of seeing if I had an orphan or test block that would work. It would let everyone know I was a quilter.

I never end up with extra blocks. I make only what I need for each quilt. I'm usually bored by the time I've made enough for the quilt, so the thought of making extra ones never crosses my mind. I did end up with extra pieces once when I calculated wrong and cut too many. Luckily, they were a common size that I use for scrap quilts, so I know they'll get used someday.

Use them on the back, make table runners, mug rugs or pot holders, create tote bags, etc. I sometimes keep orphan blocks in a box and use them all together once I have enough for a quilt.

I have a drawer full of orphan blocks and blocks that I made up to see how they would look or to try out a technique. One day I'll make a quilt with them. It will be a pretty crazy -looking quilt.

Watson

If I'm following a pattern I don't have left over blocks. I do leaders and enders with 1 1/2 inch 2, 2 1/2 all the time. so I always have many little blocks to play with. Sometimes they go into a large quilt or if I'm lucky a quilt I'm working on or sometimes a baby quilt. But that's most of my extra blocks. I have many!

So this weekend I'm making a baby quilt sadly ...!!!! Bought some cute handprint fabric and coordinating coiors. Decided to sew pinwheel blocks with background fabric I have in my stash. Trying ...not to end up making too many blocks. Probleml is I don't have a pattern to guide me. I've changed the layout at least three times...remember no pattern just foggy images in my brain...but I think I have one down that will work. Hope this goes along ok w/o out too many leftovers,