Heathermom2opmc

I got some large fabric "scraps" from a person that had been making masks. I am in the middle of making several crayon themed quilt tops for teachers (the pattern is Color Me by Emily Herrick), so it uses scraps in color families. Anyway, when I got the fabric from the person, she also gave me about a 1/3 completed quilt top made from 5 inch blocks. It appears that the pattern was for a child/teen based on the color, very basic squares sewn together in bright colors. I double checked that she intended to give me this piece and she said yes and that was it. No other info was offered and I didn't ask anything more bc I could tell that was the end of the conversation. So what do I do with it? I might be able to find some fabric that matches but I am not sure even how old this is. I suppose I could take it apart and use the 5 inch blocks into something else, I guess I could try to re-cut it in some way to make a small wall hanging. Just not sure what to do with it. Anyone ever been given a piece that was started like this?

Iceblossom

This is the sort of stuff I do a lot -- other people's UFOs. Some are gifted to me, some are thrift store finds. There are times when I will remove seams to rescue just the fabric or rearrange the blocks, but not often. One (ok two) of my Tuesday Ladies goes to extreme lengths to rescue vintage tops.

Once it has been given to you it is yours to do with as you will! That can be "finishing" (which can be as intended or what you are willing to do) or re-use or passing on again. I know sooner or later I'll come across a big bunch of badly done 9-patches, I have an idea that involves slicing them and re-trimming but I don't want to do that to good blocks or blocks I made.

I recently posted some completed quilts, a fellow board member quilted them down. All of them came via donations/thrift store buys. While I put a couple of the tops together from the scraps, others were just added to/trimmed.
Quilted Tops -- but not by me!

Iceblossom

Sorry -- this UFO I just have to show off! I have found some pretty amazing things at thrift stores. As you've found out, once word goes out that "oh hey, you're a quilter aren't you?" and people start handing you stuff.

There's a long story involved about a quilter's estate, but at my Tuesday group I was handed a project of "Here, you are the most likely one of us to finish this". "This" turned out to be an almost completely finished Judy Niemeyer top. It's finished now (or at least the top is together and the back has been bought!) and it's mine and it's a beautiful thing...
2021 Fabric Moratorium

bearisgray

No law against passing it on or discarding it, either.

Tartan

No reason you can’t just use your rotary cutter to selvage the squares. Just zip along the stitching lines instead of ripping out the sewing.

Heathermom2opmc

I think I got the pic to upload

GingerK

I am often asked to 'repurpose' tops or blocks for donation quilts. In this case, I think I would take the blocks apart and add to stash. The pattern is, as you said, very basic, and could use a little pizzazz.

Iceblossom

For me, I think that is something I could just pass on to the next person, but it is entirely up to you! If it turns out to have inspired me and I regret that decision, well, I'd just buy something similar and make it from new yardage and have exactly what I wanted.

If you loved the fabric and didn't just want to cut it apart, it would be a reasonable thing to take somewhere when you know you are going to have to wait and have some unsewing time. Or I used to do stuff like that while watching tv when my eyes were better. Nowadays I've decided I really don't want to save pieces smaller than 6.5" square, another reason I would pass it on unless I had a specific and pressing desire for some of the fabric.

But if it doesn't speak to you, just move on and don't worry about it or add it to your stash. Sometimes "perfectly good" things have already served their purpose and I put UFOs in that category. Sometimes we get as much as we want out of a project prior to completion and this isn't even your project!

copycat

I like the colors in this top, just not all together at one time. Store it as yardage and you may find that you will need the colors to make applique shapes or to create new quilt blocks.

illinois

What a pretty quilt for a child! I'd ask the person who donated it if she still has any of the rest of the fabric. Hopefully she does!! Then I'd complete that as a square quilt and donate it to a spot that needs cheerful quilts for kids--even an adult care facility needs cheerful colors.You could salvage a few of the border blocks by taking one row off to use to come on around but finishing that inside square? Could you introduce another color to alternate some blocks to stretch what you have there? I think you can do this!
Let us see what you decide to do.