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Monday 16 April 2012

Scraping the bottom of the barrel...

When I was thinking about what to write today, trying to clear my horrible work-enduced headache, I couldn't work out what was more disturbing, the subject that sprang to mind or that I had taken a photo without even thinking about it!?

Omitted from my scrap-sorting post last week, was a little bag I kept recently from cutting my Retro Flowers.  Now, as this is being made with my hoarded Denyse Schmidt fabrics, and even though I am linking with Kelly's My Precious QAL too, it's pretty obvious that I am maybe not as ready to relax into this as I could be.

So these teeny bits have been saved...
But they look sooooooooooo pretty!
Am I the only one who has such unusable scraps, that you cannot bare the thought of putting in the bin?  Or do I have a problem??

But cut they are, and here's the full box of Retro Flower pieces, just to prove to you that I really am making this quilt and not just making it all up...


... the curved piecing began last night, 3 out of 16 flower's worth completed. 

I am using Kerry's flippity method, which I previously used on Susan's Bee Blocks, and the Man Quilt, and they have all turned out beautifully so far.

Well trying to put on a front of 'interest' at work failed dismally today, but hopefully my immunity to tedium will be boosted back to regular term-time levels soon enough, and I will be able to think straight again!

I have real, new sewn things to show you tomorrow, so I'll be back with a proper post then, I promise x

34 comments:

  1. I have so many of those little scraps. In theory, I'm saving them to fill a stuffed animal that I might someday make.

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  2. I'll admit to saving scraps that tiny. I put them in a separate container from my other scraps with the thought that I will let my kids loose with them and some glue one day. Though I'm not sure I can envision you giving up the DS to your kids and the bottle of Elmers...Either way, that quilt of yours is going to be fabulous!

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  3. You need some clear glass Christmas baubles with a slight opening at the top so you can drop some of your treasures in. My neighbour did this years ago with bits of ribbon.

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  4. I have been filling a jar with my teensy scrap bits :) that way I can still enjoy them, but they are kept contained where I can actually see them :)

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  5. I love this idea:
    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sLSJMDPaOZs/TLhz6TmjM0I/AAAAAAAAAhM/SgZ2Hig9oi4/s1600/dresser+3.jpg
    perhaps you could do something similar with the ds strips on a mini chest to keep buttons etc in. I got one from Wilkinsons for my ribbons.
    Alternately I simply love this!
    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3hpkFU3hD0A/SPTFtkQgKGI/AAAAAAAAAgE/jTonjIH9kSQ/s400/Jodie's+Selvage+Dress+Skirt.jpg

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  6. Ooh, your fabrics will make such a lovely Retro Flowers quilt! I have saved bits like that. I used some for my Bottled Rainbows blocks. I still have lots of blocks to make for that quilt (someday), but you can ticker tape those precious pieces and make a little mini!

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  7. I may have a use for those scraps in a couple of weeks, just sayin'...

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  8. I have so many useless scraps - if my fabric ever turns up I`ll join in the QAL too!

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  9. oooh, I spot some sugar creek :-D

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  10. Good grief woman, CHUCK THEM OUT! :)

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  11. I've seen where someone has attached scraps to fusible web and then cut out the required sizes to applique onto an item! It saves you throwing them away!
    If you really can't use them send them my way =D

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  12. i have been better about throwing away my unusable scraps but it makes my stomach a little sick every single time... ;)

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  13. I keep teeny pieces like that too cos you can turn them into brooches and all sorts with the water soluble fabric. There's a tute on my blog if you're interested. Jxo

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  14. Oh you definitely have a problem. Just not with the keepin teeny scraps cos I do that too ;-)

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  15. I save all my teeny tiny scraps too! Partly because I can't bear the idea of all that fabric hitting the landfill and need to come up with a project for them, partly because they're too pretty to part with!

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  16. I save 98% of my scraps and even the really thin unusable ones. My son loves to cut fabric when I am sewing and I let him lose on my scraps and he is happy, I am happy as he isn't cutting my good fabrics and in the end we can stick it to paper, iron it with fusible web to a pillow front or vacuum it up and start again the next day.
    If you don't have an enthusiastic 4 year old to do this with, donate your fabric scraps to your local preschool, child care or children's hospital for craft projects.

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  17. The bottom of the barrel can be a great source of inspiration. I'm sending you two pix as an example....

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  18. Judith has things to make with such little bits, I see she mentioned it. I generally delight in tossing them out but I do sometimes find myself enchanted with the tiniest bits. Good work on all that cutting and piecing.

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  19. I started to save them for a friends daughter to do a collage, but she's still too young (or just not interested) so they go straight in the bin.

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  20. I use those tiny scraps to make pillows for pets at the local SPCA. I always have an open pillow on my work table and I pop the scraps in there as I go. I put batting scraps in there too, after I've trimmed a quilt.

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  21. Yup - I collect stupid small fabric scraps and am left wondering why too. But they do look to pretty to toss in the bin!

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  22. One layer of water soluble stabiliser, one layer of scraps on top (job can be given to a child) another layer of w.s.s. then a few lines of holding stitching then FMQ it. then soak away the w.s.s. and you've made, um, something . . . Maybe the starting of a D'S mug rug?

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  23. Stick them in the bin! I save so much I relish throwing some away!

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  24. What you need is a holiday! I have saved some and pieced them (YES pieced them) into a coaster. And I do use it every day, if you are not going to use them straight away, bin it! I've neded up hoarding so much sometimes you just gotta make a sensible decision :) Oh how I feel your work pain - chin up missus!

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  25. you are so funny!! Chuck them or make cute cards like on Megan's blog today.
    The retro flowers looks cute, I so need some project boxes to get organised!! I love how you kept the scraps in the box, as though that makes hoarding them ok!! ;)

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  26. Oh no! Work headache! I'm so sorry for you. Just doodle quilts, do quilty math, etc for a day and you'll look super busy :)

    As for the scraps, I will say what you will hate. Throw.Them.Out. I toss anything under 1 inch square as a general rule.

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  27. You are not the only one. I cant believe some of the bits I save, always sure they will come in handy for something...even if it is only a pretty photo!

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  28. I totally saved my Retro Flower trimmed bits. And the fabric is not special to me. I have a problem! lol
    I took some of them & looped them onto a cord & called it a necklace. My daycare kiddos loved it, so we made more. Now I fear I will save everything this small!

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  29. Me too! I'm sure there is something they will come in handy for one day. Ha! Love seeing all of your flowers ready to go....

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  30. Keep them in a pretty jar until you work out what to do with them, they're too pretty to throw away!

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  31. Ha ha ... not the only one by a long chalk!

    I keep my snippings and trimmings from each quilt I make ... and they DO get put into clear Christmas tree baubles (plastic ones tho, not glass like Jan's neighbour!)

    ... if you look at the pic of my sitting room in my last blog post you'll see them hanging from the light fitting on the ceiling!

    I love trimmings. x

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  32. Ha ha ... not the only one by a long chalk!

    I keep my snippings and trimmings from each quilt I make ... and they DO get put into clear Christmas tree baubles (plastic ones tho, not glass like Jan's neighbour!)

    ... if you look at the pic of my sitting room in my last blog post you'll see them hanging from the light fitting on the ceiling!

    I love trimmings. x

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  33. You are definitely not alone, I am such a hoarder! I think it's maybe because I intend to invent a new style of quilting that requires diddy pieces of fabric and no seam allowance....just haven't got round to it yet! x

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  34. Wow. Those are small scraps! I can't wait to see your Retro Flower quilt. I'm pretty sure it's going to be amazing. I really want to make one, but I don't have the time to do the QAL right now.

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