Scrappy Challenge

After seeing Stina's beautiful scrappy Trip Around The World blocks resisting became futile. Deciding that the weather forecast looked too unpredictable I chose to stay home and not go to my sewing group today and sew here instead.

Yesterday I cut enough strips to make four blocks and so began the task of sewing them all together. It took some effort and some gnashing of teeth and a bit of unpicking, well, more than a bit of unpicking before block one was declared done. Maybe stopping for lunch would restore energy levels and concentration

No sign of the predicted snow but oh did it rain! It washed all the snow away and it was so dark and gloomy and cold.

Energy levels restored and back to some sewing. In the time that it took me to do one block before lunch I managed to make another three.  This project is addictive and if you think you might like to join in then I guarantee you won't want to stop. You can find the tutorial here. There is also lots of inspiration and lots of other free patterns to tempt you to use up those scraps.  I am thinking that 36 blocks will be enough. We shall see. I am also challenging myself to use only what I have and no repeats of fabric.

As I had cut strips there were bits left over and you know how I like leftovers. Hmmm, what to do with them! With the addition of a cream centre the scraps have become nine patch blocks of 6" and I managed 5 from what I had. I can keep adding to these as I make the other blocks. Apologies for the shadows and lack of editing.

Now I had a growing pile of much smaller pieces. I just sewed them together into a strip. Even the selvages got sewn in. I am sure that I shall find a use for some scrappy strips at some point.

This is what I was eventually left with - what I call scraps. You textile artists out there will find a use even for them but in this case they have gone into the doggy pillows. Believe me, those scraps are small.

 

Whilst I was on a roll and still in the sewing mood I thought I would have a rummage in the bag of scraps that Pat gave me and challenge myself to do something with what was in there. I also had another fabulous challenge from Lori to have a go at. I have changed it a little and this is what I have come up with so far. The only fabric that came out of my own stash was the pink spotty. The next set of instructions come on Thursday so there is plenty of time to join in or even for me to TRY and make another one. I am thinking that this one may be the start of a medallion. Don't yet know. This block so far measures 8.5".

 

I shall leave you with a snowy garden scene from the weekend. By this afternoon it had virtually all gone but at 4pm it suddenly started to snow and at 8.30pm it is still snowing. Mick went out today for a meeting and still is not home. Hopefully he will be stuck at a Travelodge and not on the motorway.

Happy Stitching

Shirley.