This has been a lovely relaxing sewing week, playing with two scrap projects.
I worked on Step 7 of the Scrap Dance Pachanga Mystery quilt from Carole’s blog, From My Carolina Home. Steps come out on the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month, so I was a few days late getting mine done. This was an easy step for me as I love making half-square triangles. Some people don’t but I do. I like that they are sized enough to “trim” easily. I use the June Tailor Perfect Quarter Square/Half Square triangle ruler when I make mine.
We now have quite a collection of elements for this mystery quilt, but still have many pieces left for future “steps”.
I am resisting the urge to play with the elements. Banished to the basket to await the next step coming at the end of this week!
I continued to play with the scrap basket that I took on vacation. I have made quite a few more “Traffic Jam” blocks. This time I picked the 2.5″ squares out of my never ending basket and put together lots of combinations. I’m up to 24 blocks made. I had to “trim” these blocks to 12″ as some of the ones done on vacation were a tad “wonky”. I think some of that had to do with 2.5″ squares that didn’t quite measure up, or fat seam allowances.
The pattern is available on Pat Sloan’s website for free. I love doing scrappy quilts. I also like to see what others have done with the sashing and borders on Pat’s website. If you take a look you will see all different ways this block is finished off into a quilt. I haven’t quite decided how I am going to sash it, but I am gathering ideas.
I am using a bit of the Bonnie Hunter scrap saver system for my bits and pieces. I seem to have a lot of scraps that need to be “cut up” into that system, but I am lazy about doing it. My sewing space has gotten cluttered and it is time for a bit of “clean up”. Do you save scraps for projects? How do you collect and store them?
Edit — forgot to add this — Linking up to OH SCRAP! If you like to work with scraps, check out all the fun things others are sharing there!
Stitching Grandma 
Great progress on your projects! I don’t cut my scraps up, I’d rather do it as I go along. That traffic jam is a fun block!
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Thanks Carole! I have to rethink the way I take care of scraps! The overflowing baskets are making me nuts. 🙂 I do like having things cut up and easy to work with and wish I took the time right away to deal with the scraps as the projects went along. 🙂 Lately I have been saving bigger pieces for applique projects on the embroidery machine, so I think I am going to go to a drawer system soon.
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Your pachanga is progressing!! I don’t have a system for scraps – just throw them in the bin and pull out when needed! LOL Have a great week, Mary!
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🙂 Thanks Brenda! I love stitching with anything that feels like it’s “free fabric” when I am using scraps!
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Your Pachanga is going to be beautiful!
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Thanks Kathy. When I dug in the scrap basket I just looked for brights. That wide stripe was once a fat quarter but it was a perfect addition and gave me some fun colors to play with.
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I have made two Traffic Jam quilts…one that used up lots of green scraps and one that used up lots of blue. I gave the quilts to two of my grandsons. This is a fun and easy pattern! I like your colorful version! Maybe there is another Traffic Jam in my future! 🙂
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I seem to create more scraps as I go along, but I do enjoy these blocks.
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