Thursday, January 21, 2010

So, Let Me Ask You This . . .

Weather-wise, it was a crazy day in the Sacramento area--probably most of Northern California, in fact. At the office, our power was out for about 40 minutes this morning, and we were hoping to be sent home; no such luck, though, because the power came back on just as we were starting to think it never would. Streets flooded and trees came down. Crazy!

Tomorrow night I have to attend one of those dinner banquet/seminar things for work. I attend this one every year, and I'd say about three years out of five, we're in the middle of a big storm. In fact, a few years ago, several of our speakers from nearby counties couldn't make it because of flooded roadways. By the way, last year I posted a photo of the chicken dinner and compared it to psoriasis--someone commented, suggesting I was putting the "ick factor" in psoriasis. And yep, I ordered chicken again this year. When will I ever learn? Still, I've had their beef and it's terrible too. Oh, well, I'm not going for the food, that's for sure!

I didn't think I'd get any time to sew this week, but I've managed to do a little bit, working on a Schnibbles quilt. This is the pattern called Winter White and I'm using a line called Old Primrose Inn by Blackbird Designs. Darlene used the same line last week for another Schnibbles pattern called Two Bits. Want to see what I have so far? Keep in mind that this is just roughly slapped up on the design wall and I still have over half of the geese left to piece:


At first I thought I wanted the positions of the brown and blue geese reversed, but once I got these pieces up on the wall, with the brown next to the center squares, I decided to switch them. The border fabric I'll use is a blue from the line, so I thought keeping the blue geese toward the center of the blocks would balance better. Who knows, though? Sometimes it's hard to visualize until everything's done and up on the wall. What do you think about the position of the geese?

But no, that's not the question I wanted to ask at the beginning of this post. Here's what I was wondering: Do you Schnibble and, if so, what do you do with your leftover charms? Stuff them in with your scraps? Work them into the back of the quilt? Something else? Of course, we COULD make Tuffets, but I kind of like them made with the happier, brighter fabrics rather than these softer, darker ones. It seems that with most Schnibbles patterns and most charm packs, you end up with several leftover charms.

And that brings up another question: Do you do anything with the leftover PIECES of charm squares? Again, Tuffets come to mind, but not with these fabrics--at least, not for me. For this pattern, 45 charm squares are cut at 3-1/2", which leaves about 1-1/2" to be cut off each square around two edges. Those little strips could add up to SOMETHING, but I couldn't think what, so they're in my trash basket. Of course, I could pull them out if anyone has a good idea to suggest. I have enough scraps, though, so I hate to keep them when they're that small unless I have a purpose.

Thanks for stopping by to visit!

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

In this fredashive.blogspot.com blog we can find very nice way to use all those small pieces.
Jana

Wendy said...

I keep the pieces that are 1" plus. Bonnie Hunter has some great patterns that use 1.5" pieces. Carolina Crossroads is one. The smaller pieces go into string quilts.

strawberrycream39 said...

I admire the people who save little pieces like that and make something with them. I do hate to waste. But I guess my laziness rules, I just toss anything less than 2" (unless it's wool, I save all teeny scraps). Your new Schnibble is looking great!

Karen said...

I like the blues near the center because they blend nicely with the center squares.

You could use the 1 1/2 inch strips in a stacked coin quilt.

Busy Little Quilter said...

I don't make minatures, and like you, I have left over pieces of charms and other things that I don't know what to do with. I love scrap quilts, but if I keep everything, I'm going to have to buy another house. So, there is a lady in my guild that makes scrap quilts out of 1 1/2 inch strips. I keep a bag for her on my cutting table and she's always so excited when I give them to her.

Kelly Ann said...

I tried and tried and tried to save all those small pieces but in the end they make their way to the trash...if it's not 2 1/2 wide and either fat quarter in length out it goes...

Anonymous said...

Check out Moda Bake Shop for the 1800's Vintage quilt ..... don't know if you do quilts that small, but it does turn out very cute. You don't need as many 1.5inch strips as the pattern has you cut.

http://www.modabakeshop.com/2009/09/1800s-vintage-quilt-by-sheryl-johnson.html#more

Nancy E

Suburban Stitcher said...

I have been saving them, mostly because I can't throw them away. I was just thinking last night as I cleaned my sewing area that I needed to start coming up with a plan for these. I will probably make some tuffets out of some, and then I'm going to be looking for some patterns that use small scraps!

Anonymous said...

First time commentor, let me say I love your blog Kim!
I save all of my little bits, cut into strips in bins. ( ok I'm slowly cutting up the rest of my scraps, but I have bins full as it is, lol )
Before I decided which size to cut, I had patterns picked out. So I cut my strips into 1 1/4" 1 1/2" and 2" but now I want to start cutting bigger strips. ( and a bin of bits and pieces, I can't cut into a strip, but I can get 1/4" from) Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville has some wonderful patterns. Fons and Porter had a wonderful log cabin quilt called opal I am making out of 1 1/4" strips. I also do minatures, I just got hooked on these midget blocks. http://sentimentalstitches.net/free-stuff/midget-blocks/
Helen

Anonymous said...

I just toss all my scraps in the huge, overflowing bin next to my cutting table, someday I might need them, that's the extent of my use of scraps like that. We are drowning down here in SoCal, it's been raining since Sunday and everything is flooded and sliding, in fact it raining again as I type this. Glug glug.

Unknown said...

The left over charms go into the 5" tupperware, I never know when I;m going to be short one, or two, in a certain colour, and lo and behold I have an extra from X line.
I do make Tuffets, they're so fun. But I also just make mini quilts sometimes if I have enough, and some background fabric left over.

Paula said...

I take leftover bits like that and make mini quilts. It's great having a basket of small bits for making spur of the moment creative minis. I try to throw in a mini in between larger projects for some almost instant gratification! And, if any of your readers want to contact me and share their leftover bits, I'm willing to take them off their hands!! LOL

Nancy said...

You could strip piece them and make a spare change quilt....

http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2009/10/spare-change.html

Paula said...

Oops! Forgot to leave this link! http://inspiredbyantiquequilts.blogspot.com/2010/01/spent-last-week-cleaning-out-closets.html

Rita said...

If I like the scraps, I toss them in my scrap basket. If not, I put them in my donation pile or throw them away. I used to save every little piece but found over the years I don't use them. Your geese look great.

Beth said...

The first thing that comes to my mind is little 3" 9 patches or 2" 4 patches from the leftover strips and then set them with the leftover charms into a little doll quilt

Cindy said...

I am working on this Schnibbles right now too. I'm in the process of putting the blocks together from Glace.

As far as leftover scraps like we have from the 3 1/2 inch squares on this particular Schnibble - I definitely save them for a couple different things. The strips I'll use in little projects like pincushions (okay, maybe even Tuffets), little doll clothes or sew several of them together to make BIGGER pieces to make little cosmetic bags or such.

I use "starters" on my piecing and little scraps are great "starters".

Anonymous said...

I am a lurker! But I love your blog, it makes my day everyday. You could save the scraps and have a giveway for them. There is always someone that would love to have them.

Anonymous said...

There's a great scrap quilt on Tazzie's blog you might find inspiring. http://tazziequilts.blogspot.com/2010/01/almost.html

Patty S.

Anonymous said...

Hi , l made the 1800's vintage quilt from the moda bake shop, with all my spare 1 1/2" squares and it was lovely. It is simple to do and fast,
Sue..

Jan said...

Love the beginnings of the new Schnibbles! On the left over "charms," I use 'em for "charm party totes," which I was kinda addicted to last year. Oh and b/f I forget, I made the "cherry chocolate" cake the other night and it is good! Tks so much for sharing that recipe. This w/e I'm gonna try a vanilla cake mix w/applie pie filling :)

Jocelyn said...

I do keep my leftover charms IF I have any leftover. BUT on the first Schnibbles I made (Winter White) I ended up using those little strips to piece some of the blocks because I did not have enough :-( So they did come in handy. I used the Glace fabric, and discovered that I LOVED Glace, but NONE of our LQS carried ANY Glace. As a matter of fact they (10 quilt shops within an hour drive) gave me a blank eyed look when I asked if they carried that line. SOOO, it was a real challenge to finish Winter White in Glace, even after ordering additional yardage. Sometimes I wish I worked for Moda ;-)

Micki said...

I keep scaps for the miniature blocks that I do...great for paper piecing.
Micki

Kim said...

I think you should hang on to those left over pieces from your Schnibbles, I'm sure Schniblettes (baby Schnibbles) can be far behind.

Heidi said...

I just did a post about this earlier today. Come check it out. I used the scraps from making my signature blocks and made 2 squares that I think I will turn into potholders.

www.handmadebyheidi.blogspot.com

Joyful Quilter said...

Isn't 1 1/2 inches the size of a honey bun? Didn't you show a honey bun book yesterday? Is there anything in the book that requires 5 x 1.5 strips? How about a miniture strip quilt. Please please save the poor strips from the trash.

Carol said...

Kim, I too have been biten by the Schnibbles bug. I'm just loving these Schnibbles and I want to make them all. Good question about the leftover charm squares. I never know what to do with them. Yes, I could make more Tuffets I suppose. I stuff them in a basket and the basket is over flowing with charm squares. I love your Winter White quilt with the Old Primrose Inn fabric. My LQS had the Hat Trick Schnibbles all made up with the Old Primrose charms and it was so nice.

Julie from Thimbleberries said...

Kim, Are you thinking correctly?? Just think of the Jo's patterns that call for those
1 1/2" squares.

Anonymous said...

I say stitch them to a muslin base like a string quilt and use them for pin cushions similiar to Tuffets. You paid good money even for the tidbits!!

Gayle said...

I didn't realize you lived in Sacramento! I'm in Utah now, but all my family still lives in Sacramento. I grew up in Truckee.