Saturday, March 4, 2017

DESIGN WALL AND SCRAPS

I found these two little bow tie blocks when I was digging around in a bin.  I'm pretty sure that Barb sent them with the bow tie swap last fall.  They are so cute that I decided to make a doll quilt using them and more that I'm making.  The will measure 2" finished.


 Here is what I have so far.  I have 32 and I'm not sure how many I will need - I need to decide exactly how big I will make the doll quilt.  I think they'll make a cute quilt.


I'm also making some pink and brown HST doll quilts.  The HST blocks on top  finish at 1 1/2" and the HST blocks on the lower quilt finish at 1 1/4"  Once I got started, I just couldn't stop!


Several months ago a friend from my quilt guild asked us to collect the scraps we get from trimming blocks because she uses them to make doggie beds for a shelter.  So I decided to start saving them.  I've been doing it since around Christmas and I forgot to take them to our last meeting.


This bag is almost totally full of trimmings.  I save just about everything that's usable and these are less than 1".


I decided to weigh the bag and it weighs 1 lb. 9 1/2 oz!  One yard of fabric weighs about 6 oz. and costs about $11.


That means that this bag of scraps is worth about $46.75!  Yikes!!  I'm glad that someone will be able to use the scraps instead of just throwing them away!  Do any of you save these and what do you do with them?

11 comments:

  1. Your bow ties and HSTs are delightful and will make the sweetest dolly quilts. Did you have some HSTs already or did the mood take you when you spied some pink and brown fabric? That bag of trimmings certainly grew - wow, over a pound (I think about 2.5kg). I can't bring myself to throw out any useable size piece and make some blocks with the trimmed corners of my Scrap Baskets Quilt.

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  2. Your doll quilts will be very cute. I'm glad you have found a use for the trimmings. I haven't saved mine, but perhaps our local animal shelter could use them. I hadn't thought of that possibility.

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  3. Those little bow ties will make a cute doll quilt. I love the pink/brown half squares; I want to make something with half squares someday. I usually save selvages, just to keep up with the fabric names in quilts, and to tie things up sometimes, but don't normally save my "block shavings", etc. When one considers the cost, makes me think maybe I should cut and stitch more exactly. Glad someone will have a use for your scraps. ---"Love"

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  4. I love your sweet little blocks. I have started saving my scraps for dog beds as well. I was told to get a cheap pillowcase to put the scraps in, and once it was full just so a seam across the top to make the dog bed. So far I just have them in a plastic bag, but I want to go by a second hand shop and see if I can find some old pillowcases. I could just look in my linen closet, haha

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  5. Is someone hooked on tiny little blocks? I think so, lol. Love the colors and they will make beautiful little doll quilts. On the scrap front, I keep anything that is 3/4" and bigger. The rest goes into a pillow case. When full, it becomes a dog bed. It is so simple and it gives those little bits a job. I'm always on the look out at second hand stores for cheap but sturdy pillow cases so I don't have to sew any. It does fill up pretty fast too. ;^)

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  6. If some one at a quilt group asks for scraps for "dog" beds I will take my paper big. Otherwise the bag goes in the composter and eventually adds to my garden - the beauty of sewing with natural fibers.

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  7. Love your little doll quilts! I save selvedges for tomato plant ties, cut anything over an inch into strips or squares but haven't been saving the tinier ones. Guess I should start!

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  8. Darling little quilts! Wow, think of how much fabric we toss! The use of dog beds is great!

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  9. Love your doll quilts - probably like the HST one the best. Wonderful that you can save your scraps for a good purpose. Lillian of Lillian's Cupboard.

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  10. what cute little bow ties. Yes, they are from the swap 2 years ago.
    That's a lot of scraps! they are perfect to stuffing beds. I donate mine at my guild for that purpose.

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  11. Love your small blocks.

    Our guild used to make dog beds filled with fabric scraps. However, we had to stop using the scraps for filling since sometimes the dog beds break open in the washer or the dog chews on the bed. What a mess!
    Instead we use leftover pieces of batting and quilt in rows. Not as fluffy but what the shelters requested.

    Charlotte

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