Scrap Reduction Session

As I last posted, I have been reading this book which I found at my library about a system to use your stash of scraps.

I've since decided to buy the book and it is currently winging its way to me from Fishpond.com at the princely sum of only $23 (or thereabouts) with free postage. Bargain!

The basic premise is to cut your scraps into 5", 3.5" and 2" squares and the book includes patterns which use these specific sizes. I really like this one called Runaway Thread:

and aren't these cute - they use leftover binding pieces for the frills.

I was inspired to get stuck into my scrap box and get cutting.  Here it is on the left AFTER I took out all the strippy pieces on the far right to save for a strippy project I want to make and some of the larger chunks of fabric!  Not sure how I ever got the lid on it!

Here is the same fabric in a more organised state:

I used some boxes I had been saving as I knew they would be handy one day. This one is great, has a clear lid and a magnetic closure and just happens to fit 9 piles of 2" squares perfectly!

This one has my 5" and 3.5" squares and some triangles which happen to be half of both of those sizes. This box is really a little too large and I might find an alternative option but for now this works:

These are all my strippy pieces which I plan to make into string blocks using this tutorial as a guide from Anna Lena Land blog.

Now the book suggests anything smaller than 2" square you throw away but I'm keeping all my odd bits and pieces, well anything more than at least .75" to make some crumb quilt blocks.  We'll see after I try it whether I change my mind and throw them out if its all too much bother but for now this is what I have put aside for them:

And lastly these are my orphan blocks, leftover pieced bits, anything already sewn to something else. Some of these are tiny and may well make it into the crumb blocks too.

Now I realise I haven't really got rid of much, other than really tiny pieces however I feel that what I have now is just ready to go. I can pick up the boxes of squares and whip up a scrap quilt when the urge takes me, which I can guarantee won't be until more Christmas presents are out of the way. It feels much more organised and now I know what I have available to use in each box.

Couldn't go without another photo of my lovely purple storage box (which was a box I received earlier in the year filled with bath goodies).

And don't you just love this little circular box? I've had it for a couple of years just waiting for the right thing to put in it.  It originally had a teacup saucer and plate set in it. I love it, reminds my of a mini hatbox!

Anyway, that's what I've been up to this week. Feels good to have the scrap box sorted out. Now I really want to use them up but must not start another project just yet!

Thanks for reading my blog today!