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Sunday, April 29, 2007

Tiny triangles

Well, I didn't accomplish everything I hoped to this weekend but I didn't do too badly. I fixed the two triangles in the bunny garden quilt by opening the long seam of each and taking out the extra fullness. It didn't take me nearly as long as I thought it would - even stitching those two seams back up by hand went quickly. I also made the binding for the quilt so was really on a roll. However, today I decided I just didn't feel like putting it back on the machine and quilting, so I guess I'll take a fat quarter penalty to guild on Thursday after all. That's OK - I have lots of great fat quarters that aren't really to my taste any longer. I could have finished it - I just chose to do something else.

I prepped both "tutorials" for Thursday night - one of string blocks and one of crumb blocks. I illustrated the steps in each one at a time by making a bunch of partial blocks in various stages of completion and pinning them to a piece of batting I can hang on the wall. That way I can demonstrate each step without trying to get everyone crowded around the machine to watch. I hope it works well - I think it will. I'm going to take a couple machines plus lots of strips, strings and crumbs as I hope everyone will have time to make a couple of each block.

I finished the guild program visuals early this afternoon and was once more sucked into the fun of mile a minute blocks. So instead of quilting I took down the plastic shoebox of little bitty triangles I've been slowly adding to over the years. You know the ones - the little trimmings that those of us who are obsessed with fabrics can't bear to throw away. For years I thought I'd use them to piece some little paper pieced blocks - like tiny square in a square blocks. Lately I realized that I just can't be bothered to make something like that as I'm no real fan of paper piecing. So this afternoon I started chaining them through the machine to make tiny half square triangle squares. The smallest measures about 1" unfinished. I don't think I'll trim them for perfect accuracy because they'll be centers of mile-a-minute blocks. I'm happy to report that the box is about 40% less full than when I started. That's a lot of little triangle squares to press! It's a good thing I have a TV in that room - I can put in a good movie and get started.

I know - you don't have to tell me - I'm really obsessed if I'm saving scraps this tiny. But I keep telling myself that I paid just as much for them as for the rest of my fabric, and they'll make a nice warm quilt for a Hotel Hope resident one of these days. I love fabric, and it hurts me to throw even the smallest scraps away.
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Gratitudes:
1. Blooming hawthorns and dogwoods
2. Blue skies and a cool breeze
3. The chance to share with quilty friends
4. Fresh, clean sheets
5. Chocolate caramel coffee creamer
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14 comments:

  1. You aren't the only enthusiastic thrifty quilter! I too can not bear to throw away even the smallest bits! *VBG*

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  2. I'm laughing here! Did you want my bag of trimmings? lol I have just that in a drawer of my sewing table. I've been collecting them. What I do is use it as a starters or ender. It's amazing how many can get done on a project! Of course the pile never seens to go down. Happy quilting!

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  3. Often I've thought that I should be saving those little bits and then said NO. LOL. You will make something stunning and I will regret my decision. :-(

    Happy Day, Patti.

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  4. More power to you! I toss anything that isn't at least 2" square or 1-1/2" X 6". Anything smaller I just can't deal with. Want me to toss them your way? LOL!

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  5. You are such a stitch!!! Picturing you saving those bitty-bitty scraps is cracking me up. But you'll have the last laugh when a wonderful creation is made of them!!! Have a terrific week.

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  6. You are making me wish I had saved all those bits to make something wonderful.

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  7. I don't think I have scraps but if I folded and organized all my fabric I would surely have to admit to owning scraps then. I can't wait to see what comes of those HSTs!

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  8. Some days are just made to play in the scrap pile...it is so low stress. (the chocolate carmel coffee creamer sounds wonderful!)

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  9. I give you credit...I am not keeping anything that small, but more power to you!

    I realized one down side the other day to NOT washing everything before it's put away. As I was cutting scraps the other night as we watched tv, I realized that some of the fabrics had been washed and some have not. Now I have a problem...scraps can't be washed once they are cut. So the ones already cut will go for something for just me and the others will go for charity quilts.

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  10. I've never use to save small pieces because I'm not a big fan of crumb quilts but I did put a bin under my sewing table and I've been tossing small pieces in there. My thought is that I can use them for a free form log cabin or courthouse steps quilt one of these days.

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  11. what are you going to make with those tiny HST's? I have a bag full I've been sewing on too but have now idea how I'll arrange them.

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  12. One fat quarter is not penalty enough to worry about losing if you didn't get the UFO done. I did wonder if you got the full border tamed down though.

    I guess we wait and see what you have in mind for those itty bitty HSTs.

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  13. Me too! I love your tiny HST's and can't wait to see how you use them!

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  14. they look such fun Patti- more power to you to turn them into a charity quilt!

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