Summer Break Projects - Part 4 - A Bunch of Scrappy Quilts

Last year, in the midst of the Covid-19 mask-making, scrub-making chaos, I also finished a number of quilt tops. I frequently used the quilt blocks as a reward: "If you make 50 masks, you can make a quilt block." In addition, I was determined to clean out the scrap boxes, most of which were overflowing.

I started with the green basket. I have an online friend who goes by @simplegirlsimplelife on Instagram, who posted several times about how she uses her scraps to make scrappy log cabin quilts. I decided to follow her example.

These wonky/improv log cabin blocks go pretty fast, and I had not one, but TWO quilt tops made in a few days. That pretty well took care of the greens - for awhile.

Then I started on the pinks. I made another wonky/improv log cabin first.

Then I decided to branch out, and started making patchwork heart blocks.

This made a pretty fun quilt. Best of all, all of these are entirely out of my scrap bins. You can see from the top photo that I was working on the pinks in the midst of the mask chaos.

Later in the summer, after Abby made the quilt for her granny I used the scraps to make the double diamond quilt. I probably have enough scraps left from this bundle to make another quilt, but I'll save that for another day.

I made the butterfly quilt from random scraps too. Honestly, the more I look at this one, the less I like it, but maybe I will like it better when it's quilted. I saw the pattern online and couldn't wait to make it. It's not that it didn't turn out well, it's just... I don't know what exactly.

Then I made the Sunny Side Up quilt from a kit my daughter put together in her shop. (If you don't follow @a.craftyfox on Instagram, you're missing a visual treat. Her quilts, kits, and photos are so amazing. (She definitely did not get those skills from me!). This one wasn't using up scraps exactly, but definitely scrappy.

All this piecing last year - with not much quilting of the resulting tops - left me with a huge pile of unquilted tops. So, earlier this summer, I decided I'd better do something about that. Stay tuned.

Wonky Scrappy Scrap Basket

So we all know that I'm a sucker for swaps, and despite my best intentions, one weekend several  of my favorite swaps were having sign ups, and apparently I have NO self control, because I signed up for all of them.  What was I thinking??? 

One of them was the Modern Scrappy Bits swap.  This time we could make our partner whatever they wanted, and my partner wanted a fabric basket.  I've been on a hexagon kick lately - maybe it has something to do with that Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt that's been absorbing most of my waking moments for the last several months - but I decided to do a fabric basket with a scrappy hexagon top.  These hexies are machine sewn, and even the Y-seams aren't so tricky once you do a few, especially on a decent-sized hexie (still not going to try them on the GMFG - the hexies are too small and I think the Y-seams would make me nuts!)

While I was at the ECMQG meeting on Saturday, Marcy did a bag and pouch demo - oh my does she create beautiful bags! - and she talked about using headliner foam as a substantial backing for bags and totes.  Well, what the hey!, thought I...  I'll give it a try.

It was my first time working with it and it's a little wonky, but still, I like the idea that it stands up by itself.  This basket is 18" high, and doesn't sag or buckle.  I like that a lot.  So, there are probably things I would do differently next time, but overall, I'm pretty pleased with it as a first try.

So there you have it - my Wonky Scrappy Scrap Basket