Thursday, October 16, 2014

Going nuts and squirreling away nuts...


Oh, the fluff has been flying in the quilt cave lately!  LOTS of playing with scraps and scrap management...I feel like the scraps have been taking control of the cave!


I have my reproduction scraps segregated into bins, and I can't close them any more!  I considered throwing some out, but couldn't bring myself to do it...the scraps are so beautiful.  Guess I need to start chain piecing something...


So I have been cutting one inch strips from whatever size chunk I pull out of the bins in neutral and medium-dark prints.  I match them up in length, one neutral and one print, and chain piece them together.  

Some I leave as just two strips sewn together, one neutral and one darker print.  With others, I add an additional neutral strip or darker print.  I press all seams toward the darker fabric.



Then I slice those multi-length strip sets into one inch little strips and make either tiny nine-patches or tiny four-patches.

These nine-patches will finish 1.5 inches square and the four-patches will finish 1 inch square...see?  That's where the "going nuts" part comes from...fabric therapy!



Here are some of my scrappy strip sets awaiting slicing...



I started with scraps from THIS container...


...and I cut my one inch strips and actually put scraps too narrow or too short in THIS container (NO IDEA what I will do with THOSE).


So, where is all the insanity leading?  I am going to start working toward making Sue Garman's "Ohmigosh!" quilt.  You can find the pattern here on her web site.

Here is Tazzie's version that she just finished...it is getting quilted now (you can see her blog here).  She pieced hers in a matter of weeks...unbelievable!




Here is another version that Sue Garman shared on her blog made by her friend Marsha.  She incorporated applique baskets blocks into the pattern...hmmm...



Here is Sue Garman's original version...



And now for the other nuts...the ones I am "squirreling away." Even though family matters around my parents' estate are still being ironed out, it is becoming more and more clear that we will be moving south from SE Michigan to NW Alabama next summer.

The monumental task of moving the quilt cave is beginning to dawn on me (kind of like a ton of bricks falling on my head).  We have been in this house for 20 years and my stash was so much smaller in 1995.  (Along with my quilting circle of friends, which will be the hardest thing to move away from...)

There will still be a quilt cave, but I need to go through EVERYTHING and only take what I will really use (which will still be too much).  Our fabric tastes change over time, so some fabric will be bagged and tagged and sold at a "quilter's garage sale" in the spring with my two buddies, Ola and Mary.  They are also paring down their stashes to make things more manageable. This will be the "2nd Annual Quilter/Crafter's Garage Sale" as the three of us did this last fall...much to the delight of local quilters!  

It was hard whittling down the stash last year, but now I've got to be brutal and serious.  I've started the process and have been stashing bags of "bagged nuts" in the attic, using quart, gallon and 2-gallon Ziploc bags.




At some point I will re-adjust my remaining bins to use some of the empty bins I am producing...that way what is left won't be bursting out of their bins and will have a little more breathing space.


I meant to post this last Monday so that I could tag Jill of the Happy To Sew blog.  She continued the "Around the World Blog Tour," and you can click on the link to check it out!  She directs you where to go next Monday to check out the blogs she tagged.  

This has been such a fun blog tour!  I had a 48-hour stomach bug at the beginning of the week and was beginning to think "ebola."  I feel MUCH better now!

Anyone else out there wanting to take on the "Ohmigosh" quilt? We could work on it together!

In stitches,
Teresa   :o)

27 comments:

  1. OHMYGOSH is amazing, Teresa! And those teeny tiny blocks--you are an amazing piecer as well as appliquer. Such talent! I am using zip lock bags to put my scraps in by color or type also...headed into the room to do more (Where GP is still muttering on the wall there--his 3.5" triple 9 patches are still uneven and I cannot make myself undo them...) Hugs, Julierose

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  2. I just got that pattern and thought about making it but will make it at 1" finished! you know where you can send all those reproduction fabrics scraps!!!!! would be great the 1.5" squares for my postage stamp quilt,
    I am so happy to hear things are working out and you will be moving "home"
    Kathie

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  3. I have been so tempted with this quilt the more I see it - and I do have the small scraps to use up, too. Wish I was closer - would so love to visit your stash sale, but I am pushing for a Spring move too - don't need more things to move.

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  4. Funny you should mention the Omigosh quilt, I just saw the pattern the other day and decided to start piecing 4- and 9-patches with the idea of someday doing it!

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  5. When we moved from Alabama to central Florida I thought I would never get my quilting moved. I had a small home full of family so I had the tiny storage area under the stairs for my fabrics and I sewed on the dining table. How much stuff could I have? It was kind of like the cans shaving cream or hair mouse. Once air hit the stuff in the closet and I started moving it around it just kept expanding. When we finally got it all sorted, packed and I swear 1/4 of it given away I filled up a huge bedroom in the new house...FILLED. I only tell you this as a warning. Your fabric has been so carefully sorted and contained in your quilt cave. Once it sees the light of day it WILL get bigger. :) Just think of the warning on the movie Gremlins. There will be dire consequences if you are not careful. :)

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  6. YES! I am making the Omigosh 9 patch blocks and love the version with the baskets... so sweet! I am going to have to try to make it to your sale in the spring!

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  7. OHMYGOSH indeed! Lovely pattern, I won the same pattern from Julie's blog (juliekquilts) Not sure I will get to that beauty!

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  8. Oh. My. I love looking at scrap pictures. I don't envy the moving of the quilt cave. I whittled mine down about 10 years ago and am thinking it might be time for another go round. Perhaps I'm not ready yet, however, since I'm considering booking a flight to attend your stash sale.

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  9. OMG girlfriend!! I l-u-u--v-v Sue Garman's patterns. I have looked and looked and studied and thought about her Friends of Baltimore. I want to do that one too, but am still doing other less intimidating hand appliqué to get in some practice. As for this Ohmigosh, it has appealed to me too. I'm crazy for tiny parts and pieces!

    I smile at your moving. It makes you w-a-y closer to me!!! Well, you'll be just 3 states away…...

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  10. Hi Teresa, how fun that you're working on Omigosh too! You'll love it and I know you definitely have the stash for it. And speaking of stash, you are so strong to whittle yours down in preparation for your move, I'm not sure I would have the strength to do it. I just know you'll do really well.
    I will enjoy watching your progress.
    Hugs
    Tazzie
    :-)

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  11. The 9-patch block is a classic favorite. When they get small, it makes it so much more interesting. By starting your sorting now, you'll be in good shape when you pack up the quilt cave. I remember sorting through my stuff prior to a move six years ago. It was overwhelming, but doing it in bits of time made it more manageable. Thanks for the tag!

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  12. Oh, you do have a task ahead of you!!

    There is no way in heck that I'd ever be able to sew with bits that small. Just don't have it in me but I do admire folks who have the patience and determination and skill to pull it off.

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  13. I will be sorry to see you leave the area, but hopefully you will continue your blog. I purchased the Omigosh pattern recently.

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  14. Oh that has been a favorite for a while...I love it! It's on my list of Must Do's❤️

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  15. Glad you are coming my way--I'd love to play in your little scraps!

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  16. I love that quilt - glad to see you will be making it. Have you seen my "Size Does Matter" pattern? It has the same size 9 patches -fun! Definitely don't throw away those scraps - think of the jewelry that could be made! Lol! Good luck going through your stash - I think it would be awfully hard to part with very much.

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  17. Funnily enough I saw Tazzie's quilt and was enchanted. At a retreat last month a group of ladies were making them (one in repros like yours), and a friend and I have talked ourselves into making one next year. I am thinking about just using one background.

    Helen

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  18. The more you whittle and sort now, the easier your move will be . . . glad you are starting now and not waiting until the last second!

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  19. I was laughing out loud at the first part of this post, then seriously almost crying for you. My stash scares me sometimes. Which is why I should really be in the other room churning out more quilts! By the way, I see fabrics in your sell bags that I would seriously buy. Do you think I have a problem?

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  20. I just put Ohmigosh on my list a month or so ago!

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  21. I went over to Tazzie's and then I think that I stayed there for a half an hour, lol...

    What an amazing quilt project

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  22. Wow! That's a serious move between completely different climates. :) When we moved out here two years ago, we hired the next-door boy to help Scott and I unload - he saw one mountain of huge moving boxes labeled "Quilting" and didn't even blink - just said, "Oh, my mom's a quilter, too." lol!! The massive number of >heavy< boxes just for that didn't even phase him! Good luck with everything. And that Oh-My-Gosh! - yeah, I've got it on my bucket list, too - shoeboxes keep filling up with "incher" scraps that I'll need to address at some point!

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  23. When I started reading, I said OMG, then said it again and again. In a good way! I want to jump in and make itty bitty 9 patches. :)
    It looks like you have a pretty good idea of what you are doing and where you are going with it. I am envious of your organizational skills. Good luck with all of this.

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  24. What a great quilt to use those tiny bit of fabric! Love it! Have fun with it! Good luck with the sorting for your move... I've not been quilting for nearly as long and would hate to have to move my stash!!

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  25. Amazed at all those tiny pieces. I haven't been tempted...YET...to make a quilt with such tiny "wonders". :)

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  26. I can relate to the monumental task of moving -- we moved to a rental for 5 months before moving 150 miles away to our new home that we built and my husband's new job. We had ben in our house 23 years. The first move was pull the stash off the shelves and stuff it in bags and haul out to the car. The second move was done by professionals. And yes, 1-1/2 years later, I'm still sorting through the last of those boxes.

    Is that baggie of Peanuts fabric for sale now? I make quilts for Project Linus and that would be perfect for a PL quilt. I've already used some of the red Snoopy fabric in a PL quilt.

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  27. I just did what you will be doing when we moved from Texas to Oregon! It was extremely hard and I did sell some fabric, but kept most of it. I'm still not totally organized, but have my sewing "studio" mostly set up, which you can see on my blog. Good luck with your move!

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