First up is this quilt strip. This is the 10th and final quilt strip I needed to send out for a swap. We began last Spring and sent one per month. This one flew all the way to Australia. Now one of my projects for this year is to use the quilt strips sent to me for a cozy comforter for my living room.
Next up is this cute Bow-knot Scarf. While looking online for slipper patterns (my hubby LOVES his slippers!) I came upon this pattern and printed it off to try sometime. A trip to the yarn at Walmart for more black worsted weight and I find this lovely Monet varigated yarn. Well, I couldn't wait to use it and the scarf was just the perfect quick project for instant gratification, so sometime became now and I finished it up in just a few days. I've already started another in a Lion Chenille yarn.
When I tidied up part of my sewing/craft room this past fall, so that I could actually make something in there, I left one spot untouched. And that was my overflowing scrap box. It just was too overwhelming at the time and could easily be ignored if I tried. But for many of the quilt strips I made for the swap, I went looking for scraps in this mess.
So my first project in here for 2011 was to clean up that mess. I spent three days folding, stacking, and tossing out bits of fabric. Now there is no 'yardage' in this box, just pieces big enough for small projects like pincushions, appliques, checkbook covers, etc. I had also been throwing my fat quarters into this pile.
So here they are now, all color sorted, folded and in a 3-drawer container. The small drawer on top holds very small scraps, most left over cuts from patchwork. The medium drawer in the middle holds my fat quarters. And the large drawer on the bottom holds the larger scraps in ziplock bags. And the container fits under my cutting table!
As soon as I had it all organized I was inspired to make something with some of those scraps. I pulled out my pattern for this Coffee Cozy and went to work. It was so easy to see what I had to work with and easy to put it all away when I was done. I quickly cut 10 coffee cozies, pulled rick rack from my trim scraps, and buttons from my button jar. All ready to sit and sew.
I did make a few changes to the tutorial. I added rick-rack along the top edge before stitching the layers together. I continued the rick-rack around one side on this first one but decided to omit it for the rest. Also, using the pattern as is, I stitched a 1/4" seam instead of 1/2" and I used Insul-Bright Insulated Lining instead of quilt batting. Trimming the Insul-Bright close to the stitching helps the seams lie flatter.
I'll keep this one for myself.
I made a few each day and here they are, all 10, complete. Yeah!!!
So, what's next? See my pincushion a few photos back? I think I'll make a few with my favorite bits of fabric.
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