More mindless sewing

This time of year, I love a bit of mindless sewing.  Something which isn't taxing, but takes your mind off all the Christmas and post Christmas stress which we all suffer from.  Bonnie Hunter's annual mystery fits the bill perfectly, but I've also continued working on my scrap drawer, which is even more mindless and even more satisfying!  I started with the drawer weighing in at 5.5lbs, and look how far I've got! 

Four and a half pounds!  That's a lot of scraps!  As you can see, there's still quite a bit to go.  Goôd, because I'm trying out another design. 

This design uses 32 6.5" MAM blocks and 0.75yds of fabric to make a quilt which will finish at about 44".  That's perfect for Linus, and perfect for me.  I've made up a 'kit' using 32 more blocks and some jolly elephant fabric, and have more fabrics ready to go.  Just got to make another 28 MAM blocks! 

Also wanted to show my Christmas present from DH.  

He knows me so well! 

Doh!

After I had weighed my Linus scraps on my cheap kitchen scales, I realised the bathroom scales would be much more accurate. 

If you turn your head, you'll see the bathroom scales weig the same drawer at 5.5lb.  I'll take that as a baseline.  

So, after a fair amount of sewing in the last week, here is the result. 

 Fifty 6.5" MAM blocks, and the scale says 

Hooray!  At least it's going down.  I have neglected my Allietare, but will catch up later.  Here's to the scraps! 

More Linus for 2015

Most people are currently either rushing round the shops, up to their arms in flour or busy hoovering up the dust bunnies behind the spare bed!  But not Lynn.  She's busy thinking about Project Linus!  She emailed me to say she was having a clear out, and would I like some fabric, but some of it was scraps, also some wool and dress patterns - any good?  I replied quickly to say, yes please, to all of it!  

She called round this morning with an enormous bag full of yardage, jelly roll remnants, a few scraps, plus the wool and patterns.  Dressmaking patterns are so expensive these days, I'm sure these will quickly sell.

Here she is with the bag of goodies.  I was especially pleased at a good selection of neutrals, as we're getting short of those.  Thank you so much Lynn, and be assured everything in the bag will be put to good use, and the result will be lots of children with their own hug!  Merry Christmas! 

Result

This time of year is perfect for playing with scraps.  You can do a little bit at a time, and the mindlessness of it is ideal as relaxation in all this Christmas stress.  I have made a double row of MAM blocks round the HSTs, and once the outside rows are joined it will be fine. 

Lots of 'I spy' opportunities there, with Micky Mouse, jigsaws, elephants, snowmen, balloons and suchlike to spot.  It made me think about my Linus scrap drawer. 

Just at the moment it's practically overflowing.  It would be good to see it getting emptier, but it never seems to happen, no matter how much sewing I do!  There must be a way of measuring how much fabric is in it, so I could actually see progress in taming the scraps.  What about weighing the fabric?! 

There we are!  Six pounds - that includes the drawer of course, but it's the only way I could think of to get the fabric on the scales.  Watch out for updates on my progress, one scrap at a time! 

Playing with leftovers

I spent a while sorting out the Orphan blocks which had been donated to Project Linus over the last few months, and managed to make up several quilt 'kits' for my lovely Linus ladies to make up.  Amongst the blocks was a small bag of components left over from Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt Celtic Solstice.  The quilt had been completed (by Julie) and donated, and it seemed a shame that these leftovers were languishing in a plastic bag.  So, I sewed them together to make nine 9-patch blocks, sashed and bordered, and here is the result.

I was lucky to find this fabulous Viking fabric at my local quilt shop, and it makes a perfect border.  Good result! 

So then I turned to some Mile a Minute blocks which have been made into HSTs.  Again, the quilt was finished ages ago , and just 20 blocks remain. Here they are. 

Quite uninspiring. Is this a better arrangement? 

The green dominates, and it's so boring!  What about this? 

Better.  And this? 

Even better!  Maybe some applique in the centre?  Any ideas?