"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer 29:11 (NIV)

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

ScrapHappy September 2026

Welcome to ScrapHappy September 2026.

Be sure to check out what everyone else has done with their scraps this month - Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys, Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen, Sunny, Kjerstin, SueL,  Vera, Ann, Dawn2, Carol,  Preeti, Viv, Karrin, Amo, Alissa, Tierney, and Hannah

First up is this quilt made for a commissioned project.  The B/W print squares all came from scraps from 2 different projects where the blocks are still in progress.  The WOW squares were cut from a remnant piece of fabric.   All of the squares will have the name of someone written on them, and the large white center section will have a saying in it.
This was the first of 2 purse blocks made for a commissioned 'signature' quilt.  Fabric was out of my stash of pre-fused fabrics.  Handle is made from rhinestones that were salvaged from a thrifted women's top.

2nd purse block for the same quilt.  Again all from the prefused scraps and all have metallic gold highlights.  Hand is two pieces of rick-rack that have been braided together.
The sashing for this baby quilt (a gift for a friend) were made from fabrics leftover from last year's wedding quilt.  The center block was also from scraps, and the pattern was drawn up from one of the flowers in the wreath around the baby animals.  Finished size is about 42" by 42".
Backing of the baby quilt was made from a remnant and another scrap piece to widen the fabric.  Binding was another leftover from the wedding quilt.
Also this month, I've once again started going through my stash in order to downsize and let go of what I know I won't use.  I'm asking myself questions like "Do I really need a Xerox box and a large tote full of solid color fabrics when I rarely use them?"...... and do I really need to keep the Christmas and patriotic fabrics that I have when I haven't made fabrics from them in more than 5 yrs now......

Along the way I'm also finding various projects that I'd pulled fabrics together for and making decisions on whether to finish, disassemble or get rid of them.  One of those projects was a group of 4 fabrics that were upholstery weight.  I'd pulled them together with the idea of making a tote bag.     Pic here show the scrap that I used to make an internal pocket.
The main fabric shown here was a remnant.  All other fabrics were ones that had coordinating colors.   Plaid was used for the top band, and a smaller one was used to make an external pocket.  The bag will be donated.

Gratitudes: 
1.  The high summer temps are finally starting to cool down here in Phoenix.

2. Retirement is getting closer........now to decide how close.

Saturday, August 15, 2026

ScrapHappy August 2026

  Welcome to Scrap Happy Day where we post about the scrappy projects we've worked on over the past month.   

Be sure to check out what everyone else has done with their scraps this month - Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys, Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen, Sunny, Kjerstin, SueL,  Vera, Ann, Dawn2, Carol,  Preeti, Viv, Karrin, Amo, Alissa, Tierney, and Hannah

Multiple scrappy projects were in play this month.  First up was using up a surfeit of white and cream tonal strips leftover from prior projects into 'found' fabric.  I then ironed Wonder Under onto the backside and cut postcard backings from them for 5" by 7" postcards.


I finished off this quilt top by adding the final 2 borders.   Used a small part of the string pieced pinks and a remnant of WOW.   Heart blocks were made years ago from string pieced fabrics.   In making this top I finally did the stitching around the hearts on 30 blocks.   Some of the block backgrounds are also string pieced.
A while back I won a giveaway on Instagram of a new line of fabric.   They came in a medium flat rate box and there were lots of strips in widths from 0.75" to approximately 6.5".   The wider strips will be trimmed to 6", 4.5", and 3.5" squares.   
The teeniest ones have been sewn together to make 4.5" wide strip set.   These have been subcut into 4" width pieces.   I'm planning on bordering them out to make larger blocks with various WOWs or creams.
2nd smallest width strips (~1.75") have been sewn into strip sets.   I'm debating on whether to subcut into 4" or 6" widths.   Once cut these will be bordered with various WOWs or creams fabrics to make larger blocks.
The final bits of the teeny strips went into these postcards.  These are still waiting for embellishments.


Gratitudes:

1. Celebrated my BD with a long-time friend in Northern AZ.

2. Yeah for the monsoons finally bringing some rain back to the state.

Wednesday, July 15, 2026

ScrapHappy July 2026

  Welcome to Scrap Happy Day where we post about the scrappy projects we've worked on over the past month.   

Be sure to check out what everyone else has done with their scraps this month - Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys, Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen, Sunny, Kjerstin, SueL,  Vera, Ann, Dawn2, Carol,  Preeti, Viv, Karrin, Amo, Alissa, Tierney, and Hannah


String-pieced bookmarks


First two postcards, top one features a piece of silk ribbon embroidery on denim that was given to me by a friend probably 20 yrs ago.  2nd one features embroidered roses salvaged from a way to big for me denim shirt that I cut up yrs ago.

These started with half of an old quilt label and an orphan block.   Yellow scraps, a wooden scrapbook word, and a bit of trim finished out that postcard.  The embroidered motif from a repurposed childs t-shirt and another scrapbooking piece finished out the second postcard.
Final two cards that were finished up.  Top card started with a stitched piece my mom made years ago.   I bordered it out with an orange scrap from the stash.  Size of the original piece meant that part of the lettering had to be penned in after stitching so that it could be read.

Bottom card started with a piece of fabric from a long ago backing.   Embellishments were the ribbon from a scissor fob kit I'd had for years but was never going to make and a scrap-booking mini saying.  
Final scrappy projects were these two totes made from a remnant of some home dec fabric.   One of them was just the fabric.   The second was decorated with a scrap left over from a commissioned quilt I made from cheerleader outfits this particular piece was a sleeve originally.  =)


Gratitudes:
1. For AC in these hot and humid summer days in Phoenix.

2. For the gift of the many friendships in my life.

Monday, June 15, 2026

ScrapHappy June 2026

 Welcome to Scrap Happy Day where we post about the scrappy projects we've worked on over the past month.   

Be sure to check out what everyone else has done with their scraps this month - KateEvaSue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Tracy, JanMoira, SandraChrisAlysClaireJeanDawnGwen, Sunny, Kjerstin, SueL,  Vera, Ann, Dawn2, Carol,  Preeti, VivKarrin, Amo, AlissaTierney, and Hannah

First project worked on was to take a sample block that I'd made several years ago, and then decided that I didn't want to make any more.  So far I've used more of the background scraps and some lime green string pieces to set the block on point.   Then followed that by a border of pink strings.  More to go, but have been ruminating on what to do next.   Current thought is a border top and bottom of string appliqued hearts on scrappy WOW backgrounds.   After that I'm not sure what will be next.  I'm thinking it'll end up a toddler quilt size.


Next up was getting a commission finished up.  This started out as a flannel shirt from a father who passed away last year.   2 stockings and 30 ornaments were made from the main body of the shirt and the sleeves..  That left me with the cuffs, the back yoke, and collar of the shirt that still had usable sections that could be used.
Back yoke with batting inserted for quilting.


The cuffs were made into rectangular ornaments that highlighted the buttons.  7 ornaments in various shapes were cut from the yoke and the sides of the collar,.  
And this is all that is left of the shirt.   Had the collar not been badly worn in the center I'd have used that section as well.

Gratitudes:
1. I've been released by the surgeon.  Now to get an appt for a redo on the colonoscopy that  started me down the hernia repair road 2 yrs ago!

2. For being able to continue my walking program even as the days heat hup here in Phoenix....and for being able to get a free gym membership so that I can keep exercising as the heat gets worse!

Friday, May 15, 2026

ScrapHappy - May 2026

 Welcome to Scrap Happy Day where we post about the scrappy projects we've worked on over the past month.   

Be sure to check out what everyone else has done with their scraps this month - KateEvaSue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Tracy, JanMoira, SandraChrisAlysClaireJeanDawnGwen, Sunny, Kjerstin, SueL,  Vera, Ann, Dawn2, Carol,  Preeti, VivKarrin, Amo, AlissaTierney, and Hannah

This month was one where multiple quilt pics on Pinterest caught my attention and made me want to recreate them.   The quilts were scrappy, so of course I've had to work with my scraps in making them.

First up was this simple 2 fabric quilt.   It wasn't from Pinterest, but was quick and easy.  Scraps were cut into 6.5" squares. The black on white print squares were cut from a stack of scrap pieces bought at one of the local thrift stores near my house.  The blue tonal ones were cut from fabric leftover after all the masks I made back in the midst of mask mania in 2020.



This came from a photo I saw on Pinterest.  I made a PP'd pattern for the block because it is a half-rectangle block.   I worked from a quart-sized ziploc baggie of purple batik (mainly) strips and strings.  The scraps had been pulled for probably 5-10 years now....definitely time to use them!   Did not manage to get them all used in this quilt.

A couple of remnant WOW pieces were used for the background, and a third remnant was used for the final border and to make the binding.



And this is the final scrappy quilt top for the month.  The inspiration came from several photos I saw on Pinterest.   The black on white print is the same as the first quilt and used up what was in the original stack of scraps that I'd bought.   The white on black prints were from another stack of scraps that I'd bought at the thrift store.  The bands of colors were out of the multitude of scraps that I had in my stash and about half are batiks.


All three quilts are slated to be donations once finished.

Gratitudes:

1. For complete healing from the hernia surgery

2. For the final bit in settling my  Dad's estate (bank has some unclaimed money for the estate I'm trying to deal with) to be almost finished.

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

ScrapHappy - April 2026

Welcome to Scrap Happy Day where we post about the scrappy projects we've worked on over the past month.   

Be sure to check out what everyone else has done with their scraps this month - KateEvaSue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Tracy, JanMoira, SandraChrisAlysClaireJeanDawnGwen, Sunny, Kjerstin, SueL,  Vera, Ann, Dawn2, Carol,  Preeti, VivKarrin, Amo, AlissaTierney, and Hannah


First scrappy project was getting all blocks for this quilt completed and then getting them together.  I'm currently debating on what to do for a border.  Would love to use the remaining solid strips that I have, but that might not happen.
I also managed to get this scrappy top quilted.   The churn dash blocks were from a long-ago swap and are all scrappy.  The bars in-between the rows were pieced from teeny scrappy pieces using adding machine tape.  Border was a remnant found in the stash, and the batting was a leftover piece someone else gave me that was big enough for this quilt.  Backing was from an end-of-bolt sale piece.

Gratitudes:

1. I've healed well from the hernia surgery and feel better than I have in several yrs.

2. A bit of a cool front is going thru the area this week so temps are back under 90 degrees here in the southwest.