ScrapHappy - January 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

This month saw me starting a new project.   This is part of a group sew-a-long that I'm doing with long-time quilt friends.   The pattern most people are doing has 12 different center blocks in it, but I'm using some old UFO heart blocks.

Years ago (probably back about the time I was in grad school in Indiana, 2009-2012 time frame), I had made dozens of scrappy heart blocks.  Assorted WOW's were cut to make 6.5" blocks, assorted color scraps were made into hearts and fused onto the WOW's.  Buttonhole stitching was used to finish the edges of the heats.   Years later I bought a "honeybun" roll of 1.5" strips of Kona Cotton.   I have no idea why  I did because I rarely ever use that size strips.     As such, I'm counting these as scraps and using them to get them out of my stash.  =)

Background fabrics are cream scraps that I'm also working to get used up and out of my scrap stash.  5 blocks are sewn and just need final squaring up.  11 more heart blocks are waiting to be sewn up.

And because I have a short attention span and am easily distracted (squirrel!!!), I've also started a second scrappy quilt.   I'd put together a stack of scraps several yrs ago, but then like normal never done anything with them.  There will be 9 blocks total, 5 of the 'Irish chain blocks' and 4 of the alternate blocks.  Background squares are assorted WOW fabrics that I'd cut from scraps years ago.  The squares in this are cut at 2.5", and the blocks finish at 18".   Am still debating on whether to add sashing or just assemble as is.

Gratitudes:
1.  After almost a month of being on a liquid diet because of a hernia, I'm finally able to eat some solid food w/o major pain from the hernia.....now if only I can get the referral I need for the 2nd surgeon so I can actually get it repaired......

2. The nice mild winter weather that has allowed me to continue walking outside as I work to improve my health

ScrapHappy - December 2025

    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

One of the things that I'm working on doing this year is actually finishing up projects as I come across them as I reorganize and go through things in my stash and my mom's stash.  This month that has meant I've worked on the following projects:

First up was working with some remnants of outdoor upholstery fabric bought several years ago.  These had never made it into the box with the rest of the upholstery remnants and fabric that I bought years ago for tote bags.   Size of the bags vary and were determined by the size of the remnant.   Plans are to donate the bags to a charity that works with low income women that I frequently donate to.

1 bag made from this fun butterfly print

One bag from this lovely teal floral print.

Had two pieces of this grey floral, so two bags were made.

Next up were these two zippered bags.   The fabric was a pre-quilted fabric with a fun rainbow stripe on the reverse side.  Zippers from the stash were used and the bottoms were boxed so they'd stand up.   Haven't decided if I'll keep these or give them as gifts at some point.

Part of the fabric had a misprint so I covered that up with some white ribbon, and then used that on the inside of the second bag.

Gratitudes:
1. 2nd 5K race is in the books.

2. Weather is cooling off which is good as I up my walking so that I can continue to lose weight.

ScrapHappy - November 2025

    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

For years I've stored all my needles stuck in various scraps of fabric.   And since they were just tossed in a drawer would frequently jab my fingers on the points.  Time to do something about it - a needlebook was soon underway.

8 orphan HST's bought from the scrap barrel at one of my fav quilt stores in town made for a fun cover.

And what I have to admit is a not-so-pretty string-pieced block was used for the inside of the needlebook.  I was foolish enough to buy this in a bag of scraps from the quilt store.

Inner pages were made from a piece of aida cloth that had been in my moms stash and a scrap piece of batting.  Embroidery needles will go on the aida cloth, sewing needles into the batting.

A button and piece of ribbon to keep it closed when not needing a needle and it was finished off.

Gratitudes:

1. I didn't break any bones when I argued with a sidewalk, just deep bruising.

2. Weather is getting wonderful to be out in for my walking these days, and that makes the need to exercise so much easier as I work to get ready for needed surgery (hopefully next year).

Halloween Blog Hop - My Day

Welcome to my day for the Out of the Dark Blog Hop!   

Be sure to check out what everyone else has posted today as well.

Thursday Oct 23

Just Let Me Quilt

Sew Many Yarns

Kathleen McMusing

BeaQuilter

The Quilted Snail

For my project I decided to make a mini wall-hanging for my cube at work.   And since I've started collecting gnomes, I thought what better to make than a gnome with his pumpkin for the season.

Roughly 8" by 10" made from an enlargement of a free coloring page that I found online.  All fabrics are from my scraps.   Mr Gnome fabrics were in my prefused scraps.  =)  Pumpkin is an embroidered applique.

Hanging in my cube at work.

Backing shown at work because I forgot to take a pic of it at home...oops.   The striped backing and binding, also from scraps.

Gratitudes:
1. For improving test results from the arthritis doc on my gout.

2. For friends who sign up with me for crazy things like 2 - 5K races a month apart and a challenge to walk 2026 miles as a team next year. (part of my working to lose weight and get in better shape!)

ScrapHappy - October 2025

   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

In trying to find a couple of commissioned projects this month that need to be finished up, I found a bag of precut squares of cat and dog print fabrics containing 3.5", 4.5" and a few 6.5" squares.  Rather than squirrel them away, I decided to use them to use them up instead.

First up was this quilt top made with most of the 3.5" squares.   I based this off of a picture I'd seen on Pinterest.   Background squares were also precut years ago.  Still have some of the 3.5" squares left that I haven't decided what to do with.....thinking maybe a tote.  But that's another days project.....

Here's a close up pic showing most of the prints in the heart.

Next up was using the 4.5" squares.  I once again dug into the stash of precut squares for the background fabric.  Both of these will be finished as is and then donated.

Third and final top made from the precut cat and dog print squares.  Sashing fabrics were remnants that I'd picked up in a remnant barrel somewhere along the way.  More precut background squares were used to make the 9-patches in the top.

Close up of the border fabric and sashing fabrics, and yes these were also scraps.

Gratitudes:

1. For surgeons that care enough about outcomes to give honest feedback about needed surgery and a plan to get there.

2. For friends who are willing to be there with me as I work to lose the weight and get in better shape.

ScrapHappy- September 2025

   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

This month has mainly been focused on putting together the top of the wedding quilt for my niece, so not a lot of scrappy work has gotten done.

What scrappy work did get done all started with finding a stack of strips leftover from FQ's or yardage as I dealt with the contents of a tote.   These had originally cut 6-inch from for Alphabet quilts.   Most of the strips evened up to 4.5 inches width, with assorted lengths.    I also did the same for the 3.5 inch strips that were in the same bag of scraps.

Because I didn't want to waste any more fabric than necessary I used the novelty fabrics as they were after squaring up the ends.   I put black squares in between each novelty piece.  Once everything was in one long strip, then they went together in a quilt top that currently is about 42" by 64".

The top will be finished off with a double border.  A narrow inner border of black from a couple of remnants.  Debating on the outer border - the left polka dotted fab is several small remnants, the right is yardage from stash.  Not sure which i like better.....what say you?

Gratitudes:

1. I've been released by the ophthalmologist - Yeah!   So thankful my eyes are ok now.  

2.  For the blessing of longtime friends and the love and who have passed on.

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

As my eyes have continued to heal, and I once again could see well enough to see to cut fabric for blocks, I started to work on a long-term project that will be a wedding present.   It's made with new fabrics, so won't be featured here.   

For my scrappy projects this month, I started with a buttoned pouch, Corner bookmark, and regular bookmark all made from scraps of a line from Moda.   The fabric is a lightweight canvas weight, and the scraps were bought 5 or so years ago at what used to be a fav quilt store for me.  Lace applique was one I picked up here in Phoenix probably about 15 yrs ago.

This mini wall-hanging started with an orphan block, bought 5+ yrs ago at the same quilt store as the above scraps.  Borders and backing were from remnants that I'd found at some point in the past.  Found the hanger online.   This was given as a gift for a cousin who got married 3 weeks ago.

Quilted postcards were the other scrappy projects finished up this month.  Bits of an orphan block, embroidered roses from a denim shirt I cut up years ago, a bit of embroidery from a piece my mom had started decades ago, and a scrap book finding were used for embellishment.   Fabrics were all scraps.

Bits of fabric leftover from previous projects, a silk flower and leave, button, and iron-on butterfly were used for these.

Iron-on appliques and a remnant of lace were used for embellishment.  scraps were leftover from the butterfly quilts of last month.

Tiny lace scraps, more scrapbooking trims, silk flowers, and buttons were used for these 4 cards.  Fabrics were scraps.  The two on the right started with bits of fabric with sayings about friends &B gardening.

And more scraps were used to make the backings for the postcards.  Some were pieced from pits and strips of light colored background fabrics.

Gratitudes:

1. I'm finally coming to the end of a very long 13 1/2  months of dealing with eye issues resulting from the torn retina and all that ensued after that.   Last appt (post op check) is today.

2. So thankful that with all procedures on the eyes are done and that I can finally see well enough to thread my sewing machines and needles!   Now to get back into the flow for cross-stitch.