When I was asked to share my good friend Bonnie Hunter's Book 'String Frenzy' during her book tour I said heck yes! I've been sewing strips of extra fabric, strings of fabric, together for many years.
Bonnie has such a wonderful eye for combining scraps into very effective quilts! You will love her book. So let's see what I selected to work on.
** BUY a String Frenzy for 20% off! **
I decided that I have a LOT of neutrals that are just not getting used. Some are pretty big pieces, others are 1/2 a layer cake square, or a part of a fat quarter that was left.
I decided that Bonnie's gorgeous 'Indigo-a-Go-Go' would use up the most lights. She make this quilt to use her African Indygo prints. It really stretched those into a full size quilt with this pattern!
I've been making these type of strip units almost since I started quilting. I did one great big project that was part of a challenge and then toured to different shows a few yrs ago. It's very zen like to sew strips like this, I really love it! Another reason I was drawn to this quilt was the fact that I got to sew these units.
Because I want my strips to stay in the background, I'm using fabrics that read tonal and don't have a lot of other colors in them
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As I had left over strips, I sew units to it to be used in the next strip unit, see below, it is an excellent way to use up leftovers!
I am EXCITED to use that strip of 'An American In Paris', I've had it awhile.
I decided to go with the pinky/red Figtree and the aqua Figtree fabrics. I have quite a bit of each and love them as a combo.
Lay out all the blocks so you like the placement.
Note that the direction of the strips in the aqua blocks. Some are horizontal and some vertical string placement.
This little surprise is why I love doing these type of quilts!
I have the top of my office assistant loaded up with this project. That way I can pull it up next to my Baby lock Solaris!
See how nice my Koala Studio table is, I love that my machine sits flush with the top and I have a comfy Koala chair to sit in.
I've decided the best way to do this is to make these 9-patch blocks.
I'll mix and match the red and aqua in the blocks so that when I set them the Figtree fabrics will be scattered around. And it's more motivating to me to sew these big 9-patch blocks as I go rather than waiting until the end.
The book has 12 quilts and tips of how to use your scraps. I love Bonnie's stories about each quilt too!
This is another of my favorites in her book, the pumpkin patch.. do you have a lot of orange to use up?
And Dawn's Early Light is so gorgeous with red/white & blue.
** BUY yourself String Frenzy, you'll love it! **
GIVEAWAY – Leave me a comment telling me
Do you save scraps?
leave the comment by 6pm April 11.
Winner is Nancy P who said "Yes I save my scraps, but now I have added saving scrap squares – thank you Pat Sloan. After being inspired by you, I now have baskets of 2, 2 1/2, 3 and 4 inch scrap fabric squares."
Book Tour:
- Friday, 4/5: C&T Publishing at ctpub.com/blog
- Saturday, 4/6: Pat Sloan at ilovetomakequilts.com
- Sunday, 4/7: Sandra Clemons at makeitblossomdesigns.com
- Monday, 4/8: Susan Arnold at quiltfabrication.com
- Tuesday, 4/9: Bernie Kringel at needleandfoot.com
- Wednesday, 4/10: Bonnie Hunter at quiltville.blogspot.com
CLICK to read the legal sweepstakes stuff I'm required to tell you.
895 Responses
Boy do I have scraps…Boxes and Boxes and Boxes of them. I just can’t throw those lovelies ( and $ ) in the garbage. I took a class from Bonnie last year so am ready to tackle them.
I hate to throw away beautiful fabric scraps. I am trying to organize them in sizes I can use, then I will work on color organization, which I am sure will be a work in progress.
I have been saving scraps for years. What a great use of scraps and color. Love your color choices.
Of course I save scraps! Anything larger than 2 inches square or 1 inch wide and long for string quilting. I love to revisit past projects when i go through them looking to use them for other projects. tljeo at yahoo dot com
Items to use my scraps before cutting into my yardage. Love scraps
I cut what ever is left from a project into strips or squares. save all these scraps and have begun one string quilt. love my scraps
I love my scraps , scrap quilts are my favorite,
I save LOTS of scraps! Love sewing scrappy quilts and other projects!
I absolutely love scrap quilts. I have made several quilts from just scraps. I just need time to organize my scraps into the Scrap User System.
I absolutely save scraps!! Waste not, want not.
Sometimes I even buy scraps.
Yes, I have them sorted into colors!
I started saving my scraps into the plastic shoe boxes. However I still haven’t organized them into usable cutting sizes.
I save scraps and occasionally use them for appliqué and paper piecing. I’ve never sewn a scrap quilt- perhaps I should try one.
I have lots of scraps. I’m ordering the book to help get them made into something.
I save strings and scraps in some plastic clear bins. I took a Bonnie Hunter class of Crabapple just recently and I used plenty of scraps in that class.
I’ve been keeping scraps for as long as I can remember. I have storage boxes of different sized squares squares, remnants of different sized strips and baskets of scraps waiting to be ‘fixed up’ one day. I even save dog ears in Mason jars just because…lol.
I’ve made 3 scrap quilts all of them are twins or queen quilts..my husband says you need to use all my scraps up.He says they remind him of the old fashion quilts when no one had any money but says sometimes it’s a reminisine of the old times when everything was not wasted and end up being some of the prettiest
Yes I love to save scraps. My favorite way to sew!
I use scraps. I’m currently making a quilt with scraps. I also made a baby quilt using scraps. I love them and have a hard time getting rid of small scraps.
I love to save my scraps! Scrappy quilts are what I am most drawn to. Thanks for this wonderful giveaway!
I’ve been saving scraps for a while. I just started cutting them into usable squares and strips.
I have scraps I need to find a system for sorting them.
Oh yes, do I have scraps.. some from left over projects, some from our Guild’s “JR strips” or “6-inch charms” exchanges, and those that could be made from the vast 1/8 yd or 1/4 yard swatches of fabric that I have been collecting that sits in my stash. Can’t wait until I can start another one of Bonnie’s patterns from “String Frenzy”, my favorite is: Strait of Mackinac. But what other pattern would be the favorite for this Michigan Boy..
I save my scraps they come in handy , for different projects🙂
Boy do I have scraps! Quilting since the mid 80’s and I never seem to throw any small pieces away!
I do save scraps! I’ve been saving them longer than I’ve been quilting. I have scraps from my daughter ‘s clothes when she was in elementary school. She’s now 41! I think a Pat and Bonnie combination ought to get me going. Boy, won’t she be surprised when she recognizes that fabric!
I save scraps usually cutting into squares– 2.5, 3.5, and 5 inches.
Yes I save scraps. I save EVERY scrap! Strips, leftover corners, you name it. They are kind of out of control. Every now and then I go through them and trim, cut, organize. I like to pair up triangle pieces and make half-square triangles. I love being able to use them in quilts!
I hate throwing fabric away and love seeing them all together in aquilt
I live to do Scrappy! I have learned so much from watching Bonnie Hunter. Currently finishing a Scrappy quilt for my nephew.
Do I have scraps? Is the sky blue on a clear day or the grass green in the summer? You bet, I have scraps and scraps and scraps! Better get to sewing!
I have started several Scrap bins..when I make quilts or my purses..I try to cut of what left into strips or 2 1/2 inch squares…I even have a crumb bin …going lol…✂️✂️✂️Thanks for the chance to win 🙃🙃…
Scraps left over from quilts make the most wonderful and interesting panels to be inserted into the backing of a quilt. Any itty bits left over then become the start of something new.
I save scraps and have made several scrap quilts. I love the colors you are using but I don’t have a lot of those colors in my scraps. If I make that pattern it will most likely be with pink and grays.
I have plenty of scraps. Lots of strings too. I don’t have a system except sort by color
tracinecharest at Gmail dot com
I have lots of scraps and they are every where. I don’t have a good space for them. But I will hang onto them. I just ordered the String Frenzy Book and hopefully I will find something to do with all my scraps.
Oh yes. I have started saving smaller and smaller scraps.
I have a lot of scraps. I always say I can use this for something else. I don’t want to waste material. I think scrappy quilts are beautiful and unique.
Oh my yes I save scraps! Scraps sorted by color are like paint to a painter.
Love your quilt. I have a huge bin of scraps – sorted by size and color.
I save scraps. Waste not – want not
Yes I have scraps!! Still planning to make a string quilt.
I really need this book now I can finally do something with all those scraps!
I was drowning in scraps,so making my first scrambled block after watching Bonnie’s program. This is sew fun.
Yes, I save scraps for string quilting. I cut them into 1″ to 2″ strips using Bonnie Hunters technique of telephone books for the foundation piecing. I also make scrappy quilts using 2 1/2″ squares. I love the quilt you are making out of Bonnie’s String Frenzy and your colors are perfect for the pattern.
I’m convinced -now I know what to do with all these scraps!
Oh yes I save scraps – mine and others also. I’ve been a Bonnie Hunter follower for many years. I have them all sorted and stored so I can use them a lot. Like your use of scraps, Pat. That is a great nine patch you’ve put together. I have an assistant (cart) just like yours that I use the same way! Mine is pink. Happy Day!
Yes I save all sizes of scraps. I have a hard time throwing small pieces away. Love Bonnie Hunters scrap quilts. But I find I never have quite enough of the colours I need to make blocks look cohesive. Love the colours you use in your blocks
Yes indeed, scraps are wonderful!