Strings/crumbs project update

This is my weekly report on my progress using up scraps that are designated for strings or crumbs blocks.

Recently I've been going through my sewing room once again - organizing and cleaning out. Mostly organizing.  Not much actual "getting rid of stuff". That's not really my goal anyway - cleaning it up is.

Anyway, I went through my bags that are specifically for scraps that I considered small enough or strangely shaped enough for these blocks. 

Look at the note I wrote myself.

This is only one of my bags for my crumbs/strings.  If I only had this many, I'd be okay - but I don't. I literally have gallons and gallons of these fabrics.

Inside the bag that is on the left.

That's it. 

I decided this weekend to go ahead an make up at least 50 crumb blocks - size 3.5" I will sew them together to make a 6.5" crumb block - I'll begin that next week.  Then, I'm going to begin making a crumb block quilt.

(Strings are taking a back seat for now.) 

I'm in the mood now to finish a crumb block quilt. Since it's not a challenge or a project I'm doing for someone else, I can pretty much do whatever I want.  My whole goal is to whittle down these strings/crumb pieces in these bags.  It's slow going though.  I worked on these for most of a baseball game (game 7 of the American League Championship Series).  This is what I got done.

I decided that, along with a set of blocks that I found in my sorting - I have almost enough for a decent sized quilt. So, I needed to come to the computer and try to come up with something I'm happy with.

And that's where I am.  I know that I am going to frame these blocks - in black. Last time I used a gold that I had. 

My crumb blocks aren't as crumbly as some I've seen which use teeny tiny pieces.  Parts of some of my blocks are pretty small, but most are just random pieces that aren't easy to straighten that I threw in my bags to use - so they aren't all tiny.

When making this particular set of crumb/crazy blocks, I used leftovers from making string blocks as well as random sets of strings sewn together. I also use the cut offs from making 9 patches or 16 patches from time to time.

Before declaring my 'made fabric' big enough, I checked to make sure (it it was questionable) to be sure that I could cut a 3.5" square from it using my ruler.

After sewing enough fabric together so that I could cut a 3.5" square out of it, I put it to the side. When I finished 50 such pieces of "made fabric", I went to the cutting area and trimmed.

I have to admit - having this little 3.5" square ruler is handy when cutting these!

Finished square - 3.5"

I ended up with 62 new 3.5" squares. I had previously made 62 3.5" squares and I found 10 - 6.5" squares already put together.

All together, I'm hoping it's very close to what I need for a crumb quilt.

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My first crumb quilt is Crumb Pizzazz - I finished it in 2016.  Here it is. I used the same size block I'm planning on using for this one. I'm not sure I can outdo this one, however. I'm impressed every time I look at it - I have a hard time believing I made it.  I'm not sure what possessed me to try that crumbly border with HST made of crumbs.  But I like it!  I think I must have been crazy!

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If you find yourself needing something for your current projects, be sure to check out what my sis has for you over in the shop. There's always something interesting!