Crumbs/strings project update

I've been working on using up crumbs and/or strings every weekend now for several months. If you've been following me for a while, you realize this already. If not, well, the short of the story is that I had been adding to my bags of strings/crumbs, but not using them. So I decided to change that by trying to spend at least one good sewing session each weekend on them.

So far I've finished 2 string tops - one of which is a quilt. After finishing those two strings tops, I decided to switch over to crumbs for at least one top - I've got some more strings tops in the back of my mind - am thinking about the third one I started.

This is my first crumb top this year - but my second crumb quilt ever.

Review - here's what I've done so far.

Strings 1 - Finished into a quilt

Strings 2 -  Top only - finished in the summer of 2017

Crumbs 1 - made in 2016

Strings 1

Strings 2

Crumbs 1 - made in 2016 and named Crumb Pizzazz

The plan/layout for Crumbs 2

Crumbs 2 - in progress

I had hoped that I be able to report back and say that my top was finished.  I am sorely disappointed to say that I'm not.

I still have an outer gray border, a black border and the final strings blocks borders to do. The problem with that outer strings blocks border is that I don't have enough blocks made-- so I will need to continue to make more until I have enough to finish that.

So, what exactly DID I do?  Well, it felt like I did more than it looks like I did.

1. Sewed up some strings 'made fabric' - this seems to be pretty slow.

Here is a typical one that I sewed up. I tried to make them all at least 6.5" wide and long so I could get a 6.5" square from them. I found out I didn't do a good enough job on a few of them and am sending them back for more sewing. I made a whole pile of these.

2. Trimmed down 'made fabric' to 32 6.5" blocks (these are for the outer border) I will need to make more. This is how I cut these.

I laid my 6.5" ruler over the piece of fabric to check for width. I thought I had a 6.5" square ruler - but could only find a 6" one. Wouldn't work. Needed a 6.5" one - so I just used my long ruler.

Trim on both sides of the piece.

Turn the piece sideways.

Find the sweet spot - the part where I can get a 6.5" square. Line up the bottom of the fabric with a line on the ruler and check that it's straight.

Trim on both sides

Move the extra pieces away and keep the center 6.5" square.

Add all those cutoffs to the pile for a rerun on more crumbs blocks.

The majority of the crumb blocks I cut up today.

3. Cut some more 3.5"x9.5" gray sashings.

4. Put together the rest of the quilt top. 

The top without the borders.

5. Sewed together the 32 6.5" crumbs blocks to make one long, long strip which I will pin and cut to size once I get the gray and black borders on. Picture next time.

6. Folded it all up and put it back in the bag for next weekend. 

I also put away my crumbs from around the sewing machine - to be tackled on Saturday. I'm trying to restrict work on this on the weekends for a couple of reasons.

The main one is that by putting it away and pulling it back out after giving it a rest for a week, I actually get a tiny bit of excitement inside at the thought of working on it. If I didn't - all I would do would be to feel pressure from myself to get it done. And these things aren't fast. Strings and crumbs are incredibly slow, in fact.

And now you know what I've been doing with my crumbs this weekend!

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Be sure to check out what my sis has over in her store if you find you need something for a current project!