I love fabric scraps, but at the moment my sewing room is simply overflowing with them and if I'm being honest, I need to have a clear-out, but I cannot bear to part with some of my stash, so the alternative is to try and use it! Towards the end of 2021, I made a resolution that I will try to make 2022 a year of using the fabric I have, and not buying more! This means you will likely see a few scrappy projects from me. Coincidentally at the same time, fellow designer Mel, of Mel’s Quilting Room announced that she was planning a blog hop with a scrap-busting theme and I was very excited to join in!
My scrap sorting method, is a bit hap-hazard - a collection of zip-lock bags sorted vaguely by colour.
When I make a foundation paper pieced quilt block, I tend to plan out my scrap useage and dig through each bag until I find just the right fabric colour and size, so although it’s not a sophisticated system, it does work for me, in the sense that I know where to find what I want, even though it would probably horrify many other quilters.
I have two scrap-busting projects for you over the course of the blog hop, and I hope you will enjoy them - the first is my Free-Bee! quilt block, which is a 9" foundation paper pieced Bumble Bee quilt block pattern.
This quilt block is super cute and can be used in a number of projects like cushions/pillow covers, hoop art or other projects. You could even make some coordinating blocks like flowers or other insects and make a beautiful quilt with it if you wished, but if that's not your thing, I also have a special project that I have lined up for my block which I will share with you later on in the blog hop.
To download the Free-Bee quilt block click here and sign up for my mailing list.
Once you are signed up, the magical email pixies will send the pattern to your email inbox!
Don't worry if you are new to foundation paper piecing because I will also send you my PDF beginner guide which you can download to help you learn paper piecing, and the Bumble Bee quilt block is quite a good quilt block to start with if you are new to the technique.
I have always found that foundation piecing lends itself nicely to scrappy sewing, especially when making smaller sizes quilt blocks. In fact some of my favourite blocks are ones that I have sewn using just scraps, such as my Scrappy Pumpkin Quilt Block or the Camp Fire Quilt Block.The Free-Bee! quilt block is so much fun to make using scraps from your stash. I know you are going to love using some of your fabric scraps to sew this quilt block!
Make sure you head to Mel's Quilting Room and check out some of the other wonderful products from the designers participating in the Scrap-Busting blog hop this week, like Winter Blues from Carol of Quilt Schmilt or the Scrap Tape Placemat by Always Expect Moore from last week!
Comments ()