Crumby Blocks

Last night and today I spent some time playing with my fabric scraps, sometimes called crumbs.  I've been saving my scraps to make 3 quilts.  I want to make a Scrappy Bargello, a String Quilt and a Crumb Quilt.   Directions for all of these can be found at Bonnie Hunter's website, Quiltville.  I have been having some issues with pain in my hand and wrist.  It doesn't hurt when I sew, but does hurt when I use the rotary cutter or iron.  So thought I would try just sewing things that were already cut.    First, I sewed many of  the precut strips I had for the Bargello. I have a 32 strip set sewn together, and have more to start on a second set.   Then thought I'd try the Crumb blocks.  They do involve pressing and some cutting, but the pressing is just for a brief time and the cutting is only when you need to trim to get a new straight edge. 

I started  with this -

These are scraps from other projects, and some are from a big box of vintage fabric I bought at an estate sale.  Nearly all are smaller than about 1 1/2 "x 6". Larger ones I am saving for the String quilt. 

Along with Bonnie Hunter's Crumb technique, I used ideas I got from another blog, Patchwork Pie.  She calls her method Mile a Minute.  She uses much larger pieces than I have, so I ended up sewing several little pieces together, then using the Mile a Minute ideas. 

I sewed and sewed, until I had these. 

You can see there are a wide variety of shapes and sizes.  After I  got the blocks to this stage, I used my 6 1/2" square ruler to cut the blocks.  By angling the ruler, the blocks become rather wonky.

I have 7 done and have enough fabric for many more.  Many, many more.  Not sure what I will do with these.  I'm thinking machine quilting them, with all the seams, would be like riding in an open Jeep over a rutted dirt road.  Maybe will tie them instead.

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to blog more.  So hope to see you here more often.