Squeezing it all in!

Sewing time is scarce lately so when I spot an opportunity I need to make the most of it.

Friday afternoon was a very interrupted kind of space.  It's still been the Easter holidays here (but school is back tomorrow - hooray!) and mum's taxi/fast food joint was well in action all afternoon and evening, but there were bite sized chunks when my presence/food/money/driving licence were not required so I set to sorting out some bits and pieces.  Nothing too taxing, not requiring too much concentration and easily left at the call of "Mu-um".

So, I started by making up some 2.5" square cornerstones for my crazy scrappy quilt. Quick and easy, just what the doctor ordered!

That job done, I decided to make a start on prepping for my class with Judith which starts next week.  I've decided to use my bundle of grey and aqua fabrics for the Retro Butterflies quilt (though have since opted to leave out the darkest two greys from this project as I think they'd draw attention to themselves a little).  So this bundle became three little piles like so - 

 I hadn't really intended to cut so much in advance but well, at least they're done!

Next up, as my brain was really starting to fog, I thought I'd tackle my 1" strip scraps.  I've shown you before how I've been trying to cut smallish leftovers into usable squares and strips to keep my scrap basket from overflowing and one day to have a ready made stack of scrappiness to make something fun from.

Well, I haven't really known what I should do with scraps that are less than 1.5" width.  I'm really not sure I see a project in my future that uses 2,000 1" squares!!  However, the frugal lass within hasn't quite let me throw these smaller pieces away altogether.  So for a while I have dutifully trimmed any skinny strips down to 1" (and chopped up a few old pillowcases too) and left them aside hoping that a plan would eventually come to me.  One bin full of scraps later and I have my plan - a crocheted rag rug for no other reason than "just because".

So, much of Friday afternoon and evening was spent in intermittent bouts of stitching strips and strips and strips together.  Poor IG friends probably felt they were living this dull experience with me - the joys of sharing, heh?

But eventually, the strips were wrangled into seven pretty strip rolls all ready for the day I can get hooky with them, maybe later in the summer/autumn if my current FAL plans go well.  And, as a bonus I get my bin back!!

After a good night's sleep I had the joys of the sewing room all to myself for most of Saturday and I didn't plan to waste it.

The cornerstones were laid out with the sashing in the somewhat cramped floor space.  There was an IG discussion a few weeks ago about skinny versus broader sashing and, while skinny was the most popular, I just didn't feel it was right for this one in the end and I went with the wider sashing but added the little colourful cornerstones to break it up a little.

Got to say I love the navy against these bright crazy scrappy blocks and valiantly persevered with a hoolie of a wind to try to get a pic I could show you.  This was the best of a rather wind-swept bunch!
I pieced a backing too, but chickened out of pinning it on the line in favour of warming up inside - that wind was biting cold!!

I nabbed some time before church this morning and read J's pre-class instruction about bringing some scraps with us to practice piecing curves.  So that was my task for this morning - some 5" squares for practicing curves.

Except, well ... I got a little distracted, played a little too much and had a wee practice and very nearly had to go to church in my PJs!!!  It was so hard to have to leave it so close to being pieced into a block.

Needless to say, chicken in the oven for dinner, quick stitch and press of seams and a speedy border later and I am in love!!!!!  Should point out that while I worked out the piecing for myself, I was inspired by Cut to Pieces Angela's layout of the Drunkard's Path block here.

It isn't perfect because I need to learn about trimming the block better, but I am pretty pleased with myself for a first proper go.  Leanne's video tutorial is a wonderful thing!!

And, if the bits that don't quite meet up in the middle bother me I can always add a button, right?

Just to show you a wee trimming shortfall.

This one was a better finish.  Think I need to cut a scant quarter inch like my stitching seam allowance, but at least now I know what to try next time, right?

Definitely a productive time this weekend and I even managed to clear my ironing basket and chores too, all ready for a new week of routine (and no doubt new loads of laundry)!

Hope your weekend was fun whatever you were up to!