Any of you that have been following my blog for a little while or anyone who has plowed through my site will know that I am pretty prolific in my quilt creation. I am constantly trying new patterns or new colour combinations. I make a lot of quilts. In the last 6 months or so I have got into the habit of cutting 3 inch squares from any of the scraps left over from my current project.
As I am cutting fabric for a new quilt, I will make sure that any scraps that are big enough get cut into a 3 x 3 inch square and put into a shoe box set aside for them. It has become a habit that means my scrap pile is a little more manageable and I have a ready supply of 3 inch squares for projects.
What can you do with a pile of 3 inch squares you may be asking… so far I have made:
1. Granny Square blocks
2. Doll quilts… that are currently in need of quilting!
3. Graduating colour quilts – Sunburnt country is made up of 3 inch squares
4. Paper bag quilts – this quilt top is being made with a bag of white scraps and bag of pastel scraps. I chain pieced white and pastel squares together, then sewed them into strings of 14 blocks long. When finished this will be a very easy, but cute baby quilt.
I have used the same paper bag process to make a number of fun quilts including my niece Zoe’s quilt.
Up next I really want to make a scrap vomit quilt with all my 3 inch squares. A total random hodge podge of fabrics sewn together to make something ugly beautiful. Sounds like fun!
WOMBAT QUILTS 
What a great idea…I may borrow it to tame my quilt room scrap supply!
Trimming scraps to useable sizes is such a good idea! I want to go through my scraps and start doing this. Love your granny squares too!
A needed prod; something I always intend to do, but…[insert excuse of the day]
Hi Cath! I love your little squares and colours! They can really make many kind of amazing quilts! Without even trying, I have started to collect 2.5″ squares. Thank you for inspiration! x Teje
Teje I have a collection of 2.5″ square too which I use for my EPP hexagons…. but that is a whole other pile of crazy!lol.
That’s great to be prepared for every project!
Great idea! I have just been stuffing my scraps in a shoe organizer hung on my sewing room wall. I need to thin it out a bit and organize it…someday.
Yup, I need to tame the scraps which are now completely overflowing the shoe boxes they live in. They’re colour sorted but not cut to size. Of course, this may just be an excuse to, ahem, go out and acquire some more shoe boxes…. I like the idea of a scrap vomit quilt, but I’ve always known it as a Lucky Dip. You put all the scraps into a bag, and just have to sew in the next one you pull out, irrespective of colour and pattern. It does work… eventually.
Love the granny square blocks.
Love it- it’s a rare day that a scrap piece of fabric leaves my studio without becoming something useful, or at least cute!
Love it. Scraps rock.
I love these blocks from scraps 🙂 Your colour choices are very inspirational too! Avis x
I adore ugly beautiful! Your quilts are always awesome, Cath!
Lots of wonderful quilts made up of 3 inch blocks. What are paper bag quilts? I’ve been on a mission to use up stash. May need to think about cutting them up into 3 inch squares. I have thought about 2 and 1/2″ strips. Really love your Granny Squares.
I love this idea. My scraps are all different sizes and so hard to plan for. I love that it makes the scraps manageable and easy and purposeful. Thanks for the tip!
You wouldn’t know how to make an ugly quilt! I save 3″ squares too and my collection is spilling out all over! I want to make a piece using Tula Pink jellyroll – any ideas? I’m stuck.
Jody. I also struggle with jelly rolls. I finally cut into one a couple of weeks ago and made a Trip Around quilt using it. The only other thing I have done with a jelly roll is make a strip quilt. The challenge is now on for me to make a quilt with a jelly roll.
I’ll follow your lead! These jellyrolls are enticing and provocative! But they still sit on the shelf …
Jody, the challenge is on… and so is the hunt for a good jelly roll pattern. I will keep you posted.
I save 2.5 in squares and that box is never empty! I have made the scrap vomit quilt and that was really fun. I have cut up alot of my old truly ugly fabric and am trying to use it up. They are fun to make. I think I need to up my size to 3 or 3.5! Your scrap quilts all look great!
What a great idea! I’m going to pinch that one. Belinda (Bernie’s friend from Australia!)
Hi Belinda glad you found me… Bernie is on of my biggest cheerleaders. Love it.
Reblogged this on Sew messy.
Just loooove (hear Texas accent) that gradient quilt and Zoe’s too 😀
I am amazed at how easy and effective the gradient quilts are. Simple squares. Lots of colour. Ripper results (hear the hint of a Aussie accent)
Do you have measurements for free paper pieced patterns block 3 rolling compass
The Rolling Compass block is 12 inch square finished (the pattern should print out to 12 1/2 inch unfinished).
I love your scrappy log cabin, was there a pattern available to download or purchase?
Hi. I have a couple of log cabin quilts on the site… and I have used a couple of different paper piecing patterns. You can enlarge the mini log cabin pattern I have for free on my site or you can google “free log cabin paper piecing pattern”. You will find all sorts of wonderful patterns you can use.
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