Closing the Lid

    Last week I went back to that unfinished project referred to in an earlier post.  Remember this one?

 The last time you saw it, it was still in blocks laid out on a bed.  Now it is together and I am thinking about a backing.  I want to use it as a lap quilt for those cold Missouri evenings (still having those in May), so thought about buying a flannel fat-back.   But then I looked at the stash in my sewing room closet and thought "Why Buy?"  I really like pieced backs, but they do take some time and planning.  I pulled out my bin of CW fabrics.  Notice the lid, lol.

 I soon found a nice selection of prints in the same color way.

It didn't take long to cut nine 12 1/2 inch blocks and make a giant nine-patch.  A neutral border to show off some of the quilting to come and it was soon done.
(It is hanging a little crooked,due to photographer error.)

Now, what to do with that jumbled, lidless bin?  I used mostly fat quarters for the giant nine patch, so that created more scraps.  There certainly wasn't any room for them in that bin.  My scrap system (using the term loosely) consists of a plastic drawer unit and some plastic shoe boxes.  I cut scraps into 1-1/2in. strips, 2-1/2 in. strips, 3-1/2in. strips and 5 in. squares (charms) and sort them by light, medium and dark.  Anything else, I throw away (shudder) or pass along to my quilt guild friends who make strip blocks.  I have tried those, but I'm too OC for that much randomness.  I admire their quilts, but it drives me crazy to make those blocks.  

    Here is my stack of tidy scraps and the lid almost fits on the CW bin again.

    

Quilt camp starts this week.  WooHoo!  Julie and Lola are staying with me, so there will be lots of girlfriend time, too.  There sure won't be any posting time until after camp and Garden Show on the 11th.  Until next week, keep on stitchin'.