Here we are once again, making pretty things out of something most people would throw away. It’s the day my friend Gun in Sweden and I host ScrapHappy, a day for showing something made from scraps.
I’ve got a layout I like for my 16 rainbow-coloured ScrapHappy blocks. Visualise this with an inch-wide dark navy border around each block, and then scrappy string sashing joining the blocks. The only thing that concerns me very slightly is whether that blue block in the top right corner is going to disappear too much with the dark blue border around it. What do you think? Leave it or move it? Thing is, if I move it into the centre more, it might still disappear but in a much more obvious way!
ScrapHappy is open to anyone using up scraps of anything – no new materials. It can be a quilt block, pincushion, bag or hat, socks or a sculpture. Anything made of scraps is eligible. If your scrap collection is out of control and you’d like to turn them into something beautiful instead of leaving them to collect dust in the cupboard, why not join us on the 15th of each month? Either email me at the address on my Contact Me page, or leave a comment below. You can also contact Gun via her blog to join. We welcome new members. You don’t have to worry about making a long term commitment or even join in every month, just let either of us know a day or so in advance if you’re new and you’ll have something to show, so we can add your link. Regular contributors will receive an email reminder three days before the event.
Here are the links for everyone who joins ScrapHappy from time to time (they may not post every time, but their blogs are still worth looking at). Not everyone will post at the same time, as we’re an international group. Those in Australia will post first, then Europe, then the USA.
Kate (me!), Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Nanette, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan, Karen,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris and Nancy
See you again, same time next month!
talltalesfromchiconia 
The squares are positively lovely – a beautiful use of scraps. About the blue border though? Wondering if you could rearrange so that there are “dark” squares in each corner, then use a lighter blue or a cream or something to border them? You’d still have the scrappy sashing that would tie it all together, but you wouldn’t lose the darker squares .
Hard to visualise from here, but perhaps you could lay the border fabric under the squares (avoid the sewing) to get an idea of whether it would work.
I just love all the bright and jewel tones!
Chris S in Canada
I’m pretty sure I want the very dark inky blue to border everything, to the point that I’ve bought the fabric! Looking at the square, I’ll simply trim it out so that as much lighter blue as possible is touching the border. Also, I tried darker blocks in the corners and it started to look too formal and some of the colours didn’t fit where I had space, so thank you so much for the suggestions, but I’m probably going to leave things as they are. This one’s for me, so I’ll be happy to live with the consequences of my decision 🙂
Yes, the formality probably wasn’t part of your plan, and it’s so difficult to get the whole effect when we are just looking at a picture on our screen. As long as you are happy with it, that’s what matters. I’m sure you’ve arranged the squares dozens of times – if it looks right to you, then run with it!
It’s so beautiful with all those colours!
Chris S in Canada
Those are all good ideas, Chris.
Could you swap it with the pinkish one diagonally to the left of it and then swap the blue and red ones in the top left hand corner around if you don’t want two blues in the same row?
The more I look at it, the more I think it really doesn’t matter too much; I’m using scraps, after all! I think the very, very scrappy till roll sashing will take care of the issue in any case… Thanks for the suggestions, though 🙂
Your blocks are so vibrant and bright, and your long strips are too fun!
Ah, the scrappy till roll sashing! You know, it’s a lot of fun to do, and you really don’t need to do much preparation – as you can see, the edges are all wonky, and will stay that way till I trim them out just before stitching the sashing in. Such a good way of using up really small scraps…
Your scrappy blocks are lovely, so vibrant and cheerful! I think the blue block will be fine, particularly as the sashing is only an inch wide.
I agree! And this is going to be my quilt (one of a few I can’t bear to give away), so it doesn’t matter about the blue corner if I’m happy to live with it!
Any color you´ll use on the sashing will make one block disappear, so I´d go for the blue fabric. I think it´s gonna look great!
I agree, and I definitely don’t want to use white or cream, so I think dark blue is the perfect choice.
I think it looks lovely just how it is… and such a great example of what patchwork was originally about. I really like the scrappy posts each month from everyone.
I find that having a monthly goal of something to show for ScrapHappy Day keeps me actually using the scraps instead of lazily stuffing them in a box or bag and pretending I’ll do something about them later!
[…] with Kate for ScrapHappy, do check out the others scrap […]
So very bright and cheerful. Just tells us we are so right to dig deep and use them scraps.
Exactly. They won’t make anyone happy stuck in a dark cupboard.
I would like to be included in Scrap Happy posts in the future. Thanks
Of course! If you’d like to receive the reminder emails, please send me your email address using the information on my Contact Me page.
PS: you’re already included in the list of regular participants at the bottom of each ScrapHappy post, but I don’t have an email address for you to send the reminder.
I was going to say the same thing as Gun: whatever colour you use is going to blend in with one of the blocks, so if you’ve got dark blue in mind, then go for it ^^Btw – I now have some rolls of till paper and plan on sewing strips of scraps like you, when I find the time, that is lol.
It doesn’t take a lot of time to get quite a lot of till roll done!
I like it! I like your idea to try to get lighter blues on the outside of that dark blue block. That will help to differentiate it from the sashing. Do you already have a back picked out? 😉
No backing yet, I haven’t got that far. It’s not going to be a big quilt, so I may well be able to use up some of the offcuts left from backing other quilts which get trimmed off when you’ve finished quilting, plus assorted fat quarters I’m not much in love with any more. Hopefully, a truly Scrappy back, too…
Good work so far. Here’s a thought, (worth every penny you paid for it,) frame the dark blue block in something different, lighter and brighter. Make it more different on purpose. It’s a small thing to try that wouldn’t have much pain if it doesn’t work.
That’s a definite idea, something nice and bright but solid so it still contrasts with the scrappy sashing. I’ll do some auditioning when I get home. Thank you!
I’ve decided I’m going to join you with ScrapHappy on 15th March if that’s okay?
Of course! Do you want to do just a one off, or join on a more regular basis? If the former, just post on 15th. If the latter, I’ll email you a reminder and add you to the links at the bottom of the post. Let me know.
If you could add me to the email reminder list, that would be good.
I reckon, if I sign up to post regularly, that will motivate me to have a scrappy sewing session once a month.
Goodoh, you’re on the email list and on the linky list too. Welcome to ScrapHappiness 🙂
thank you ^^ looking forward to 15th March already lol.
Glad to have you with us. I’d get everyone doing it if I could 😉
I love happy rainbow quilts. What a brilliant way to use up scraps. I’ve been messing with all my purples and came up with a perfect purple mess LOL.
I think a perfect purple mess sounds lovely 🙂 For me, rainbows are the way to go as they get rid of colours I don’t much like (like brown!).
I love your squares. They make me happy. Maybe one day soon I’ll have a lot of scraps to make something interesting out of them.
I wish you’d accept this one when it’s done, but I know you’re trying to declutter… Let me know if you change your mind.
You might want to talk to Alys about that one. She spent 3 days here helping me organize and get things under control. 🙂 I’ll write about it shortly this week. Your scrap quilt just looks so fun and happy.
Maybe I’ll see if Alys’ll approve a long term loan…? 🙂
Might be a good idea. 🙂
A hug on loan, as it were…
I know you will! You have beautiful taste in fabrics, and a gorgeous collection. I’m looking forward to future creations.
I’m looking forward to seeing what Marlene comes up with too! She has a beautiful soul, and I think it will shine out through her work.
Agreed! I’ve been the lucky recipient of a couple of her embroidery pieces: one on a tea towel, and the other I made into a pillow. She showed me her “beginning quilt” which looks professionally done to me. Marlene is going places!
She’s got really good attention to detail, which is always going to help with handcrafts. I wish she’d show more of it…
What gorgeous squares! I can’t wait to see it all together. Kate, have you ever arranged a quilt in rainbow order with neutrals toward the outside? Something to think about. Red orange yellow blue green violet with gray, black and brown toward the border. It might not work give the layout required. Just a thought.
It’s a lovely idea, but more for a quilt that’s made with much smaller blocks (these are 12 inches square), or it would be vast 🙂 Also, I work with what scraps I have available and I have least neutrals of all, so it will have to wait till I’ve built up my stock of scraps in those colours. But I’ll add it to the list of things to try for ScrapHappy!
Neutrals are boring and overrated, so don’t go crazy Kate. 😉
They have their place, but I just don’t seem to get a lot of scraps of them, maybe because I’m quite careful about measuring and buying only what I need in those colours.