I May Have A Scrap Problem... Using Your Scraps for Good!

Hi, all!

I really missed doing a scrappy post on Wednesday last week, and I've got TONS of scrappy sewing that I've been doing, but today I want to challenge you with something special.

There is a group in New Zealand called Angels in Gumboots that has set a goal of making 100 quilts using these blocks to be given to the families of the victims of the horrible mass shooting in Christchurch this past weekend.

Angels in Gumboots are collecting 6.5" blocks with green hearts on a white background.  Currently they have all the info in a Facebook post on their page (click here to be taken to that post) but this is the pattern they are using for these blocks:

I know that's tiny, but if you will click on the picture and save it to your drive, you should be able to print it out on a full page.  This is such an easy block, I made six of them in about an hour, including scouting for fabric, cutting and sewing them.  

A few scraps of white fabric, some 5" green squares, and you could make some too!  (There are some print/color combo restrictions, so please check out the info from Angels in Gumboots before making any.)  It's a great way to bust down some of your scraps and do good at the same time.

And as of the time I am writing this, an Instagram friend, @sewing_is_my_therapy (who lives in Arizona) is collecting blocks from the US to send to New Zealand, if you don't want to incur the international postage.  It would be nice if you threw in a buck or two to help her with the postage, but she's not asking for anything to help out.  Message her directly on Instagram (follow her first so she'll get your message!) and ask her for her mailing address.

I hope you'll join me in trying to bring some comfort to a grieving country.  It's wonderful to see people from all over the world working together on a project like this!  Kind of gives you all the feels, as my daughter would say.

Hugs!

Sarah

I May Have A Scrap Problem... Let's Talk Strings!

Hi, all!

Oh, it has been a scrappy week at my place!  I've been keeping up with my daily scraps - they are all neatly cut and in a box - and we even did some major cleaning and sorting at church!  I wish I had taken a "before" pic of the pile of scraps we are sorting right here...

...but it filled up the empty spot on this floor - I'm guessing about 64 cubic feet of scraps!  The photo above is just at the beginning of the  scrap sorting - we well and truly covered about 14 feet of table top with huge stacks of scraps sorted by color, and this is what we uncovered...

One of our ladies even said, "There are BOOKS back there?!?!?!"  It's probably been more than a year since we have had that spot cleared!

But today I want to talk about strings. We've all got them - those strips of scraps that are too good to throw away, but if you are like me, your strings may be starting to run you out of house and home!

Just to keep it real, this is my actual string hamper, taken about fifteen minutes before I started writing this post.  Pitiful, isn't it?  But I have found a great cause that may give me some inspiration to use up some of it, and maybe you'll join me!

My friend Kat over at Kat and Cat Quilts runs Covered in Love, a charity that gives comfort quilts patients who pass away in the hospital.  Placing a quilt on the bed warms up the room, and is taken home by the family as a memento and transitional object.  She is holding a block drive right now for...  you guessed it...

String Blocks!!!  The drive is going on until the end of February, and she's got a tutorial for these particular blocks (they are foundation pieced) right here.  You know the great thing about foundation pieced blocks?  You can use up that absolutely hideous yardage you bought because it was just too good a deal to pass by - but when you got home and came to your senses you said, "What was I thinking???"

And your donations will help Kat create lots more beautiful quilts to spread warmth and comfort!

So how about it? Will you join me and make a block or two (or more!) for Kat's block drive?  Let's see if we can make a dent in our string collections while helping others!

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And remember, it's almost the end of the month - next week it will be February, and time to share how we did on January's goal and see what February has in store!  

Have you got your scrap monster on the run yet?

Hugs!

Sarah