The Summer Scrap Elimination 2022: Week 2

Good morning Summer Scrappers! We're on to our second week of projects and I have another great quilt for you as well as two guest designers with additional scrappy ideas to keep your machine humming this summer!

Last year I filled up my grey and black scrap drawers to over flowing and had to start a box for them as well. I'm making several things this summer with grey and black to try and get to a point where my drawers will close again and I can fold up this extra box. Cross your fingers for me!

Last week we were making a forest of trees and this week we are creating a block I like to think of as a collapsible camp lantern. We'll be working with cuts we can get out of 2 1/2" strips and 1 1/2" strips.

Cutting for 1 block (finishing at 10 1/2" x 10 1/2"):

2 medium rectangles 2 ½” x 10 ½”

2 medium rectangles 2 ½” x 6 ½”

6 background squares 2 ½” x 2 ½”

4 background rectangles 2 ½” x 4 ½”

6 bright rectangles 2 ½” x 1 ½”

(for those of you that enjoy a strip piecing option for the brights, I have a new video for you to show you how to manage your scrappy strip piecing for this project. Click here to watch this method.)

As with last week, I decided I wouldn't worry too much about value in this project, though if I had more light value grey, that would have helped the purple pop out more. If you scrap stash has a lighter background option, you may wish to go that route.

Step 1:

Begin with the 2 1/2" x 10 1/2" rectangles of color and 4 of the 2 ½” x 2 ½” background squares.

We will be creating another variation on our elongated flying goose from last week. This time we won't have a goose shape in the middle, but rather a trapezoid shape.

As shown in the adjacent illustration, position the background squares on both sides of the colored rectangles. Draw a line from corner to corner of the background square. Stitch on the line, trim away the excess.

These units will measure 2 1/2" x 10 1/2".

Make 2 for each block.

If you are making multiple blocks and want the connecting seams to nest, press half of your resulting 2 1/2" units toward the background and press the other half toward the color.

As I created my finished blocks, I made half of them with units pressed toward the background and the other half of the blocks with the units pressed toward the color.

Step 2:

Repeat the process with the 2 1/2" 6 1/2" rectangles of color and the 2 ½” x 4 ½” rectangles of background.

Just as we noted last week, it helps to move the background rectangle over a bit on the colored rectangle, so you can see where to draw your line.

With your line drawn, move the background rectangle back to the corner of the colored rectangle.

Stitch on the drawn line, trim away the excess, and press toward the color.

Repeat on the opposite side.

Make two for each block. If making multiple blocks, there is no need to press these units any differently.

Check your units to be sure they measure 2 1/2" x 10 1/2".

Step 3:

Use the 6 bright 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" to create the block center.

If you have cut the rectangles individually, piece them together to measure 2 1/2" x 6 1/2". Press in any direction.

Add the remaining 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" background squares to both ends. Press toward the background. This center unit will also measure 2 1/2" x 10 1/2".

If you prefer to press seams open, please consider that an entirely workable option throughout.

Step 4:

Layout all of your units as shown here.

Stitch together.

My plan is to rotate every other block in my quilt, so I can press my block in the manner that feels the most comfortable to me.

I pressed each added unit outward and away from the center of the block.

Step 5:

Arrange your blocks in a manner that pleases you. I made 36 blocks, which gave me 6 rows of 6 blocks each.

When my blocks were pieced together my quilt measured 60 1/2" x 60 1/2". I plan to add a small border before I quilt this project, which will bring the final size of my project to 64" x 64" and made a great quilt for couch cuddling or keeping warm in my camp chair around the fire on our next trip!

This week's blog is sponsored by Island Batik. I have been in a long time love affair with these batiks! So much so, that my first signature line of fabric (Bee Kind) with Island Batik is releasing to stores in September! Stay tuned for more news about that in September.

Island Batik has sent us 4 gorgeous fat quarter stacks from upcoming lines, including Contempo from Kate Colleran, Mountain Gems, Chantilly from Karen Overton, and Lace and Grace from Chris Hoover. They are so luscious.

This is our only fabric drawing this year, so don't miss your chance to take one of these beauties home! Like and comment on either my Facebook post linking this week's blog or on my Instagram post linking this blog on @swanamity. I'll put your name in the jar when I see your comment. Get your name in the jar a second time when you share the post on either Facebook or Instagram.

This week we also have two guest Designers with beautiful projects for you!

Tammy Silvers of Tamarinis is offering you an exciting project showing you how to make fabric pompoms! You can find her blog HERE! Tammy is the originator of an amazing guided improve technique that allows you to create beautiful long points in your projects. I love her modern designs like Sound Waves and Diamond Dance.

I just know you'll love her designs and how well so many of them lend themselves to scrappy versions.

Joy Lamphere of Shout 4 Joy is giving a great new Summer Picnic Quilt with patriotic colors just in time for a little 4th of July celebratory piecing. You can find her blog HERE!

Joy designs and teaches beautiful quilt concepts. Her talents are all over the map and I know you'll enjoy what she has to offer this week!

I hope all of you are having fun stitching your way through your scrap piles. I'll be back next week with a new project to keep you in stitches all summer long!