Those 3" squares

My quilting friend here in town asked what I do with squares I was cutting from fabric scraps. Right now, most of them are collecting and making what is called 'stash'. Let me justify my situation. I am not at the stage of hoarding because my plan for this year and until it is way down, is to use up what I have first.

However, when the 'stash' becomes overwhelming, there can be a tendency to over-react and see it as a do-or-die situation. I have a number of projects that are in containers from hard-sided plastic types to baggies. They are self-made kits that were put together at least this year. I started with the scraps, found patterns and then matched what I had to the pattern to make up my own kit.

Isabella is the middle Daughter of my Niece who passed a couple of years ago after leukemia took her precious body. When I started making quilts for her three grrrlie-grrls, I wanted to do them according to the seasons they were born in....Spring, Summer and Autumn. Isabella's birthday is the end of November. 

The pattern I found in a magazine had a more scrappy look to it. I realized I could make it work by using 3" squares to form the blocks. I gathered all the Autumn fabrics I had and started cutting the squares and the triangles for this quilt. It is absolutely luscious. What surprised me is the thought I put into re-designing it according to what I had. 9-patches are made a lot of different ways. They all have darks on the corners, lights forming the crossbar and the same green swirl in all of the centers. I have the setting triangles cut, and striped-bar triangles for the outside border. Now, its a matter of playing with layout.

There are 13 blocks in the quilt, so 13 centers. From that point, all the other blocks will be simply coordinated to the theme and unique. So each one needs 4 Lights and 4 Darks. This is as far as I can see it right now even though it is in a 'kit'. I plan to finish the top first and then measure for the back. It would be nice if I had enough fall-themed fabric for the back, but my plan didn't go that far. 

Next on my list to-do is catching up on the monthly House Block swap. My partner lives in Australia and has been trying to move/sell her home. She's been in chaos for a few months, so we agreed to hold off making them and then send several at a time. I am really backed up with them.

I've also signed up for two Solstice swaps and want to make something for each of them. One group is Myth/Legend/ Fairytale and the other is The Natural World. I love that little apron I made my youngest Grandgrrrl out of three FQs and think I have fabric to make one for each swap. The swaps have International partners possible. Postage is so high now and usually adds a good $10-15 to the package.