Go To Quilt Pattern Using Scraps

Go To Quilt Pattern Using Scraps

We all know I save everything….like everything.

I even have my scrap fabrics sorted into colors and sizes.

Does this make me wicked organized or obsessively crazy? Maybe both?

Either way it always lets me have a bonus quilt slowly coming together while I work on other quilts.

I keep the pieces for whatever scrap quilt I am working on in a basket next to my sewing machine and use them to chain piece while I am sewing up other projects.

Slowly the pile of whatever blocks I am constructing start to stack up and before too long I have enough for a quilt.

Which is exactly how this quilt came together:

This quilt was made using our “Go To PDF Quilt Pattern” which simply uses 5″ blocks with sashing in between. However, instead of using pre cut 5″ blocks I used scraps sewn up to make 5″ blocks.

Ok, I know that sewing up scraps to make 5″ blocks sounds tedious…but it wasn’t.

Here’s why: I often cut fabric that is 5″ wide by WOF (the Width Of the Fabric) to make 5″ squares for other projects and this usually leaves me an extra little swath of fabric that is 5″ wide.

Soooooo…..I just throw those 5″ wide scraps in a bucket under my cutting table until the bucket is full. Then I start sewing those scraps together. They are already cut 5″ wide so I just need to sew enough of them together to make them 5″ long in order to get a square. Easy Peasy.

But wait….you say….they aren’t just going to magically be 5″ tall and 5″ wide.

And to that I say: You are right.

I use a 5″ scrap as an estimator. As I sew scraps together I just make sure that my I get my squares at least as wide as that scrap is long. Then I press it up and trim it up to 5″x 5″ and I’m golden.

So, back to this quilt.

I used all black, white, and gold scraps sewn together and trimmed up to 5″ squares.

Then I used all white scraps from my scrap bin to make the sashing and border…and scraps to make the binding…which truly makes this quilt a bonus quilt!!!

I enjoy making bonus quilts.

I love using up my scraps.

I know, I’m a little crazy but, for me, it is super satisfying to create wonderful something out of the “leftovers”.

Happy Quilting!

PS: Here is what the Go To PDF Quilt Pattern looks like when using actual 5″ squares.

The Pattern actually only calls for 7 rows of 5″ squares….but I got carried away making the scrappy squares and my bonus quilt actually has 8 rows. 🙂