The Charm of Scraps

I didn't mean to . . .  While testing another block for Quiltmaker magazine I discovered a fascinating design  for making another scrap quilt using lots of my bright scraps.  This square will be the center of future blocks and has the potential for adding many different borders that will change the look.

Instead of cutting lots of little pieces from strips, start off with an 8" square.  Leaving the square intact carefully cut 1.5" off of each side.  These four cuts will leave you with 8 pieces plus the center 5" square.  Space them out to see the design that is forming.

Choose a contrasting piece to be used for the post at the corner of the center square.  Cut 4-1.5" squares and place them on your layout.

Select a second contrasting color, any color found within your original print will do nicely.  From that piece cut 8- 1.5" squares and 4- 1.5 X 5" pieces and pop them into position.  This is how your finished center block will look, minus your seams of course.

I've been playing with scraps making up blocks for future consideration.  I'm so happy to have found a use for some of the brights that I loved making a quilt from.  I have many however I couldn't see a way of using them altogether until now.

My collection of blocks is growing.

Next I will decide on the design of the last row.  It can be as simple as a repeat of the center block, or I can add some triangle squares that will create a new design in the quilt when all are joined together.  My third option might be placing the centers on point and adding pieced triangles to the straight side.