Scrap Bundle Destash!

Once upon a time this was the bulk of my fabric stash. Fat quarters to half yards cuts organized in rainbow order, minus a special shelf for all of my Anna Maria Horner fabrics and of course, a shelf dedicated to my collection of Art Gallery Fabrics!



I took this photo in the Summer of 2012, just after I had finished my first big quilt and a couple years before my dream of becoming a fabric designer came true. There has been so many quilts and SO much wonderful, beautiful fabric since I snapped this picture!

My goal is to start 2019 with a clean studio and slate, in the sense that I wish to have empty scrap baskets and drawers. Yes, I have both! I recently decided to completly redo my studio, a two room space that I rent downtown, after the holidays are over and destashing and decluttering will be key!

So last week, overcome with the desire to start purging, I emptied all of my various scrap vessels into one large basket to bring home, and throughout the past several days I've been putting together colorful 1 yard bundles to sell!



In each scrap bundle you’ll find a range of patterns and the occasional out of print fabric, in sizable strips and pieces of my studio scraps from the variety of collections that I've used to create my quilts and sewing projects over the past year or so, making these little bundles perfect for patchwork! Bundles are $10 a piece plus shipping. Please feel free to email me at maureencracknell@hotmail.com if you're interested in ordering anytime!

Thank you!

xo Maureen

Scrap Happy : :

Late last night, as I attempted to straighten up my sewing room before heading off to bed, I noticed piles of scraps everywhere, again. It happens fast around here! Usually I bundle them up to destash, but last night I decided it was time to begin a simple quilt, using only scraps, right then and there!



The fabrics are a mash-up of all the collections I've been working with lately. Artisan, Bound, Cultivate, with a few older project leftovers mixed in here and there. I'm using mostly 2.5 inch wide strips, cut to various lengths, joining them just as I did when making my recent scrappy pillow. I had mentioned when I shared that new pillow how much I'd love to make a quilt in this scrappy saw-tooth style and here I go!



I began by sewing two strips together, a neutral low volume print with one of the colorful scraps, the same way I do when making quilt binding, piecing each strip with a diagonal seam. Once I had enough strips sewn together, I sewed them to a panel of batting one after the other using my go-to quilt as you go method, staggering them to create a zig-zag like pattern.





Easy, fun, and I'll have a beautiful scrap-busting quilt at the end. The scraps are being used, and I am happy!

♡ Maureen

AMH Scrap Bundle Destash : :

I stayed up last night pressing and bundling some of my Anna Maria Horner fabric scraps to offer here in a little destash today. The last time that I had a scrap bundle destash right here on my blog it worked out wonderfully, so I'm going to try it again! It was nice to be able to include those of you don't have Instagram. 



In each scrap bag you’ll find a range of fabrics from several Anna Maria Horner fabric collections including quilting cotton, voile, flannel, sateen, and out of print fabrics!  These are the strips, charms, and pieces in sizes perfect for patchwork, leftover from my herringbone quilts and the dozens of sewing projects I've created using Anna Maria's designs!





Each scrap bag will include a cute yet heavy-duty, usable, 10 x 12 inch 100% cotton drawstring bag filled with approximately 1 yard of colorful fabric scraps by weight and will vary in prints from several collections...







They are $15 a piece plus shipping, and I have just 15 bags to offer today. All bundles will be shipped first class with tracking at $4 for USA residents. International friends are welcome to these scraps, as well, but I will have to send the bag in a flat rate envelope so the package is track-able, which is pretty pricey!

These will ship today for those of you who would like one can pay right away. I'm offering just one per person this time and am not able to take any requests as they are already packaged into my mailing envelopes. Please leave a comment with your Paypal email address to claim, the first fifteen to do so will receive an AMH scrap bag!

& thank you!
♥ Maureen

Scrap Bundle Bags : :

I stayed up last night pressing and bundling scraps to offer here in a little destash today. Last time when I had my rainbow bundle detsash on my instagram, although things went very quickly which was wonderful, I felt so bad for those of you who didn't have Instagram. So today, I thought I would try it out right here on my blog!





In each scrap bag you’ll find a range of patterns & solids, the occasional out of print fabric, in sizable strips, charms, and pieces of my studio scraps from the variety of collections that I've used to create my quilts and sewing projects, making these little bundles perfect for patchwork!



Each scrap bag will include a cute yet heavy-duty, usable, 10 x 12 inch 100% cotton drawstring bag filled with approximately 1 yard of colorful fabric scraps by weight. Each bag will vary in color, designers, manufacturers, etc..







They are $10 a piece plus shipping, and I have 25 bags to offer today. All bundles will be shipped first class with tracking at $4 for USA residents. International friends are welcome to these scraps, as well, but I will have to send the bag in a flat rate envelope so the package is track-able, which is pretty pricey!

These will ship today, if those of you who would like one can pay right away. I am offering just one per person this time and am not able to take any requests as they are already packaged into my mailing envelopes. Please leave a comment with your Paypal email address to claim, the first twenty-five to do so will receive a scrap bag.

& thank you!
♥ Maureen

Fabric Scrap Overflow : :

Almost two years ago actually to the day I finished my first scraps quilt. It was only the third quilt I had ever made, the first that was larger than a crib size. It took me forever and I learned so much about quilting as it evolved from the tiny bits I had saved from all the projects I had made while learning to sew that first year, to a finished, useful quilt. I thought back then that I'd continue on making smaller projects, pillows, bags, home decor items, sell-able things, and that I would save my quilt making for all the scraps those projects produced. If you've been following, you know I changed my mind on that!

Now, since that was the only true scraps quilt I've ever made and that was nearly two years ago, you can imagine the fabric scrap situation in my studio today. It's astounding! My drawers are so packed full they don't open without a forceful pull!



The solution, since my last Instagram detsash was such a success although a bit overwhelming, I decided to begin slowly sorting and packaging up my scraps for a scraps bag destash!





Each scrap bag will include a cute yet heavy-duty, 100% cotton drawstring bag filled with lots of colorful fabric scraps! Some will consist of all the pretty fabric that I've used together to create one of my quilts, like these photos show from my almost finished Endless Summer Quilt.



However, in most you’ll find a range of patterns & solids, the occasional out of print fabric, in both sizable strips and pieces of my studio scraps from the variety of collections that I've used to create my quilts and sewing projects. I plan to fill each 10 x 12 inch bag with approximately 1 to 1 1/4 yards of fabric pieces by weight. Of course each scrap bag will vary in colors, designers, manufacturers, etc.. I plan to offer these for $10 a piece plus shipping, just as soon as I fill the 50+ bags I have on hand. 



If all goes well, I do hope to continue to bundle up my scraps like so to offer at the end of each project and to avoid this scrap overflow situation from ever reoccurring, I hope you're interested!

How about you, do you keep all of your project scraps? And if so, how do you keep them from taking over?! I'd love to read your tips for organizing and for how you handle your scraps, share away!!

♥ Maureen

Sewing Room Snapshots : :

Whenever I take a day off from blogging it's almost always because I'm sewing sooo much! That's been the case this week as I play catch-up after a weekend away and I work on meeting fast approaching deadlines. Since we returned home Sunday night I've been a sewing machine! I'm preparing to close my etsy shop beginning this Sunday for a little more than one week, to give me the time to finish up all orders before our Virginia Beach Thanksgiving vacation.

Because of the work week I'll be missing and how late Thanksgiving seems to fall this year, I decided to start my annual Crown Sale early!! If you've been wanting to order one, now is the best time! Coupon Code: HOLIDAY20 give's you an extra 20% off and makes these crowns a wonderful handmade, under $25, personalized/custom, special gift/stocking stuffer! My New Year's is made so much more special by all the adorable photos my customers send me after the holidays, I can't wait!!



This is a new favorite of mine -- A Camping themed crown, newly listed in my shop!



A few of yesterday's crown makings!



Besides crowns, here's a look at what's being made or is just hanging around my sewing room these days!



I made this embroidery hoop dreamcatcher one night last week, I especially loved making the stitched, felt feathers! After a little pattern tweaking I think it will make a fun tutorial to share sometime in the Winter weeks ahead of us!

There's always a fox pillow or two being made each week!



I've been very busy sorting lots of fabric scraps to include with the felt orders that come through the shop!







I started a new quilt using a block idea I dreamed up specifically for all my AMH strings leftover from my Herringbone Quilt & tutorial!



I can't wait to find the time to cut into this lovely stack of Minimalista -- a new collection by AGF In-House Studio! I have a good plan for these!!



And, I can't stop thinking about how to finish this thrifted quilt top. At close inspection it has a few holes and the hand-piecing is quite loose. A project probably best to leave for after the holidays, if I can wait that long! Isn't it beautiful?



I have Kaiden's Making Rows quilt left to finish and two more quilts yet to start & finish before Christmas, but I believe these should some together quickly. I also have so many little project ideas swirling around. These days sure are busy, but they're also fun! I'm hoping to be back tomorrow with something new to share! See you then!!  ♥  Maureen 

A Tule Patchwork Bag : :

In time to bring along on our Saturday day-trip, I stitched up this quick & easy tote bag making use of the Tule patchwork strips I had leftover from my Sunset quilt top. The outside and straps are made up of my scrappy strips and pieced together using the same Herringbone Quilt method that I just shared this past Monday. This time I sewed my rectangle panels together off-set just enough so this scrappy pattern looks more like a braid rather than the "V" herringbone design. I like it!



I used all but just a few of my scraps, so even though my bag construction is about as simple as it gets, I'm happy! I do enjoy making bags, but for me -- simple is very good!

It's lined with a pretty AGF Pure Element in Sweet Mint, with a nice layer of cotton batting to give it weight, boxed out sides, and finished with simple, densely quilted, throw-over-the-shoulder length straps.







I tossed in just a few supplies to work on quilting it during the drive and if there was a moment for handwork throughout the day. I love my thrifted stork scissors!



There ended up being several opportunities for this project on Saturday. It was so wonderful to just sit and add my hand-quilting stitches while watching Kevin & the kids fish!







I'm especially glad I brought it along to get these pretty pictures!



I'll be adding many, many more stitches as I find the time. I'll be sure to share what it looks like finished with all that lovely hand-quilting!

Happy Sewing!!  ♥  Maureen 

Super Stashy : :

After not sewing a single stitch yesterday, once the kids were off to school this morning I dove right into a new project -- making use of all those pretty Tule Sunset scraps!



But want I really want to share today is my ironing board full of goodness! Just check out this wonderful, HUGE stack of fabric!!



I took major advantage of the 40% OFF sale happening at Sprightly Fabrics, stashing 64 different Art Gallery Fabric prints! Yes, Bijoux, Carnaby Street, Floressence, Lux in Bloom, Splendor 1920, & Reminisce is all here!



At the top of my stack sits more Art Gallery Fabrics -- Angela Walters' new Legacy collection, more Tule, and the pretty coral & cool black prints from AGF's new Minimalista!







A bundle of Cloud9's soon to be released Up, Up, and Away by Skinny laMinx. I've designed a free quilt pattern for these that will be available just as soon as this collection is!



And, I couldn't resist these Domino Dots by Violet Craft. I love the colors!



Lovely piles, aren't they?! Now my only problem is that I cannot decide which to cut into first!

How about you, have you stashed anything new lately?  ♥  Maureen