An explosion of activity

The scrap basket has become so full that the lid won't close, and the last straw was when the bag of 3-inch scraps basically exploded on me yesterday  morning.  Something had to be done!

Oklahoma Backroads blocks

So, abandoning all other more important projects I quickly searched around for something, ANYTHING, that could be made with 3 inch blocks.  I didn't look too far, Quiltville to the rescue! Oklahoma Backroads by Bonnie Hunter looked perfect.  Bonnie Hunter's scrappy patterns are so much fun, but alas, she works mostly with 2.5 inch blocks.

Not to be discouraged, I decided that the Quilt Police didn't live at my house.  And... I did actually get a Math degree in college (back in the Middle Ages,) so let's use that knowledge for a change.

Only one small adjustment: my blocks need to be  3 x 3 and 3 x 5.5.  Works for me!  So I dumped the bag of 3-inch scraps out on the table.  All the longer pieces were cut into 3 x 5.5's.  The remainders were cut into 3-inch squares.  What was leftover became 2-inch squares for my leader/ender project.  Not much left after that but a few 1.5-inch blocks that went back into the scrap basket.

Split Nine-Patch blocks

So I turned on the Olympic Games and started sewing Oklahoma Backroads.  The 4 bonus HST's that are made from each block can be trimmed to 2-inch blocks and, zip zip, by adding 3 light and 3 dark 2-inch scraps I can make a Split Nine-Patch leader/ender.  Not bad progress.

I'll just make up about 16 Oklahoma Backroads  blocks to use up those scraps and assemble the quilt later.  I need to get back to my 'must do' projects, but a little creative break might be just what I need.

It is a 'creative break' isn't it, and not just procrastination?