Using Scraps - July ALYoF Goal

How do you feel about fabric scraps? Do you love them, do you hate them, or are you indifferent towards them? In this day and age of a "throw away" mentality I like to look at my fabric as every scrap being precious and they challenge me to use them up :o) Now, before we go any further, let me give you my definition of a "fabric scrap." A scrap is any piece of fabric which is so small it can no longer be folded and stored with cuts of fabric (fat quarters, half yard cuts, and larger.)

I use an over-the-door shoe organizer to sort and store scraps

Somewhere online I discovered this idea to use an over-the-door shoe organizer for keeping scraps sorted by color. I've been using this method for about a year-and-a-half now and it works great for me. I try to make it a personal goal not to accumulate too many scraps so that each individual pouch cannot contain it's color. If you look at the top row you can see the neutral fabrics pouches are getting a bit too full. Thus setting the stage for a good scrap-using project :o)

Here's the background for my scrap busting project: My local quilt guild, Winchester Modern Quilters, has recently started a fun guild activity...a Row by Row quilt. We are each making our own quilts using our own fabric, and it can be any size. Each member wrote a word or phrase on a scrap of paper (ie. stars, flowers) and we put them all into a bowl. Then, each month we pull out a word and use it as an inspiration to make a row for a quilt. It is completely up to each quilter how she wants to interpret the word. 

I am getting a bit behind on this quilt because I was away on a trip so now two inspirational words/phrases have been selected: stars, and girls night out. Therefore, my July ALYoF Goal (A Lovely Year of Finishes) is to complete my two rows for this quilt. I am going to be working from my scraps. First up is the row of stars.

I pulled my fabrics and organized them into piles. I will be making (6) six inch 8-Point Star blocks. I could not find a tutorial/pattern for the particular star I had in mind so I used Microsoft Word Drawing toolbar to create my own paper piecing pattern.

8-Point Star Block - front

8-Point Star Block - Back

Here's what the back looks like with the paper pieces still attached. This is really a simple star to make and the paper piecing ensures nice, perfectly formed points.

Once the star blocks are complete I have to represent "Girls night out" as a quilt row. I have a couple ideas floating around in my head, but I'd love to hear any suggestions you might offer. If you have an idea please leave it for me in the Comments :o)

I'm linking up with the July Goals Party over at Sew Bittersweet Designs & Fiber of All Sorts. My scrappy quilt rows is entry No. 78. You should pop on over there and check out some of the other great projects going on this month!