Scrap Strippy blocks

In between decluttering and tidying up my stash, I browsed Pinterest to see what other quilters do with the scraps left over from finished quilt projects.  I have a box of scraps cut into squares and rectangles simply because it is easier to keep them tidy, and a tub of strips.  The squares I can always find a use for, and I kept thinking I could use the strips to bind a new project but of course the reality is that whenever you bind a quilted project of any size, you don't use leftovers - you cut a whole new length of binding to suit the project!  So what was I to do with this tub of strips?

Make a strippy quilt!  I found many ways of utilising strips, but I liked this one best.  Sew strips on a background of interfacing.

When all the strips in one colour range have been used up on squares of interfacing...

Trim them all to the same size, and put aside until a decision is made what to do with them :-)

Now I am working on squares using all the red/red patterned strips in my bucket.

Japanese quilt and more.

My Japanese quilt has been beautifully quilted by Jenny Jameson at Sunrise Quilting in Diamond Creek, and is now on show over the back of our couch in the lounge room.

Even Tiger seems impressed, checking out the back of it as I flipped it over.  The backing fabric is from The Quilt Shop in Eltham, where Alison and Sharon are always ready to provide advice and suggestions, as well as selling fabric from their incredible range!

But it looks like this won't be the last Japanese fabric quilt I make.  My generous friend Aiko in Tokyo has just sent me another parcel of materials - completely different from the above.  Traditional day Kimono fabrics in indigo, stripes and browns.  At first glance I thought What????  but after going through my Japanese quilting books, I can see the potential.  Watch this space, but don't hold your breath - LOL!