Are you thinking about leftover Monday? In the pause before spring really gets to sprouting, it’s very little difficult to keep my eye on my precious scraps when newer and shinier things are drawing my attention . I’m trying to design an Easter-themed wall hanging for my office with the new beautiful fabrics I purchased at Quilter’s Corner in Ithaca, NY.  Meanwhile, the scraps are piling up, unprocessed and lonely — how’s that for projection?

One of my no-rules quilting projects (perfect for leftover Monday) is something I originally found on the Red Pepper Quilts blog. I was really drawn to the way that the center 1″ white strips  define and highlight the blocks. Since the first time I noticed this pattern, I’ve seen the technique in other places. Whoever thought of it was brilliant — it allows for unthinking, no rules quilting– for when you’re distracted and a complicated pattern with color matching seems like just too much work.

I keep my scrap projects in a train case I found at a garage sale. I tucked a perfume sample from a magazine in it and, although I’m not a big fan of perfume, I love the way it smells every time I open it.

Train case with scrap projects inside.

So, after a tough day (week?) of work, I guess I will set aside my dreams for my new fabric, stop thinking about bright green grass, and dive into leftovers.

No rules quilting – string blocks.