Bibs for Baby

I had been hoping to finish Mr. LJ's bibs before our out-of-town company arrived, and that didn't happen, but I did get all the ribbing sewn on for the necklines. 

Today I had a bit of time alone, while company had other plans, so I managed to get all the appliques fused on, so a bit of time sewing around the edges is all I need to call this project done.

Here's how they look right now. The two with printed towels on the right are finished, I won't add applique to those. The rest just need the applique stitched down, and then I can pack them up and mail them if we don't decide to drive up to Phoenix next week. I know DD#2 is anxious to get the bibs, she's been getting by with only three bibs leftover from the twins.

Since I try to keep a lookout for hand towels at thrift stores, I had everything on hand to make these bibs. The appliques are just cut from novelty fabrics with fusible on the back. My mom gave me a bunch of ribbing a while back, and so I had several colors to choose from. 

I have a stash that would make a lot of people uncomfortable, thinking it was too much, but I like everything to be on hand for a project. I have weeded out things I am unlikely to use, most of my garment fabrics, and pretty much everything non-quilting related. Some things I make somewhat frequently, like bibs, I kept the stuff to make. About the only thing I use ribbing for these days are bibs, so any scraps too small to get a neckline from I tossed. I'm just not likely to make baby t-shirts with ribbing, so saving tiny pieces of ribbing is silly. 

The pre-cutting scraps vs. not pre-cutting scraps question came up on one of my quilting groups again. Honestly, there is no right answer to that question, and anyone who thinks there is, must believe every works the same way they do.  It really depends on what you like to do as a quilter, how prolific you are, and how much money you have available for quilting. If you hate scrap quilts, there is no reason to save scraps at all, you'll likely never use them. If everything has to be matchy-matchy for you to enjoy a project, don't bother saving scraps. If you do a lot of applique, and need a bunch of odd shaped pieces, pre-cutting may not be efficient for you. If, on the other hand, you love scrap quilts like I do, and hate matchy-matchy things like I do, than pre-cutting scraps may work great for you like it does for me. I make lots of quilt patterns that can be cut from strips, and the more variety the better in my book, so pre-cutting scraps into usable sizes and storing them neatly so I'm not having to iron a huge mess saves me a ton of time. I tried just saving scraps in totes, and I never got around to using them, I just kept filling more totes with scraps. Once I took the time to cut them down into the sizes I use most? Yup, I use them all the time. I start out in my scrap user system every time I want to start a scrappy quilt. I divide my strips by color, so if I have an overwhelming amount of strips in a certain color, I tend to start a two color quilt, soon I'll start a blue and white quilt. I will likely have over 100 different blue fabrics in that quilt, and only one white. I'm looking forward to making it, seeing what I can do with what others may have tossed. 

DH is talking about retiring in a few years, and I want my stash to be MY retirement fund! I want to be able to quilt for years to come, without spending a fortune when we are on a fixed income. I'm blessed to have a great fabric stash, and I have lots of plans on how to use it!