I am finished making the Scrap Vomit quilt tops!
I haven't pressed the top yet, but here's the photo I took of it. This is the way the original pattern was, alternating bullseye blocks and light colored 49 patch blocks. The last one I made will the all neutral sides was just my variation. This quilt top used another 1,715 2" squares, bringing my total 2" squares sewn into quilt tops up to 6,966!
My bullseye squares were all cutoffs from quilt backings, which is why I used those colors. Had I wanted to cut up yardage, I would have used something different. The neutral squares are all scraps from other projects. Scrap Vomit may be a less than ideal name, but a quilt that is 100% scraps is a winning pattern! Now, if you are thinking your scraps are mostly darks or medium value prints, you could still do this pattern by changing the value of the bullseye squares. If you do a Google image search for Scrap Vomit Quilts, you'll see a bunch of them a lot less color controlled than this one.
You know, I thought I'd be sick of busting 2" squares by now, but actually, I'm more satisfied by seeing them used than I am sick of sewing of them up. For now, I'm going to stick with busting the squares. I follow a lot of quilters online, and it always surprises me when I see how many people don't save scraps this size. They think they are too small. If a usable WOF is 42", you can cut 378 squares from each yard of fabric. I've sewn 6,966 into quilt tops in the last six weeks, which represents almost 18 1/2 yards of fabric! Sure I've busted more fabric than that overall, because most of the quilts I've made use more than 2" squares.
I know not everyone likes sewing things that finish at 1.5" or less, so if you don't enjoy it, by all means don't save the small stuff. My suggestion would be to find someone who does enjoy the small stuff and give them your scraps. If you like big pieces and quick finishes there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I will admit I cringe when I hear of someone throwing their scraps out because they don't want to work with them. I'm not cringing because I think every quilter needs to make scrap quilts, I'm cringing because of the waste. Do the landfill and a fellow quilter a favor, offer the scraps that are actually usable, but not something you want to use, to someone who will use those scraps. If you are a lone quilter like I am, I've found the easiest way to do that just posting something online in a Facebook quilting group, or some other type of online quilting group. I usually have a taker within minutes, and most people are happy to pay postage. If you want to give your scraps locally, ask a local quilt guild or quilt shop if they know someone who could use your scraps. I love making scrap quilts, but even I get overwhelmed by scraps from time to time, and I try to always give them away. Back when I was making custom scrub tops, I simply didn't have time to make a lot of scrap quilts, so I gave away LOTS of scraps. I wasn't just giving away the small stuff either, I was giving away larger pieces that I just knew I wasn't likely to use soon, or ever. People who don't have a lot of money, but want to quilt for charities, really appreciate the influx of scraps.
So, am I running out of 2" squares? Nope, not yet, but I am seeing a considerable dent put in my boxes of squares, I'm guessing I still have at least a dozen more quilt tops to be made. I'm not making any huge quilts right now, but sometimes a bunch of smaller quilts for easy donation are a fun way to go. By making smaller quilts, I'm able to be a bit more color controlled, and I've found that makes scrap quilts more desirable, since not everyone appreciates the kitchen sink variety of scrappy that I love.
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