Design Wall Monday

It's Monday again...

On my design wall is this...

Blooming Stars Bed Runner
designed by Joanie Holton and Melanie Greseth
TailorMade ... by Design

Ordered from Keepsake Quilting

My mom ordered this and had asked me if I would help her cut it out. Of course I will!

My son had a doctor appointment in St. Louis last week. We usually spend the night before and after his appointment with my parents since the driving time is half what it would be from my house, plus it is a chance to get to spend some time with them. We live about 3 1/2 hours apart. I brought my mat and cutter with me thinking that if her kit was delivered while I was there I could get the fabric cut for her so she could start piecing. Worked out perfectly. The kit arrived the day we got there. We looked at it and decided it would be best if it came home with me for cutting and piecing. As far as I know my mother has never made a quilt. We felt this was a little more challenging than she was ready for.

It went together pretty well. This block is purple but my camera makes it look more blue. I don't know how to adjust the color.

Scrap bins

 I like to keep my scraps organized

I kind of do it the way Bonnie Hunter does. You can check out her method here.
I cut my scraps as big as I can. I figure I can always cut them down if I need to. I have tubs for smaller than 2", 2", 2 1/2", 3", 3 1/2", 4", 4 1/2", 5", 5 1/2", 6" and 6 1/2". Larger than that gets folded and put in a shoe cubby by color. Yardage pieces get folded and stored in a cabinet.
If I can only cut a piece to 4 inches I don't square it up. I leave it 4" by however long it is. I don't want to spend my time cutting it down, and who knows when I might need a piece bigger than 4" square?
I got my bins from Aldi several years ago. I have seen them other places too. They are advertised as children's toy storage. My husband is actually the one who thought these would work for fabric storage. Smart man!
My bins are tucked in the corner behind my frame.
Did you notice the little rooster cabinet above the bins? My lovely SIL GAVE that to me. She was out browsing antique stores one day, saw that cabinet and thought of me! My kitchen is decorated with roosters and I think she intended that I would use it there. It is perfect for holding the supplies I use for quilting. And, it fits nicely right there.

I have also been trying to use Bonnie's method of using leaders and enders by sewing 2" square together and then into 4 patches. I was sewing a light and a dark together. I didn't really have a plan in mind. I think I need a plan! So...

I made a mystery quilt once following along as the clues were posted. I didn't care for the finished quilt so now I watch but wait until the final clue is posted before I decide if I will make the quilt.

I decided to start a mystery quilt.
Star Path designed my Nancy Miller.
It is a Yahoo group at  MysteryQuilts4Military.
I have clues A, B, D and half of C cut.
I really like this one so I am getting the clues ready.

So far I have gotten most of the fabric from my scrap bins. I am going to have to cut into FQ for some it it, but not much. I cut as much as I could from the scraps I had for the size pieces called for. I had to cut some of the bigger scraps down. But that's ok. I am glad I had them and I ended up with some smaller scraps from cutting the bigger ones down. They are smaller than I need for this project but they will get used on another.

Now I have a plan for leaders and enders.