What to do when you're trapped in the house

Cut up fabric, of course. A number of double shoebox sized plastic containers sit on the bottom shelf of the bookcase in the office/sewing room. One box holds 2 1/2" strips cut from ends of fabric from quilt projects. A second is labeled "Miscellaneous small pieces" - truly small pieces meant to be used for paper piecing or other small crafts. The third is marked "Bigger miscellaneous small pieces". As you can see, the creativity goes into the quilts, not the labels on the containers.

Several months ago I found myself faced with a stack of ends of fabric to evaluate - leftovers from other projects, pieces that were taken out of the stash and partially used and other odd pieces. When I went through the pile, I immediately cut strips from pieces that were too small to be used in anything other than a scrap quilt, as well as cutting a single equilateral triangle from each fabric.

With that stack dealt with, I've turned my attention to the "Bigger miscellaneous small pieces", cutting strips where I have enough, cutting a triangle whenever possible. As I've delved deeper into the box, I've rediscovered fabric I used in a wallhanging made for dear friends...in 1986. Rather than being appalled that I held on to those scraps for that long, be impressed that twenty-two years of odds and ends fit in a single 11 x 8 x5" container. A single container.

At a future date, the strips will become some variation on a Log Cabin scrap quilt. The triangles will go into a Thousand Pyramid scrap quilt; with a bit of diligence, that may be a true charm quilt, a scrap quilt with no duplication of fabric. Although, with my peri-menopausal flighiness, I may complete the top only to find a duplicate - both in the interior of the quilt top. Still, it's a goal to work toward.