Almost There

Finished "outlining" the dupionni squares with brown trim.

This is the proposed layout:

I would continue but I gummed up my iron not realizing that the Timtex had fusible on both sides.  So I need to clean my iron using dryer sheets.  My studio is on the second floor.  The dryer sheets are in the basement.  When next I go down there, I will bring some up and continue.
 

Unpicking

 Spent the better part of the morning unpicking previously ziagzagged squares.

Have blank slate again.

Tried something new for the squares.

Still have to decided if I like them framed with trim.

Dupionni silk bits

I am ready to attach the squares I made with silk bits sewn onto timtex.

This is the layout

 

I tried zigzagging them with green thread onto the green faux suede fabric.  Did not like the result.

Tried zigzagging with a variegated brown-beige thread.  Thread keeps breaking and I still am not enamoured because I don't like the frayed edges.

Setting this one aside for now to go back to thinking about a solution.

Batting Bits, end

So I finished cutting the battings bits into smaller bits, 1" square or less - no I did not measure them to cut them- and stuffed them into a pillow case previously ravaged by Titan.

 I was then left with a cutting mat looking like this:

I searched "how to clean a fibre cutting mat" on youtube and found that if you rub the mat with this:

 

the fibre particles will come out.

This is what I've done so far

Definitely an improvement.  Rub a dub dub.

But I can cut on the mat back and may just use this one for future batting use as I have a large good mat for regular stuff.

 

Batting Bits, continued

So today, I continued with sewing more batting strips together.  I made an additional 9 12"ish squares.

So with a total of 18 squares made, I figured that Chai made me virtuous enough in recycling batting.

I am now cutting the remaining pieces into small bits

with which I will fill a pillowcase and take to the local animal hospital, a mitzvah to boot.

Once I finished with the sewing, I cleaned the bobbin case, which should be done on a regular basis, say every Friday, and especially after sewing batting which has a lot of fluff.  And I changed the machine needle, so I'm ready for my next project.
 

Batting bits

 I have been quilting for about 20 years now.  Not as prolific as some but I've still managed to accumulate a fair amount of batting pieces from after the quilt is squared and trimmed. (Not that I actually measure to check that the quilt is square - I belong to the school of "close enough".)

Frugal being that I am, I have about 20 years of saved batting bits, stored in a bin, that someday I will use.

Cut them into strips, in this case 15" long.

And made 9 15" squares.

These will work well for small wall hangings.

This is a project for when I need to spend time mindless cutting and sewing.

Now to research if the animal hospital takes pillows stuffed with the trimmings from the trimmings.

Improv etc.

I am frugal (i.e. cheap).  I don't need to run out to buy the latest quilting tool or even older ones.

Do I need a spinning cutting mat?  No.  Do I want one? Yes.

I have a lazy susan from my kitchen, languishing unused.  I attached strips of cardboard on top of the lazy susan so my small cutting mat would like flat.

Et voila.  Sufficient for trimming small blocks.

 

 Now I just have to check that it works.  And start making small blocks...

For my next order of business, I a going to sew together strips of batting to make 14" ish squares for wall hangings.  Since I do not plan to use the blocks for anything other than wall hangings, as long as the strips are more or less the same thickness, it doesn't matter whether they are 100% cotton or a blend. 

If strips are being joined together for bed quilts, they definitely should be of the same composition, because they shrink differently.