Back to Basics - Thread Bunnies

Thread bunnies. AKA leaders & enders.
This is proof that the smallest scrap of fabric can have the biggest impact in your quilting.

So, here's what you need for this:

A scrap of fabric. You know that piece you accidentally cut too small. Or that leftover part of the strip that's too small to get another square out of? Don't toss it immediately!

When you're sewing on your machine, you sew a seam, you may even chain piece a bunch, but what happens typically when you need to stop? Or get up to iron? You pull on the piece you just sewed exposing the threads and cut them, right?

Then when you go to sew again you have to grab onto those threads so they don't leave a nice "nest" in your stitching and then trim them off, right? If you are like I was, I had a huge pile of threads cut just from this simple task. This is where I got to thinking - there has to be a simpler solution!

Go figure, it was one of those ask and you shall receive moments - my Mom introduced me to the thread bunny. Instead of wasting all that thread, when you finish sewing your blocks, you put a scrap of fabric right through your machine and then trim the threads in between those pieces...

When you go to sew your next pieces together, there's no threads to grab onto, just stitch away and then cut the small bit of thread between the pieces!

An even better option is this: I make a side project. For instance last year I had a bunch of jelly roll strips cut at 6-1/2" left over from my Scarf Tutorial on the Moda Bake Shop. I got to thinking that if I sewed 3 strips together they would make a triple rail block. I would see how many blocks I could make and go from there.

It was leftover fabric. I didn't have a deadline. And guess what? I got another quilt top I wasn't planning on making done in no time! Just recently I finished this small top too as my side project:

This is one of the Moda Bake Shop Boxes available in stores. I just sewed and sewed until I couldn't sew any more pieces, laid it out, and this is what it made.

For a bit more clarification, with projects like these I sew as many of a step as I can and keep them off to the side. When I get to the end of that step I press them all when I'm pressing the pieces for the project I'm actually focusing on. When I get to a point where I have actual blocks and need to lay out the side project, I take a small break and finish this side project and start another one.

This also works great for those of you who want to use up your stash... Just start sewing!

Do you do something a bit different? Do you have anything you would like to add to this topic? Or do you have a question? Just leave a comment below!

I'll be back soon with more topics!