Mad Dash Sew-Along, Week 7

The weeks are flying by! And here it is still Monday, and I have the weekly post ready! I might slowly be coming out of the recent fog I’ve been in. Heaven knows, there’s plenty I need to get done — I just haven’t been motivated to do much of it.

Since I have to stay one step ahead of all you participants (which is proving hard to do, by the way, especially since I’m in a slump), I’m here today to talk about the filler pieces that you’ll be cutting along the way for each section.

At the beginning of the instructions for each section, there is a list of the blocks you’ll need from your stockpile, and then a list of all the extra pieces you need to cut, and finally, instructions for making the partial blocks you’ll need for each section, if any. And that’s all before you get started sewing! Aren’t you glad I broke it up into sections? I sure am.

As I’ve been cutting my blocks, I’ve thrown aside the scrap pieces that are left over. While there’s not enough left to cut a block from, there might be enough to make filler pieces, so I’ll be glad to use them up!

When the instructions call for cutting a strip, if you don’t have a piece long enough, it’s perfectly all right to piece two (or even three) strips together until it is long enough for you to cut your strip. This just adds a bit more interest to your filler, if you want to do it that way. So don’t be afraid to try that, if you want to.

I also dip into my pre-cut bins of scraps to see if there are any pieces from there that will work. It uses them up, and adds more variety into my quilt. When I make a scrap quilt, I’m all about “the more, the better”! I think it makes the quilt that much more interesting to look at when it’s finished. This polka dot square came from my pre-cut bin, and will work perfectly in my background.

So that’s my tidbit of helpful information this week.  You don’t have to start cutting filler pieces yet, since we’re not starting the first section until next week, and if you’re like me, you’re still working on that stockpile of blocks.

But I am giving you some homework:

• • Read the bottom part of page 9 in your pattern for some preliminary information.
• • Peruse the list of blocks you’ll need for Section 1 at the top of page 10, and make sure you at least have enough blocks in your stockpile to get started on the first section.
• • Print out (or copy or trace) your templates (pages 65-67), and cut them out and have them ready.

There! That should keep you busy until next Monday, when we start Section One assembly — are you excited?

Are you ready?