Ironing Board Cover, Cont....

So after my ingenious decision to use my scraps for this ironing board cover pattern instead of buying a jelly roll some things took an interesting turn...
Not all of my scrap fabrics were 40 " long. In fact most of them weren't 40" long. Half that at best. Now if you haven't looked at the pattern yet the way she makes her blocks is really clever. A much better way to deal with strips on the diagonal than I would've thought of. Sadly, the use of anything less than 40" like what comes in a jelly roll can cause...complications.
Don't worry. We can make scraps work! Here's what I did to fudge it together.

Take one full length strip ( 40") and two half strips (20") and start sewing a halfsy one to the longsy one. Before you get all the way to the end...or after...sometimes I miss it...layer your second halfsy strip a little bit over the first one. At least a 1/4" here since you want some wiggle room. Keep sewing on down the line! It'll look something like this :















On the other side of those half strips , if you can, put another full strip. It'll just help stabilize things. Once your blocks are made you're going to find something like this in a few of them


Sarah you're so clever! I hear you say but I have bad news. It won't work, I'm afraid. No one makes a quilt with holes in it. What to do ? Well I've got a plan. In all of the blocks I zig zag stitched the openings closed or together and I put fray check on the back . This does leave a little rough n' tough sort of spot in the blocks. I don't mind this, it's barely noticeable, but if you do please cut the full length strips or use a jelly roll like the smart lady said to do in the first place. Why don't I listen to the smarter ladies ? But it is an ironing board cover, after all and I plan to use it and abuse it.


In some spots I sorta spaced out...it happens a lot...and I forgot to overlay my strips. This left me with a hole in the block instead of a little, indiscreet slit. Again, I zig zagged and fray checked and now we're gonna cover that hole up with something cute! If you've never done fusible interface applique before please read over my tutorial post on the subject. Make yourself a cute little patch or two, however many you need. I needed two. You could use the same fabric, different, a simple shape like a circle or something more decorative. I've been looking at a lot of little bird pictures lately so I used a little bird.

Just a little button stitch to stick that birdie down and it's off to top assembly!
What is it about laying blocks out that draws in the kittehs ? Don't mind her, she's just wondering why I'm on a chair. Please disregard the triceratops as well. He's not a part of this project.
If I don't get cabin fever we might even finish this thing!