Scrappy Bricks

So many scraps! When I trim the backing from quilts after quilting I end up with some strips. I wanted to make some scrappy quilts so I pulled out the bag of strips and separated any piece that was at least 2 inches wide. 

This is the block I wanted to make with those narrow strips. The center square is 3.5" by 3.5" (unfinished size) and each brick is cut to 2" by 3.5". The block measures 9.5" by 9.5" and will finish at 9" by 9" in the finished quilt. I used the same fabric for the center squares. I'm still working on cutting bricks from the scrap bin. 

This little quilt is the first of many. Sixteen blocks surrounded by a 2.5" border will make a great kid quilt. I just turn each block by 90 degrees so there are very few seams to line up except for the blocks themselves. It is a pretty forgiving block. 

Since I finished this top I have cut and pieced another 16 blocks. They are waiting to become another quilt. I have a third one planned after that. Such a simple block. These make a great leader/ender project. New to leader/ender projects? Check out this informative post by Bonnie Hunter about why this method works for her. Even if I don't have a dedicated leader/ender project I always have some small pieces ready to go next to my machine. That way I'm always working on something. It is also a good way to sit down and just sew for a few minutes without an prep work. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Creative Grids 6.5" Square Ruler
Creative Grids 4.5" x 12.5" Rectangle Quilting Ruler
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion
Fiskars 8-inch scissors
Juki TL-2010Q