Spring Cleaning

Raise your right hand if you've been thinking about starting your spring cleaning. Raise your left hand if you're working on your spring cleaning. Raise both hands if you've finished your spring cleaning. Congratulations! Way to go!

Now, before you lower those hands and pat yourself on the back, let's do a quick check to see if you're telling the truth. Spring cleaning is finished for 2012 if you've done the following:

• Windows cleaned
• Snow boots put away
• Cobwebs removed from the ceiling
• Fabric scrap jungle tamed

What? You forgot about your scrap piles? Maybe your spring cleaning isn't as finished as you thought.

After all of your winter sewing, you're bound to have created a mountain (or molehill) of scraps. All of those special pieces were too pretty, too large, or too precious to throw away. But now that you have saved them, what are you going to do with them? Rather than shove them in a box, might we make a few suggestions?

Why not start a Spring Cleaning Quilt? This Scrappy Hourglass quilt makes a good choice if you have bunches and bunches of scraps you need to use.

Create your own version by ordering the magazine here:

http://www.homesteadhearth.com/scrappy-hourglass-monthly-program.htm

Not sure you'll have enough scraps to finish a project? No worries! Try our Grab Bags. Each one contains a pound of 100% cotton fabric (equivalent to 2.5-3 yards total) for only $6.00.

No two bags are alike, so don't hesitate to order multiples:

http://www.homesteadhearth.com/shop/An-Online-Blowout/Remnant-Bags/p/Grab-Bag-of-fabric.htm

Not sure you'll have time to start something new because you are headed out on spring break? Scraps can still lend a hand--or at least catch your eye. Just tie a strip of your favorite color around the handle, and you'll have no worries finding your luggage.

Wherever spring takes you, comment on this post and share your Scraps of Wisdom for using up scraps. We'd love to give your ideas a try as we stitch our way to simpler times.