Cut First Ask Questions Later

All of us have different reasons for getting our GO's or BABYs. Mine was to Kit
scrappy stash for future TO DO's

I have really enjoyed seeing the eye candy on the Accucutquilters yahoo  group. Especially now that
the photos are grouped by dies. I don't know about you but I have added more then a couple of dies to my pile after seeing a great picture-lol

In the old days of rottery cutting I would have to think about what I was wanting to 'cut'. Now that I have my 'dies' I can cut first and figure out what the top will be later.

I just posted a Large Tumbler that was made for an up coming wedding. I was originally going to cut out issoc triangles to kit up for our church group to sew and return. When I saw a tumbler posted in the new photos I thought that looked like something our group could sew and have fun with.

Several gals brought large scraps and we cut what would work. I didn't have a number in mind or a plan for how it was going to look. I just knew if I dealt the pieces out we could make something with them. There were 104 red/blue/green tumblers total. Most fabrics has 4-8 pieces cut. A 8 x 13 random setting would
yield a small top that we could border and have done quickly. (if this number had been off I could have cut a few pieces to fit in or left a few out)

My niece was over visiting while I was making up the rows to sew and suggested a light background block to separate the darks. She found a bolt of yellow w/Red/Blue and Green flowers that just pulled everything together.

I am not insane enough to just start cutting on all my fabric,...BUT when I do pull materials for a Have To DO, I then sort my scraps into strings or crumbs OR what I call 'cut into later' by color. Then if I am in the mood to do a scrappy I can pull the basket of color and die cut the size I need and add those left overs to the strings or crumbs pile.

I have seen several discussion about fabric waste with the dies, for me it is the opposite, I am finally using the odd shapes that normally would have been saved for applique (there is no way I am going to sit around and die cutting 2" sqs or triangles etc..by hand.)

I have also seen people ask about straight of grain and true size of the squares. I cut what ever I can with what I have (yes even on bias) If a material stretches during the cut, it will also stretch during the sewing. I
sew by sight not counting on pins to fix it for me. I have not had any trouble with dies. I don't starch, rarely pin or iron and have made many many quilts this past year that would not have had a chance of getting done if I had to cut them out by hand.

Wow, I am long winded this evening- lol I just wanted to jot down my reason for my remark- cut first ask questions later, with the dies you really can cut and figure out the rest when you get to it. I have been asked "How big is this going to be" my answer usually is "I don't know yet, I'm not done" A small top can grow up with a couple of borders. A large top can get divided into several smaller tops, it is never done till it is done-

So now I want to hear how you plan your scrappy quilts, do you pick a pile and dig in or is there a plan?