I'm having a nice time pottering in my room and sorting things out. Still haven't found the missing sashes, and I'll probably have to choose a new fabric. (The missing bits were the maroon stripe in the foreground.)
The antique quilt I based it on had lots of different stripes used in the sashing and I was going to use just two, but I guess I'll be following the original by having three or more fabrics.

As a reward for slaving over the huge quilt I wanted to do something little and decided a runner like Keryn's would be a quick project. In my searches I pulled open a drawer and found some leftover 9-patches, and as the 3 1/2" strip drawer was getting full I made setting squares from them. The resulting top is twice as wide as this (couldn't get it all in one photo) and used all but four of the blocks.
The 3 1/2" drawer still wouldn't shut properly and I was sick of a bag of 2" strips that Keryn had given me, so it all went into the backing. I simply pieced all the bits on their short edges into long, long strips, then cut the lengths I needed for the back, with a bit extra to allow for quilting. As I sewed the lengths together I was amazed at how much it took, this would be a good way to get rid of those stubborn boring bits that refuse to 'go' with anything else. Looks boring and ho-hum, but it's the Back! Who's going to see it, I ask you? Probably everyone because I'll turn it over and show them....

I have these two vintage baskets in my sewing room. The one with the blue handle is my ironing basket and fabric, scraps and strips that need pressing wait in there, next to the ironing board. When I've finished pressing seams I usually take out a few small bits and press them and trim them to size before I cut my next lot of pieces for the current project. It's a good way to keep on top of the bits that accumulate.

But the next basket is my tiny scraps and triangles and there's no way of emptying this unless I spend hours there trimming. I take consolation from the fact that it's never been completely full, so I must be making some indent, but cut a few bindings or have a friend give you a wee baggie and suddenly it's brimming again. I figure the baskets take up the same space empty OR full, so what does it matter? As long as I never have to get a second basket for tiny scraps I'll be happy.