SAHRR--The Reboot

Last year, Gail and friends joined together for the Stay at Home Round Robin (SAHRR) and had such a good time that they are doing it again and inviting all of us to join the fun. There is more information on the SAHRR 2022 available at Gail's webpage HERE. 

The first step of the SAHRR is for everyone to share their choice of a center block. Each week, one of the cohosts will let us know what kind of border to add. There will be six rounds of borders, and we can add all of them or as many as we choose. At the end, each participant should have an original medallion style quilt!

I took part in last year's event, but got bogged down halfway through and didn't finish. I lasted through four rounds of borders, but I wasn't happy with the way my last border was looking, so I quit there. This is how far I got last year.

At this point, my quilt center measures 38" square. For the 2022 SAHRR, I'm going to try again with the same center. I am definitely going to remove the three plain outer borders, but might leave the flying geese and piano keys borders. I'm also thinking about changing those green plus sign corners of the piano keys border. Here's the plan for my revised center (although I might remove all the borders and get it back down to the feathered star block.)

You can see the center blocks that others have chosen for their round robin quilts at Quilting Gail. I'm looking forward to finding out what our next step will be!

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Stash Report and Stitching Time 1/16/2022

The first part of the week was spent making the last sets of 4" blocks for my Bowties 365 quilt, one of my 2021 projects for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. My goal last year was to make an average of one block every day of the year. I ended up making 245 of the more pastel 5" blocks, and 180 of them were used in the Spikey Rainbow Bowtie quilt (see it HERE.)

My other set of bowties are 4" blocks with scrappy cream backgrounds. If I counted correctly, the total number of blocks made for that set is 364, with 88 of them having been made since the beginning of this year. You can see the latest additions in yesterday's post. I used almost 2 yards of fabric for the recent blocks. 

2022 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:         1.875 yards

Used year to date:     4.875 yards

Added last week:         0.00 yards

Added year to date:     2.75 yards

Net used in 2022       2.125 yards

I have been trying out some layout ideas for these bowtie blocks--here is one option. Not very interesting I'm afraid. More ideas coming tomorrow.

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch Challenge at Life in Pieces has us tracking how many days each week we get in at least 15 minutes of stitching time. Besides the bowtie blocks, I've also been making little basket blocks (shown in yesterday's post.) I spent much more than 15 minutes quilting every day last week.

15 Minute Challenge for 2022: 

1/9 - 1/15          7 of 7 days

2022 Total       15 of 15 days

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Bowties and Baskets for the RSC

My plans for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge in 2022 seem to be focused on small blocks so far this year. I've been making more 4" bowtie blocks to finish out the collection from 2021. This week I made 48 teal/turquoise blocks, plus 12 blue and 16 green. 

The addition of these blocks brings my total number of bowtie blocks up to about 360. I'm planning to make at least two smallish quilts with them, maybe three. I've been playing with some layout designs (see one option HERE), but none are really exciting me yet. I will continue to try out different ideas on the design wall.

The other small blocks that I've been making this week are my Charm Baskets. This project was inspired by a pattern by Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts. I'm not usually a big fan of basket quilts, but I couldn't resist over 200 little 4" basket blocks in a rainbow of colors. They are just too cute!

Charm Baskets, pattern by Laundry Basket Quilts

I've been making basket blocks in reds, our color of the month for the RSC, with scrappy light backgrounds. I've finished 15 basket blocks, and included one heart block that conveniently happened to be the same size. The appliqued hearts are another RSC project for 2022 (carried over from last year) that feature 4" blocks, but I've only finished the single red heart so far this month; hoping to make more before the end of January.

Be sure to check out all of the wonderful scrappy projects at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge every Saturday and at Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is more fun than Housework on Sunday.

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

To-Do Tuesday 1/11/2022

Welcome to another Tuesday To-Do List! Today we will review how I did on my previous list. then come up with a new set of goals for the week ahead. The Tuesday To-Do List link-up is hosted by Linda at Texas Quilt Gal.

Most of my time last week was spent on goal #1, but I also completed two of the three other goals--not a bad week at all!

To-Do List for 1/4/22 - 1/10/22

1. Project Quilting 13.1--finish entry   ✔done

I finished my Rainbow Accordion quilt, and I love it! I can't resist sharing my favorite photo again.

2. Rainbow LeMoyne baby quilt--continue quilting    nothing done

3. Bowties 365--continue making 4" blocks  ✔done

I finished 12 red and 48 teal/turquoise blocks this week.

4. Charm Baskets--start making red blocks  ✔done

I made five red basket blocks to go with the two made earlier.

My regular projects all got pushed aside last week while I worked on the Project Quilting entry. This week I plan to do lots of prep work for my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects, and hope to do a little machine quilting.

 

To-Do List for 1/11/22 - 1/17/22

1. Rainbow LeMoyne baby quilt--quilting (my OMG for January)

2. Bowties 365--continue making 4" blocks

3. Charm Baskets--make more red blocks

4. Hearts Applique--prep red, stitch at least one block

5. Pull a red UFO to work on

6. Pull or make center block for SAHRR

I'll report on my progress and post a new set of goals next Tuesday. I'm linking up with other To-Do Tuesday lists at Texas Quilt Gal.

Julie in GA 

Playing with Bowties

After finishing my Project Quilting entry over the weekend, I've had some trouble settling on what my next project will be. I have plenty of UFOs I could pull out, or I could  work on one of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilts.

I got out the box of Bowtie blocks that I started making last year. I've been considering different layout options and decided it was time to give one of them a try.

The dark and shadowy photo doesn't help any, but I'm not loving this arrangement as much as I'd hoped. Maybe it would be better with the colors arranged in rainbow order. I still have a set of teal/turquoise blocks to make that will be added to the collection, and this is only a small number of the total set of blocks. I'm headed back to the sewing machine, and I'll look at some other layout ideas later.

Check out what other quilters are working on this week:

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

Stitching Time and Stash Report--1/9/2022

The past week was one of the most intense stretches of quilting time I've ever had, thanks to my decision to participate in the Project Quilting Challenge. It was worth it though, and I ended up making a little quilt that I am very happy with, the Rainbow Accordion. You can read more about it HERE.

Rainbow Accordion, 21" x 29"

The rainbow quilt used a total of 2 yards of fabric for the pieced front, the backing and the binding. As a warm-up for the Project Quilting Challenge, I also participated in the Project Quilting Mystery during the last week of 2021. I had planned to use a variety of neutrals in mine, but somehow ended up with all browns. This is my finished top, which used 1 yard of fabric. 

Project Quilting Mystery, 20" x 28"

It wasn't planned, but I do have a stash addition to report too. I recently won a giveaway held by Ann of Fiber Designs by Ann. The prize was a collection of 6.5" squares of fabric. This is the photo from her blog--look at those cute little bundles, all sorted by color!

Here are the same squares once I got them, all pressed flat and laid out together.

There's a total of 96 squares of fabric. I can't wait to begin playing with these, starting with the reds for one of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects. The squares total 2.75 yards added to my stash, and I am very happy to have them!

2022 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:         3.0 yards

Used year to date:     3.0 yards

Added last week:      2.75 yards

Added year to date:  2.75 yards

Net used in 2022    .25 yards

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch Challenge at Life in Pieces has us tracking how many days each week we get in at least 15 minutes of stitching time. Having only one week to complete the Project Quilting Challenge quilt meant that I spent even more time at the machine during the week than usual, with plenty of quilting time every day.

15 Minute Challenge for 2022: 

1/1 - 1/8            8 of 8 days

2022 Total          8 of 8 days

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Rainbow Accordion for Project Quilting 13.1

In an attempt to explore some new quilting challenges this year, I decided to participate in the Project Quilting Challenge, hosted by Kim Lapacek at Persimon Dreams, for the first time. I've followed along with many of the challenges over previous seasons (this year is #13), but never felt the urge to jump in myself. Then the theme for the first challenge of this new season was announced--All the Colors. I love making quilts with all colors of the rainbow, so this was meant to be! Here is my Rainbow Accordion quilt.

Rainbow Accordion, 21" x 29"

My design started out with a colorful pile of diamonds that were left from a past project. My design inspiration came from multiple 3-D effect quilt designs, especially this one from Oakshott Fabrics called 50 Shades + Grey. Their design is made from half-square triangles, and mine is made with diamonds, but the final effect is similar.

50 Shades + Grey, Oakshott Fabrics

I'm thrilled to have completed the challenge (and with a day to spare!) This is a design I've wanted to play with for a long time, and I'm glad I finally had such a perfect opportunity. I'm dreaming of making this design again in a larger size as a baby quilt.

Linking up with:

Project Quilting 13.1 at Persimon Dreams

Rainbow Scrap Challenge at So Scrappy

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

One Monthly Goal (OMG)--January 2022

One of my many quilting goals for 2022 is to finish more quilts. I have no problem making plenty of quilt tops, but getting them quilted and finished is much harder for me. I'm hoping to at least quilt up some of the smaller pieces I've made and also to experiment more with Quilt As You Go for larger quilts.

A recent finished top is the Rainbow LeMoyne quilt. I had found a stack of leftover LeMoyne Star blocks from several years ago, made a few more, and joined them all together into this cute little quilt.

My One Monthly Goal for January is to get this quilted and bound. I've already started the quilting, but have gotten stuck on how to quilt the stars. I'm hoping inspiration returns soon!

You can see what other quilters are hoping to get done this month at the One Monthly Goal link-up at Elm Street Quilts.

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

First To-Do Tuesday of 2022

A new year means a new start on Tuesday To-Do lists. Today we will review how I did on my previous list. then come up with a new set of goals for the week ahead. The Tuesday To-Do List link-up is hosted by Linda at Texas Quilt Gal.

The goals on my last to-do list were mostly completed, except for the last which is half done. I'm hoping to continue the productivity this week.

To-Do List for 12/28/21 - 1/3/2022

1. Homespun--photos, blog post ✔done

You can see the finished quilt top in my post HERE.

2. Rainbow LeMoyne baby quilt--continue quilting  ✔done 

I finished stitching in the ditch around the blocks and sashing. Up next is quilting the stars and the background.

3. Bowties 365--continue making 4" blocks   ✔done

I made 32 purple and 40 pink Bowtie blocks last week.

4. Blog posts--Best of 2021, 2022 Planning Party  did the 1st, not the 2nd

I haven't really figured out an overall plan for the year.

My main focus for the next few days will be my Project Quilting entry, which is due on Sunday (read more about that HERE.) I have a few other projects that I hope to squeeze in before next Tuesday rolls around.

 

To-Do List for 1/4/22 - 1/10/22

1. Project Quilting 13.1--piece, quilt and finish my little project by Sunday. Here's one of the ideas I was considering for it.

2. Rainbow LeMoyne baby quilt--continue quilting

3. Bowties 365--continue making 4" blocks

4. Charm Baskets--start making red blocks

I'll report on my progress and post a new set of goals next Tuesday. I'm linking up with other To-Do Tuesday lists at Texas Quilt Gal.

Julie in GA  

A New Challenge for a New Year

There is one on-line quilting challenge that I have been quite intrigued by, but never participated in it, and it's time for that to change. It is the Project Quilting Challenge, the brainchild of Kim Lapacek. Kim was inspired by the TV show Project Runway, and decided to begin a similar challenge but with quilts instead of clothing. The 13th season is just getting started.

Each Project Quilting season lasts 12 weeks and includes six different challenges. On Sunday at noon CST, the theme for that week's challenge is posted. Entrants have one week, until noon the following Sunday, to complete and link-up their entry. ONE WEEK! Each entry must be started and completed within that week (no pulling out an old UFO for your entry!) Your entry must be completely finished, and it can be whatever you want to make--any size, any style. As you might guess, most entries are small--mug rugs, potholders, pouches and bags, table toppers, mini quilts, etc. The variety is amazing! I was just looking back at one of last year's challenges, #12.4 with the theme of Snail's Trail. There were 206 entries that week! 

The first challenge for 2022 was posted yesterday, and the theme is "All the Colors." Entries must include at least 5 colors. I've been making rainbow quilts for years with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, so this is right up my alley. I pulled out a pile of diamonds in a rainbow of colors that were left from an old project and started playing with them. I'm not quite sure where this is headed, but I hope to figure out a plan today.

Check out what other quilters are working on this week:

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA