Design Wall Monday 3/31/14

Last week was a good one for getting quilt tops together. After finishing my Red, White & Blue Sampler top, I wasn't sure what I wanted to work on next. Then I found a great fabric to use on the back of my Dancing Stars quilt, and that motivated me to finish joining the top together. 

Dancing Stars 60" x 77"

This wonderful pattern is a free download from Amy's Creative Side. The blocks were made as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge in 2013. Every month we were assigned a different color, and I made 10-12 blocks in each color. 

Here is the back for the quilt, which used to be a big, full gathered skirt with two ruffles around the bottom. I took the whole skirt apart and ended up with batik panels that measured about 40" square, plus two long strips that are around 9" x 5-6 yards. I had to work around a couple of rips in the fabric, but otherwise it worked up beautifully for the back of this quilt.

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. Check it out for tons of amazing ideas and inspiration. I am also linking up to Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation and to Can I Get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 3/30/14

I have been piecing quilt backs this week, which would normally mean a large amount of fabric in the used column, but unfortunately this time around it also meant a sizable amount being added to the stash before it got used in those backs.

The only backing fabric to come from my stash was this beautiful leafy sun print that is going on the back of my Scrappy Sampler quilt. I have such vivid memories of buying this fabric in Paducah a few years ago, probably 2010. It was a huge panel and cost more than I would usually spend, but I just couldn't resist buying it. I can't wait to see how it turns out on this quilt!

The second quilt backing of the week is for my Red, White & Blue Sampler. I started out hoping to use this Dear Stella fabric, but didn't have enough for the whole back. 

The next idea was to use a panel of that fabric down each side and to piece together some other fabrics from my stash down the center. I just wanted to get something together so I could send the quilt off to be quilted, but hubby insisted that the quilt deserved better than that. We visited the quilt store together yesterday, and he bought this lovely star print to become the quilt back. 

Last is the back for my Dancing Stars quilt. I made the blocks for this quilt as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge in 2013, and I finished joining them together last week. I found the perfect fabric for the back at work--it was a skirt that we were getting rid of from our costume storage. Lucky for me, the skirt was just big rectangles of the fabric all gathered up at the waist, so it was easy to take apart and reconfigure into a quilt back. Here are photos of both the finished top and the back.

Dancing Stars 60" x 77"

Too bad I don't get more tops done, because making backs sure goes through lots of yardage. It will feel so good to send these off to my long-arm quilter, and it will be even better when I get them back!


Used this week:                      15.5 yards
Used year to date:                32.75  yards

Stashed this week:                12.0  yards  

Stashed year to date:           16.0 yards 

Net year to date:                 16.75 yards used


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

Last teal Saturday 3/29/14

I managed to finish up my teal hexie star for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge last night. That joins the teal snowflake that got done earlier in the month. I had hoped to make a second snowflake, but ran out of time.

My plan for this quilt is to use different black on white prints for the background. Each monthly color will have a single background print used as part of the blocks, then I will add the main background fabrics when I am ready to start joining the blocks together.


Check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts every Saturday to see how others are using up their scraps. So many beautiful projects! I am also linking up with the Hexie Weekend at A Quilting Reader's Garden.

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 3/24/14--A Finished Top!

I am so excited to have a finished quilt top to show today. This quilt began way back in 2001 after I got the book LeMoyne Stars Made Easy by Sharyn Squier Craig. I had planned to make a red, white & blue sampler using all the different star variations from the book. Like so many projects, I made a few blocks, then set them aside for something new and more exciting.

In 2012 I joined a scrap quilts group at a local quilt shop. We were playing with different techniques and patterns for using scraps. At the beginning of the year I decided to stick with a consistent RW&B color palette, with the hope that I could turn my blocks into a quilt at the end of the year. It has taken over a year since that group quit meeting, but I finally got this top put together yesterday.

RWB Sampler
Finished Size 60 x 72"

My favorite part of this quilt is the pineapple blocks. They really keep your eyes moving around the whole quilt.

This quilt ended up at the perfect size to be a Quilt of Valor, but I don't think I can give it up! We have the perfect spot to hang it for July 4th, and I hope to have it quilted and bound by then.

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. Check it out for tons of amazing ideas and inspiration. I am also linking up to Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation and to Can I Get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. This quilt was my March project for A Lovely Year of Finishes, and I will link up to their end-of-the-month party.

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 3/23/14

My only fabric usage last week was finishing up the 6" LeMoyne Stars for my red, white & blue quilt. I have started joining the blocks together and hope to finish that task today.

I would have gotten more done on the RWB quilt yesterday, but I got totally distracted by a new idea. That's never happened to any of you, has it?! We have been sorting through our storage area at work, pulling out many pieces to get rid of and make space for new. I ended up with a pile of men's cotton shirts that just had to get cut up and made into something else. I haven't figured out how much yardage this adds to my stash yet--they will be counted next week. Don't they look nice together?

Used this week:                      .625  yards
Used year to date:                17.25  yards

Stashed this week:                   0  yards  

Stashed year to date:           4.0 yards 

Net year to date:                 13.25 yards used


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

Scrap Happy in Teal

One problem with hexies is that I don't have much progress to show in my Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts each week, but I have been stitching away on the hexies every day. I did finish the teal snowflake, and the hexie star is coming along nicely. I would love to finish a second snowflake before the end of the month too.

Check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts every Saturday to see how others are using up their scraps. So many beautiful projects! I am also linking up with the Hexie Weekend at A Quilting Reader's Garden.

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 3/17/14

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I feel like I should have something green to show today, but instead I seem to have jumped to a different holiday. I have been making blocks for my Red,White & Blue Stars quilt. All the big blocks are finished, and I have been cutting pieces for the remaining small stars. This photo (badly lit) show just over half of the blocks for this quilt

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. Check it out for tons of amazing ideas and inspiration. 

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 3/16/14

Over the past week I made 2 string star blocks for my Red, White & Blue Star Sampler. They were the last 12" blocks I need for this quilt, and they used up .5 yards of fabric. I also finished a group of 10 more 6" stars, using .75 yards.

Used this week:                      1.25  yards
Used year to date:                16.625  yards

Stashed this week:                   0  yards  

Stashed year to date:           4.0 yards 

Net year to date:                 12.625 yards used


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

Teal Scrappiness 3/15/14

Happy Worldwide Quilting Day to everyone! I may not have a lot of time to quilt today, but I hope to squeeze in at least a few minutes.

I don't have much new to show for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this week. I added two more teal and turquoise LeMoyne Star blocks last weekend.

I have been stitching away at my hexies and have the first snowflake almost finished, just one more row to add to the right side. The large star will be next.

Since I don't have much to show on current teal projects, I thought I would share a photo of the quilt that provided many of my teal and turquoise scraps. I started this Storm at Sea quilt in 2001, worked on it on and off for a few years, then packed it away until it got pulled out again in 2012. It was finally completely finished in October, 2012, which is the reason it is named Eleven-Year Storm. If you would like to read more about it, check out this post.

Check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts every Saturday to see how others are using up their scraps. So many beautiful projects! 

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 3/10/14

I finished up this month's LeMoyne Star blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge over the weekend. Our colors for March are all the blue-greens like teal, turquoise and aqua, and I have plenty of those to choose from. I am enjoying the trip down memory lane as I pull out my scraps and revisit some old favorite fabrics. The small stars finish at 6", and the big one is 12". They will join the blue and bright pink blocks I made in January & February.

In between the teal stars, I have been making more 6" LeMoyne Stars in red, white & blue to add to my RWB Sampler that I started in scrap club two years ago. I finished up 4 small stars and just need to make 8 or 10 more in that size, plus 2 more 12" string stars. Then I can get all the blocks joined together.

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. Check it out for tons of amazing ideas and inspiration. 

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 3/9/14

The main change to my stash this week was three yards used for a shirt I made as a birthday gift to my husband. It's not a quilt, but the fabric is gone from the sewing room and there will be a few remnant pieces going into my scrap collection. The best part is seeing how handsome he looks wearing it!

I also made a set of teal LeMoyne Stars for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Those used up .75 yards of fabric. I will show them on my design wall tomorrow.

Used this week:                     3.75 yards
Used year to date:               15.375 yards

Stashed this week:                   0  yards  

Stashed year to date:           4.0 yards 

Net year to date:               11.375 yards used


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

Scrappy Teal Saturday 3/8/14

My teal LeMoyne Stars for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge have been coming together slowly. I spent most of my evenings last week making a shirt for a birthday gift, and that cut into the quilting time. Yesterday I finally got back to playing with my teal scraps and finished a few more stars.

I have also been basting lots of teal, turquoise and aqua hexies. Not too many left to baste, then I can start joining them together. They will become a star and a snowflake or two like the ones here.

Check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts every Saturday to see how others are using up their scraps. So many beautiful projects! I am also linking up to Hexie Weekend at A Quilting Reader's Garden and to the In Hand EPP Link Party at splish splash stash.

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 3/3/14

My design wall has the collection of LeMoyne stars that I have been making for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. This grouping started with a few stars on the black background that were made at least 10 years ago. I decided to use them as my RSC project this year. Blue and pink were our assigned colors for January and February, and I made 8 or 9 small stars in each color (6" finished) plus the 12" pink block. For March we are working with the blue-greens like teal and aqua. I finished four blocks in those colors with the white background yesterday, and I hope to make at least four more with black background this week, plus maybe a 12" block.

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. Check it out for tons of amazing ideas and inspiration. 

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 3/2/14

My stash usage continues to change very gradually. I didn't add any new fabric to my stash this week. The only usage was .5 yard for my February blocks for Judy's Tell It to the Stars mystery.

Used this week:                      .5 yards
Used year to date:            11.625 yards

Stashed this week:               0  yards  

Stashed year to date:       4.0 yards 

Net year to date:               7.625 yards used


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

Scrappy Saturday--Pink to Teal

February just flew past, didn't it? Of course the fact that the month is a few days shorter doesn't help.  I managed to finish my planned projects in pink for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, including one bonus block, and now it's time to switch over to a new color.

Here are my pink hexie star and snowflake.

I finished up the 6" LeMoyne Star blocks by the middle of the month. Then I decided to try making a scrappy 12" block. The first version had the white print as the background, but I decided the star would show up better against the black and remade it. This block was very challenging, but I love the way it looks. Maybe I will go back and make another 12" star in the blues from January.

I am so happy that Angela selected teal/turquoise/aqua for this month's color. I have tons of scraps in those colors left from previous projects. So far I have only managed to make a mess all over my cutting table with them as I pair them up for the LeMoyne stars.

Check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts every Saturday to see how others are using up their scraps. So many beautiful projects! 

Julie in GA