Stash Report Sunday 1/31/16

It wasn't a big week for quilting, but I did manage to get in a little time every day. I believe in plugging away at my projects whenever there is a chunk of time available--riding the train to work in the mornings, 20-30 minutes of my lunch hour after I finish eating, maybe an hour or so after dinner in the evening. This week my lunch hours were spent finishing the assembly of my first Bowtie quilt top from my 2015 Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks. I still have enough blocks left for a second quilt.

Rainbow Bowties 56.5" x 72.5"

My fabric usage for the week was 1.25 yards for 9 Twinkler Star blocks and 5/8 yard for more 9Patch blocks for my Ring Cycles quilt. You can see all of those blocks in yesterday's post.

STASH TOTALS: 

Used this week:             1.875 yards     

Used year to date:       10.875 yards

Stashed this week:            0.0 yards

Stashed year to date:        7.5 yards 

Net year to date:       3.375 yards used

I am joining Kate at Life in Pieces in tracking the number of days each week that I spend at least 15 minutes quilting. The more days  I quilt, the more quilts I can get done and the more fabric used. 

15 Minute Challenge:  

January 24 - 30           7 for 7 days

January total            30 for 30 days

350 Block Challenge at Prairie Moon Quilts:

This week's block total:    50

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.  

Julie in GA

Getting Over the Blues

It was a very busy week at work, but still a fairly productive week for my quilting projects. Despite having a houseguest for two nights, I was able to spend a little time quilting every day this week, and it shows on my design wall.

First up are the Twinkler Stars for the RSC 2016 Sampler. Angela's design called for eight stars, but somehow I ended up with nine of them. I love the look of this block!

Twinkler Stars, 9" blocks
RSC 2016 Sampler

One of my projects for the 2015 Rainbow Scrap Challenge was bowtie blocks. I made 40 - 50 bowties each month, and I have been joining them together into tops. The first top was completed this week, and I have enough blocks left for another one this size (about 56" x 72".) This quilt used 252 of the bowtie blocks, and each block finishes at 4".

Getting this top together was also my January goal for OMG (One Monthly Goal) at Red Letter Quilts. It feels very good to have met my goal for the first month!

I have also been making more blue 9-patch blocks for the Ring Cycles quilt, but there isn't any space on my design wall to put them up. Here are 39 more 9P blocks, plus two of the 8P that go around the outside edges of the quilt. I believe I have made almost half of the total number of blocks needed for this quilt. On the left side are more strips to be cut for additional blocks.

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. 

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 1/25/16

There are some quilters who can cut and stitch quilts fast enough to make your head spin. I will never be one of those quilters. I am much more like the tortoise than the hare--slow and steady. Lately I have been trying harder to keep going on current projects rather than setting them aside for something new. As long as I keep making progress, I am happy. That is certainly better than adding to the UFO collection!

My latest slow-and-steady project has been Allietare, Bonnie Hunter's 2015 mystery quilt. I am not one of those quilters who had their quilt top finished within a day or a week of Bonnie's reveal on New Year's Eve. I made my blocks over the first 10 or so days of January, and I have been getting them all joined together since then. I have the center of the quilt finished and just need to get a border or two on it next.

I will be sharing with the following linky parties.:

Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 1/24/16

The Stash Report Sunday posts at Patchwork Times were one of the reasons that I started blogging. I was so intrigued with tracking how much fabric goes in and out of my stash, and it's almost like a game trying to keep those numbers in balance. It has really helped me stop and think before I go crazy buying tons of fabric (although there are still times when I can't resist a good sale!)

Some people don't count fabric as used until the quilt is totally done and some when the top is complete. I generally count fabric as used when it is made into a block, mostly just to see a little constant change in the numbers instead of waiting until the end of a project. With Bonnie Hunter's mystery Allietare, we were making parts of blocks like 4-patches and HSTs, so I didn't report any of my usage on that quilt yet. Now that the center of the quilt top is all together, I can subtract the 6.5 yards used in the quilt. All that's left to do on that is borders! I'll be sharing photos tomorrow on my design wall post. 

I also used 3/8 yard making more 9-patches for the Ring Cycles quilt. There was no fabric added this week. My total for the year is no longer red!

STASH TOTALS: 

Used this week:             6.875 yards     

Used year to date:             9.0 yards

Stashed this week:            0.0 yards

Stashed year to date:        7.5 yards 

Net year to date:        1.5 yards used

I am joining Kate at Life in Pieces in tracking the number of days each week that I spend at least 15 minutes quilting. The more days  I quilt, the more quilts I can get done and the more fabric used. It turns out that over the past week I worked on five different quilt projects. Two of those are nearing completion!

15 MINUTE CHALLENGE:  
January 17 - 23           7 for 7 days
January total            23 for 23 days

350 Block Challenge at Prairie Moon Quilts:
This week's block total:    38

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.  

Julie in GA

Beautiful Blues

My scrappy blue projects for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge were moving along very nicely last weekend, but they slowed to a crawl once I went back to work on Tuesday. Today would have been the perfect day to stay home and quilt, but I had to work instead. It wasn't until late in the day that I could get in some quilting time.

Besides making some more 9-patch blocks, I made my first 4 Twinkler Star blocks for the RSC 2016 Sampler. I hope to finish the other 4 blocks before next Saturday.

Twinkler Stars, RSC Sampler 2016

I have started joining the stars and snowflakes for my Scrap Hexies quilt, an RSC project that I started in 2013. I would love to get everything stitched together this year, and I also need to figure out how to fill in around the outer edges. This section will be the bottom row of the quilt.

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. 

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 1/18/16

My design wall is still covered with Allietare, Bonnie Hunter's 2015 mystery. I divided the quilt into four sections and have been joining the blocks together into those sections. I have one part left to construct (the bottom group in the photo), and the other three are done. After that I will trim the rectangles that hang over the outer edges and join my sections together. Then it's time to figure out the borders!

Bonnie Hunter 2015 mystery Allietare

I have become somewhat obsessed with my newest project, Ring Cycles. I'm sure none of you ever get that way, right? Anyway, I made 75 9-patch blocks for the quilt over the last week. Yesterday, I dug through every box and bin of scraps in my sewing room, looking for blue fabrics that hadn't been used yet. This little box contains the parts to make another batch of blocks, probably 60-70 of them, and there are still other blue fabric scraps waiting to be cut. Then there's my whole collection of teal/turquoise fabrics waiting to join the party!

Here is a little preview of the Ring Cycles layout. The pattern is a variation of Jack's Chain, but I like the more prominent circular effect of this version.

Ring Cycles, pattern by Lessa Siegele, available on Craftsy

I will be sharing with the following linky parties.:

Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 1/17/15

My stash numbers inched a little closer to even for the year with 1-1/8 yards used on 9-patch blocks (75 of them!) for my Ring Cycles quilt. Lots of little squares, but they don't add up to big numbers for fabric used. These blocks will finish at 3".

You might have noticed that the block on the left end is missing one blue square. That is true of all the blocks in that stack and is necessary to complete the circles in the Ring Cycles pattern. You can check out my progress in yesterday's post, or see the original pattern HERE. 

It has been such fun pulling out some of my oldest blue scraps for these blocks. Each block only needs a strip that measures 1.5" x 7.5". I'm trying to make every block from a different fabric, and have only made one duplicate so far. I'm sure there are some more blue fabrics around here that I haven't used yet!

STASH TOTALS: 

Used this week:             1.125 yards     

Used year to date:         2.125 yards

Stashed this week:            0.0 yards

Stashed year to date:        7.5 yards 

Net year to date:        5.375 yards added

I am joining Kate at Life in Pieces in tracking the number of days each week that I spend at least 15 minutes quilting. The more days I quilt, the more quilts I can get done and the more fabric used.

15 MINUTE CHALLENGE:  
January 10 - 16          7 for 7 days
January total             16 for 16 days

350 Block Challenge at Prairie Moon Quilts:
This week's block total:    86

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.  

Julie in GA

Got the Blues?

I have plenty of blues (I'm talking fabrics not feelings!) Blue is the color for January at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I've been having a great time making little 9-patch blocks with all sorts of medium and dark blues for my Ring Cycles quilt, and it's very exciting to see them all laid out together. I can already see the rings beginning to form!

Ring Cycles, pattern by Lessa Siegele, available on Craftsy

I have no idea how big this quilt will become or how many blocks are needed. I'm currently thinking about limiting my palette to cool colors: blues, teals/turquoises, greens, and purples. For now I am just enjoying the magic of seeing those little squares turn into circular rings right before my eyes!

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. 

Julie in GA

Moving Along on Allietare

It was a lovely, relaxing weekend with plenty of time spent quilting. I spent most of Saturday afternoon doing some cleaning up in the sewing room, and I also started working on a new project. Best of all, I finished making all of the blocks and setting triangles for Allietare, Bonnie Hunter's 2015 mystery. Next I will begin joining the blocks together. It's my usual photo angle through a doorway, cutting off some of the blocks on the right side and the bottom.

I am very happy with how this quilt is turning out and had a great time doing Bonnie's mystery. Because I decided in advance to make a smaller version of the pattern, I made 2/3 - 3/4 of the number of units Bonnie's directions listed. It worked out very well and I have surprisingly few extra parts left over. Those leftovers will probably be incorporated into the back.

I will be sharing with the following linky parties.:

Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Scraptastic Tuesday at Mrs. Sew and Sow
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 1/10/16

I'm starting off the year with my stash numbers going in the wrong direction, but I'm so excited about the new fabric I got that it doesn't matter! I have been anxiously waiting for this fabric which will become the background for the Ring Cycles quilt I am starting as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. The first photo is from the quilt pattern. 

Ring Cycles by Lessa Siegele

Since I am not planning to include the flowers in my version of this quilt, I wanted a background fabric with some pattern to it, but not a really busy print. It's always hard to judge fabric colors on the computer, and photos on different websites showed wide variations in color. I was hoping for a light silvery grey, but I was a little afraid that this fabric might be too dark. However, I am very happy with the print and the colors in it. The fabric is Chromadots, a wide backing fabric from Blank Quilting. I got three yards, but am counting it as 7.5 yards because it is extra wide. You can see it here with my first few 9-patch blocks.

My usage for the week was 1/2 yard for two Scrappy Trips blocks and another 1/2 yard for more black Bowtie blocks to use in the border of my Rainbow Bowties quilt.

STASH TOTALS: 

Used this week:                 1 yards     

Used year to date:             1 yards

Stashed this week:            7.5 yards

Stashed year to date:        7.5 yards 

Net year to date:           6.5 yards added

I am joining Kate at Life in Pieces in tracking the number of days each week that I spend at least 15 minutes quilting. The more days I quilt, the more quilts I can get done and the more fabric used.

15 MINUTE CHALLENGE:  
January 3 - 9          7 for 7 days

350 Block Challenge at Prairie Moon Quilts:
This week's block total:    65

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.  

Julie in GA

A Slow Start on the RSC

I have all sorts of plans and ideas for the 2016 Rainbow Scrap Challenge, but I'm having a hard time getting moving on any of them. I was very anxious to begin making 9-patch blocks for the Ring Cycles quilt I showed last week, but my background fabric didn't arrive until yesterday. There's another background on the way for Angela's column quilt. 

Instead of working on any of my planned rainbow projects, I got distracted by a drawer full of 3" strips from a guild exchange many years ago. I am hoping to use up many of those strips on scrappy projects this year and get that drawer cleared out. I started with a variation on Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Trips pattern. Her version calls for 2.5" strips; I am using 3" strips which give me 15" finished blocks. I have one block together and there's another one partially done. I am waiting to do the final pressing of my blocks when I am ready to join them together, which is why it doesn't look square or flat in the photo.

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. 

Julie in GA

OMG--One Monthly Goal for January, 2016

Heidi is launching OMG (One Monthly Goal) over at Red Letter Quilts. The idea is that each participant sets a quilt-related goal and posts it on their blog or on Flickr at the beginning of the month. Once the goal is achieved, they link up another post before the end of the month sharing the accomplishment. Everyone who meets their goal and posts for both linkups is eligible for prizes!

I joined in a few times in the past on a similar challenge, A Lovely Year of Finishes (ALYoF), but that one has been discontinued. I hope this public proclamation of my goal will help motivate me to meet it!

For January, my goal is to join my Rainbow Bowtie blocks into a top. These blocks were made all through 2015 as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I have enough blocks (540?) for two quilts, and it would be great if I got both tops together, but my official goal is to complete one top.

I'm heading over to the launch party for OMG at Red Letter Quilts to see what everyone else hopes to get done this month!

Julie in GA

Halfway There with Allietare

Actually, I'm not truly halfway there (I just liked the rhyme), but I have made half of my blocks for Bonnie Hunter's 2015 mystery Allietare. Bonnie shared the final reveal of her beautiful quilt on New Year's Eve, and I spent some time over the weekend working on my blocks.

My version is being made as a Quilt of Valor. Where I used light and dark blues, Bonnie had grey and black. Otherwise the colors are similar. My version will end up with 20 of the star blocks, set 4 x 5, and 12 of the alternate blocks. I haven't starting making the pieced setting triangles yet.

I will be sharing with the following linky parties.:

Allietare Mystery Link-Up at Quiltville
Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 1/3/16

It's time for the first stash report of the new year. This is when we all start over with a clean slate for the year. Just like the past couple of years, I have two goals for my fabric stash in 2016:
1.  Use at least 100 yards of fabric.
2.  Use more fabric than I add.

I don't have any usage or additions to report this week. I have been working on Bonnie Hunter's Allietare mystery, but don't have any usage ready to be counted yet. I do have a few blocks put together, and I hope to have lots more to show on Bonnie's link-up tomorrow.

Kate over at Life in Pieces has started tracking the number of days each week that she manages to spend at least 15 minutes in her sewing room. She used to host the 15 Minute Challenge, and I found it very helpful in motivating me to get in a little bit of sewing time every day. Those little chunks of time can really add up to some significant progress on a quilt project, and sometimes the time turns into an hour or more of stitching. I will join her in tracking my days.

I have also been participating in the 350 Block Challenge at Prairie Moon Quilts for the past couple of years. Each month Shelly lets us know our goal for the number of blocks to make, and everyone reports in at the end of the month. Last time I checked, my total for 2015 was over 1200 blocks, and I still need to add up my total for December. I'm going to start including my block totals in my Sunday stash reports too.

STASH TOTALS: 

Used this week:                 0 yards     

Used year to date:             0 yards

Stashed this week:            0 yards

Stashed year to date:        0 yards 

Net year to date:           0 yards used or added

15 MINUTE CHALLENGE:  
January 1-2            2 for 2

350 BLOCKS CHALLENGE:
This week's block total:    19

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.  

Julie in GA

Starting Off 2016 and the RSC

The rainbow of bowties from the 2015 Rainbow Scrap Challenge are being joined together. The current plan is to make two throw quilts from my 500+ blocks. I had hoped to have one top finished at the end of 2015, but discovered that I need some more black/grey blocks for my planned border.

I have made a small start on my 2016 projects for the RSC, mostly just deciding what I am going to make. I decided to try a hand-piecing project this year, and chose Judy Martin's pattern "Capistrano" from her book Stellar Quilts after I saw this gorgeous rainbow version in the photo gallery on Judy's website. My plan is to make the wallhanging version of this pattern which has only one of the four center "wreaths". This design may be too ambitious for me, but I feel the need to challenge myself. 

"Capistrano," pattern by Judy Martin in her book Stellar Quilts

Quilt made by Barbara Shapiro of Venice, FL

My main machine piecing project will be this wonderful design, "Ring Cycles" by Lessa Siegele. It is a variation on a Jack's Chain pattern with incredible circular movement. I don't think I will include the flower appliques, but I might do something else in those spaces. The first photo is the original quilt from the pattern, and the following two are others I have found through Google. Unfortunately, I can't find any info on who made them.

Ring Cycles, pattern by Lessa Siegele

Ring Cycles quilt

another version of Ring Cycles

I am still thinking about playing along on Angela's column quilt, but am waiting for some background fabric to arrive. I also hope to continue working my way through my UFO list. It is certain to be another very busy year of quilting.

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. 

Julie in GA