Design Wall Monday 5/30/16

Happy Memorial Day to all in the U.S. I hope you have enjoyed a relaxing weekend.  Many thanks to all the men and women who have lost their lives in service to our country.

Most of my quilting time last week was spent finishing the binding and hanging sleeve on my red, white & blue sampler quilt, which I got done just in time to hang it for Memorial Day. You can see a photo of the finished quilt in yesterday's post. I also put up a couple of other red, white & blue wallhangings for the holiday.

The flag quilt was started as a guild exchange of triangle squares in 2002, and I finished the quilt in 2013. The Churn Dash quilt was also made in 2002. It was the sample for an advanced beginner's quilting class that I used to teach. 

The only other quilting I have gotten done lately is hand stitching on my Glorious Hexagons blocks. Here are the blocks I have completed in May. I believe I now have a total of 36 blocks finished. It's going to be a very colorful quilt!

I am sharing with Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times, and  Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt.

Julie in GA

May Goal Finished!

It took almost the entire month, but I am happy to report that I successfully completed my May goal for OMG (One Monthly Goal), hosted by Heidi at Red Letter Quilts. My goal was to finish the binding on my red, white & blue sampler quilt in time to display it for Memorial Day, and I finished it off a whole day early!

The first few blocks for this quilt were made in 1999 or 2000 using patterns from the book "LeMoyne Stars Made Easy" by Sharyn Squier Craig, published in 1998. The blocks from back then are the five in the middle of the quilt, including the Carpenter's Wheel at the very center, plus a few of the small stars.

It wasn't until 2012 that the blocks resurfaced. I had signed up for a monthly scrap quilting group at Intown Quilters, one of my favorite quilt shops. We were learning different techniques/patterns for scrap quilts each month. I decided to use red, white & blue fabrics throughout the year, and this quilt was the result. My favorite blocks are the Pineapple blocks--I love the movement they add to the quilt.

The quilting was done by my friend Jan of Cat's Meow Quilting in Brookfield, WI. She did a different quilting design in each different type of block--stars, pinwheels, pineapples. I especially love the 1/4" echo stitching around all of the piecing.

I'm heading over to the link-up for OMG at Red Letter Quilts to see how everyone else did on reaching the goals they set for May.

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 5/29/16

The stash report for the past week shows just over a yard of fabric used. I made 2 more Folded Box blocks (1/4 yard) and added the binding and hanging sleeve to my red, white & blue quilt. I hope to get that one completely finished before Monday, Memorial Day.

Folded Box blocks, pattern by Donna Lynn Thomas

No fabric added to the stash this week (but I have been seriously tempted by some of the Memorial Day sales!)

STASH TOTALS: 
Used this week:             1.125 yards     

Used year to date:       33.125 yards

Stashed this week:           0.0 yards

Stashed year to date:    19.25 yards 

 Net year to date:   13.875 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. I managed to spend some time quilting every day last week, although it was only during my morning train commute on a couple of those days (any progress is good progress!)

15 Minute Challenge:  

May 22 - 28             7 of 7 days

May total              26 of 28 days

Year to date       141 of 149 days


350 Block Challenge at Prairie Moon Quilts: 

Blocks made this week: 8

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.  

Julie in GA

Hands2Help Challenge

For the past several years, Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict has hosted the Hands 2 Help Challenge. Last year, the participants donated a total of 147 quilts to three different charities. This week is the time for everyone to show off the wonderful finished quilts that are being donated for 2016.

I had big plans to make at least one quilt, maybe more, to donate this year. Unfortunately, life got in the way this spring, with a crazy work schedule in March and April, plus occasional knee and hip pain that greatly limited my sewing time. Since I don't have a finished quilt to donate, I contacted Sarah about sending a quilt top and backing. She very generously offered to do the quilting for me, on top of everything else she has done in putting together the H2H Challenge. Thanks, Sarah--you are amazing!

The quilt top I have decided to donate is one that I finished last year. It is mostly made from 9-patch blocks that were left over from earlier projects. The top measures 59" x 69.5", and the muted colors would work well for a man's quilt.

For the back I tried to use up the rest of the 9-patch blocks (but there are probably still a few hiding around here!)

Check out all of the gorgeous quilts that have been made for the 2016 Hands 2 Help Challenge. Thanks again to Sarah for all the hard work she does in putting together this wonderful charity quilt drive!

Julie in GA

Scraps--No Problem!

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict has been hosting monthly posts with the theme "I May Have a Scrap Problem" since early this year. That phrase certainly applies to me! I love making scrappy quilts, but it feels like the scraps are taking over lately. It's time to get them back under control.

At the beginning of May I pulled this pile of green scraps out of a box of mixed scraps. Green is the color of the month at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, so I wanted to start with that color. My goal was to get these scraps trimmed to usable sizes, and then to either file them away or use them to make some blocks.

After trimming, I had some nice, neat stacks of squares, triangles and bricks. The squares are cut to the sizes I use most often--1.5", 2", 2.5", 3" and 3.5". The bricks at the top of the photo measure 1.5" x 2.5" and 2.5" x 4.5".

I also ended up with strips in 1.5", 2", 2.5", and 3.5" widths. Again, these are the sizes that I tend to use the most. My method is mostly based on Bonnie Hunter's Scrap User's System.

I still have a pile of green strings that need to be made into blocks, but I don't know if that will get done before the end of May. Maybe next month?

Check out how successful others were at working through their scraps this month as part of the "I May Have a Scrap Problem" link-up at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. I'm also sharing with the other green scrap lovers at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework.

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 5/22/16

There wasn't much quilting accomplished around here this week. I did finish three more green Folded Box Blocks for my Rainbow Scrap Challenge project, using 3/8 yard from the stash. Check out yesterday's post for a photo of all the Folded Box blocks.
No fabric added to the stash this week!

STASH TOTALS: 
Used this week:             .375 yards     

Used year to date:         32.0 yards

Stashed this week:           0.0 yards

Stashed year to date:    19.25 yards 

 Net year to date:   12.75 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. Even those little chunks of time can add up to big progress, and quite often the planned 15 minutes in the sewing room turns into an hour or more. I didn't get to do much machine stitching this week, but I did have time for hand stitching on 5 days.

15 Minute Challenge:  

May 15 - 21             5 of 7 days

May total              19 of 21 days

Year to date       134 of 142 days


350 Block Challenge at Prairie Moon Quilts: 

Blocks made this week:  3

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.  

Julie in GA

RSC Folded Box Blocks

This morning seemed like a good time to check out the progress on my newest Rainbow Scrap Challenge project, the Folded Box blocks. I started making these blocks in April, our month for orange. I only made four blocks in orange, but might go back and add a couple more. I also made six blue blocks (January's color?), and then I got totally carried away and made eight blocks in greens for May. I probably have enough green scraps to make eight more if I want to. There are lots of greens lurking in my scrap bins!

 Folded Box blocks
Pattern by Donna Lynn Thomas

I have pieces cut to make some purple blocks for March, then the only color I need to catch up on is brown for February. I haven't really made a plan for how many blocks to make or what size quilt these will become. I'm just enjoying the process of pulling out my scrap drawers and trying to find three fabrics that work together for each block. I think choosing fabrics might be my favorite part 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

Design Wall Monday 5/16/16

My design wall is full of green blocks, all made as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Our color for May is green, and I have been having a great time playing with my green scraps. The two rows at the bottom are my newest Rainbow Scrap Challenge project, the Folded Box blocks (see Donna Lynn Thomas' tutorial for this block HERE.) This is a great pattern for playing with value (light/medium/dark) in each block. Some are definitely more successful than others. I love the 3-D effect in these blocks.

At the top of the photo are 24 Flying Geese for the RSC 2016 Sampler. laid out in the Dutchman's Puzzle pattern. Maybe a future RSC project?

I am sharing with Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times, and  Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt.

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 5/15/16

This was another week of plugging away at a few different quilt projects, making a little progress on all of them. I made five Folded Box blocks for my Rainbow Scrap Challenge project. I also made 24 green Flying Geese for the RSC 2016 Sampler, and I finished one EPP block for the Glorious Hexagons quilt. You can see a photo of all the blocks in yesterday's post. Best of all, I completed the binding on the 30's Pinwheels baby quilt--my first finish for 2016! Now I need to get it washed up and sent away.

No fabric added to the stash this week!

STASH TOTALS: 
Used this week:             1.25 yards     

Used year to date:      31.625 yards

Stashed this week:           0.0 yards

Stashed year to date:    19.25 yards 

 Net year to date:   12.375 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. Even those little chunks of time can add up to big progress, and quite often the planned 15 minutes in the sewing room turns into an hour or more.

15 Minute Challenge:  

May 8-14                 7 of 7 days

May total              14 of 14 days

Year to date        129 of 135 days


350 Block Challenge at Prairie Moon Quilts: 

Blocks made this week:  33

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.  

Julie in GA

Gallery of Green

It has been so much fun playing with my green scraps for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this month. I have finally settled on my monthly project for the RSC, the 3D Folded Box blocks that run across the bottom of the photo. Above them are my 24 Flying Geese for the RSC 2016 Sampler. I love this layout for the geese blocks; I believe it is called Dutchman's Puzzle. The large geese are not joined together, just laid out on the design wall. The small Dutchman's Puzzle block at the top is stitched together though--that block finishes at only 6". The large geese finish at 3" x 6". And just because I finished it yesterday and it is mostly green, there's one little Glorious Hexagon block.

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. I'm also sharing my scrappy efforts with Scraptastic Tuesday (a few days late!) at Mrs. Sew and Sow.

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 5/9/16

I have been making blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge over the weekend. I am using my green scraps, our color for May, and it seems like all I do is make flying geese units. 

On the left are two 3D Folded Box blocks, and on the right are 8 large flying geese for the RSC 2016 Sampler, plus one small Dutchman's Puzzle block. The larger flying geese units finish at 3" x 6", and the smaller geese in the block are 1.5" x 3".

I am sharing with Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times, and  Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt.

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 5/8/16

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there, especially my wonderful mother in Wisconsin. I hope to be there to see her soon.

Over the past week I finished putting together the top for the second Pinwheels baby quilt. That used up some fabric for the last 10 blocks, plus the sashing and border. I also made 25 nine-patch blocks from 2" strips of the 30's fabrics. I keep cutting and stitching up those fabrics, but there's still plenty more in the box!

30's Nine-patches

No fabric was added to the stash this week, and I am feeling a little better about my usage for the year. I haven't had any big finishes lately, but I keep chipping away at using a little bit each week.

STASH TOTALS: 
Used this week:             2.50 yards     

Used year to date:      30.375 yards

Stashed this week:           0.0 yards

Stashed year to date:    19.25 yards 

 Net year to date:   11.125 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:  

May 1 - 7                 7 of 7 days

May total                 7 of 7 days

Year to date        122 of 128 days


350 Block Challenge at Prairie Moon Quilts: 

Blocks made this week:  42

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.  

Julie in GA

A Mess of Greens

While digging through my project boxes looking for a kit I bought several years ago, I found one box full of miscellaneous scraps. There were lots of bits of green in there, so I pulled them out to see what I had that might be useful for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Our color for May is green, and here is the pile of green scraps that I got out of that box. 

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict has been hosting "I May Have a Scrap Problem" link-ups for the past few months. My scrap-busting goal for the month of May is to sort through these green scraps, trim them to useful sizes, and get them all filed away. Maybe I can even get some blocks pieced from them!

One of my favorite things about making scrap quilts is playing with a wide assortment of fabrics and remembering their original uses. The line of fabrics across the bottom of the above photo were some that were used in a quilt that my sister and I made together for our mother in 2011. Here is another shot from when we were auditioning and choosing the fabrics, followed by a photo of the finished quilt top. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have any photos of the quilt after it was quilted. I will have to be sure to take some next time I visit.

"Radiant Sunshine and Shadow" quilt for Mom, 2011
from the book by Helen Frost
 and Catherine Skow

I have been cutting green fabrics for my next set of Folded Box blocks, but haven't gotten any of them pieced yet. I think I pulled out enough green strips to make about a dozen blocks instead of the 5-6 that I need. Lots of beautiful green scraps around here!

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. I'm also sharing my scrap-busting goal with "I May Have a Scrap Problem" at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Julie in GA

One Monthly Goal for May

Heidi at Red Letter Quilts hosts OMG (One Monthly Goal). This month it was easy for me to decide on my goal for the month. I have a red, white and blue quilt that got quilted last year, and I intend to finish the binding on it before Memorial Day so we can display it starting then. Here is a photo of the top before it was quilted.

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

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 5/2/16

The collection of pinwheel blocks from my 30's fabrics is in the process of becoming a second baby quilt. There are still plenty of pinwheels left--I wonder how many quilts I can make with them!

Here are the pinwheels that will be used in this quilt. Next they will get sashing and cornerstones.

I am sharing with Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times, and  Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt.

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 5/1/16

Happy May Day to all! It's hard to believe it's May already; April just flew by. It's almost feeling like summer around here, with temps in the upper 80's a few times last week. I'm not a fan of hot weather, but our vegetable garden is enjoying the warmth.

I had a good, productive quilty week. Baby quilt #1 is together and the quilting has begun. I made blocks for three different Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects, all of them featuring orange, our color for April. You can see my new blocks in yesterday's post. 2-1/8 yards of fabric was used, and no new fabric was added to the stash (although I was seriously tempted by a sale at Connecting Threads!) My totals are far behind last year, but at least I am still in the black.

STASH TOTALS: 
Used this week:            2.125 yards     

Used year to date:      27.875 yards

Stashed this week:           0.0 yards

Stashed year to date:    19.25 yards 

 Net year to date:   8.625 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:  

April 24 - 30               7 of 7 days

April total               28 of 30 days

Year to date        115 of 121 days


350 Block Challenge at Prairie Moon Quilts: 

Blocks made this week:  24
Block total for April:      142 

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.  

Julie in GA