Another Star Cluster Quilt

This is the third time this year that I have used Judy Martin's Star Cluster pattern to make a baby quilt. Each quilt has been in different colors with some variations in the piecing of the star centers. You can see the other two versions HERE and HERE.

First of all, here is a close-up of the fabrics in this quilt. The parents-to-be are both musicians, so I am using some of my collection of music fabrics on this quilt. I made another baby quilt using some of the same fabrics when they had their first child (see it HERE.)

Since the quilt is made from all music fabrics, it seemed to make sense to do a piano key border. Unfortunately, I've been having trouble getting the border to fit. The center of the quilt measures 34.5", and the border strip along the side is closer to 35 or 35.25". I've already tried making some of the seams a little deeper, but it still doesn't fit. It might be time to just trim down the strips at the the two ends and call it good enough! The baby won't mind.

Star Cluster pattern by Judy Martin

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times, Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt, and Moving It Forward at Em's Scrapbag. Check out all of them for tons of amazing quilting inspiration! 

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 2/26/17

My stash usage numbers continue to increase, slowly but surely. I used 1/4 yard for the rest of my teal Ribbon Star blocks (see all 17 blocks in Monday's design wall post HERE.) I also used 1.25 yards for another set of purple Scrappy Trips blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. There was no new fabric added to the stash last week.

2017 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:             1.50 yards

Used year to date:       18.75 yards

Added last week:           0.00 yards

Added year to date:       2.00 yards

Net year to date used:    16.75 yards

I am continuing to join Kate at Life in Pieces in tracking how many days each week I manage to get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. My perfect record came to an end this week, but I did manage to do some quilting on the other 6 days.

15 Minute Challenge:  
2/19 - 2/25                6 of 7 days

2017 Total              55 of 56 days

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

Back to Purple Scraps

Our Rainbow Scrap Challenge color for February is green-blue (think teal, turquoise, aqua, etc.) I made two sets of Scrappy Trips blocks using gradations of those colors and got many positive comments on them (see them HERE.) That convinced me to go back and make a new set of purple blocks to replace these earlier blocks from January that do not use a gradation of color.

I made five new purple gradation blocks, but once I got them up on the wall, I wasn't sure how I liked them together. There are two blocks that are definitely more reddish-violet, two are more true purple, and one has a bluish-grey tone. I'm wishing I had mixed the different varieties of purple together instead of segregating them into separate blocks. Here are some of my options for combining the blocks.

Combination #1

Combination #2

Combination #3

Combination #4

My first thought when I finished these blocks and put them up on the wall was to take them all apart and try again, but I really don't want to spend all that time remaking them. Of the four different combinations, I think my top choice would be #1 or #3. I'd love to hear your opinions/suggestions!

I am linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on Saturday and at Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is more fun than Housework on Sunday. Be sure to check out all of the wonderful scrappy projects at both places. 

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 2/20/17

My design wall hasn't changed much from the photo I showed in my Stash Report yesterday. I finished a few more of the teal Ribbon Star blocks, bringing my current total up to 17. I love the secondary design that the background makes when the blocks are together.

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times, Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt, and Moving It Forward at Em's Scrapbag. Check out all of them for tons of amazing quilting inspiration! 

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 2/19/17

My stash report numbers didn't change much this week. I spent most of the week fighting a cold and conserving my energy. My only production was 13 Ribbon Star blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, using 1 yard. There was no new fabric added to the stash.

2017 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:             1.00 yards

Used year to date:       17.25 yards

Added last week:           0.00 yards

Added year to date:       2.00 yards

I am continuing to join Kate at Life in Pieces in tracking how many days each week I manage to get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. My 100% streak is intact, going 7 for 7 days again, although there were several days when my only quilting time was my morning train ride.

15 Minute Challenge:  
2/12 - 2/18                7 of 7 days

2017 Total              49 of 49 days

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

Teal and Turquoise Scrappiness

My progress on Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects was limited this week. I've been fighting a terrible cold, and it greatly limited my energy for quilting. Even when I felt the urge to quilt, it needed to be something simple because my brain was so foggy that decision making was nearly impossible. All I was capable of doing was running pieces of fabric through the machine.

I'm working through my drawer of 3" strips, and I still have plenty of teal and turquoise strips to use. I decided to make a variation of Friendship Stars that I believe is called Ribbon Stars. I believe I borrowed this idea/design from Cathy at Cathy's Crazy by Design. She is showing a beautiful set of these blocks this week. I plan to continue making more of these this month and in future months. 

The square-in-a-square nine-patches down the sides of the photo are leftovers from a Storm at Sea quilt I started in 2001 and finished in 2012. Some of those blocks were already made, and I finished making the rest this week. I also made the little Broken Dishes blocks that run across the top from more of those leftovers.

Here is a photo of my finished Storm at Sea quilt, followed by a closer shot showing some of the fabrics. This quilt is the main reason I have such a sizable collection of teal and turquoise scraps.

I am linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on Saturday and at Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is more fun than Housework on Sunday. Be sure to check out all of the wonderful scrappy projects at both places. 

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 2/13/17

My design wall is currently covered with most of my blocks for the Meadow Mystery quilt that I have been working on since last July. The original design of the quilt finishes at 60" x 60". I knew from the beginning of this project that I would want to make extra blocks in order to make the quilt rectangular, so I chose fabrics that had at least 25% more yardage than what the pattern called for. The final layout of the quilt was revealed at the beginning of this month, and I have been working on the extra blocks since then. 

Meadow Mystery blocks
Designed by Cheryl Brickey, Meadow Mist Designs

My blocks are all up on the design wall with the wrong sides showing. One of the challenges with a mystery quilt is not knowing which way to press the seams when making blocks. Cheryl, the designer of the mystery, recommended pressing seams open, but I prefer pressing in one direction. I have been changing the direction some seams were pressed to help them nest when blocks get joined to one another. One extra row of blocks has been added to the bottom in the photo, and there is another set of the same blocks to go across the top. My version will finish at 60" x 84". I hope to get these all joined together before the end of the month.

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times, Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt, and Moving It Forward at Em's Scrapbag. Check out all of them for tons of amazing quilting inspiration! 

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 2/12/17

Last week was spent bouncing around between several different projects. I put together another Star Cluster baby quilt that needs the outer border finished before I can count the yardage. I made four more teal and turquoise Scrappy Trips blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, which you can see in yesterday's post. I also worked on more blocks for the Meadow Mystery quilt in order to make it longer. For the second week in a row, I had 2.75 yards used for the week. No new fabric was added to the stash.

Here is one of the new blocks I made for the Meadow Mystery. The pattern had all the HSTs in blue, but I ran out of my blue fabric. I am mixing in a couple of red triangles in each of these blocks.

2017 STASH TOTALS: 

     Used last week:                    2.75 yards     
Used year to date:              16.25 yards

Stashed last week:                 0.0 yards

 Stashed year to date:             2.0 yards 

Net year to date used:  14.25 yards

I am continuing to join Kate at Life in Pieces in tracking how many days each week I manage to get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. My 100% streak is intact, going 7 for 7 days again. 

15 Minute Challenge:  
2/4 - 2/11                  7 of 7 days

2017 Total              42 of 42 days

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

More Teal and Turquoise Trips

I started using the Scrappy Trip Around the World blocks (pattern by Bonnie Hunter) as a fill-in project for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this year for two reasons: 1. I have a drawer stuffed full of 3" strips that I would like to use up, and 2. I couldn't make a decision on a new project I wanted to start for the RSC. It seemed like a better choice to keep going making blocks I'd already started last year than to start something new.  

After showing my first four teal/turquoise blocks last week, I decided to make another set of blocks to go with them. That produced a set of four that leans toward the teal greens, and another group that is more turquoise blues. I'm planning to make four blocks in nine different colors throughout the year. Each set of four blocks finishes at 30" x 30", so nine sets will make a quilt top that measures 90" square without sashing or borders.

I might decide to remake the purple blocks from January because they are not assembled in gradations of color. The blocks go together fairly quickly, and I love the way these two groups look.

I am linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on Saturday and at Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is more fun than Housework on Sunday. Be sure to check out all of the wonderful scrappy projects at both places. I am also linking up with Scraptastic Tuesday at Mrs. Sew & Sow.

Julie in GA

February 2017 Goals and OMG

There have been times in the past when I would post a list of quilting goals on my blog at the beginning of each month. I'm thinking it is time to get back in that habit. It seems to help keep me focused and stop me from getting distracted by too many new projects and ideas.

I am participating in the UFO Challenge over at Patchwork Times for the first time this year. The number that Judy pulled for February is #9. My two projects for February are to make a border stripe tablerunner as a future housewarming gift.

My other #9 project for Judy's challenge (I submitted two lists of UFOs) is to quilt and bind this little stack and whack quilt top that I made back in 1999. I still love that pinwheel fabric. This quilt top measures about 40" x 48".

Stack & Whack Spinners
40" x 48"

My One Monthly Goal for February is to make another Star Cluster baby quilt. This one will use music-themed fabrics because both parents are musicians. My goal is to at least get the top pieced by the end of this short month.

Our February color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge is blue green (teal/turquoise/aqua.) I am planning to make more Scrappy Trips blocks, make some improv blocks from little bits and scraps, and start joining together the blocks of the Ring Cycles quilt that I started last year.

For the Meadow Mystery quilt--make extra blocks to make the quilt bigger

If there is any time left at the end of the month, I might start one new project, Alycia's latest Mystery Quilts for Military (MQ4M) #A5. 

That's the plan for the month ahead. I will report back at the beginning of March with a progress report and a new set of goal for the next month. I am joining the One Monthly Goal link-ups for February at Elm Street Quilts.

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 2/5/17

I managed to make it through the whole month of January without adding any new fabric to my stash, but my streak ended yesterday. I am planning to make yet another baby quilt soon, this time in red, white & black with music-themed fabrics because both parents are musicians. I needed a flannel for the back, and got the perfect thing at JoAnn Fabrics. 2 yards added, but most of it should move over to the used column by the end of the month. It's too cute!

The good news is that I used even more than I added this week. I made 7 scrappy purple improv blocks and three teal/turquoise Scrappy Trips blocks (see both sets of blocks in yesterday's post.) I also added borders to an old project, which I showed on Tuesday. Altogether, 2.75 yards used for the week.

2017 STASH TOTALS: 

     Used last week:                    2.75 yards     
Used year to date:              13.50 yards

Stashed last week:                 2.0 yards

 Stashed year to date:             2.0 yards 

Net year to date used:  11.5 yards

I am continuing to join Kate at Life in Pieces in tracking how many days each week I manage to get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. This was another good week, going 7 for 7 days. In January, I finished one baby quilt, started and finished another baby quilt, and finished another quilt top--a very productive month!

15 Minute Challenge:  
1/29 - 2/4                  7 of 7 days

2017 Total              35 of 35 days

I have also resumed keeping track of how many blocks I make each month as part of the 350 Blocks Challenge 2017 over at Prairie Moon Quilts. It's always hard to calculate the equivalent number of blocks when I am working on borders or joining blocks together, but I'm going to count my total for January as 50.

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

From Purple to Teal

Let me begin by saying that improv piecing does not come naturally to me. I am much more comfortable when working with a definite plan. However, I have seen many people create beautiful rainbow quilts from scraps and crumbs. Our January color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge was purple, and when I found a pile of small purple scraps left from an earlier project, I decided to give improv another try.

Last Saturday I spent a large part of the day making these blocks. I used up most of the purple scraps that I showed last week plus a few pieces from my strip drawers. My blocks measure 6-1/2" unfinished.

The February color for the RSC is blue-green (teal, turquoise, aqua, etc.) I love these colors and have a sizable collection of scraps. I started the month by making Scrappy Trips blocks using 3" strips and Bonnie Hunter's instructions. I made 3 blocks to go with the one I'd made earlier. I'm including a close shot of each block so you can get a better look at the fabrics. Most of those fabrics are at least 12 - 15 years old!

Scrappy Trips Around the World
pattern by Bonnie Hunter

It isn't scrappy, but I recently finished this baby quilt that is mostly teal/turquoise fabrics. I wish we could have gotten to Wisconsin for the baby shower today, but no such luck. 

Star Cluster Baby Quilt
variation of a pattern by Judy Martin

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

Julie in GA

Another Finished Baby Quilt!

Baby quilt #2 for 2017 has been completed! It feels so good to have both of these quilts finished in the first month of the year. I have at least one more baby quilt to make in the next month.

Star Cluster Baby Quilt #2
39.5" square after washing & drying

Here are some closer photos of the stars so you can check out the fabrics.

Quilt back (all flannels)

This quilt is a variation on Judy Martin's Star Cluster pattern, the same pattern as quilt #1. You can read more about my inspiration and see the first quilt HERE.

I am linking up to Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation, Let's Make Baby Quilts at Michelle's Romantic Tangle, Whoop Whoop Friday at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts, and Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts. 

Have a wonderful, quilty weekend!

Julie in GA