Stash Report Sunday 6/25/17

For the first time in several weeks, I can report a sizable amount of fabric used from my stash. Yesterday I finished the quilt top that I have been making from my old stash of green 3" strips. Until I come up with something better, it has been given the name of Green Strippy quilt. This top used 5.5 yards of fabric, all from my stash, and most of it is 15 - 20 years old. I consider that a major win!

Green Strippy quilt top
64.25" x 93.5"

I did have a small addition to my stash last week too--two fat quarters of black-on-white prints, which are always great to have around!

2017 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:             5.50 yards

Used year to date:      56.375 yards

Added last week:             .50 yards
Added year to date:        8.25 yards

Net used year to date:  48.125 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. I missed one day last week while we were out of town, but have been getting in my 15 minutes or more of quilting the rest of the week.

15 Minute Challenge:  
6/18 - 6/24                6 of 7 days

2017 Total          170 of 175 days

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate, and add your own report so we can keep this linky going.

Julie in GA

Evolution of a Quilt Design

As part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge for 2017, I have been working my way through a collection of 3" strips. Most of these were strips I received as part of a monthly exchange at a quilt guild in the late 1990's or early 2000's, plus there have been more recent additions through the years.

I'm a month behind with this project, but I'm going to share it anyway. Our RSC color for May was green, and I had lots of green 3" strips to use. My original plan was to make a variation of a jelly roll race quilt. I couldn't face the thought of miles of strips joined end-to-end, so I made my version using strips that were deliberately pieced together to make rows that measured about 60" across. I was planning to make 32 rows, which would have finished at 80" long. Here is the top half from that original plan.

How boring is that? I hated it!! Time for Plan B. The rest of the rows for the lower half were joined into groups of four. I decided to cut those groups into segments that measured 10.5" x 14.5" and wrap them around central squares to make blocks. Here are the two fabrics I auditioned for the centers of the blocks and the sashing.

After deciding to go with the darker brown contrast fabric, I made six blocks that finish at 24" square. At that point the plan was to also use the dark brown fabric as sashing between the blocks, then use some remaining green sections for a piano key type border.

The narrow sashing seemed overwhelmed by the giant blocks in the above layout. Here comes Plan C--instead of doing a pieced border, I ended up making pieced sashing with two strips of the dark brown and a line of green pieces in between. So much better! Now I like the way this has come together. Here is a photo of the completed quilt top, followed by two close-ups of blocks that give you a better look at the fabrics.

Green Strippy quilt top
64.25" x 93.5"

I haven't come up with any good names for this quilt yet. I'm just glad to have the top done and the pieces off my design wall. It feels good to have a finished top--it may not be my favorite ever, but at least I don't hate it anymore!

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. I am also linking up to Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt, Moving It Forward at Em's Scrapbag and to the Ad Hoc Improv Quilters at Fret Not Yourself. Be sure to check out all of the wonderful projects that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 6/19/17

Thanks to everyone who offered their opinion to last week's post on which sashing fabric to use with my green strippy blocks. The darker brown was the overwhelming favorite, and I have gotten the strips cut and started stitching the pieces together. 

These blocks are very large, 24" finished. I am planning to add more green strips around the outside as a final border. Looking at the photos, I'm wishing there was more of the brown--maybe I will make all the sashing as two strips of brown with a line of green strips in between.

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, 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 6/18/17

Yesterday I finished up the rest of my yellow Ribbon Star blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, using 1.5 yards of scraps. You can see the first set of blocks HERE. I'm almost ready to report a larger amount used on another project, but haven't sat down to figure out the numbers yet. Hopefully that will happen next week.

It has been almost exactly a month since the last addition to my stash. I've been able to avoid buying much new fabric this year, mostly by staying out of the quilt shops/fabric stores and deleting most of the on-line store emails. I gave in to a sale at Connecting Threads recently because there was a book I really wanted to get, and since I was already paying shipping... I'm a sucker for black and white prints, also for red, white & blue. The two lavender fabrics are just because I don't have much of that color in my stash. They will be useful for future rainbow projects.

2017 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:             1.50 yards

Used year to date:      50.875 yards

Added last week:            2.50 yards
Added year to date:        7.75 yards

Net used year to date:  43.125 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. I am back on track with getting in my 15 minutes or more for stitching every day.

15 Minute Challenge:  
6/11 - 6/17                7 of 7 days

2017 Total          164 of 168 days

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate, and add your own report so we can keep this linky going.

Julie in GA

Seeing Stars

My current project for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge has been making more Ribbon Star blocks in yellow, our color for the month of June. I finished 9 blocks this week and have 10-12 more in the works.

A few days ago I had an email that included a link to the Benartex Fabrics blog and their free e-magazine "Modern by the Yard." I thought the cover quilt had to be shared with all of you lovers of rainbow scrappiness. Go to their blog HERE to download this issue or any of the previous four issues of the e-zine.

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 that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 6/12/17

Last week I showed my version of a jelly roll race quilt made completely from green 3" strips. Check it out in THIS POST. I ended up grouping my green strips into sets of four and cutting them into segments. I am in the process of auditioning those segments with two different brown fabrics to use as the centers and sashing with these blocks. 

I keep going back and forth on my preference between the two brown fabrics. It probably means I'm not completely sold on either one, but I'm determined to use something from my stash. I welcome your opinions!

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, 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 6/11/17

I'm feeling good about continuing to make a dent in my stash, even though I haven't been using large amounts of yardage. I have used almost 50 yards so far this year, all of it in small increments like a yard or so. I keep chipping away at it, and have mostly managed to resist buying more fabric.

Last week I used 1 yard for a set of four Scrappy Trips blocks and 1-1/8 yard to make 16 Ribbon Stars blocks. I shared photos of both sets of blocks in yesterday's Rainbow Scrap Challenge post, but I like the yellow blocks so much that I'm going to include that photo again. Sunshiny goodness!

2017 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:            2.125 yards

Used year to date:       49.375 yards

Added last week:             0.0 yards
Added year to date:        5.25 yards

Net used year to date:  44.125 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. I am back on track with getting in my 15 minutes or more for stitching every day.

15 Minute Challenge:  
6/4 - 6/10                 7 of 7 days

2017 Total          157 of 161 days

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate, and add your own report so we can keep this linky going.

Julie in GA

Yellow and Green for the RSC

My first yellow project for June at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge was to make my set of four Scrappy Trips blocks. I love working with yellow, and these blocks have such a wonderful glow!

Scrappy Trip Around the World
pattern by Bonnie Hunter

I'm still trying to finish up a couple sets of green blocks, the May color for the RSC. Seeing Cathy's beautiful friendship star blocks reminded me that I hadn't made mine for the month. I completed 16 blocks and wish I'd included more brighter greens, but I was using what I had in the scrap pile.

I also considered making a version of a jelly roll race quilt with my stack of green 3" strips. Instead of sewing all the strips together end to end, I made rows from strips of various lengths, then joined the rows together. Here is the upper half showing how that plan worked out.

That was just too boring for me, so I sewed the remaining strips into groups of four, then sliced each strip set into quarters. I have been auditioning contrast fabrics to add a little more interest to this design. The contrast would become the center of the blocks and sashing in between. I'm currently leaning toward the caramel-colored print at the bottom of the photo, although I like the darkest one too.

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. I'm also linking up with Scraptastic Tuesday at Mrs. Sew & Sow. Be sure to check out all of the wonderful scrappy projects that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 6/5/17

In my continuing effort to use some of the older fabrics in my stash, I have been making Scrappy Trip Around the World blocks every month as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I am using a collection of 3" strips from a guild exchange many years ago. Our color for the RSC in May was green.

Scrappy Trips pattern by Bonnie Hunter

This set of blocks barely made a dent in my stack of green strips. I considered many other options for using them, including a jelly roll race quilt. I didn't see many examples made from a single color group, plus my strips measure 3" rather than the usual 2.5". Time to come up with something else quick and easy!

I decided to improvise my own variation. I figured out that the regular jelly roll race quilt ends up with 32 horizontal rows. If I make a quilt with 32 rows made from 3" strips, it ends up measuring 80" long. That is a good size for a throw quilt, and I am shooting for finishing at 60" wide. What you are seeing here is the upper half of my quilt. The pieced strips for the lower half have all been made and are waiting to be joined to one another, then the two halves can become one!

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, 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 6/4/17

Last week's stash usage was 5/8 yard for a set of potholders that I made for my brother's 50th birthday. His set featured Milwaukee Brewers fabric, and the earlier set made for my sister was Green Bay Packers fabric. I have two more sets cut out for our house--one is also Brewers, the other has the Atlanta Braves. It was fun to make a quick little project like this last weekend.

2017 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:             .625 yards

Used year to date:       47.25 yards

Added last week:             0.0 yards
Added year to date:        5.25 yards

Net used year to date:  42.0 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. I am back on track with getting in my 15 minutes or more for stitching every day.

15 Minute Challenge:  
5/28 - 6/3                 7 of 7 days

2017 Total          150 of 154 days

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate, and add your own report so we can keep this linky going.

Julie in GA

Scrappy Strips of Sunshine

I had all kinds of plans for using my green scraps as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge last month, but never managed to get much done with them. Our new color for June is yellow, and I have been sorting my yellow 3" strips from light to dark for this month's Scrappy Trips blocks. I need six different shades of yellow for each block, and I will make at least four blocks. I have plenty of choices here--I'll have to come up with some other ideas for using the leftover strips!

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 that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA