Stash Report Sunday 10/29/17

It didn't feel like a very productive week for quilting, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I managed to use 1.5 yards over the last week and didn't add any new fabric. The fabric used was 1 yard for a set of four Scrappy Trips block in browns and .5 yard for two test blocks in pink for the 2018 Rainbow Scrap Challenge. You can see the pink blocks in yesterday's post, and here are my brown Scrappy Trips blocks.

Scrappy Trips Around the World
pattern by Bonnie Hunter

2017 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:              1.50 yards

Used year to date:        86.50 yards

Added last week:              0.0 yards
Added year to date:        8.25 yards

Net used year to date: 78.25 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. I didn't have any time for quilting last Sunday--that day was spent buying a new computer and getting it set up.

15 Minute Challenge:  
10/22 - 10/28            6 of 7 days
2017 Total          291 of 301 days

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

Julie in GA

A New RSC Plan in Pink

I've started thinking about new projects for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge for next year. This has involved spending several hours going through my Pinterest board of rainbow quilts, plus looking through some of my quilt pattern books. However, there was one pattern that I first saw early this year and knew that it would become a future RSC project for me.

Scraptastic Star
pattern by Melissa Corey

Melissa Corey's Scraptastic Star was the March block for the 2017 Aurifil Designer Block of the Month. The above block is the one she shared on her website. I love that her pattern uses many scraps of a single color for each block, perfect for the RSC! Most of my previous RSC projects have involved making multiple blocks of each color, but generally did not use lots of different fabrics in each block.

Since I had already finished my Scrappy Trips blocks in pink for October, I decided to give this pattern a try and make sure I liked it. Here is my first block. Like Melissa's pattern, this block is made from 2" squares (cut size) and finishes at 12".

Scraptastic Star, 12" block

Since I have lots of 2.5" squares and strips in my stash, I thought I would see how the block looks with that size too. This block finishes at 16".

Scraptastic Star, 16" block

Here's a photo of the two blocks together so you can see how they compare.

Scraptastic Stars
pattern by Melissa Corey

I can't decide which size block I like better. I guess that means I will just have to make both sizes each month. I certainly have enough scraps around to do that! I'm also thinking about going even smaller (1.5" cut squares = 8" finished block) or larger (3" squares = 20" block.) Stay tuned...

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 projects that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 10/22/17

The quilt top for Vegas was finished a couple days ago (see it HERE), and yesterday I made a backing to send along with the top. This was a piece of fabric by David Textiles that I've had since 2001, and the colors work perfectly with the blocks in the quilt. The quilt back used 3.5 yards, and no new fabrics were added this week!

2017 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:              3.50 yards

Used year to date:        85.00 yards

Added last week:              0.0 yards
Added year to date:        8.25 yards

Net used year to date: 76.75 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. I was able to find time to quilt every day last week and hope to keep up that trend.

15 Minute Challenge:  
10/15 - 10/21            7 of 7 days
2017 Total          285 of 294 days

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

Julie in GA

Laying Out the Scrappy Trips

The Scrappy Trips blocks have been arranged in a myriad of different ways on the design wall this week. One of my ideas was to make two throw quilts, one with the warm-colored blocks and one with the cools. 20 blocks set 4 x 5 would make a throw quilt that measures 60" x 75". Here are a few arrangements of my warm blocks.

Diagonal bands

Hills and Valleys

Barn Raising

As usual, I am having a very hard time choosing between these. Let me know what you think. You might have noticed that I swapped out one of the purple blocks for brown in the last photo. I'm thinking about making a set of beige and brown blocks to go with the other warm colors and putting the purples with the cool colors instead. Those are going up on the wall next!

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 projects that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA

Grayscale Quilt Top for Vegas

Last night I finished joining together the Grayscale blocks that I have been making for the quilt drive sponsored by the Las Vegas Modern Quilt Guild to gather quilts for the victims and first responders at the mass shooting there. I hate that there is a continuing need for quilts in situations like this one, but it helps a bit to be able to contribute something for the people affected.

Grayscale quilt top
50" x 70"

My quilt features fabrics in a variety of blue and green prints. I especially like the streak of bright/lime greens running through the center. The main pattern is a log cabin variation, Grayscale by Allison at Cluck Cluck Sew. The quilt top went together very quickly, and I hope to make a backing, then get them packed up and sent off to Vegas over the weekend.

If you want more information on this quilt drive, check out the Las Vegas Modern Quilt Guild page HERE. They will accept finished quilts (including other patterns), tops, blocks, backing, batting, or monetary donations. 

Linking up to:  Whoop Whoop Friday at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
                      Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts
                      Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts
                      Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
                      Sew Some Love at Kat & Cat Quilts

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 10/16/17

All of the blocks are made for the Las Vegas quilt drive, and I have started joining them together. These blocks went together very quickly, and I hope to get the quilt top finished this week and ready to send to Vegas. My quilt features a variety of green, blue-green, and blue fabrics, just because that was what I felt like playing with last week.

The quilt drive is being sponsored by the Las Vegas Modern Quilt Guild for the victims and first responders of the recent mass shooting The pattern is Greyscale from Allison at Cluck Cluck Sew. They are requesting that each block be made with white and a bright color, and the quilt should also include at least one heart block. The blocks can be arranged in a variety of ways.

If you want more information on this quilt drive, check out the Las Vegas Modern Quilt Guild page HERE. They will accept finished quilts (including other patterns), tops, blocks, backing, batting, or monetary donations. 

I'm 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 10/15/17

It has been a very good week for stash busting! I used one yard on the pink Scrappy Trips blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. You can see those blocks in yesterday's post. I also finished making the Greyscale blocks for the Las Vegas quilt drive. Those used 3.5 yards. No fabric added this week!

2017 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:              4.50 yards

Used year to date:        81.50 yards

Added last week:              0.0 yards
Added year to date:        8.25 yards

Net used year to date: 73.25 yards

I will share the Greyscale blocks on my design wall post tomorrow, but here is one of them. We were asked to include at least one heart block in the quilt top, and I figured out how to adapt the Greyscale pattern to include a heart. For more info on the Vegas quilt drive, go to the Las Vegas Modern Quilt Guild page HERE. They will accept finished quilts (including other patterns), tops, blocks, backing, batting, or monetary donations.

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 again last week, but still keep trying to find some time to quilt every day.

15 Minute Challenge:  
10/8 - 10/14               6 of 7 days
2017 Total          278 of 287 days

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

Julie in GA

Scrappy Trips in Pink

It took most of the week, but I finished making my pink Scrappy Trips blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on Friday night. This may be the last group of blocks I make for this project. I'm hoping to get all the colors up on the wall this weekend and decide on a setting.

Scrappy Trips Around the World
15" blocks made from 3" strips
pattern by Bonnie Hunter

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 projects that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA

Quilts for Vegas

Over the weekend, I read about a quilt drive sponsored by the Las Vegas Modern Quilt Guild to gather quilts for the victims and first responders at the mass shooting there. Once again, I feel like I don't really have the time to start a new quilt project, but I am compelled to join the drive and make my small contribution toward helping people heal. 

This is an example of the quilt they are suggesting we make. The pattern is Greyscale from Allison at Cluck Cluck Sew. They are requesting that each block be made with white and a bright color, and the quilt should also include a heart block. The blocks can be arranged in a variety of ways.

I'm planning to arrange my blocks in a stairstep layout. I finished 10 green blocks yesterday afternoon and will start on another color next, probably teal or turquoise. The blocks go together very quickly!

If you want more information on this quilt drive, check out the Las Vegas Modern Quilt Guild page HERE. They will accept finished quilts (including other patterns), tops, blocks, backing, batting, or monetary donations. 

I'm 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 10/8/17

It's finally time to report the fabric used for the Ring Cycles quilt top that I have been assembling for the past several weeks. I counted all the fabrics used in the 9-patch blocks when they were made last year. The current total is for the rest of the background fabric--many hexagons and triangles, 3.5 yards used and no fabric added this week! The quilt top needs some serious pressing and maybe a final border before it is ready to share.

Ring Cycles, pattern by Lessa Siegele

2017 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:              3.50 yards

Used year to date:        77.00 yards

Added last week:              0.0 yards
Added year to date:        8.25 yards

Net used year to date: 68.75 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. I missed one day last week, but have been doing very well at finding some time to quilt other days.

15 Minute Challenge:  
10/1 - 10/7                6 of 7 days
2017 Total          272 of 280 days

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

Julie in GA

Pink Strips for Scrappy Trips

It seemed like there would be plenty of time for me to start working on my pink Scrappy Trips blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this week, but it didn't work out that way. All I was able to do was pull out some pink strips, choose groups of six for the gradation of color, and get them cut to the right lengths. No stitching yet, but maybe over the weekend.

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 projects that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 10/2/17

My latest hand-stitching project has been appliquing down my Dresden Stars blocks to the background squares. This quilt project was started in a class with Edyta Sitar in the summer of 2013. I have worked on it sporadically, and had all the Dresden piecing done quite awhile ago. When I needed a new project to stitch while riding the train to work, this was the one I pulled out. So far I have the outer points of four blocks stitched to the background, one partially done, and three left to go. You can see them here with some of my planned setting fabrics.

One thing I am uncertain about is the best way to finish the centers of the blocks. It seems as though all the seam allowances from the Dresden petals and star points would be lumpy under the center circle. 

This center block has a layer of flannel basted inside the blue circle, but I'm not sure I like the thickness of it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I'm 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 10/1/17

Wow, October already?! How did that happen? This is when I feel like I should get started on any Christmas gifts I might want to make, but I'm not sure I'm ready to deal with that yet!

Most of my stash usage for the past week was not on a quilt, but a pair of Milwaukee Brewers pajama pants for me. Unfortunately, my favorite team came up just short of making it to the playoffs. It was still a fun, exciting season, and they are looking good for next year. I used 2.75 yards on the pj's, plus 3/8 yard for the 30's 9-patch blocks I showed in yesterday's post. 

2017 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:              3.125 yards

Used year to date:        73.500 yards

Added last week:                0.0 yards
Added year to date:          8.25 yards

Net used year to date: 65.25 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. I have been doing very well at finding some time to quilt every single day, frequently working on two or three different projects each day.

15 Minute Challenge:  
9/24 - 9/30                7 of 7 days
2017 Total          266 of 273 days

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

Julie in GA