Stitching and DeStashing: Week 4, 2019

Finally, the work schedule is getting better, but it seems that life outside of work is getting harder. I was very sick for three days this past week and am waiting for test results to find out exactly what is going on. Somehow I still managed to spend at least 15 minutes quilting on 6 out of 7 days, mostly doing hand work, and that is a much better result than I would have expected.

15 Minute Challenge:  

1/20 - 1/26          6 of 7 days

2019 Total        23 of 26 days

No new fabric was added to the stash yet again, and I used 1/2 yard for two different Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects, the Framed Crumb Star and the Stair Steps blocks. Here is another zigzag layout possibility for the Stair Steps blocks.

2019 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                          .50 yards

Used year to date:                     2.50 yards
Added last week:                         0.0 yards

Added year to date:                     0.0 yards
Net used year to date:           2.50 yards

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Rainbow Scrap Saturday #4, 2019

The dithering over choosing my project(s) for the 2019 Rainbow Scrap Challenge continues, as I have the beginnings of two more sets of blocks to share today. The first is my current hand-stitching project for morning train commutes and other times when I feel the need to keep my hands busy. In December I made some teal/turquoise Orange Peel blocks as a sample run for the pattern. The top right teal block was made with reverse applique as a test of an alternate method, but I didn't like turning the black fabric under at the pointy ends.

3" Orange Peel blocks

My goal is to make at least 8 blocks each month in the assigned RSC color. These blocks finish at 3". I have one more red block partially done, and plenty of red squares that can become additional peels.

New project #2 doesn't have an official name yet. I am calling these blocks Stairsteps because that is what they look like to me. I thought someone else from the RSC had made this type of block in the past, but I can't figure out who, when, or what the design was called. Anyway, my plan is to make 8-12 blocks per month using scrappy grey and black fabrics on one side, black on white for the squares down the center, and the color of the month on the other side. Here is a single block. This block finishes at 6"

6" Stairsteps block

It will be fun to play with different arrangements of these blocks. They can be used in a variety of layouts like log cabin blocks. I've made 8 blocks, and these are a couple of the ways I have tried them.

Barn Raising Stairsteps

Zigzag Stairsteps

When I add these two additional RSC projects to the other options from the past few weeks, I'm sure that I have more quilts in the works than I can possibly handle. Time to narrow down my choices--I hope to have a decision by next week!

I am linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on Saturday and with Oh Scrap! 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

Stitching and DeStashing: Week 3, 2019

It's a miracle--I have a three-day weekend! Day one was mostly lazy, recovery time from the recent crazy weeks at work. Today I have a little more energy, but am still moving slowly. I hope to get in some quilting time this evening and tomorrow.

I feel fortunate to have managed to find time for quilting on 6 of the past 7 days. There was even some machine piecing during that time, not just handwork like the previous week. It's time for me to get back to a regular quilting routine and make some serious progress on my quilt projects.

15 Minute Challenge:  

1/13 - 1/19          6 of 7 days

2019 Total        17 of 19 days

There was no new fabric added to the stash last week, and 3/4 yard was used on my pinwheels leader/ender blocks. I added 9 red and 21 green blocks to the other blocks in the collection. I already have pieces cut for additional pinwheels in blues and lavenders.

2019 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                          .75 yards

Used year to date:                     2.00 yards
Added last week:                         0.0 yards

Added year to date:                     0.0 yards
Net used year to date:           2.00 yards

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Revisiting my Red Scraps

It seems like forever since I didn't have to work on a Saturday (the last time was Christmas weekend, which also feels like an eternity ago.) We didn't find out until 11:30 last night that there was no work call today, but it felt so good to sleep in this morning, then spend some time checking out this week's posts to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Now I am finally ready to add my own post to the group.

It has been a slow start to the RSC for me this year. I am still trying to figure out my plans for RSC projects. I've been making sample blocks of a couple of ideas, plus stitching up some basic blocks from assorted scraps. My first batch of blocks are some crumb blocks which measure 4.5" unfinished. There were originally two more blocks, but they have already been repurposed. 

Crumb blocks

One of the repurposed crumb blocks became the center of a sawtooth star. The star was then surrounded by a frame made from 2.5" squares. The finished size of this block is 12". I'm thinking about making another one from 2" squares and doing two rows of framing--maybe for next week?

Framed Crumb Star

Some other red stitching over the past several weeks has been HST's from my 30's fabrics made into 4" pinwheels. I have been stitching these as leaders and enders in between other piecing. 

30's Pinwheels

I am linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on Saturday and with Oh Scrap! 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

Stitching and De-Stashing: Week 2, 2019

It's a chilly, grey day in Georgia, perfect for staying inside and quilting. There are many chores to take care of today (laundry, cooking, cleaning), but I am determined to spend some serious time in the sewing room too!

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces has us keep track of how many days each week we are able to spend at least 15 minutes quilting. Last week saw quilting time on 6 of the 7 days, almost all of it hand applique. Getting a project organized enough for machine work is more than I can handle right now, but it feels good to get in some hand stitching most days.

15 Minute Challenge:  
1/6 - 1/12            6 of 7 days
2019 Total        11 of 12 days

The stash report didn't see much of a change for the week. I used 1/2 yard for some green string blocks (easy, mindless piecing) plus the first batch of blocks for a new Rainbow Scrap Challenge project. I will share those next weekend. No new fabric was added.

2019 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                          .50 yards

Used year to date:                     1.25 yards
Added last week:                         0.0 yards

Added year to date:                     0.0 yards
Net used year to date:           1.25 yards

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Stitching and De-Stashing: Week 1, 2019

The beginning of a new year means it's time to reset all the numbers for my quilt tracking. It feels good to begin again with a clean slate, although last year's numbers ended well. 

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces has us keep track of how many days each week we are able to spend at least 15 minutes quilting. I ended 2018 with 352 out of 365 days of quilting time, for a 96.4% success rate. It's clear that my quilting time is very important to my sanity, even though I didn't end up finishing many quilts in 2018. I had 3 finished quilts for the year, all of them small sizes, and 10 finished quilt tops. Finishing more quilts is a top priority for this year.

The first week of 2019 included time for quilting every single day. I have gotten back into the routine of spending some time in the sewing room after dinner most evenings, plus I am continuing my hand stitching on the morning commute.

15 Minute Challenge:  
1/1 - 1/5          5 of 5 days
2019 Total        5 of 5 days

Under the category of "True Confessions", my final stash report for 2018 ended up being a lot closer to even than I reported last week. Just hours after posting my stash report a week ago, I made a trip to JoAnn's and to a local quilt store, all in search of batting, backing fabrics (and bargains!) I ended up buying 5 different fabrics to use as quilt backs.

The two fabrics on the left end are extra wide backing fabrics. Three of the fabrics (the grey dots, the blue dots, and the adorable giraffes) are flannels, my favorite thing to use to back kid's quilts and throw quilts. I bought a total of 14.5 yards, but am counting the wide fabrics as double yardage. Despite the large increase, I was able to meet my goal of using more fabric than I added for the year. Here are my final stash numbers for 2018:

Used in 2018:                 74.875 yards

Added in 2018:                   70.0 yards

Net used in 2018:          4.875 yards

My stash goals tend to stay the same every year: use at least 100 yards and use more stash fabric than I add. Maybe I will come closer to that 100 yard goal this year! I'm off to a slow start, having used 3/4 yard for a variety of blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. The newest additions were a batch of Rolling 9-Patch blocks that I made last night. I like the way they look together on the diagonal.

2019 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                          .75 yards

Used year to date:                       .75 yards
Added last week:                         0.0 yards

Added year to date:                     0.0 yards
Net used year to date:             .75 yards

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Getting Back to the Rainbow

It has been several weeks since I had anything to share for the weekly Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Looking back through past blog posts, I see that my first year of participating in the RSC was 2013, when I made my Dancing Stars quilt. The Dancing Stars quilt pattern was designed by Amy Ellis of Amy's Creative Side, and it is still available for free from her Craftsy store (although I know they are making many changes at Craftsy/Bluprint, so you might want to grab it while you can!)

Dancing Stars
60" x 77"

2013 was also when I started English paper piecing a rainbow hexagon quilt that is still in the works. Some quilts just can't be rushed, am I right?

My RSC projects for 2019 are still uncertain. I am planning to follow along on the RSC sampler blocks that Angela and others will be sharing. I've started a new hand applique project, but I haven't figured out what my main RSC piecing project will be. Too many wonderful options, and not enough brain power to make a decision lately.

My first few red blocks for 2019 are two 6.5" string blocks, one 5" string block, and two 4.5" crumb blocks. Those may later be used as the centers of some scrappy stars--time will tell.

Many thanks to Angela for continuing to host the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. This is my favorite linky party of any out there. I am constantly amazed by the creative scrappy genius of the participants, and I can't wait to see what each of them is planning for the new year!

I am linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on Saturday and with Oh Scrap! 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