Something Old Becomes Something New

One of my recent goals in the sewing room has been to sort through the boxes and bags of leftovers from previous projects. I never know what to do with the bits and pieces, partial strip sets and extra blocks when I finish a quilt. Most of the time, they languish in a box while I jump on to a new project. The accumulation has become rather ridiculous.

While sorting through a box of parts and pieces from several old projects, I ran across some partial units from a challenge quilt that I made in 1999! Here is a scan of a 1999 photo of the original quilt. I couldn't do much in editing to improve the quality of the photo, but you can get an idea of the quilt design. Finished size of the quilt is probably between 36" and 40".

Here are some of the leftover pieces that were in that box. There were enough parts to make 5 or 6 star blocks, but not enough of the background fabric. The pattern is "Santa Monica Stars" from the book Even More Well Connected by Mary Ellen Hopkins, published in 1995.

I decided to switch the fabric at the center of the stars and auditioned a couple of other options.

I decided to go with the last choice, and also had just enough of that fabric to use it for the sashing and border on my new little wallhanging. 

Santa Monica Stars
22.75" square

I must be ready for the hot weather to be done, because I keep wanting to dig into the fall colors in my fabric collection. Unfortunately, our forecast still shows highs over 90 for another week!

I'm linking up with Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Moving it Forward at Em's Scrapbag and Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt. Check them out for lots of great inspiration.

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Stitching and DeStashing--Week 39, 2019

It has been a very good week for quilting time and productivity. I am counting 4.375 yards as used from my stash for the past week, and there was no new fabric added. I used 2 yards for the blue and yellow baby quilt that I shared in last Monday's post, plus 1.375 yards for the backing of a Christmas wallhanging, .75 yard for a new autumn wallhanging, and .25 yard for my Tiny Tuesday blocks. Here is a sneak peek of the fall quilt--the full reveal will be tomorrow.

2019 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                          4.375 yards

Used year to date:                        46.5 yards
Added last week:                            0.0 yards

Added year to date:                    50.75 yards
Net stashed year to date:         4.25 yards

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces has us tracking how many days each week we get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. I had Friday off from work, and I was able to spend lots of time both Friday and Saturday in the sewing room, plus I got in at least 15 minutes all the other days too. 

15 Minute Challenge:  

9/22 - 9/28              7 of 7 days

2019 Total         254 of 271 days

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

Scrappy Rainbow Saturday--Week 39, 2019

It's almost the end of our month of playing with purple scraps for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I made good progress on all of my different RSC projects.

Here we have a Framed Crumb Star (12" block") surrounded by twelve Stairsteps blocks. On the right are eight Orange Peel blocks, plus five Tiny Tuesday blocks.

I also made some Quarter Log Cabin blocks as a sample for a possible RSC project next year.

It seems like we will probably have black and grey or brown as our assigned colors for October. It's almost time to finish making blocks and start getting these quilt tops put together!

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

Kevin's Scrappy Summer Mystery--two tops!

The Simply Sensational Summer Scrap Quilt mystery quilt-along, hosted by Kevin the Quilter, began in late June of this year. I resisted joining in at first, but eventually gave up and started making little four-patches from my blue scraps, which were joined soon after by the yellows. 

Kevin posted the final layout for the quilt at the end of August. His version was made from 2.5" squares and finished at approximately 72" x 89". Mine is made from 2" squares, and I knew I didn't want a big quilt. I joined four-patches and squares following Kevin's instructions until I reached this point, then declared it finished! This top measures 48" square. Check out the difference in colors in my indoor and outdoor photos!

After completing that top, I still had lots of 4-patches around. I started playing with them on my design wall. This is what I was able to make from those leftovers.

It seemed unfinished, so I added some borders with more squares. Of course, I had used up all the original parts, so making the borders meant cutting and sewing even more squares. Eventually I ended up with this 39" top, perfect for a baby quilt.

I had a great time playing in my scraps making these two little quilts. Thanks to Kevin for the great quilt-along!

I'm linking up with Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Moving it Forward at Em's Scrapbag and Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt. I'm also linking up with 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 and Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts.

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Stitching and DeStashing--Week 38, 2019

It's time for the weekly stash report again, and I am happy to say that there was no new fabric added to the stash last week! There were an awful lot of additions in August, but maybe I can make it through the whole month of September without buying any fabric. It's good to have a goal, right? And it's only a little over a week until October (how did that happen?!)

On the usage side, there was 1.25 yards used to make two sets of Stairsteps blocks for my Rainbow Scrap Challenge project. I showed the purple blocks in yesterday's post. Here is my set of grey/black blocks.

2019 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                           1.25 yards

Used year to date:                    42.125 yards
Added last week:                           0.0 yards

Added year to date:                    50.75 yards
Net stashed year to date:        8.625 yards

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces has us tracking how many days each week we get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. I missed one day last week for the first time in several weeks, but I keep moving my projects forward (and sometimes getting distracted by possible new projects!)

15 Minute Challenge:  

9/15 - 9/21              6 of 7 days

2019 Total         247 of 264 days

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

Scrappy Rainbow Saturday--Week 38, 2019

I didn't make any Stairsteps blocks last month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Our color of the month for August was light/bright blues, and I had already used all different shades of blue for my blocks in June. When it came time to make a set of blocks in purples for September, it took me awhile to work up some enthusiasm for the job. However, once I got going on the purple blocks, it all went smoothly and I am very happy with the results.

This project has now reached the point where I just want to keep going and make the rest of the blocks needed. There are 8 colors done, and I still need to add brown and grey/black blocks. Then it will be assembly time! There's a 50/50 chance I will make the rest of the blocks yet this month and get this beauty put together in October.

I've had some questions throughout the year about a pattern for these blocks. I don't have an official pattern to share, but I did post a set of cutting instructions in an earlier post HERE. I also found a link to a similar pattern called Vortex from Wilmington Prints that is available for free at the Fat Quarter Shop. Here are several different color combinations and an interesting layout for inspiration.

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 37, 2019

It was a fairly productive week for the stash reduction efforts, with 3/8 yard used for the binding on a baby quilt, plus another 3/8 used to make the four Quarter Log Cabin blocks that I showed in yesterday's post. No new fabric was added to the stash. I hope to keep the numbers edging closer to even, but meeting my goal of using 100 yards this year is not going to happen.

2019 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                             .75 yards

Used year to date:                    40.875 yards
Added last week:                           0.0 yards

Added year to date:                    50.75 yards
Net stashed year to date:        9.875 yards

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces has us tracking how many days each week we get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. I keep on chipping away at my many projects, getting in a little time here and there every single day!

15 Minute Challenge:  

9/8 - 9/14                7 of 7 days

2019 Total         241 of 257 days

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

Scrappy Rainbow Saturday--Week 37, 2019

I have some catching up to do on a couple of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects. The pieces were all cut for some purple Stairsteps blocks, but instead of sewing them together, I just had to try out a new idea. 

We made Quarter Log Cabin blocks as part of the Tiny Tuesday sampler a few weeks ago. I kept thinking about making a larger version of that pattern as a future RSC quilt. Today was the day to make some sample blocks. The light strips are cut at 1.5" and the dark ones are 2", ending up with 9" finished blocks.

Quarter Log Cabins, 9" finished size

My purple blocks look very dark in the photo. I'm undecided about making them as a new RSC project for next year, but it was fun to experiment with something new this afternoon.

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 36, 2019

It feels so good to report some stash usage this week and NO NEW FABRIC ADDED TO THE STASH! There have been too many new additions lately; it's time to get back to using more than adding!

My usage for the past week was 3 yards for Kevin's Scrappy Summer Mystery, which needs to be photographed so I can share it here. I also used 3/8 yard for the Framed Crumb Star that showed up in yesterday's post, plus this Flying Dutchman variation that I made a couple weeks ago and never counted.

Flying Dutchman variation
12" block

2019 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                         3.375 yards

Used year to date:                    40.125 yards
Added last week:                           0.0 yards

Added year to date:                    50.75 yards
Net stashed year to date:        10.625 yards

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces has us tracking how many days each week we get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. The schedule at work has let up a bit, and I managed to get some time for quilting every single day!

15 Minute Challenge:  

9/1 - 9/7                  7 of 7 days

2019 Total         234 of 250 days

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

Scrappy Rainbow Saturday--Week 36, 2019

Finally, a weekend where I get two whole days off! It's the first time that has happened in a month. And that Labor Day holiday? We are still waiting to find out when we can get a make-up day off for that.

I've been so busy and worn out that it is hard to know where things stand with my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects. My Orange Peel blocks are in the works, and they are always easy to pick up when there's a few minutes for stitching. Today I finished making my Framed Crumb Star block in pretty purples.

A couple years ago, I was making Scrappy Trip Around the World blocks as a way to use up a drawer full of 3" strips. (You can see my Scrappy Trips quilt tops HERE.) There are still quite a few strips in there, but I cut up most of the purple leftovers into 3" squares and made 4-patch blocks from them. The other night I pulled out those blocks and tried a couple of different layouts on the design wall. The first version has the lightest squares running in a diagonal line.

The second attempt has the light blocks scattered around more randomly. 

Of the two options, the random mix is my favorite. The number of blocks would make a small quilt about 35" square. I need to decide if I want to stop there or make more purple 4-patches. I'm currently leaning toward more blocks.

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 Stashing--Week 35, 2019

My stash totals have taken another turn further into the red, but I don't mind too much. While out running errands yesterday, we ended up near the JoAnn Fabrics where I bought this wild rainbow flannel about a month ago. 

I am in the middle of finishing a baby quilt with this fabric as the backing, and I love the way it is working out. I was very happy to get an additional 6.5 yards of the same fabric for future rainbow quilts, and best of all, it was 60% off!

I'm counting one yard as used this week. That covers 39 Orange Peel blocks that have been made over the past 3 months, plus my Tiny Tuesday blocks for August. You can see them all in yesterday's post.

2019 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                            1.0 yards

Used year to date:                     36.75 yards
Added last week:                           6.5 yards

Added year to date:                    50.75 yards
Net stashed year to date:          14.0 yards

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces has us tracking how many days each week we get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. Another very busy week meant very little time at the sewing machine, but I have continued hand stitching Orange Peel blocks every day.

15 Minute Challenge:  

8/25 - 8/31              7 of 7 days

2019 Total         227 of 243 days

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