Best of 2020

Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs is hosting the Best of 2020 blog party, the fifth year for this event. She is offering the opportunity to link up our five "best" posts from the past year. We get to decide how we choose those posts, but I'm going to follow her suggestions.

1. Post with the most views:  Star Cluster Baby Quilts

I made quilts for the two newest additions to the family over the summer, and this post got the most views by far in 2020. We haven't been able to travel and meet the new babies yet, but it's great to see both enjoying their quilts!

2. Post with the most comments: Orange Peel Rainbow

Orange Peel Rainbow, 36.5" x 48.5"

The Orange Peel blocks were my hand-stitching project for over a year and a half as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I got them all joined together into this small quilt top in August.

3. Post that provoked the best discussion: Scrappy Bear Paws Setting

The above photo shows my Scrappy Bear Paw blocks on the wall with scrappy setting triangle fabrics, an idea that ended up being rejected. Here's a photo of the finished quilt top.

Scrappy Bear Paws, 47.75" x 68.75"

4. Post showing your favorite 2020 finish: Dresden Stars

Dresden Stars, 50" x 50"

Besides the two baby quilts, this was one of the few quilts to get completely finished this year. It felt great to get this long-time UFO, which was started in 2013,  done and hanging in our living room.

5. Post that is a personal favorite: 2020 Rainbow Scrap Challenge Wrap-Up

My final Rainbow Scrap Challenge post of the year shared all four of the rainbow projects that became finished tops by the end of 2020. Besides the Orange Peel Rainbow and the Scrappy Bear Paws shown above, it also included my Scrap Snap quilt, Rainbow Cascade, and my two RSC Square Dance tops.

Rainbow Cascade, 60.5" x 72.5"

RSC Square Dance tops, each 40" x 60"

Despite all the challenges of this very strange year, I'm happy with the progress I made on my quilting projects for 2020, and I look forward to continuing in 2021. Thanks to Cheryl for giving us all the opportunity to share our favorites from the past year. I'm linking up with her "Best of 2020" blog party.

Happy quilting and Happy New Year!

Julie in GA

Stitching and Stashing--Week 52, 2020

This is the last regular stash report for 2020, although I might do a final 2020 update next Sunday if there are any changes between now and the 31st. My last little Christmas project used 1/2 yard for these Santa potholders.

My addition for the week was a Christmas gift (my suggestion) of two fat quarter bundles of the fabric line "Pin Drop." The pins measure about 3/4" long. I'm considering this group for a future Rainbow Scrap Challenge project. Here they are still neatly folded before I threw them in the washer.

2020 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                               .50 yards

Used year to date:                    187.375 yards

Added last week:                              4.5 yards

Added year to date:                        86.0 yards

Net used year to date           101.375 yards

I am thrilled to end the year with a net usage of over 100 yards, by far the highest I've ever had. The main reason that was possible is because I used 37 yards of quilting fabric to make over 300 face masks, and I also gave away several UFO projects and some unloved fabrics. 

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 managed to get at least 15 minutes every day, including some hand stitching time on Christmas Day. The biggest accomplishment was finishing assembly of my RSC Square Dance quilt tops, which you can see in yesterday's post.

15 Minute Challenge:  

12/20 - 12/26              7 of 7 days

2020 Total            352 of 361 days

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

Happy quilting and Happy New Year everyone!

Julie in GA

Last Scrappy Rainbow Saturday of 2020

Another year of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge is coming to an end. As always, there have been countless numbers of amazing rainbow quilts made by the participants. I am continually blown away by their creativity! I am also deeply appreciative of their continuing support and encouragement.

Of course, the main person to thank is Angela, who is our wonderful hostess of the RSC. She created the Rainbow Scrap Challenge in 2011 and has kept it going ever since. Thank you so much Angela for all your hard work through the years!

I started 2020 with two new projects for the RSC, plus one that carried over from 2019. Around mid-year, one unplanned rainbow quilt joined the lineup. It's almost the end of the year, and all four of my RSC projects are now finished quilt tops!

The quilt that carried over from 2019 was my Orange Peel Rainbow quilt. I started this hand applique project as a way to fill the time on my morning train rides to work. I made about a dozen blocks each month in the assigned RSC color. The last blocks were appliqued in mid-August, and they were all joined together a week later.

Orange Peel Rainbow, 36.5" x 48.5"

The unplanned rainbow project for the year was the Scrap Snap QAL. I discovered this pattern in May and couldn't resist jumping in, even though I was several months behind. The blocks were very easy to make, perfect during a pandemic. My original plan was to catch up on the months I had missed, then make the rest of the blocks each month as part of the RSC. It turned out that I couldn't resist making all the different colors over the summer. Before I knew what was happening, I had a finished quilt top that I call Rainbow Cascade.

Rainbow Cascade, 60.5" x 72.5"

Of the two new projects planned for the RSC in 2020, the first to get assembled was the Scrappy Bear Paws. Each month I made a 14" block, although a couple of them were later deconstructed to use in the setting triangles when the quilt top came together. This quilt top was finished in November.

Scrappy Bear Paws, 47.75" x 68.75"

My last RSC project for 2020 was completed on Christmas Eve. My inspiration was the Square Dance block, shared by the Stashbuster Challenge at Border Creek Station. It's basically a double four-patch block with strategic color placement. I figured out a plan for my quilt at the very beginning of the year, then started making 30-32 blocks each month based on the Rainbow Scrap Challenge colors. I ended up with over 300 blocks, which have all been joined together. The only decision that hasn't been made yet is whether to use the blocks in one large throw quilt (60 x 80") or two smaller quilts (40 x 60"), which would be a good size for little kids. For now, I have two separate tops, but they could easily be joined together into one. This is my Rainbow Square Dance!

Rainbow Square Dance x 2, each top = 40" x 60"

I started participating in the RSC back in 2013, and I'm pretty sure that this is the first time I got all of my rainbow projects for the year assembled into tops before the end of the year. Of course, getting them quilted and finished may take much longer, but I'm thrilled to have all of these projects done to this stage.

I'm always looking for new ideas for future rainbow projects, and there are far too many wonderful designs out there! It's so hard to limit my choices for next year to a "reasonable" number. I've already started a new hand-piecing project, my Glorified 9-Patch blocks, which will carry over through 2021.

I will probably also do 2-3 more rainbow projects for next year. I've decided on one, but the others are still up in the air. Maybe I will have it figured out 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. I hope you are all staying well and getting lots of quilting done!

Julie in GA 

To-Do Tuesday 12/22/2020

At this time of year, the to-do list is more important than ever, whether it is a list of Christmas gifts. groceries, or quilting projects. Today it's time to catch up with the To-Do Tuesday Weekly Progress Update and Link-up hosted by Roseanne and Sue at Home Sewn By Us. I did very well on last week's lengthy list, with progress on all of my projects except one.

To-Do List for 12/15 - 12/21/2020

1. Santa Ho Ho Ho--binding                                         ✔done

The Santa wallhanging is finished and hanging near the back door. Finished size is 10" x 19".

2. Another secret Christmas gift                                   ✔done

All secret Christmas projects are done (unless I decide to make something at the last minute--it has happened before!)

3. Thimbleberries wallhanging--continue quilting            not done

This project is not going to be completed for Christmas this year.

4. Grassy Creek mystery--work on Step 4                     ✔progress    

All of my units for Step 4 have been stitched; half still need to be trimmed.

        

5. Sewcialites QAL--make blocks #12 & 13                    ✔done     

I am caught up on this block-of-the-week project.

6. Glorified 9-Patch--stitch last brown block                   ✔done  

My yellow and brown blocks are finished, but some need the outer edges trimmed. I have also prepped the parts for four black/grey blocks.

        

7. RSC Square Dance--continue joining blocks together  ✔done

Half the blocks for this quilt have been stitched together.

My list for the next week will be less ambitious, allowing plenty of time to enjoy Christmas, but I still hope to do a little bit of quilting every day.

To-Do List for 12/22 - 12/28/2020

1. RSC Square Dance--finish joining all blocks together

2. Grassy Creek mystery--finish Step 4, begin Step 5

3. Sewcialites QAL--make block #14

4. Glorified 9-Patch--stitch one black/grey block 

That should be more than enough to keep me busy for the next week. I'll report on my progress and post a new set of goals next Tuesday. I'm linking up with other To-Do Tuesday lists at Home Sewn by Us. 

Merry Christmas to all! I hope you have checked everything off your Christmas to-do lists!

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 12/21/2020

Most of my recent quilting time has been split between making units for Step 4 of Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek mystery quilt and joining together blocks for my Rainbow Scrap Challenge project, the Stashbuster Square Dance quilt

Here are a few of the parts made for Bonnie's mystery, Step 4. I still have quite a few more to finish up.

The RSC Square Dance blocks are being stitched together into columns. This photo shows about 1/4 of the total quilt. Half of the quilt has already been assembled, and I hope to get the rest put together before Saturday, our final Rainbow Scrap Challenge day of 2020.

Linking up with:
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Merry Christmas to all and happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA  

Stitching and DeStashing--Week 51, 2020

The end of the year is drawing near, and my stash totals show a small change in usage for the past week, but no new fabric was added. I used 3/8 yard for this cute little Santa wallhanging. I made it for my husband who collects all things Santa.

Santa Ho Ho Ho, finished size 10" x 19"

I also used 3/4 yard for the first two sets of Glorified 9-Patch blocks. These were started after I completed my previous hand-stitching project, and they will carry through next year as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. These are all of the blocks finished so far, and a set of black/grey blocks has been prepped.

Glorified 9-Patch, 6" blocks

2020 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                           1.125 yards

Used year to date:                    186.875 yards

Added last week:                              0.0 yards

Added year to date:                        81.5 yards

Net used year to date           105.375 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 spent time stitching every day last week, and it was split between the projects shown above, finishing a couple of Christmas gifts, and working on the next step of Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek mystery.

15 Minute Challenge:  

12/13 - 12/19              7 of 7 days

2020 Total            345 of 354 days

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces. I'm also linking up with Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts and Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework.

Happy quilting and stay safe everyone!

Julie in GA

To-Do Tuesday 12/15/2020

Today it's time to catch up with the To-Do Tuesday Weekly Progress Update and Link-up hosted by Roseanne and Sue at Home Sewn By Us. I keep making to-do lists each week, but haven't been doing so well at posting them on the blog. I missed last week, and who knows what will happen next week.

To-Do List for 12/1 - 12/7/2020

1. Grassy Creek mystery--finish Step 1, start Step 2        ✔ done

2. Sewcialites QAL--make block #11                               ✔ done

3. Glorified 9-Patch--stitch one brown block                     almost done

4. Thimbleberries wallhanging--fix border, begin quilting   ✔ done

To-Do List for 12/8 - 12/14/2020

1. Grassy Creek mystery--Step 3                                   ✔ done

2. Sewcialites QAL--make block #12                              not done

3. Glorified 9-Patch--stitch last brown block                    not done

4. Thimbleberries wallhanging--continue quilting             ✔ done

5. RSC Square Dance--continue joining blocks together    ✔ done

I surprised myself by completing Step 3 of the Grassy Creek mystery over the weekend. You can read more about that in yesterday's post. I'm one block behind on the Sewcialites QAL, but it should be easy enough to catch up this week. I haven't touched the Glorified 9-Patch blocks in over a week and need to prep some more. On the Thimbleberries wallhanging, I fixed the wavy border, then pin basted and started quilting, but I haven't gotten very far. Half of the RSC Square Dance blocks are stitched into columns, and I need to lay out the rest of the blocks.

Besides the limited progress on my lists over the last two weeks, I've spent some time on a couple of Christmas projects. One is a gift that I can't show just yet. The other is this little wallhanging that got quilted up yesterday. All it needs now is a trim around the outside edges and a binding. The finished size will be about 10" x 19".

My to-do list for the next week is long, and I don't expect to get through everything, but it should help me stay focused. The first three items are the priorities, and any progress on the rest is a bonus.

To-Do List for 12/15 - 12/21/2020

1. Santa Ho Ho Ho--binding

2. Another secret Christmas gift

3. Thimbleberries wallhanging--continue quilting

4. Grassy Creek mystery--Step 4                                  

5. Sewcialites QAL--make blocks #12 & 13                              

6. Glorified 9-Patch--stitch last brown block                             

7. RSC Square Dance--continue joining blocks together     

That should be more than enough to keep me busy for the next week. I'll report on my progress and post a new set of goals next Tuesday. I'm linking up with other To-Do Tuesday lists at Home Sewn by Us.

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 12/14/2020

The main focus of my quilting time last week was making units for Grassy Creek, Bonnie Hunter's 2020 mystery quilt. Each unit shown has multiple matching units stacked up underneath it , and these are only a portion of the units I have made so far. The grey and gold half-square triangles are Step 1, the little green-gold-white hourglass units are Step 2, and the red-white-orange triangles are Step 3.

I have done a few others of Bonnie's mystery quilts in the past, and a couple things are different for me this year. The first thing is that I am making it in the same colors as Bonnie used. For all past mystery quilts, either by Bonnie Hunter or anyone else, I always try to use a different color combination so that my quilt will be different than all the rest. This year I was in the mood for the fall colors, so I am following her plan. I have gone scrappy with all the colors except the grey--I'm using a single fabric for that color.

The other change this year is that I'm actually considering making the same size as Bonnie's pattern. In the past I have made my versions smaller than her design. The finished size of this quilt is 94" square, which would be a good size for my bed. Right now I'm making about 2/3 of the total number of units called for in the pattern, but I might decide to go for it and make them all. I made sure to buy enough of the grey fabric (my only purchase for this quilt) in order to complete the quilt.

Linking up with:
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

Stitching and Stashing--Week 50, 2020

My stash numbers seem to be sliding a bit in the wrong direction. I've been hoping to end the year with a net usage of 100 yards or more, but I might have to scramble during the final week to make that happen. This week I added 4 yards to the stash, two pieces at 2 yards each. Both of these fabrics are from Tula Pink's True Colors collection. It's hard to tell in the photo, but the fabric with the birds has a very pale grey background. I also have the same print in a creamier version.

The hexagon print is intended to become the border for my Spell It With Fabric quilt. I'm hoping to get that quilt finished early next year. The photo below shows some of the blocks with a different color version of the same hexagon fabric.

Spell It With Fabric! by Moda,
free pattern pdf at Fat Quarter Shop

2020 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                               0.0 yards

Used year to date:                      185.75 yards

Added last week:                              4.0 yards

Added year to date:                        81.5 yards

Net used year to date             104.25 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. The majority of my quilting time lately has been spent trying to keep up with the clues for Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek mystery, and I have also started joining together the blocks from one of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilts.

15 Minute Challenge:  

12/6 - 12/12                7 of 7 days

2020 Total            338 of 347 days

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

Happy quilting and stay safe everyone!

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 12/7/2020

I have been working on stitching together the many little (4" finished) blocks for one of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilts. These are the Stashbuster Square Dance blocks that I have been making all year. They are actually just Double 4-Patch blocks with a new name. I planned ahead and made each set of blocks using two adjacent colors in order to get the rainbow flow that you can see here.

I'm assembling my quilt top in sections. These blocks are joined into 5 columns of 10 blocks each, which is 1/3 the width and 1/2 the length of my quilt. The final setting will be 15 blocks across by 20 blocks long, a total of 300 little blocks. I have a long ways to go, and I have to be careful to keep them turned the right direction to make my design work out as planned. I put the blocks for half of the quilt up on my larger design wall, and as I get the blocks stitched into columns, I move them to the other design wall. The columns will get joined together once I complete a few more.

Linking up with:
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

Stitching and Stashing--Week 49, 2020

This is what I get for being so proud of myself for resisting all of the Black Friday sales and not buying any fabric lately. I stopped at a JoAnn Fabrics early in the week to pick up a couple of things for gifts. They had their flannels on sale for $2.99/yard, a price I found impossible to pass up. I love to use flannel on the back of throw quilts, especially quilts for kids. 

I bought three large pieces of flannel, a total of 13.5 yards. The piece on the left has little letters all over it measuring less than 1/2" tall. That one is planned to back the "Spell It With Fabric" quilt that I was making in September. Here's a photo of my blocks for that quilt.

The blue mottled fabric will be used to back the recently-completed Scrappy Bear Paws quilt top. 

There's no specific plan for the grey tie-dye looking piece on the right. I've been using grey in a lot of quilts lately, so it seemed like a good addition to the stash.

The outgoing fabric this week is 3/4 yard on the first 10 blocks made for the Sewcialites QAL. I've shared photos of my blocks in posts HERE and HERE.

2020 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                               .75 yards

Used year to date:                      185.75 yards

Added last week:                            13.5 yards

Added year to date:                        77.5 yards

Net used year to date             108.25 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've continued to get in at least 15 minutes every single day, frequently more. The only time it has been a challenge is if I/we spend much of the day away from home for errands or appointments. Then I usually grab my hand-stitching project in the evening and put in some time on that.

15 Minute Challenge:  

11/29 - 12/5                7 of 7 days

2020 Total            331 of 340 days

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

Happy quilting and stay safe everyone!

Julie in GA

Scrappy Rainbow Saturday--Week 49, 2020

It has been several weeks since I worked on the Stashbuster Square Dance blocks that I have been making all year for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I finished making blocks in October. The next step is deciding on my layout, then joining the blocks together. My blocks measure only 4" finished, and there are over 300 of them to use. I'm planning to set them 15 x 20 for a quilt that finishes at 60" x 80".

I tried out several possible layouts in EQ7, and decided to go with an asymmetrical zigzag setting. I've started joining the blocks together into pairs, as you can see on the left side of the photo. I think I might start putting all the blocks for 1/4 of the quilt up on the wall together to play with the colors, then get those stitched up before I move on to the next quarter of the quilt. There are more blocks with blues and purples still to be added to the mix.

I am linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on Saturday and with Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework on Sunday. I hope you are all staying well and getting lots of quilting done!

Julie in GA 

30's Thursday

The latest blocks for the Sewcialites Quilt Along at the Fat Quarter Shop are up on the design wall. A new block pattern is posted every Friday, and these are numbers 6 - 10.

I'm having so much fun playing with my 30's fabrics, although making one block a week doesn't make much of a dent in the box of fabrics. My blocks will finish at 6". The patterns include instructions for 3", 6" or 9" blocks. There will be a total of 36 blocks when the QAL ends in late June. It's not too late to join the fun! The Sewcialites page at the Fat Quarter Shop blog has all the information you would need.

Cathy at Sane, Crazy, Crumby Quilting has been using her 30's fabrics too. She has finished lots more than five blocks! She gets credit for the 30's Thursday name.

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA