Pretty in Pinks

It has been a very productive month for using pink scraps on my various projects for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I started out by making half a dozen pink crumb blocks.

My other pink blocks for the month included one large scrappy heart block (12" finished size), 36 Rail Fence blocks and 30 Charm Baskets.

I also finished the hand stitching on six appliqued hearts. There are still a couple more of these to complete.

At the end of the month, I made a scrappy pink baby quilt with Uneven Nine-Patch blocks, using up the leftovers from an earlier baby quilt. The border was added a few days ago, finishing off my scrappy pink stitching for this month.

It has been a very good month for using up some pink scraps (but of course, I still have more pink hanging around my sewing room.) I'm looking forward to finding out what our new color will be for next month. My guess is green, to go along with all the beautiful greens for spring.

Be sure to check out all of the wonderful scrappy projects at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge every Saturday and at Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is more fun than Housework on Sunday. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

Design Wall Monday 4/25/2022

The dozen pink uneven 9-patch blocks that I shared in last week's Design Wall Monday post became 25 blocks, which were joined together in time for my Rainbow Scrap Challenge post on Saturday. At that time, I thought it might be a finished top, but it just didn't seem complete. Yesterday I added a scrappy border made from the remaining scraps which measured 2.5" x 6" - 6.5". Now I think I can call this quilt top finished!

All of the prints fabrics in this quilt were leftovers from a layer cake of "Surrounded by Love" by Deb Strain, combined with a variety of pink solids pulled from my stash. The finished quilt top measures 42" x 49.5". I'm hoping to get it quilted in the next few weeks and donate it as part of the Hands 2 Help Challenge.

Check out what other quilters are working on this week at Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt..

Happy quilting!

Julie in GA

Stash Report & Stitching Time 4/24/2022

The past week's stash report shows a little movement in both the usage and additions columns. I used 1.75 yards for the scrappy pink baby quilt top that I shared in yesterday's post. I might still add a border on that quilt. The additions were mostly some 1/4 yard pieces of white-on-white prints for the stash, plus a Tula Pink ombre print that I couldn't resist. 

"Daydreamer" by Tula Pink

I love ombres, but have a hard time figuring out how to use them. The quilt shop where I bought this had a quilt with this fabric as the border, which was a great way to use it. I wish I had gotten a photo of it...

2022 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:              1.75 yards

Used year to date:       28.375 yards

Added last week:              1.5 yards

Added year to date:         36.0 yards

Net added in 2022      7.625 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 stitching time. After getting the scrappy pink blocks all made and joined together at the beginning of the week, the rest of my stitching time was all spent on hand stitching my applique hearts blocks.

15 Minute Challenge for 2022: 

4/17 - 4/23            7 of 7 days

2022 Total       113 of 113 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

Playing with Pink

It was fun to make a quick and easy baby quilt this week, using the leftovers from another baby quilt I made in 2014. You can read more about how this project started in Monday's post.

Getting all of the blocks arranged on the wall before I joined them together took awhile, with lots of switching blocks around to get the colors balanced. It seemed like every time I moved one block, I would have to move two or three others. I was mostly focused on the colors while rearranging. It wasn't until I had decided on the layout and started joining blocks into rows that I discovered these three blocks next to each other, all with different color combos of the chevron print.

This little quilt top currently measures 38" x 45.5". I'm debating whether or not to add a small border. I still have a stack 2.5" x 6" strips of the print fabrics and could use them as a scrappy border. Here's a look at how that might work.

If I decide to go ahead with the border, I will have to figure out if I have enough of the leftover strips. If  there aren't enough of the prints, I could add strips of the solid fabrics as well. Hmmm, that's something to ponder...

Be sure to check out all of the wonderful scrappy projects at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge every Saturday and at Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is more fun than Housework on Sunday. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

Design Wall Monday 4/18/2022

Yesterday was one of those challenging days for quilting. I was having a hard time deciding on a project. There were a couple of new blocks I could have made for the Moda Blockheads 4 QAL, but I just wasn't in the mood for that. 

I had pulled out a couple of UFOs and some leftover from previous quilts, all that featured pink, our color of the month at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I spotted a Zip-loc bag of scraps and 10" squares that were left from this baby quilt I made in 2014.

All of the fabrics in the hearts came from a layer cake I had won in a giveaway. The fabric line was "Surrounded by Love" by Deb Strain. Here's what I found in that bag.

There were nine full 10" squares left, in a variety of color combinations in either of the designs shown at the top left. The rest of the stacks all contain 33 pieces, which must be the number of hearts I made for the baby quilt. The lower left strips measure 2.5" wide, and the strips and chunks on the right side all measure 3.5" wide.

I knew that those leftovers wouldn't be enough for the size I hoped to make, so I pulled out some solid fabrics to add to the mix. The piece at the very top looks almost white in this shot, but it is a very pale pink. It was used as the background on the baby quilt shown at the top of this post.

I wanted to keep the piecing very simple for this project, so I decided to make 9-patch blocks. To make the best use of my fabrics, I cut all of the pieces 3" x 3.5", which gives me uneven 9-patches. Here are the first dozen blocks that were made.

I'm alternating blocks with dark outer corners and blocks with light corners. So far every block combines a solid with one or more prints. There are several blocks with a different print at the center than the four corners because I could only get four pieces out of most fabrics. The blocks will finish at 7.5" x 9". I have the pieces for several more blocks stacked up at my sewing machine, waiting to be stitched together.

Check out what other quilters are working on this week at Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

Happy quilting!

Julie in GA

Stash Report and Stitching Time 4/17/2022

For most of the past week, it looked like my stash report would show some good progress in the used direction. Then at the very end of the week, I received my monthly bundle of solid fat quarters, which totally wiped out the progress I'd made on usage. I'm happy to add some more solids to my stash, but getting good photos of this group was almost impossible. The colors for the bundles are based on each month's birthstone, which is diamonds for April, leading to a grouping of white and off-white fabrics that all look very much alike.

On the usage side of the tally sheet is 1-1/8 yard for my collection of pink basket blocks, shared in yesterday's post, plus 1-3/4 yard for the backing and binding of the Florida Fishies baby quilt. I will share photos of the finished quilt next week, but for now, here is the back. It is a flannel fabric from JoAnn's.

2022 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:           2.875 yards

Used year to date:      26.625 yards

Added last week:             3.0 yards

Added year to date:       34.5 yards

Net added in 2022      7.875 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 stitching time. It felt really good to finish up making the basket blocks, plus doing the quilting and binding on the baby quilt. I hope to keep this finishing trend going for another week or more!

15 Minute Challenge for 2022: 

4/10 - 4/16            7 of 7 days

2022 Total       106 of 106 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

Pink Baskets and Blooms

 It has been another week of great fun playing with pink scraps for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I got carried away making my pink basket blocks and ended up with a total of 30. There were so many pink fabrics that needed to be included! These bring my total number of basket blocks so far this year to over 100.

The large hot pink azalea (on the left) that I shared in last week's post is starting to fade, but the plant with lighter pink blossoms has come on strong this week. This has been an especially beautiful spring for the azaleas.

Be sure to check out all of the wonderful scrappy projects at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge every Saturday and at Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is more fun than Housework on Sunday. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

Monday Making

Both of my design walls are empty this morning, but there are plenty of block parts on my cutting table and sewing machine cabinet. I spent my quilting time over the weekend working on pink Charm Basket blocks, one of my projects for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Four of the basket blocks are nearly complete. They just need a little trimming, then the two halves of each block can be stitched together.

The basket blocks will finish at only 4". The pattern I am using is Charm Basket from Laundry Basket Quilts. 

Here are the bases for the rest of my baskets.

The rest of the basket handles are pinned to the backgrounds and waiting to be stitched down.

It was very difficult to get a decent photo at my machine without too much light reflecting off the surface of the cabinet. My main sewing machine for piecing is a wonderful old Singer 201. It is a straight-stitch machine with a beautiful, even stitch. I've had it for at least 20 years.

Here is the collection of basket block parts waiting to be assembled. By the end of today, I hope to have one design wall filled with cute little pink basket blocks!

Check out what other quilters are working on this week:

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

Stash Report & Stitching Time 4/10/2022

Last week feels like a small victory as far as my stash report is concerned. It wasn't my most productive week ever, but at least there wasn't any new fabric added to the stash. I've had fabric additions for the past three weeks in a row, and that streak has come to an end (for now!) 

My usage for the week includes both of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects I shared in yesterday's post, the pink Crumb blocks and the Rail Fence blocks. I also used 5/8 yard on a new project. I decided to take part in the new Moda Blockheads 4 quilt-along. A new block pattern is posted every Wednesday, and the patterns include instructions for blocks in two sizes, 9" and 4.5". I'm planning to make both sizes of blocks in shades of red with white-on-white backgrounds. Here is block #1.

I decided that the contrast in the smaller version worked better and ended up remaking the larger block with the same fabrics. You can see it here with all the other blocks that have been completed so far.

2022 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:           1.625 yards

Used year to date:       23.75 yards

Added last week:             0.0 yards

Added year to date:       31.5 yards

Net added in 2022      7.75 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 stitching time. I've had some trouble staying focused lately, but I did manage to spend at least 15 minutes quilting every day last week.

15 Minute Challenge for 2022: 

4/3 - 4/9            7 of 7 days

2022 Total       99 of 99 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 Pink Saturday

Not only is pink the color of the month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, it is the color of the month around many houses in our neighborhood. These beauties are blooming at the back of our yard. Our azaleas are looking better than they have in years!

We also put in some new plants last fall in the side yard next to our neighbor's fence. This one may be small, but it is covered in blossoms. It is an Encore azalea which should bloom again in the summer and the fall, rather than just in the spring like our older plants.

As for my pink scrappy stitching, I started the week by making some pink crumb blocks. It has been a long time since I played with my crumbs, and I enjoyed puzzling them together.

My other pink project for the week was making Rail Fence blocks. I ended up with 36 pink blocks which will finish at 3" each.

As usual, I needed to put up the different colors on the wall and see how they looked together. This is going to be a very cheery, fun quilt!

Be sure to check out all of the wonderful scrappy projects at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge every Saturday and at Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is more fun than Housework on Sunday. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

Stash Report and Stitching Time 4/3/2022

It seemed like I might manage to have a weekly Stash Report with no new fabric to report, but things didn't work out as I had hoped. I received a packet of solid fat quarters in aquamarine, the monthly set for the Solid Club at Fat Quarter Shop. I'm going to use the photo from the FQS website because it shows the colors better than my attempts. 3 yards total added to the stash. 

On the usage side of the tally is 5/8 yard for the corner sections of my Autumn Starburst wallhanging, shared HERE, plus 1 yard for my set of hand applique heart blocks, shared in yesterday's post.

2022 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:           1.625 yards

Used year to date:     22.125 yards

Added last week:            3.0 yards

Added year to date:      31.5 yards

Net added in 2022      9.375 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 stitching time. My sewing mojo was elusive at times last week, but I always had my hand applique project when I couldn't figure out something else to work on. I did get in my 15 minutes every day.

15 Minute Challenge for 2022: 

3/27 - 4/2           7 of 7 days

2022 Total       92 of 92 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

A Rainbow of Hearts

It was so nice to find out in advance that pink is our April color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, but before I could get to that, I had some yellow and gold blocks to finish up. I stitched the last two yellow appliqued hearts, bringing my total for the month to eight.

As I was getting ready to put them away with the blocks from previous months, I decided to put all of the colors up on the design wall together. The blocks will all be getting framed like the two red and one green block in the photo have already been done. I believe that pink and purple are the only colors I still need to add to this collection.

To continue the hearts theme, I pulled out a stack of pink 2.5" squares and pieced my Scrappy Heart block for April.

I couldn't resist getting a photo of all of these blocks together too.

Be sure to check out all of the wonderful scrappy projects at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge every Saturday and at Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is more fun than Housework on Sunday. I'm also linking up with Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts to share my hand applique project.

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA