The Last Scrappy Rainbow Saturday of 2019

It's the last Saturday of the year, which makes it the perfect time to review my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects from 2019. I had four different RSC quilts in process this year--let's check out my process on all of them.

One of my 2019 RSC projects was started last December with some test blocks of hand appliqued Orange Peels. I decided to make 3" finished size blocks using assorted black/dark grey backgrounds with the RSC color of the month for the peels. The last time I showed my completed blocks was in October, and there hasn't been a lot of progress since then. This project will carry over into 2020.

Orange Peels, 3" blocks

One of my self-designed RSC projects was the Framed Crumb Stars. Each block started with a 4" crumb block at the center. Star points were added to that, then a frame made from 2.5" squares. As of late October I had all of my 12" blocks made and need to figure out how I want to put them together.

Framed Crumb Stars, 12" blocks

Angela, our hostess for the RSC, was the leader for the Tiny Tuesday sampler, and there were block designs shared by many other participants too. Every week we got a pattern for a 4.5" finished size block. Occasionally there were two block patterns. I had a great time making these blocks each week, frequently making more than one of the assigned block. I ended up with around 60 blocks, which have been joined together into this fun quilt top.

Tiny Tuesday sampler, 52.5" x 60"

My favorite RSC project of 2019 was my Rainbow Stairsteps quilt. Each month I made 12 blocks in the color of the month. There were quite a few questions about the block, and I included cutting directions for one block in THIS POST. These directions make a 6" block, but it would be easy to scale it up to a larger size.

The Stairsteps quilt top was completed in November, and I am thrilled with the way it turned out! The finished size is 60" x 72".

Rainbow Stairsteps, 60" x 72"

The grand total for 2019--two finished quilt tops, one complete set of blocks, and one on-going project. That's a pretty productive year for me! Other than continuing my Orange Peel blocks, I have not decided on my RSC projects for 2020. There are so many wonderful possibilities, many inspired by fellow RSC participants. I guess it's time to come up with a plan for the year ahead!

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 43, 2019

The stash report shows a small change for the week, 1/2 yard used to make the three blocks shown below. The upper block is a Flying Dutchman variation that will join a very mixed assortment of other blocks in blues and browns. You can see the two Framed Crumb Star blocks along with all the other rainbow colors in yesterday's post.

2019 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                             .50 yards

Used year to date:                      49.25 yards
Added last week:                            0.0 yards

Added year to date:                    51.75 yards
Net stashed year to date:           2.5 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, but got in plenty of quilting time on the other six days.  

15 Minute Challenge:  

10/20 - 10/26           6 of 7 days

2019 Total         281 of 299 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 43, 2019

My progress for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge over the past week included making two more Framed Crumb Star blocks, one in dark brown and one in lighter brown. I know some people don't like to use brown in their quilts, but I love the warmth and depth it can add. Seeing these together makes me want to make a whole quilt out of neutrals. 

Finishing those two blocks meant it was time to put all twelve blocks up on the design wall. I'm sure they will still get rearranged a few times, but it is so much fun to see all the different colors together! 

Each block measures 12.5" with seam allowance. If they get joined together with narrow sashing, this would be the perfect size for a baby quilt. It's time to turn these blocks into a finished quilt top!

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

Scrappy Rainbow Saturday--Week 42, 2019

My stitching for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this week was to make two more Framed Crumb Stars, one in grey and one in light blue.

After those were done, I put all of my blocks up on the wall together. The blocks finish at 12". I have ten finished and need two more to have enough for a small quilt.  I'm planning to make one in brown and the other will either be black or tan.

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

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

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

Scrappy Rainbow Saturday--Week 30, 2019

It is the last pink Saturday of the month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I managed to keep up with all of my RSC projects except one--not bad for a busy month with lots of travel. Here are all of my pink blocks.

Framed Crumb Star, 12" finished size

12 Stairsteps blocks, each finishes at 6"

8 Orange Peels, 3" finished size
I still have 8 more of these to make in pinks

6 Tiny Tuesday blocks, 4.5" each

the adorable piglet block
designed by Sally Trude

Here is the entire collection 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

Scrappy Rainbow Saturday--Week 29, 2019

It was hard to find any time for quilting this week, but I did pull out some of my pink crumbs and bits yesterday to make a Framed Crumb Star for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

I love putting all of the different colors of these blocks up on the wall 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

Scrappy Rainbow Saturday--Week 25, 2019

There has been great forward progress on my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects over the last week. I started by making one dark blue Framed Crumb Star block.

 Here are all of my crumb stars in their different colors.

After that I made my blue Stairsteps blocks. I couldn't resist putting them up on the wall with the star block. If these blocks were all stitched together, this would measure 24". I'm trying to decide if that is a useful size for me, because I do love how they look 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

Stitching and DeStashing--Week 24, 2019

I have been working away on a few different scrappy quilt projects this week, moving them all forward and using up some stash fabrics in the process. I have mostly been making crumb blocks and string blocks, which make a terrible mess of the sewing room but use up plenty of scraps. If only I'd made one more blue crumb block to fill that empty spot!

2019 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                          1.50 yards

Used year to date:                     21.50 yards
Added last week:                          0.0 yards

Added year to date:                   27.75 yards
Net stashed year to date:        6.25 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'm back to splitting my time between several different projects, which adds up to quilting time every single day!

15 Minute Challenge:  

6/9 - 6/15                7 of 7 days

2019 Total         154 of 166 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 22, 2019

The beginning of a new month also means the beginning of a new color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. We spent May playing with our orange scraps, and for June we are moving on to deep blues and navy. For now, I can share my collection of orange blocks from May until I dig out some blue scraps and get started on some new blocks.

I made four Tiny Tuesday blocks (4.5" finished size) and have one butterfly block still to finish.

The rest of my orange blocks make a lovely medallion layout together on the design wall. There is a Framed Crumb Star block at the center, surrounded by 12 Stairsteps blocks, and Orange Peels along both ends. So much orange goodness!

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

Scrappy Rainbow Saturday--Week 20, 2019

The scrappy orange fun continues with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge all through the month of May. My main orange stitching for the past week was to make my Framed Crumb Star. 

Before anyone new asks, there's no published pattern for this block (at least, not that I know of.) My blocks will finish at 12". The crumb center is a 4" finished square (4.5" with seam allowances) and the frame around the outside is made with 2.5" squares.

There was some time during the week for hand stitching too, and I finished five more Orange Peel blocks in orange. Here they are with the crumb star.

Seeing those Orange Peel blocks next to the star block makes me think they might look good as the border on a rainbow quilt. Probably best on a quilt with similar black and dark grey backgrounds--maybe a project for next year?

I am linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on Saturday and with Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework and Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts on Sunday. Be sure to check out all of the wonderful projects that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA

Scrappy Rainbow Saturday--Week 16, 2019

It seems like the majority of my quilting time lately has been spent doing hand applique. My sewing machine will start to feel neglected soon. I finished up the set of Orange Peel blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge in our colors of teal/turquoise/aqua for April. Here they are with the blocks from the previous three months.

I have also completed my Framed Crumb Star block for April. This block finishes at 12".

I am linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on Saturday and with Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts and 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

Scrappy Rainbow Saturday--Week 13, 2019

It's hard to believe that March is nearly over! I've been stitching away with green scraps on my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects, and here is a selection of what has gotten done this month.

On the left are three 6" (finished size) string blocks, top center is the 12" Framed Crumb Star, and below that are twelve 3" Orange Peel blocks (Lime Peels?). On the right end are my Tiny Tuesday sampler blocks--an owl, a wonky log cabin, and four Multiply blocks.

The Tiny Tuesday owl block may be one of the cutest blocks ever! Sally's pattern was rather intimidating when I first read through it, but after following her step-by-step instructions, it was no problem to put together, and I love the way it turned out.

Here is a closer, rather crooked, look at my Orange Peel blocks. I can see that I need to be careful to keep my colors light and bright so they show up well against the black and grey background fabrics.

One set of blocks didn't make it into the group photo. Here are my green crumb blocks, which finish at 6". Unfortunately after I made them and went to put them away with the other crumb blocks, I discovered that my red blocks only measure 4" finished. I'm not sure how or if the two sets will be used together. 

It has been great fun playing with my green scraps all month. The only blocks that haven't been done yet are the Stair Steps blocks. Maybe I can get those done before we get to April (but probably not!)

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

Scrappy Rainbow Saturday--Week 11, 2019

I didn't have much time to play with my green scraps for any of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects this week, but I did manage to finish up my Framed Crumb Star block this evening. All sorts of great green scraps in here!

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

Scrappy Rainbow Saturday--Week 7, 2019

There wasn't a whole lot of time for quilting over the past week, but I did manage to squeeze in some time for my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects. We are working with yellow this month, and I made one yellow Framed Crumb Star block.

Framed Crumb Star

More yellow Stair Steps blocks were also completed last week. I was able to add four more blocks to the four from a week ago. This is my favorite way to lay out these blocks so far, but of course it could change at any time.

Stair Steps 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

Scrappy Rainbow Saturday: Week 5, 2019

Just as suspected last week, I have started far too many new projects for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge over the past month. There's no way I can keep up with all of these. Let me show you what I'm talking about (regular RSC readers will have seen some of the following photos already.) All measurements listed are finished block sizes.

#1 & #2. String blocks (6") and crumb blocks (4")

#3. Rolling 9-Patch (5")

#4. 30's Pinwheels (4")

#5. Framed Crumb Star (12")

#6. Orange Peel (3")

#7. Stair Steps (6")

#8. Tiny Tuesday/RSC Sampler 2019 (4.5")

Here is a shot of most of these blocks together on the design wall. The missing blocks are the 30's Pinwheels and the Rolling 9-Patches, which I have already decided not to continue with as 2019 RSC projects.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks, January, 2019

Oh no! EIGHT PROJECTS?! How in the world did that happen? Here I thought I wasn't doing much quilting in January. Just shows how wrong you can be. I certainly won't be able to keep up with all of these for the rest of the year. The current plan is to keep going on the following:

1. Orange Peels

2. Tiny Tuesday sampler 

3. Stair Steps

4. Framed Crumb Star

5. Crumb blocks (tentative) 

Doing the Orange Peels provides my needed applique project for the train ride to work. I enjoy following along on the RSC sampler projects, and I can't wait to play with different layouts of those Stair Steps blocks. The Framed Crumb Star means I need to make at least one crumb block each month. Who knows how many more might happen. There, I guess I've settled on my RSC plan for 2019!

Don't worry about the projects that didn't make the cut; they will be delayed until another time. The red 30's Pinwheels will join the other finished pinwheel blocks in my box of 30's projects, and there may be other colors joining them occasionally but not every month. The Rolling 9Patch blocks may become a little wall-hanging or table topper, perhaps with some more red blocks added because I have extra 9-patches already made. The string blocks will join some others from the past and wait for the right time to be used.

It's time for me to make this week's Tiny Tuesday block, then start pulling out the yellow scraps for February. What are you making with your scraps?

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