Best of 2021--Year in Review

The last day of the year seems like a good time to join the "Best of 2021" linky party, hosted by Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs. This is a great chance to look back at blog posts from the past year, reviewing which posts got the most views or the most comments, and which posts are personal favorites. 

 

1. Post with the most views: Spikey Rainbow Bowties

I was very surprised that this post had the most views because it is a very recent post (December 9th.) It also had the most comments of any post this year. I guess the unusual bowtie setting really grabbed people's attention.

Spikey Rainbow Bowties

60" x 75"

2. Favorite finished quilt top: Blooming Onion

This was a project early in the year, based on the pattern Blue Onion by Karla Alexander of Saginaw Street Quilts. The quilt was made entirely from batiks that were pulled from my stash, except for one non-batik print.

Blooming Onion, 60.5" x 80.5"

3.Favorite Quilt-Along: Positivity QAL, hosted by Preeti of Sew Preeti Quilts for Mercyful Quilts

This was a great quilt-along with a simple block pattern and plenty of time to make the quilt. I ended up making two quilt tops, one that I kept (at least for now) and one that was donated. I was so thankful that Rebecca Grace offered to do the quilting on my donation quilt. 

Positivity #1 (the one I kept)

60.5" x 80.5"

Positivity #2 (donated top)

60.5" x 80.5"

Positivity #2 (quilted by Rebecca Grace)

4. Favorite Rainbow Scrap Challenge project: Scrap Magnet quilt

I've been participating in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge for several years, and this is one of my favorite rainbow quilts ever! I loved playing with the color combinations as I made each and every block.

Scrap Magnet

66" x 83"

pattern by Kirsty of Bonjour Quilts

5. Favorite mystery: Grassy Creek mystery (Bonnie Hunter)

I've followed along on several of Bonnie's previous mysteries and knew what to expect--very scrappy and lots of little pieces. I have learned to simplify a bit by making fewer parts for a smaller quilt. I also used a single grey fabric where Bonnie used grey strings. This is the first time I've made one of Bonnie's mystery quilts in the same colors as she used.

Grassy Creek mystery

64" x 79"

6. Favorite finished quilt: Volcano Nine-Patch baby quilt

This quilt was started after I found a baggie of leftover 9-patch blocks, strip sets, and fabric scraps from an earlier Blooming 9-Patch quilt. I was able to turn those bits and pieces into this wonderful baby quilt for my newest great niece, who is expected today!

Volcano Nine-Patch

42.25" x 52.75"

Life continues to be full of challenges, and I am always thankful to have quilting as a creative outlet. It keeps me sane and gives me great joy. 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 2021" blog party.

Happy quilting and Happy New Year!

Julie in GA

Orphan Adoption--Grassy Creek

Update Wed. 3/24/21--This giveaway is closed. The winner is Erin and she has been contacted by email. Watch for new orphan giveaways in September.

It is time once again for one of my favorite events, the Spring 2021 Quilty Orphan Adoption Event, hosted by Cynthia at Quilting is more fun than Housework. This twice-yearly giveaway is the perfect opportunity to clear out some old projects that I am ready to admit I have lost interest in and pass them on to someone who will be happy to finish them. The recipient is happy to get a new project, and I get rid of the guilt of having another UFO hanging around, plus I empty out one of my project boxes.

One of the orphans I gave away last fall was a set of four Jacob's Ladder blocks, plus enough parts to make more. I was very happy to receive an email a couple months later with a photo of this finished quilt top made from those parts. It was going to be given to someone recovering from serious auto accident injuries. I am thrilled that my UFO was able to bring someone else some happiness and comfort.

I have participated in the Orphan Adoption several times before, and most of those times I have given away old UFOs that I knew I would never get around to finishing. This year is different--I am giving away leftover pieces from two different recent projects. The first group comes from Grassy Creek, the Bonnie Hunter 2020 mystery quilt. 

My Grassy Creek giveaway will include the six large blocks shown in the above photo, plus 34 of the little green and orange 9-patches (there are 21 of them in the photo.) The large blocks finish at 12" and the 9-patches at 3". The taupe with white dots fabric that you see between the blocks is not included--that is the flannel that covers my design wall.

Bonnie's clues for the mystery are not posted on her blog anymore, but you can purchase a PDF of the pattern. When I made my version of Grassy Creek, I changed my color palette partway through and decided to avoid the brighter oranges and greens that you see in these blocks. That is why I ended up with so many extras, and now they can be yours!

I have one other orphan available for adoption, the leftover pieces from my recent Blooming Onion quilt top. You can find that listing HERE.

Leave a comment to let me know if you would like to adopt this orphan project. Shipping in the U.S. only. Please be sure to include your email address so I can contact the winner. I will choose a random winner next Tuesday, March 23. Get your comment in by noon that day. Be sure to check out the rest of the quilty orphans over at Quilting is more fun than Housework. 

Julie in GA

To-Do Tuesday 3/9/2021

Happy To-Do Tuesday once again!  It's time to look back at my to-do list from last week, see how I did on accomplishing my goals, then post a new list for the week ahead. I'm linking up with the  To-Do Tuesday Weekly Link-up hosted by Chris at Chris Knits. 

My list for last week was quite short, and I'm happy to have completed everything on it. Besides the items on that list, I also finished three other unplanned tasks:

1. I finally wrote the blog post for my Grassy Creek quilt top and shared it on Monday. There are more photos in the blog post, but I'm so pleased to have this done that I'm sharing the full photo again today.

2. I made Block #21 for the Sewcialites QAL at Fat Quarter Shop.

3. I made 25 Kaleidoscope blocks from 30's fabrics for one of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects. You can see the blocks in Saturday's post.

To-Do List for 3/2 - 3/8:

1. Bowties 365--make one bowtie block every day  ✔done 

I finished 9 green Bowtie blocks last week.

2. Finish secret projects/birthday gifts   ✔done

The gifts all got done on time! I made a pair of shorts plus two grocery bags, and you can see them all in Sunday's Stash Report post.

3. Finish tax prep    ✔done 

It is always a huge relief to have this job finished and delivered.

Today feels like a good time to regroup and reevaluate what I need to be working on this month. For now my list will focus on the ongoing projects that need blocks made, but I would also like to pull out a UFO for finishing.

 

To-Do List for 3/9 - 3/15:

1. Bowties 365--make 1 bowtie block every day

2. Scrap Magnet--make two blocks in greens

3. Sewcialites QAL--make block #22

4. Glorified 9Patch--prep green blocks

That should all 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 Chris Knits.

Julie in GA 

Grassy Creek top done!

It has taken awhile, but I am finally ready to share photos of my completed Grassy Creek quilt top, the 2020 Bonnie Hunter mystery.

Grassy Creek, 64" x 79"

When I finished the top, we were going through a stretch of far too many grey, rainy days to get good outdoor photos. I tried taking some photos indoors first, and this was the best of the lot. The colors are more true in the previous photo.

This mystery was one of the extremely rare instances where I chose to use the same colors for the quilt as the designer. I liked Bonnie's fall inspiration and had been wanting to make a quilt with those colors. My biggest change was using a single grey fabric instead of scraps and strings for the grey areas.

There were some adjustments to my color palette that happened along the way. After Bonnie revealed the finished quilt in January, I put together some blocks and sashing units, then put them all together on the design wall. That's when I realized that my fall color scheme had wandered off track.

Bonnie's design used "parakeet" yellow-greens, which to my eye looked much too bright for fall colors. Of the blocks I had made, only the one at the top left of the previous photo seemed right. I ended up rejecting or remaking the rest of the blocks and most of the nine-patches. Here is my second attempt at the blocks, which made me much happier.

It is always a good feeling to finish the piecing on a Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt. Anyone who has done one of her mysteries knows from the outset that there will be many small pieces, and string piecing is frequently included. I skipped the string piecing on this one, using a single grey fabric instead, and that saved lots of time. Here is a closer look at the assembly of part of my quilt.

The size of Bonnie's finished quilt was 94" x 94", and it has 25 blocks in it. I considered making the whole quilt, but wasn't ready to commit to that at the beginning. I started out making about 2/3 of each of the units in Bonnie's instructions, but ended up using only 12 blocks in my version. The finished size of my top is 64" x 79".

After the center of the quilt was together, I searched my stash for an appropriate border fabric. I wasn't having much luck until I ran across this leafy sunprint that was leftover from backing an earlier quilt. These are the colors that say fall to me.

I have one last photo to share--the stained-glass look with the quilt top hanging over the deck railing.

For anyone interested in making Bonnie's Grassy Creek quilt, the mystery clues have been taken down from her blog. However, it is available as a pattern booklet from her Quiltville store HERE.

Linking up with:

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Whoop Whoop Friday at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA  

To-Do Tuesday 2/9/2021

Happy To-Do Tuesday once again.  It's time to look back at my to-do list from last week, see how I did on accomplishing my goals, then post a new list for the week ahead. I'm linking up with the  To-Do Tuesday Weekly Progress Update and Link-up hosted by Roseanne and Sue at Home Sewn By Us. 

The weekly to-do list continues to help keep me focused on my current projects. It worked so well last week that I had my entire list done by Sunday, which made it possible for me to begin another new project, a Super Bowl Sunday mystery that I blogged about yesterday. Now I have yet one more item on next week's list.

To-Do List for 2/2 - 2/8:

1. Bowties 365--make one yellow bowtie block every day    ✔done 

I'm right on track with these blocks.

2. Stay-at-Home Round Robin (SAHRR)--add Flying Geese border   ✔done           

See it in THIS blog post.

3. Grassy Creek mystery--finish assembly, decide on borders  ✔done 

I have the quilt center all together and have chosen a multicolor batik for the border.

4. Sewcialites QAL--make block #18   ✔done 

This little 6" block has 40 pieces in it!

5. One Monthly Goal--choose a project & write blog post  ✔done 

Check out my OMG post HERE.

6. 30's Kaleidoscope--cut yellows and start piecing blocks  ✔done 

My yellow blocks are done, except for the outer corners on half the blocks (where you see the grey) because I haven't chosen the fabric yet.

To-Do List for 2/9 - 2/15:

1. Bowties 365--make one bowtie block every day    

2. Grassy Creek mystery--add borders

3. Stay-at-Home Round Robin (SAHRR)--add next round (checkerboard)              

4. Sewcialites QAL--make block #19   

5. Scrap Magnet--make 2 yellow blocks

6. Sister's Choice (OMG)--quilt 3 border sections

7. Super Bowl Mystery--finish making blocks

That should all 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

To-Do Tuesday 2/2/21

Happy Groundhog Day and Happy To-Do Tuesday too!  It's time once again to look back at my to-do list from last week, see how I did on accomplishing my goals, then post a new list for the week ahead. I'm linking up with the  To-Do Tuesday Weekly Progress Update and Link-up hosted by Roseanne and Sue at Home Sewn By Us. 

Last week's list was another long one, and having the list helped keep me focused on meeting those goals. I generally find that I might work on whichever project I'm most interested in early in the week, then concentrate on finishing off the rest of the list over the weekend. That has been working well for me lately.

To-Do List for 1/26 - 2/1:

1. Bowties 365--make one bowtie block every day  ✔done 

I ended up with 36 pink blocks for the month of January and have switched to yellow for February.

2. Stay-at-Home Round Robin (SAHRR)--add plus signs border  ✔done  

My plus signs are not a full border, but the corner blocks on the piano keys border.   

           

3. Glorified 9-Patch--make 2 blocks in pink     ✔done

I finished the last two blocks in pink plus two in black/grey.

4. Grassy Creek mystery--put together six blocks      ✔done

I finished making all the blocks needed for this quilt and have started joining them together. Here is what is done so far.

5. Sewcialites QAL--make block #17      ✔done        

This is one of my favorite 30's reproduction prints, and I have it in several colors.

                     

6. Sew Colorful Stars--make one pink block  ✔done

Lots of half-square triangles in this block! 16" finished size block.

Last week certainly was productive! The cold weather makes time in the quilting room my top choice of activity. Of course, it's also my top choice in any other weather too!

To-Do List for 2/2 - 2/8:

1. Bowties 365--make one yellow bowtie block every day  

2. Stay-at-Home Round Robin (SAHRR)--add Flying Geese border                

3. Grassy Creek mystery--finish assembly, decide on borders

4. Sewcialites QAL--make block #18   

5. One Monthly Goal--choose a project & write blog post

6. 30's Kaleidoscope--cut yellows and start piecing blocks

That should all be plenty 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 2/1/2021

One of my many quilting tasks last week was to finish up making the different units needed for my version of Bonnie Hunter's 2020 mystery quilt called Grassy Creek. After remaking some of the parts to adjust the colors, I was ready to begin joining units together.

This shows two segments out of six for my version of the quilt. I prefer to join parts together into medium sized sections, rather than having lots of long rows to join together. Bonnie's quilt has 25 of the star blocks and measures 94 x 94, but I am making a smaller quilt with only 12 blocks. Before any plain borders are added, the center of my quilt should measure 54" x 69". I will decide whether to add any borders once the pieced area is all assembled.

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

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA  

To-Do Tuesday 1/26/2021

It's Tuesday morning once again, which means it is time to look back at my to-do list from last week, see how I did on accomplishing my goals, then post a new list for the week ahead. I'm linking up with the  To-Do Tuesday Weekly Progress Update and Link-up hosted by Roseanne and Sue at Home Sewn By Us. 

My list for last week was long, but I managed to complete every goal on the list. I spent much more time than expected on #2, but the list helped me stay focused on finishing the rest of the items at the end of the week.

To-Do List for 1/19 - 1/25:

1. Bowties 365--make one bowtie block every day                     ✔done

I've gotten a little bit ahead and have 27 bowtie blocks made so far.

2. Blooming Onion--make six more blocks                                 ✔done       

Instead of making just six blocks, I made the remaining 18 blocks last week and then joined all the blocks together. You can see my finished quilt top in yesterday's post.

3. Glorified 9-Patch--make 1 block in pink                                 ✔done      

4. Grassy Creek mystery--put together two blocks                     ✔done   

5. Sewcialites QAL--make block #16                                         ✔done

Here are the blocks for goals #3-5. The two top blocks are for Grassy Creek, the white and lavender block on the right is for the Sewcialites QAL, and the pink and black block is the Glorified 9-Patch. At the bottom left is a block I made from four Double Bowtie blocks in Green Bay Packers colors. Unfortunately, they lost on Sunday, but maybe I will do something with the block before next season.

6. Stay-at-Home Round Robin (SAHRR)--add piano keys border  ✔done

I finished the piano keys border and included it in Sunday's blog post.

I had hoped that my list would be shorter for next week, but it has stayed at the same number of tasks. Most of them are continuations from previous weeks.

To-Do List for 1/26 - 2/1:

1. Bowties 365--make one bowtie block every day 

2. Stay-at-Home Round Robin (SAHRR)--add plus signs border                            

3. Glorified 9-Patch--make 2 blocks in pink                                    

4. Grassy Creek mystery--put together six blocks (working on this quilt will be my biggest project for the week)                     

5. Sewcialites QAL--make block #17                                        

6. Sew Colorful Stars--make one pink block for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge

That should all be plenty 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--1/18/2021

The current project filling one of my design walls is Grassy Creek, the Bonnie Hunter 2020 mystery quilt. Bonnie's final reveal of the quilt happened about 10 days ago, and I spent part of the past weekend making up some blocks and sashing units.

The blocks, sashing units and 9-patches are not joined together yet, just laid out on the wall. I overlapped areas to complete the grey diagonals between the blocks and sashing, but that makes it look like the red triangle tips are cut off.

This mystery may be the first time I ever used the same color palette as the original design. Usually I prefer to go in a different direction and make my own unique version. This time I liked Bonnie's colors and used them for my quilt. The main change I made was to go with a single grey fabric instead of scrappy greys.

I've been making about 60% of all the different units each week. My plan was to make a smaller quilt than Bonnie's original 94" x 94", although I did buy enough of the grey fabric to make the full quilt in case I really loved it. I'm currently thinking about making a lap quilt with 12 of the star blocks (Bonnie's quilt has 25 stars.) If my math is correct, my quilt would measure 54" x 72" before borders. The photo above would be approximately half of that amount.

If you are interested in making your own version of Grassy Creek mystery, be sure to head to Bonnie's blog soon for all the clues. You can download them for free until Feb. 12th. After that, she will rewrite the pattern and sell it as a PDF. The main page for the Grassy Creek mystery is HERE.

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

Happy quilting everyone!

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