2024 Rainbow Scrap Challenge Review

It's the first Saturday of 2025, and I haven't yet figured out a plan for my 2025 Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects. Before I worry about that, I'm going to look back at my projects for the RSC in 2024. It was my 12th year of participating in the RSC, and I have to start off by thanking Angela for continuing to host the challenge every year. I am also grateful for the encouragement and inspiration every week from the other quilters who participate in the RSC.

My RSC projects for 2024 included new projects plus a couple that carried over from previous years. That combination of new and old will also continue into 2025. For this wrap-up post, I'm going to start with the projects that were new in 2024, then work back through the older ones.

In looking back at my records from last year, I was somewhat surprised to discover that I started three new RSC projects in the very first week of the year. The first was the Birthday Quilt 2024 from Laundry Basket Quilts, a block-of-the-week series of patterns. I made my blocks using the RSC colors and alternating between light and dark backgrounds. After eight months, I decided to stop making more blocks, framed all the ones that were already made, and joined them together into a small quilt top in October.

LBQ Birthday Blocks

40" x 56"

Another sampler quilt was also started that first week of 2024. This one was the Hen & Chicks sampler, designed by our RSC hostess Angela. Each month I made four 6" blocks and four matching 3" blocks. You can see how Angela joined her blocks in this post. I decided to go with a different type of setting, and got all my blocks joined together into a top before the end of the year. 

RSC 2024 Hen & Chicks Sampler

41.5" x 55.5"

The third new project that was started in the first week of the year was Hollow 9-Patch. I used 2.5" squares to make 6" blocks in the RSC color each month. These were great to have as a leader/ender project. I ended up with about 80 blocks by November, and I have been working on getting them joined together. The blocks and sashing on the left half are stitched together, and the rest are joined into columns.

The last new RSC project for 2024 was started in February. That was the "Terry" blocks, inspired by Terry Rowland's colorwash quilts, featured in her series of three YouTube videos. These scrappy little blocks will finish at 3". I have approximately 400 blocks made, and I need to go back and make some in colors I missed, plus add more to a few of the other colors. Here are all of the pink blocks from last May.

One of my 2024 RSC projects was a carry over from 2023. I had been making Rail Fence blocks all that year, and by the end of the year I had two quilt tops (see them in this post), plus an assortment of leftover blocks. I discovered that joining four blocks together made a pinwheel-type design. That led to making many more rail fence blocks, and by the end of the year I had one quilt top and one finished baby quilt.

Rail Fence Spinners #1, quilt top

42.5" x 54.5"

Rail Fence Spinners baby quilt

39.5" x 48"

I have one quilt top from 2024 that features our color of the month from July, which was the aqua/turquoise/teal family. I was inspired by a herringbone design from a Kleenex box, and used that inspiration plus a stack of blue-green fabric scraps to make a little baby quilt. I am hoping to revisit the herringbone design this year.

Herringbone quilt top, 33" x 39.5"

One RSC project from 2023 was finished in 2024. I had taken a class in June, 2023, A Maze Zing with Candace Hassen. The original pattern produced blocks that finish at 16" x 24", but I scaled mine down a bit to 13.5" x 19.5". I made blocks using the RSC colors for several months in 2023, then finished them all off as placemats toward the end of 2024.

A Maze Zing blocks (before quilting)

My plans for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge in 2025 are still undecided, although I am determined to finish some of the many rainbow quilt tops hanging in the closet. It feels good to see that most of my 2024 RSC projects are either finished tops or very close to that point. I'll finish up the Hollow 9-Patches soon, and get back to the Terry blocks at some point. I look forward to another year of colorful, scrappy adventures!

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

Hen & Chicks Sampler

It's the last ScrapHappy Saturday of 2024, and I'm cutting it close to the end of the year, but I did manage to finish assembling the top for one of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects this week. This is my RSC 2024 Hen and Chicks Sampler quilt!

RSC 2024 Hen & Chicks Sampler

41.5" x 55.5"

Every month our RSC hostess Angela posted patterns for four different blocks, including instructions for multiple block sizes. Like her, I made all of the blocks in both 6" and 3" finished sizes, ending the year with 40 blocks in each size. I used the same batik background for all of the blocks, and all of the other fabrics used were also batiks.

I'm always trying to figure out different ways to put sampler quilt blocks together. For this one, I decided to do a medallion type setting. I added sashing of the background fabric between the blocks for a little separation, plus borders of the same fabric between each round. There was a lot math involved, and eventually I just started putting the center together and adjusting to make the outer rounds fit.

I might still add a narrow border of the background around the outside, but maybe not because I don't want it to get any bigger. I'm planning a scrappy batik binding to finish it off.

Some of those little 3" blocks were quite challenging to piece accurately, but everything turned out well in the end. I especially like the bright colors on the mostly white background, giving this a fresh feeling of springtime. My setting used all but one of the 6" blocks, and I also had four of the 3" blocks left at the end.

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

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Brown Hen & Chicks Blocks

One of my projects for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this year has been the Hen & Chicks Sampler, designed by our RSC hostess Angela. I've been following along all year, although I'd fallen behind over the last couple of months. Today I finally finished the last set of blocks, #37 - 40, all made with brown batiks.

The next challenge will be figuring out how I want to set all of my blocks together. I have 40 blocks that finish at 3" and 40 that will be 6". I've been considering some options for how to use them together.

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

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Scrappy Dark Saturday

Much of my quilting time this week was spent catching up on my September blocks for the RSC Hen & Chicks Sampler. Our color assignment for the month was dark colors, and I decided to use black and grey for my blocks. It wasn't easy finding enough batik scraps in those colors.

The finished sizes of the blocks are 3" and 6". We have only one more set of blocks left to make for this sampler, and I'm planning to use brown and tan for those. Then it will be time to figure out how I want to set them all together.

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

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

ScrapHappy Saturday

I was able to pull out some orange scraps and work on a couple of my projects for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this week. First up was finishing the August blocks for the RSC Hen & Chicks sampler. We are making four different block designs each month in both 3" and 6" finished sizes, and I am limiting my fabric choices to batiks. My selection of orange batiks was very limited, but I did get them all made.

RSC Hen & Chicks sampler

After that, I made some orange Rail Fence Spinners, ending up with a total of 10 blocks.

Last month our RSC color assignment was aqua, teal and turquoise. Besides pulling out scraps, I also discovered a stash of tiny (2" finished size) bowtie blocks plus some 4-patches, all in those colors. There were over 160 of the bowties, but even if I'd used all of them together, they would have made a very small quilt, maybe 24" x 28". Instead of making more blocks, I decided to use what I had to make placemats, ending up with a total of four placemat tops. There are only 2 bowtie blocks left over!

All in all, it was a fun and very scrappy week. Who knows what kind of scrappy trouble I might get into next week! There are still plenty more orange scraps to use.

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

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

July into August with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge

Our new color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this month is orange, but before I could start pulling out my orange scraps, I needed to finish up my last sets of blocks in aqua/teal/turquoise from July. First I worked on the Laundry Basket Quilts Birthday Blocks. A new 6" block is posted every week, and these are blocks #27 - 31.

The next thing to finish from July was my set of Terry blocks. These blocks will finish at 3" each, and it takes more time to cut all the pieces for them than to stitch them. I ended up with 60 blocks in aqua, teal, and turquoise.

After completing those, I was able to make a start on my August blocks for the RSC Hen & Chicks sampler. We are making four different block designs each month in both 3" and 6" finished sizes, and I am limiting my fabric choices to batiks. I got all the pieces cut for this month's blocks and managed to get one pair stitched. Those little 3" blocks sure are challenging!

I will continue with the Hen & Chicks blocks this week, plus pull out more orange scraps for some of my other RSC projects.

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

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Scrappy Turquoise Saturday

My quilting goal for the past week was to finish making this month's blocks for my various Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects. Our assigned colors for July are all the blue-greens that I love so much: aqua, teal, turquoise, etc. I've had a great time digging through my scraps, but I still have more blocks to make.

The main reason that I didn't get more done for my ongoing RSC quilts was because I was too wrapped up in the new project that I shared in last week's post, the Herringbone quilt. I knew that I might run short of my light sashing fabric, but kept going anyway with the goal of making a baby quilt, and I had just barely enough for that. Seriously, I think my largest leftover scrap of that fabric when I finished measured about 1.25 x 1.5". It looks like solid white in the photos, but it actually has a very pale teal print on white. This is my Herringbone quilt top, followed by some close-ups of the fabrics.

Herringbone quilt top, 33" x 39.5"

One of my favorite things about making scrappy quilts is reminiscing about the various fabrics, where and when I got them, and other quilts they were used in. The photo above is a perfect example. The darker woven-looking print along the right side was a piece that I got at a sale back in 1998, 5 yards for 50 cents/yard. The print at the bottom left corner is also from 1998 and was purchased at the AQS show in Paducah. The bright turquoise fabric at the very center is one that I got in Paducah earlier this year. Despite the wide range of ages and styles, they all work together beautifully!

I didn't think to include a photo of my inspiration for this quilt in my previous post. I've had it for years and it resurfaced on my cutting table recently. This is a first for me--a quilt inspired by the design on a box of Kleenex!

After I finished making the Herringbone quilt top, I had quite a pile of scraps and strips with angled ends laying around on my cutting table. Instead of trimming them down into squares and triangles, I started sewing them together randomly. I was able to piece enough together to make a placemat, which will join the donation pile for Meals on Wheels.

The placemat top is done and has been stitched around the outer edges with some batting and that same print from 1998 for the back. All that's left to do is a little bit of quilting, probably horizontal lines along the piecing seams.

One set of RSC blocks that did get finished this week were the latest Hen & Chicks Sampler blocks. I'm using all batiks for these blocks, which will finish at 3" and 6".

I still have two sets of RSC blocks that haven't been made yet this month, the Laundry Basket Quilts Birthday Blocks and a set of Terry blocks. I will try to make a start on those later today. It's feeling like they might continue over into August.

Be sure to check out all of the wonderful scrappy projects at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge every Saturday and Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is more fun than Housework on Sunday. I'm also linking up with the Table Scraps Challenge at The Joyful Quilter.

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Scrappy Blue Sampler Blocks

I have nearly caught up with all of the blue blocks for my various Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects, making two different sets of sampler blocks this week. Up first are the blocks for the RSC 2024 Hen and Chicks sampler. The blocks will finish at 3" and 6", and I am making mine from batiks.

My other set of RSC blocks for the week were the latest of the Birthday Blocks by Edyta Sitar at Laundry Basket Quilts. For these I am alternating using a white or black background on each block. These blocks will finish at 6".

Since they were all sitting on the cutting table at the same time, I got some photos of both sets of blocks together.

The blue blocks for one of my other RSC projects, the Terry blocks, are not done yet, but there is still a chance that I can finish them before the month is over. I'm looking forward to finding out what our new color is for July (my guess is orange.)

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

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Stash Report and Stitching Time 6/2/2024

It sure seems like there should be more to include in my stash report this week, but I'm holding off on counting a couple of projects until I get some photos and share them on the blog. What I am counting this week is 1/2 yard used in two sets of blocks for Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects. These are the blocks I made this week for the RSC Hen & Chicks Sampler and the Birthday Blocks by Edyta Sitar at Laundry Basket Quilts.

2024 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                      .50 yards

Used year to date:             35.625 yards

Added last week:                   0.00 yards

Added year to date:             27.50 yards

Net used in 2024:            8.125 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 finally completed my quilt show entry, just in time to turn it in for the show this afternoon. I've also been making blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, plus pulling fabrics for a new mystery quilt-along.

15 Minute Challenge for 2024: 

5/26 - 6/1                 7 of 7 days

2024 Total          150 of 153 days

Success rate                 98.0 %   

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch Challenge at Life in Pieces. Thanks so much to Donna and Kate for continuing to host these link-ups.

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Pink Sampler Blocks

It took until the very last day of May, but I did manage to finish off my last two sets of pink blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Here are my blocks for Hen & Chicks, the RSC 2024 sampler quilt. I'm making these blocks from batiks.

My other set of RSC blocks for the week were the latest of the Birthday Blocks by Edyta Sitar at Laundry Basket Quilts. For these I am alternating using a white or black background on each block.

These blocks work well together since all of them (except the mini blocks) finish at the same size, 6". The little blocks are 3"

It may be a couple days before I have a chance to start digging through the blues and working on my blocks for June. I know there are always plenty of of blue scraps around here (and every other color too!)

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

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Scrappy Yellow Blocks

Quilting time has been in very short supply lately, but I was finally able to make blocks for two of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects, where our color of the month is yellow. I started with the Hen & Chicks blocks for the RSC 2024 Sampler Quilt.

This was my first set of yellow blocks. They will finish at 6" and 3". I had them about 75% finished when I realized that my previous blocks had been made entirely from batiks. These have the same batik background as earlier blocks, but regular quilt cottons for the rest. I went ahead and finished these off...

then turned around and made another set out of batiks. I know it doesn't really matter to anyone else, but I feel better now.

There was also enough time to finish off my set of Hollow 9-Patch blocks. These blocks will finish at 6".

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

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Finishing the Purple Blocks

March seemed to go by very quickly, and now it is time to wrap up my purple projects for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I finished off a couple sets of purple blocks this week. Up first were my Hollow 9-Patch blocks.

After that, I made the latest of the Birthday Blocks from Laundry Basket Quilts, ending up with four purple blocks for March. A new block pattern is posted every week, and I am alternating using light or dark background along with the RSC color of the month.

LBQ Birthday Blocks

There is one set of purple blocks that is not quite finished. These are my scrappy improv blocks inspired by Terry Rowland (I call them my Terry blocks.) I have these 25 little 3" blocks finished, and another 15-20 more blocks cut and waiting next to my sewing machine.

Besides all the blocks shown above, I also shared a couple other sets of blocks earlier in the month. There were the Rail Fence Spinners and the Hen and Chicks Sampler blocks. I pulled those blocks out of my RSC bin and put everything up on the design wall together in an incredible, scrappy collection of purple! 

I'm eager to find out what our color of the month will be for April and get started on some new sets of blocks!

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

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Stash Report and Stitching Time 3/24/2024

There has been plenty of fabric moving both in and out of my stash this week. The incoming came from a recent fabric order, 4.5 yards added.

The outgoing fabric was used in a variety of projects. I used 1/2 yard for my last Project Quilting entry of 2024, an Irish Chain placemat (which you can see and read more about HERE.) I also used another yard on these two Scrappy Trips style placemats that have been waiting to be finished.

A total of one yard was used for a combination of projects that are being added together for the Stash Report. They are the purple Rail Fence Spinners, the Hen and Chicks Sampler blocks, and two blocks for Jen's Color Challenge. 

Rail Fence Spinners, 6" blocks

Hen and Chicks Sampler, 3" & 6" blocks

Jen's Color Challenge, 12" blocks

2024 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                   2.50 yards

Used year to date:              22.50 yards

Added last week:                  4.50 yards

Added year to date:               22.0 yards

Net used in 2024:                .50 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. Despite having been out of town for a few days at the beginning of the week, I was able to keep my 100% record intact. I always take a hand stitching project along when I travel, and that was true on this trip. Three more applique heart blocks were finished while I was away.

I've been hand stitching heart blocks since sometime in 2021. I used to do lots more hand applique when I was working and stitched on the train commute each day. Now it mostly happens when I am traveling. I really should count up how many heart blocks I've made and figure out what to do with them.

15 Minute Challenge for 2024: 

3/17 - 3/23          7 of 7 days

2024 Total        83 of 83 days

Success rate                100%

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch Challenge at Life in Pieces. Thanks so much to Donna and Kate for continuing to host these link-ups.

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA