Curves, Take Two

 Last week I shared my first set of blocks made using the pattern Blue Onion by Karla Alexander of Saginaw Street Quilts. 

Blue Onion by Karla Alexander of Saginaw Street Quilts. 

The blocks turned out okay, but they weren't quite what I was going for. I decided to try again with different fabrics. The second set of blocks were made with all batiks, and I cut the pieces for all 48 blocks for my quilt before stitching any of them together. That made it possible for me to get a wider variety of fabrics in each block. After much time rearranging pieces at the design wall, followed by an afternoon sewing session, I ended up with these blocks.

I am much happier with the combination of fabrics in these blocks. My plan for the quilt is that these blocks will be the lightest area of the quilt, and the colors will move through oranges and hot pinks into purples around the outer edges.

This new project was inspired by the quilt along hosted by Corinne and Cecile at the Cocopatch website. Their theme this year is curves, and it gave me the perfect excuse to make this pattern that I have owned for several months. The quilt along has just started, so it's not too late to join the fun and sew some curves!

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 DeStashing--Week 2, 2021

It always feels good to start with a clean slate for the quilting stash reports at the beginning of a new year. Unfortunately, I have very little to report for the last week. I've gotten obsessed with a new project, but haven't yet reached the point of being able to figure out my yardage used for it. 

There is one small project in the works that has used a little yardage. I wanted to come up with a project that I could make as a block-a-day quilt this year. I had plenty of ideas, but none seemed quite right until I ran across a stack of already-cut pieces for bowtie blocks that I had prepped for a baby quilt several years ago. Here are a few leftover blocks from that quilt. 

Isn't that the cutest background fabric! I wish I had lots more of it. Here are the leftover pieces I found, 3" squares and 1.75" squares. Believe it or not, there are enough pieces in those stacks to make over 100 bowtie blocks.

The original baby quilt got made, but I used up the background fabric long before I ran out of bowtie pieces. On the first of this year, I pulled out another background that worked well with the bowtie colors, then started stitching blocks. Here are my first 8 blocks, which used 1/4 yard of fabric. I started with pink because it is our color of the month at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

2021 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                               .25 yards

Used year to date:                           .25 yards

Added last week:                             0.0 yards

Added year to date:                         0.0 yards

Net used year to date                   .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 already missed one day on the bowtie blocks goal, but I have still gotten in at least 15 minutes of quilting every day this year.

15 Minute Challenge for 2021: 

1/3 - 1/9                   7 of 7 days

2021 Total                 9 of 9 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 to Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework and the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 1/4/2021

There is a new quilt along happening, hosted by Corinne and Cecile at the Cocopatch website, and I am very tempted to join in. This year their theme is curves. One of the reasons that I'm thinking about participating is because I bought this pattern a few months ago, and it seems like the perfect choice for the QAL.

Blue Onion pattern by Karla Alexander of Saginaw Street Quilts

Karla Alexander, designer of this pattern, is known for her "Stack the Deck" books and patterns, and this pattern is made using that technique. The blocks are made by stacking several different fabrics together, making the curved cuts, then rearranging the order of the pieces to mix them together. 

I started out by making some smaller sample pieces with a single curve in each block, just to see how I liked the piecing. These blocks were made from 6" squares.

Those were okay to piece, so I moved ahead to the main event. There is a Creative Grids ruler available for cutting the curves, but it costs more than $40! Fortunately, the pattern includes directions for cutting without the ruler, and that is what I did. Here is my first group of blocks.

Well, that's not really what I was going for. I was hoping to make a quilt with a gradation of colors, but I'm not sure this is the right approach. It might work better if I cut multiple sets of pieces and mix more fabrics together in each block. This set of five blocks all contain the same six fabrics, and a wider variety might help. Back to the drawing board for me!

The schedule for Corinne and Cecile's QAL of Curves is January through May. The challenge requires that you make at least 16 blocks, and every block must contain a curve. If you are interested in joining them, you can find out more info at Cocopatch.

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 DeStashing--Week 1, 2021

My final stash numbers for 2020 changed a little bit after I made two Scrap Magnet blocks for my newest Rainbow Scrap Challenge project. Here is my favorite of the two pink blocks.

Scrap Magnet block, pattern by Kirsty at Bonjour Quilts

I used 3/4 yard for the two blocks, and no new fabric was added last week, leaving me with a net usage for 2020 of a little over 100 yards. My goal every year is to use more than I add, and I am extremely pleased with my final numbers for last year. I don't have any usage or additions to report for the first two days of 2021. 

2020 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                               .75 yards

Used year to date:                    188.125 yards

Added last week:                             0.0 yards

Added year to date:                        86.0 yards

Net used year to date           102.125 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. The combination of retiring in mid-June plus spending 99% of my time at home because of the pandemic made it possible for me to consistently get in some quilting time every day. The last time I missed a day was at the end of May. I wonder if I can get 100% next year? So far I am 2 for 2.

15 Minute Challenge for 2020: 

12/27 - 12/31             5 of 5 days

2020 Total            357 of 366 days

15 Minute Challenge for 2021: 

1/1 - 1/2                   2 of 2 days

2021 Total                 2 of 2 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 1, 2021

Starting a new quilt project is one of my favorite things to do. It's too bad that I'm not so good at finishing them! The beginning of the new year means it's time to start some new quilts for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC). For those who aren't familiar with the RSC, we are assigned a different color each month by our hostess Angela. Each participant can make whatever they wish, but the goal is to feature our scraps in the monthly color.

It's always difficult for me to decide which new RSC projects to start and how many to make There are far too many wonderful ideas and inspirations everywhere I look. It would be easy to try to do a dozen new RSC quilts, but that would make it impossible to get anything else done. I have to keep it to a "reasonable" number, but I haven't decided exactly what that number is yet!

This week's new project for the RSC 2021 is "Scrap Magnet," a pattern by Kirsty of Bonjour Quilts. Our color for January is pink, and I made two different pink Scrap Magnet blocks. My plan is to make two blocks per month through October, 20 blocks total. 

These blocks were not difficult to make, although I did have to be careful about precision so the seams would all match up at the intersections. I will be using the same grey and white background fabrics on all of the blocks.

Here is the cover photo from Kirsty's pattern. I first saw her version of the quilt a year or so ago, and knew that it would be an excellent choice for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. The blocks for this quilt finish at 16.5" each, and the throw quilt measures 66.5" square. I'm planning to add an extra row of blocks to make the quilt rectangular, about 66" x 83". The pattern also includes instructions for an extra-large version of the block that makes a great baby quilt.

Scrap Magnet pattern by Kirsty at Bonjour Quilts

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 

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