Scrappy Saturday

I had hoped to make more  progress this week on my Rainbow LeMoyne baby quilt, but I only managed to get three rows of blocks and sashing joined together. Hopefully I can finish the quilt top next week.

I am joining the linky party for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Check out the terrific scrappy projects!

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 12/8/14

One of my quilting goals for the month of December is to put together at least one quilt top from my Rainbow LeMoyne Stars blocks. I have been making these blocks in both 6" and 12" sizes all year as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

I was considering several options for setting my blocks, and over the weekend I decided to dive in and give one idea a try. This first attempt will become a baby quilt, using 20 of my 75 or so 6" stars.

I am making sashing from the two background fabrics, plus 4-patch units for cornerstones. The sashing units switch back and forth so each block ends up framed with the opposite background fabric, light blocks with a dark frame and vice versa. I would love to get the rest of these units made in the next couple of days and get the blocks all joined together.

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times where you can see all sorts of amazing quilting inspiration! On Tuesday I will also link up to Scraptastic Tuesday, hosted by Leanne at she can quilt and by Nicky at Mrs. Sew and Sow. Check out all the scrappy goodness!

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 12/7/14

The Christmas sewing deadlines are looming, and I have been busy busting through some of my stash to finish gifts. This week I made a pair of pajama pants (that also accounts for the fabric added for the week) and a tote bag. Over the last several weeks I have also stitched background hexies to three of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge Hexie Stars.
                           

Used this week:                           5.25 yards     

Used year to date:                  123.375 yards

Stashed this week:                       3.0 yards

Stashed year to date:               110.0 yards 

Net year to date:                     13.375 yards used  


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times. 

Julie in GA

Rainbow Scrap Finishing Month

Time at the sewing machine has been in short supply lately, but I have continued hand stitching background hexies to my rainbow stars. This was the perfect project to have with me for our Thanksgiving travels, so easy to pick it up and do some stitching while hanging out at Mom's house.

I have finished adding the backgrounds to five out of ten large stars--halfway done! Before long I should be able to start joining the stars and snowflakes together. I began this project in August of 2013, and I would love to get the top done by August, 2015.

Thanks to all who commented last week with opinions for sashing/borders on my Rainbow LeMoyne Star quilt. I am planning to either use the black and white check that I showed as sashing or to frame the blocks with the two background fabrics if I have enough. Here are the two different options drawn up in EQ7.

Check out this week's Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts--lots of incredibly beautiful rainbow projects to inspire you!  I am also linking up to Hexie Weekend over at A Quilting Reader's Garden.

Julie in GA

Quilting goals and 15 Minutes to Stitch

Travel over the Thanksgiving weekend has put me behind on my monthly blog posts. It has been tougher than usual to find time for quilting, but I did manage to do at least a little bit every day this month except for one day over the holiday weekend. I will be linking up with Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch post over at Life in Pieces.

November wasn't my best month when it came to meeting the quilting goals I had set at the beginning of the month. However, I did complete the most important goal of finishing the hearts baby quilt in time to give it to my niece at Thanksgiving.

NOVEMBER GOALS
1. Quilt and bind the "Surrounded  by Love" baby quilt. DONE 11/23/14 and presented to the mother-to-be!

2.  Rainbow Scrap Challenge--make 6-8 LeMoyne Stars in November's color.  Made 12" stars in beige and white.

3.  Scrap Hexies--continue adding background to hexie stars & snowflakes.              Finished the background on blue and black stars.

4.  Tell It to the Stars--make 32 blocks for the pieced border  18 blocks done
5.  Make at least 30 blocks as part of the 350 Blocks Project  23 blocks done
6.  Spend at least 15 minutes each day quilting--cutting, sewing, designing, etc.

     29 out of 30 days. I am linking up to Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch



December goals:
1.  Complete 3 Christmas gifts 

2.  Rainbow LeMoyne--assemble at least one quilt top

3.  Scrap Hexies--continue adding background to hexie stars & snowflakes. 

4.  Tell It to the Stars--finish making blocks for the pieced border

5.  Make at least 30 blocks as part of the 350 Blocks Project  
6.  Spend at least 15 minutes each day quilting--cutting, sewing, designing, etc.

There you have it, my quilting plans and goals for December and my results from November. Watch for the next update at the beginning of January.

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday

It has been three weeks since my last Design Wall Monday post. I have spent time quilting almost every day, but never seemed to have anything worth showing these past couple of weeks.

On my design wall at the moment are the scrappy LeMoyne Star blocks that I have been making for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I am debating what to use for sashing and borders. The original plan was to use the black and white check shown in the first photo, either with or without one of the rainbow prints for a border. Option 2 is just the rainbow print, probably the wavy stripes. I don't want to distract too much from the stars though. I would love to hear any opinions you wish to share. Anyone who saw my Rainbow Scrap Challenge post on Saturday has already seen these same two photos.

I am very happy to also have a finish to show. A week ago I completed the quilting and binding on the hearts baby quilt that I made for my niece's baby girl who is due to arrive in January. I was so happy to be able to give the quilt to the mother-to-be in person on Saturday. The fabric line is called "Surrounded by Love" and that is the perfect sentiment for this quilt.

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times where you can see all sorts of amazing quilting inspiration! 

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 11/30/14

For the second time this month, I am reporting more fabric added to my stash than used. Holiday travel has limited my time to quilt, but did give me the chance to visit Nancy's Notion retail store and do some shopping. I got mostly 1/4 yard pieces, plus a larger piece of the background fabric on the right.

As for usage, I finished the quilting and binding on the hearts baby quilt I made for our niece's baby girl, due in January. I will show that tomorrow on Design Wall Monday.

Added this week:  4 yards from Nancy's Notions
Used this week:  1.75 yards for backing & binding on baby quilt
                           

Used this week:                           1.75 yards

Used year to date:                  118.125 yards

Stashed this week:                       4.0  yards

Stashed year to date:               107.0 yards 

Net year to date:                     11.125 yards used  


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times. 

Julie in GA

Rainbow LeMoyne Stars

My current focus for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge is trying to decide on the fabrics for sashing and borders with my 12" Rainbow LeMoyne Stars. I have come up with a couple of different options. There were twelve blocks done, but I wasn't happy with my green star, so it has been taken apart to be remade.

The first option (above) has a black and white check for the sashing, and I would add cornerstones from a mostly black print. The border would probably be the colorful wavy striped fabric (I am hoping to save the circle print for a future project.)

Version two (below) has the colorful fabric for sashing and borders, plus a mostly black print for cornerstones. This might work with an inner border of the same black and white check as above. Again, I would probably choose the wavy stripes rather than the circles.

I am totally undecided on whether I really like either of these choices. Maybe it will be easier to choose after I get the green star back together and put all the parts up on the wall together. Once again, I would love to hear your opinions.

Check out this week's Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts--lots of amazingly beautiful rainbow projects to inspire you!  

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 11/23/14

Nothing added this week. I did order some fabric, but it hasn't arrived yet.
Fabric used: 1/2 yard for two 12" Scrappy LeMoyne Stars.

Used this week:                               .5 yards

Used year to date:                     116.375 yards

Stashed this week:                        0  yards

Stashed year to date:               103.0 yards 

Net year to date:                      13.375 yards used  


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times. 

Julie in GA

Rainbow Challenge update

For the first time in more weeks than I can remember, I missed making a blog post to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge last Saturday. I guess it was mostly because I had so little to report for the week. This week hasn't been the most productive, but at least I have something new to show.

I finished making my last two 12" LeMoyne star blocks this week. Our assigned color for November is light blue, but I have gone off in my own direction in order to finish out my color palette. This brings me to a total of twelve blocks (you can see most of the other blocks HERE.) Once I get sashing and borders added, they will make a good size for a wall hanging or small quilt . Thanks to everyone who commented last month on which additional colors to use.

Check out this week's Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts--lots of amazingly beautiful rainbow projects to inspire you!  

Julie in GA