Saturday, May 27, 2017

My Studio is No Longer the Emerald City

Once upon a time, about four weeks ago or so, my studio looked like the Emerald City. Like Kermit the Frog had exploded, like a giant Chia Pet had blossomed, like...... oh, you get the idea. That was when I first took out my green fabric and green scraps and green selvages and green sheets and began to work them into sewing projects. Now things are back to normal, the scraps are GONE and the greens blocks have found their places among my works in progress. Here is a collage of this month’s green goodness:

From the top, across:
30 Bow tie blocks (4”)
25 Friendship Star Variation blocks (6”)
16 Plus blocks (6”)


Middle Row:
2 Crayon blocks
2 Selvage columns (although they are turned on their sides and look like rows)
8 Strip blocks, which will be sewn into 2 16” blocks

Bottom Row: 5 Bookshelf blocks (12”).
Not Shown: 2 Geese Migration blocks

In addition to those, I used up all my itty bitty scraps and sewed them into 4 slabs, which then became part of the 9 kennel quilts and one dog bed that I made for Best Friends Animal Shelter this month. Total green blocks for May: 94

Here are six of the kennel quilts using up the various green scraps. They mostly have some donated gold starred fabric on back. Again, these are various sizes, ranging from 12x18” up to about 18x24”. Luckily the animal shelter uses all sizes.


And then here are more three quilts  below; one is turned over so you can see the green starred flannel backing. Those are some old vintage sheet blocks and some kitty fabric (always on the lookout for kitty fabric at good prices) for the other two. I also made another doggie bed from scraps, but didn’t get a picture. However it looks just like the floral one from last month, which you can see in the collage in the post here. So, all told, I took 19 quilts and 3 dog beds to Best Friends this week. That is as much as I took the whole first quarter, so I am getting faster.

And speaking of quilts for animals, one of our local quilt shops had a great sale with 50-75% of tons of bolts of fabric. Even though I arrived within an hour of opening, the lines were already long. But that was OK; everyone was friendly and we chattered a lot in line. I happened to be behind a lovely woman named Jannis. Naturally, everyone talked about what we planned to do with the fabrics, and I mentioned that, among other things, I sew kennel quilts for Best Friends. Turns out, Jannis is another true animal lover. Long story short, as she and her friend finished checking out ahead of me, Jannis generously handed me a cash donation to use toward the kennel quilts (very generous, I might add). I was blown away, and insisted we exchange information so I could send her pictures of what I buy and make with the donation. Or shall I just pass it on directly to Best Friends? Or a little of both? Anyway, here’s a shout-out to Jannis! Thank you once again!!  We are having the Utah Shop Hop next week, and I think I will be looking for bargain kitty and/or doggie themed fabrics to add to my scraps for kennel quilts. I will plan another donation trip to Best Friends at the end of June with whatever I make from those purchases.

In other news this week:



*** I read on Pinterest that vinegar makes a good weed killer, and I can tell you that it’s true! Cheap and non-toxic. I bought a couple gallons and used a sprinkling can to kill off all the weeds growing in our fallow garden beds this year. Easy Peasy.

*** My 92-year-old Uncle Bela (the last surviving member of his generation in my family) died this week. I am so glad I got to spend some quality time with him in 2015 (blogged about HERE).

*** Those darling Mothers Day flowers that I got last week (that looked like a cat) dried out and began looking troll-ish. So, I replaced the “cat” with roses from my garden.....



Finally, my little munchkins Alfie and Darla celebrated their 4th birthday this weekend. They pretended to be mad that I didn’t bake them a cake, but I know it’s not true. Neither one of them will EVER eat any kind of table scraps - not tuna, not chicken, nothing. So here is how they spent their day:

L: Alfie can’t keep his leg still when he gets excited   R: Darla sleeps

Linking up to Scrappy Saturday,


Cathy maroon

20 comments:

  1. You know, I just don't like green very much unless there is a touch of blue added to it, but then it's not green anymore, is it? Yay!

    I must have seen the same hint about the vinegar as I bought two gallons but have not been able to use it because of the rain. Not sure if it works as well if diluted by rain water.

    Sometimes life gives you a generous surprise, such as your gift at the fabric store. A blessing for both you and the animals AND for the gifter.

    Have a great holiday.
    xx, Carol

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  2. Lovely "Kermit" projects you've got going;)))
    ..sorry to hear of your loss..it's hard when that "older generation" leaves us--then, like moi, YOU become the ancient ones--yikes!;000
    I like your slab ideas--my son has a wonderful doggie, Kota(she's on my sidebar posing for treats hahaha))--I think I'll steal your idea and make her a slab blankie...hugs for a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend...Julierose

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  3. You really outdid yourself in green this month. My daughter and granddaughter used to volunteer at the animal shelter. I'll have to check with them about pad for the pets. They are so easy. I know our guild has been making placemats for Meals on Wheels to pass out on the holidays. If I can do them without binding, that's another quickie. Have a fun week!

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  4. I do think it is wonderful that you have Best Friends in your neighborhood so to speak. Tommy Cat used to donate to them. And Buddy would like to suggest that Alfie and Darla don't have to eat people food, but they probably should try and give everything a good lick. Life is more exciting that way.

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  5. I think we can say that you have a plethora of green blocks! Thanks for sharing all of your work. Looking forward to seeing them in each project. That was a lot of work!

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  6. Wow! Glad we're not in any kind of competition! Way to go Girl! I was gifted a bag of scraps that had some green triangles, so I made a doll quilt, but I haven't even made my crayons for the month. I better get busy. And you'd better stop and take a breath!!

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  7. Green truly means go for you!! What at great collection of goodies for the month. I really need to get busy on my cat quilt that I plan to donate to the Paws for the Arts auction for our local Humane Society. "Plenty of time" seems to run off on me all the time. You are a great motivator. My two furries are hot and sleep today.

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  8. This is so impressive, and I understand why your studio must have looked like the Emerald City! I have to actually make my green blocks so my studio will look like yours shortly. :)

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  9. What a busy and productive month. Such a wonderful collection of blocks - so many new quilts in the making. What better way to tidy up the studio than to sew the scraps away!

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  10. My goodness - emerald city is well in hand made into some gorgeous blocks. I'm thinking you had some help in making all of them .... or you don't sleep! Alfie and Darla sew at night while you are sleeping? I'll have to try that vinegar tip - any kind or white or cider?

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  11. Your green progress was fabulous!

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  12. Emerald City - that made me giggle! LOVE all your green blocks and progress. and yay for someone helping you help the animals - that has to feel good!

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  13. I love all the green goodness in your May blocks, Cathy! So fresh and pretty! Your work making the mats for the animal shelter got me to wondering if our local Humane Society accepts donations like that. I will have to check!

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  14. WOW! Lots and lots of green goodness. Is your green scrap container empty?

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  15. What a great month! Your greens are so bright and refreshing. I love them all.

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  16. You have been a busy woman! Astounding progress! I especially like your green bookshelf. One of these days...

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  17. you make green look so good - I love watching all you do with the colors

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  18. Oh my goodness! And I mean goodness! You are sure going to have a lot of colorful and awesome quilts come year end. (Start collecting backings!) Can't wait for the next color

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  19. Your green projects are all great! I'm jealous. I haven't had a moments peace to do any sewing for two months...that seems like such a long time, and yet, it has flown by. I have all the mixed color blocks to do and my green blocks for May and then there is the Sun, Sand and Sea blocks I started doing. I need to do May's . I had gotten April's done early in April.
    How is Bruce doing?

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  20. I'm a firm believer that what you do comes back to reward you and obviously the lady in the line was of that belief too. Lots more projects this month to put me to shame....I need a little of whatever-it-is you have in energy to come my way.

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