Friday, February 4, 2022

Cold Ouside, Warm Inside

It’s been freezing cold here in the valley. Below freezing actually, in the 20’s (F). We had an inch of snow one morning this week, but mostly it’s just been clear and cold. The highlight of the week was a coffee date to Barnes & Noble. Otherwise, it’s just been talking with family, grocery shopping, a mammogram, and a couple short, brisk walks in the neighborhood. And sewing. Always sewing. Oh, and always laundry, too - I call it the biggest ball and chain of the household. 

But I got a lot of sewing done. Having a rotating color palette with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) helps, as does making lots of smaller quilts for Quilts for Kids. There’s plenty to show you.

I finished the cool-colored quilt made from last year’s RSC split nine-patch blocks. Like the Rainbow Candy warm-colored version I showed last week, this one finished at 42x48”.  I don’t know why some colors have plain white backgrounds and others have low-volume white print backgrounds. I must’ve forgotten about those somewhere along the way! The backing was this aqua piece from my stash.

The second quilt I finished was a leftover from Red January. Several red scraps were combined with navy and white scraps, some from my stash and some from Quilts for Kids (QFK) to make this little quilt.


This one finished at 40x45”.  I was able to work in more of those &*@% selvage half hexies. I’ve got plans for the rest of them as well throughout the year. Good riddance! That navy print fabric on the back? The date on the selvage is 1993. I’m sure many of you will recognize “the” rosebud print of that era!

I finished Round Three of my Stay at Home Round Tobin (SAHRR). My post about it, which includes the backstory on the design choices made, is here.  This is the piece after Round Three.


After all that, it was time to move on to my RSC blocks for February. The color(s) this month are Aqua/teal/turquoise; basically the blue/green range.  First up, two Antique Tile blocks that finish at 12”.

And then 10 Framed Four-Patch blocks that will finish at 8”.

I’ve started, and actually made good progress on, the two little quilts I hope to finish in the coming week. The first one is aqua and pink scraps centered (mostly) around this mermaid scrap.


It’s actually ready to pin baste, so watch for that one next week. The second quilt, which was also pulled from my QFK projects for aqua February, is these aqua, blue and gray dinosaurs. I had cut the blocks out last year but never started sewing. However, it worked out for the best because in the meantime I was given more scraps from QFK which included more of the polka dot fabric. 

This will be a quilt of Happy Blocks, but right now only the two in the top left are sewn. This should be a fun afternoon of chain piecing today or tomorrow. 

Finally, I have a cute photo to show you which came to me from an extended family member. I hope your inner squirrel isn’t offended . . .

Just add squirrel!! 

See you mid-week for a Stay at Home Round Robin update! Linking to:


22 comments:

  1. I love your Cool Colours Split 9 Patch quilt. So effective with the blocks organised on the diagonal in colour bands. The mix of white based neutrals and solid white adds to the quilt’s interest. Love the red, white and blue one too. You certainly have a knack of putting random strips together to make a lovely quilt. Dinosaur fabric is lovely, an unusual colourway which is perfect for this month’s RSC aqua colour choice. So, a happy and busy week. Enjoy making the dinosaur quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  2. As usual, lots going on at your place! Haven't met a split 9P that I didn't love. I have that chevron fabric and haven't found a use for it. I think it will go with some of the gray I got on a recent acquisition, so thanks for the inspiration.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love your star fish for the stay at home round robin. Glad you were able to stay inside and sew to avoid the cold winter weather.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your Split 9 patch in cool colors is wonderful, Cathy! Looks like you got a lot of other good stuff accomplished this week, too. I love the mermaid strip quilt - so fun!

    ReplyDelete
  5. We've not only had the cold, many nights at or below 0, but about 12' of snow over the last two days. Bright and sunny today, but still cold. Heat wave of 30's next week. I like the split 9 patch so much, that I'm adding it to my RSC projects.
    Pat

    ReplyDelete
  6. All of your progress is wonderful, but I love, love, love the Quilt of Happy Blocks!!! I need to get a move on. I work better under pressure though. I need to sew up some pillow covers for my oldest daughter's birthday (Feb. 28!) She wanted more pillows for her new couch in beachy colors. I bought a have yard each of two outdoor fabrics and got two 20" pillow forms at Joann Fabrics (ON sale, YAY!) now to get the dang things sewn and sent. My package for you is packaged, I have several things to go out into the postal system, so I'm trying to get stuff done, packed and ready to go in one trip to the post office. Wish me luck!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Loving your Quilts For Kids-projects!! That split 9-patch rainbow one is really so pretty...
    Cold here too--the high today was 24...and very windy. 19 windchill..brrr--hugs and stay warm Julierose

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love your split 9 patch blocks quilt. So fun. And also like your framed four patch blocks. You've got lots going on in the sewing room. Good for you!

    ReplyDelete
  9. SQUIRREL HELPER?!! Cathy, who even knew there was such a thing?!! I know different areas of our country eat different things . . . but WOWEE. My mind is blown. I just love all of these different projects you have going. All of the teal/aqua blocks are just gorgeous. I'm always drawn to that color. The cool-colored RSC quilt is very pleasing and someone will be delighted to receive it. Great job all the way around. {{{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne

    ReplyDelete
  10. Cathy, you rock! Beautiful quilts for QFK, Love the split nine patch,realy cool!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Lots of teal/aqua/turquoise happening at your place! I particularly like your split 9 patch quilt, very effective indeed. Sadly, I'm suffering from RSC withdrawal, we are away on holiday with the cat, knitting and stitchery project, but no sewing machine!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow so much beautiful work in one post. The first quilt and the last one are my favorites.

    ReplyDelete
  13. TWO quilt finishes and SEW much AQUA/TEAL progress, too. Awesome week, Cathy!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I need to choose a lotto block for my small guild next month; I've been thinking about garlic knots, but your finished "cool" split nine patches have me thinking again. When we lived in Pensacola, we had two pecan trees in our yard, but the squirrels usually ate most of the pecans. I was complaining about this to a family friend, who grew up in the country and had a pecan grove. I asked how they managed to harvest pecans without the squirrels getting them. She replied, "Well, we ate a lot of squirrel!"

    ReplyDelete
  15. So may pretty quilts! I love the split nine-patch. And those dinosaurs are fun! I absolutely LOVE your star-fish style stars!!!! Perfect for the star round on the SAHRR!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wonderful quilts and starts for Quilts for Kids! I'm loving all the teal in this post. It's been cold here too, below zero a couple of days, but in Wisconsin we expect it. Stay warm!

    ReplyDelete
  17. This cold weather has done you well. Just look at all the sewing you've been doing this past week! The split nine patch is lovely. What a good use for scraps. I'm making a baker's dozen of pillowcases for our guild's contribution to Camp Rainbow Gold - a special summer camp for kids with cancer. We've done this for several years and the organizers tell us that when the kids open their goodie bag upon arrival, the anxiously look forward to seeing what their pillowcase looks like this year! Fun, fun! Have fun stitching away this week.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Fun to compare your warm and cool split 9-patch quilts! I recognize those framed four-patches....

    ReplyDelete
  19. It may be cold outside but your studio is burning hot with creativity although the first quilt (Split 9-patch) is supercool :-D

    ReplyDelete
  20. It is always good to see what mischief you have been up to in your sewing room.

    ReplyDelete
  21. You’ve inspired me yet again! Those happy blocks combined with a plain block, make a gray quilt! Love the Split 9 patches too! Such a gray block!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hah hah hah - Squirrel Helper!
    I love the rainbow challenge quilt colours and the design. It's a different setting than I've seen before I think. Of course the 'dine-O-soar' quilt caught my eye (three little grandsons could have something to do with that!). And the somewhat different pronunciation of dinosaur is from our oldest grandson who insists that's the way it should be and who am I to argue.

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your visit to my blog and love your comments!