As January (Finally) Comes to a Close...

Is it just me, or does it seem as though January has been going on for three months already? I am so OVER it already! But today was really nice - there was a big ball of yellow fire in the sky that created shadows and made everything light. I think it’s called the sun, but that is from rumor and certainly not from previous experience this month.

So, I finally pretty much wiped out my purple scraps this month. I played with my 1.5” this week. Oh, but before that I finished up my Friendship Star variation blocks that weren’t quite ready last Saturday.

They’re kind of a pain in the butt because there are so many HSTs to trim, but I love the look, so OH WELL.  And speaking of pains in the posterior, the 1.5” squares and HSTs got cleaned up and made into 2 36-patch blocks alternating solids and HSTs. Yeah, my piecing leaves a lot to be desired.

With all the leftover bits and bobs, I made these three slabs. I am counting them as ONE block in my tally because they could be sewn together.... or not.

So here is my summary of PURPLE blocks for this month:

Top:  4 string blocks, 4 Bookcase blocks (12” each, sewn together)
Left: 1 Crayon block (the light one was from last year)
Middle Row: 2 Geese Migration Blocks, 11 Plus blocks, 2 columns of Selvage blocks
Bottom: 13 Friendship Star, 38 Bowties, 1 Crumb slab
Not Shown in collage: 2   36-patch blocks.
Total RSC Blocks:  76.

Linking up to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge over at Angela’s So Scrappy Blog. Why not join us and see what everyone else has done too??

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I had another finish this week - my warm-colored Rainbow Improv from 2016. I had to baste it first, then quilt and bind it. I really love how it turned out!!!

These 8” improv blocks are what I did last year with the miscellaneous crumbs and such of each color. The first quilt (shown a couple weeks ago) was done in blue, teal, purple and green. This quilt is the warm part of the spectrum; yellow, orange, red and pink.  This one was set 6x8 and sashed with Kona Cream. It looks like a pale peachy yellow, but it’s called Cream. Anyway, I like it.  The batting is Warm & Plush and it finished at 62x82”.

The quilting was a basic freeform loop, and I used Aurifil thread (1135) in 40 wt because that is what I had. I wasn’t crazy about the gold thread on the red (above), but I loved it on the rest of the quilt (below).

And when washed up, it was just fine. The backing I bought at Connecting Threads during their year-end clearance. I’d had my eye on it for awhile for this quilt - perfect colors. The binding was strips left over from other backings.

This was #4 on my Quarter 1 Finish Along Goals - my third finish in January. But that’s because the tops were done last year.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Finally, I made a bit of progress on the D9P quilt for my brother-in-law.  This picture doesn’t show the entire width of the quilt, but it will be sashed in black on all 4 sides. Then there will be three sections divided by vertical strips of blue/black/blue as shown. The center column will be three blocks wide and each side column will be four blocks wide. I think. If I don’t like that, it might become 3-4-3.  And there may be some horizontal stripes, too.

I’ll be playing with this for a few days and want to get it sewn up this coming week. Preferably before Angela announces the February color!

Most of this post was prepared on Friday evening, so I slept in this morning. But Alfie never really lets me sleep late. I was awakened by a gentle paw pulling back the covers over my head. The time? 8:00 straight up. It’s like he KNOWS, because it’s never later than that.

Alfie: Yes, human. The King is all-seeing.

See you on Tuesday for a Rainbow Scrap finished quilt round-up.

Purple Scraps and a Finish. And a Start.

Is it February yet?

Just kidding! I’m not done with my purple scraps yet for January, but I think they have just about done me. The problem is that I have so many solid and batik purples left over from the Magic Carpet quilt and the Cityscape quilt that the sameness is getting to me. But I am persevering!

This is what I got done this week, purple-wise. To see other purple-y goodness, join us at Angela’s So Scrappy blog for Rainbow Scrap Saturday.

First up, Cynthia Brunz’ lovely block pattern, Geese Migration. Using simple squares and flying geese, I couldn’t resist making two. These weren’t in my original plans, but plans are meant to be changed, right?

Then, to dig a bit further into the 2.5” scraps, I made 11 plus blocks.

And another unplanned block (SQUIRREL!!) was this foray into bow-ties, thanks to seemingly half the RSC ladies who are doing (or have done) these. I had never made bow-tie blocks before, and oh my are these fun! I finally stopped at 38.

Because of getting side-tracked, I didn’t finish all my Friendship Star variation blocks. But they will be done by next week, and I will show them then. I also hope to use my purple  crumbs and 1.5” pieces to sew up a purple slab or two for future use.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This week I also quilted the Cool Blue Green Improv block quilt, which was one of my many 2016 Rainbow Scrap projects.

This was comprised of my blue, teal, green and purple (cool colors) improv blocks from last year. The blocks finished at 8” and are set 7x7. With the sashing, it finishes at 72x72”.  The backing is a hodgepodge of blue and green fat quarters and large scraps.  The batting was Frankenpieced from strips of leftover Warm and Plush, my go-to batting that I buy by the 25-yard roll.

The quilting was very simple; wavy lines using my walking foot. I used the long wavy stitch on my Bernina, setting it to maximum length and width.  They are NOT supposed to be equal distant apart, but rather four vertical lines per column and then one in each of the sashes. The waves got off here and there as my foot pedal cord kept shorting out. I am taking it to be repaired or replaced this week.

This was my First Quarter Finish Along Goal #3 and my second finish of the quarter.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
For those of you who just visit on Saturday for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, I wrote a post yesterday about our recent living room remodel. It shows the before and after photos. I know some of you may be interested and some not, so I decided to do it in a separate post. If you are interested, the post is HERE.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Darla has been my constant companion lately, especially in the studio. These were taken on Wednesday or Thursday, when she felt it was time to really step up her game.

Mom, that ruler isn’t lined up correctly!

Wait! You need to sew another line and then trim in between to get 2 HSTs.

What kind of thread are you using? I’d better check this out. 

Sewing time is over! It’s Kitty Loving Time now!

Later, when I was back in the studio without The Supervisor, I got to sewing on the quilt I will make to take to one of my BILs in AZ next month. Yep, a simple Disappearing 9-patch.  All the big blocks are sewn, trimmed and pressed. About half are cut up and shown below.

The original plan was to have some sort of pattern, but it became obvious as I used random pieces and fat quarters from my stash, that a pattern was not going to develop. I still don`t know what the final layout will be, but I should be able to find something a bit more exciting than the hodgepodge above. But it will be the 11 blocks across as shown and then 13 rows down. Also, the blue is really more of a teal, but that doesn’t translate well with the camera.

And there you have it - my sewing adventures for the week. I can’t wait to see what everyone else has been doing!

Quarter I Finish-Along Goals

It’s time to list and link up my 2017 Finish-Along goals for the first quarter of the year. This list is so helpful to me, being the organized sort of person I am. I love being able to set goals and check things off.

Loving a checklist is a holdover habit from my working days. DH says I always tell him what I got done every day (not what I did, but what I got done) like I have to prove I was doing something instead of eating bonbons on the couch while watching TV. Yep, sounds like me. Come to think of it, it may have more to do with justifying my summer days to my mother when I was a kid (she worked). Good grief!

Oh well. Regardless, here is my list:

1.  Rainbow Rails.  This is a quilt top pieced for the 2016 Rainbow Scrap Challenge. It’s made with vintage sheets and is currently basted and ready for quilting and binding.

EDITED TO ADD:  FINISHED and blogged about here.

 

2.  Rainbow Dresdens.  Another RSC 2016 quilt top. Centers are doilies and yo-yos, backgrounds are solid pastels in blue, yellow pink. Needs to be basted, quilted and bound.

EDITED TO ADD:  Finished and blogged about HERE.

3.   Scrappy Improv (RSC 2016) in Cool Tones.  Needs basting, quilting, binding.
EDITED TO ADD:  FINISHED and blogged about here.

4.  Scrappy Improv (RSC 2016) in Warms. Needs basting, quilting, binding.
Edited to add:  Finished and blogged about HERE. 

5.  Quilt for Brother-in-law.  This will be a simple Disappearing 9-patch in black, white, gray and turquoise. An easy make that I need to have done in about a month.

EDITED TO ADD: FINISHED and blogged about HERE.

6.  Rose Cottage Quilt in Olive’s Flower Market. I just love the fabrics and have probably bought enough to do three quilts, but this one is for MOI.

7.  Rainbow 16-Patch Quilt (RSC 2016).
FINISHED!  Photographed and blogged about HERE.

I actually thought I had sewn these together already as a flimsy until I discovered them in on a WIP shelf. My bad. This needs to be done this quarter to make room for other WIPs!

I was going to add an eighth quilt (my Farm Girl Vintage quilt, which is in blocks still), but I know that there is no way on God’s green earth that I will realistically get to it this quarter. But it will be on the second quarter list, because I am going to put my sewing machine foot pedal to the metal and SEW.

Speaking of pedals, my foot pedal cord keeps cutting out. I just had Bernadette (my Bernina 550QE) in for her annual spa treatment, and they said the connection was just fine. I think they misunderstood what was happening, and I should have been more clear that it was the pedal cord, not the connection. But we are getting by for now, and I don`t want to take it back again until I have to.

Linking up to the 1st Quarter Finish-Along linky party. Why not join us?

Another Scrappy, Happy Week!

This has been a cold week with lots of snow here in the Salt Lake Valley. It clears up for a day or so in between storms; brilliant sunshine and blue skies with glittering snow on the ground. Gorgeous. And then another storm comes in to cleanse the air and prevent pollution build-up. And so it goes. I don’t mind the snow - in fact I enjoy it -  because I`m retired. All I ever have to do is occasionally shovel the walkway for the mailman if hubby and the snowblower aren’t in the vicinity.  But since I’ve only come to live where there are four seasons in my adulthood (I grew up in sunny Southern California), I have never built a snowman. I ALMOST started one last Tuesday, but thought better of it.  :-)  I was in the front yard and could just imagine the neighbors wondering what this crazy ol’ broad was doing....

This week is the first week of PURPLE for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge over at Angela’s So Scrappy blog. Lots of purple goodness to check out! But also, we veteran RSC’ers were asked to share some of our past makes. Rather than add them in here, I have created a GALLERY page (blue link, above, next to “Home”). It starts with my 2016 quilts and goes back to 2012. Enjoy!

So, this is what I got done this week, sewing-wise:

Rainbow Selvages. This is actually four columns; two in purple (or blue-purple) and two in red-purple. The like colors will eventually be sewn together into their own single column, but I figured it was easier to photograph them this way. Besides, each column will alternate from starting with a solid to starting with selvages, checkerboard fashion. So, in the end I’ll have to rearrange a section here and there. No biggie.

These were so fun to whip up! And for now they will go into their little pile and await other colored friends to join them throughout the year.  :-)

Crayons.  The light purple crayon below was done last year (August) when we had the month of misty purple/acid green or do-your-own-thing.  This week I sewed up the dark purple. They are sewn together because they are neighbors on the quilt.  Actually, their length will be the width of the quilt (before borders, etc.)

Planned for next week is the purple blocks of the Rainbow Bookshelf. And then some work with 2.5” scraps.

I found the picture of the warm version of the Improv Scrap Blocks flimsy to show. It has a back pieced for it and is just waiting its turn in line for quilting.

I just totally love it! The sashing is Kona Cream, and I questioned whether it “worked” or not at first. But I think it does. This quilt is set 6x8 blocks and will finish at 62”x72”.


Right now I am in the middle of quilting Rainbow Rails (the vintage sheet rail fence), then after that is the Cool Improv Scraps (like above, only in blues, greens, purple with black sashing), then the Warm Improv above, and finally the Rainbow Dresdens. They will all become goals for the Finish-Along 1st Quarter.

Finally, I stitched up a sleeping bag and pillows for one of my granddaughter’s American Girl dolls. I still need to run to JoAnn and get a 20” separating zipper and sew on the ribbon ties. But It’s fun to show it even at this stage. I took the opportunity to practice my free motion swirls, and as you can see, I do need practice! But it’s OK for this, right?  LOL

I’m feeling a sort of loss, not having kitty blocks to work on! Did you see Missouri Star Quilt Company’s tutorial for this week? It’s a cat quilt!!  I’m almost tempted.......   Almost, but not quite.

A Rainbow Scrap Flimsy and a Finish

Wow, another exciting blog title, LOL.

So this week my main finish was decorating the living room. Most of the furniture arrived on Monday as planned, and everything was squeaky clean and waiting for it.  But wait!  See the Christmas quilt and drawers on the right?  Well, the drawers are now put away (oops); the contractor had to shorten the depth per our drawings so that media cords could fit behind. Done and done. And that Christmas quilt covers the boxes of flooring for the hall. It’s in a good place for now (until January), since the other couch and ottoman will not arrive until then.

Darla is sitting on her Turbo Ball Toy and Alfie is sitting on the couch. Their couch. The cats love it. Thankfully, they prefer to sleep on the folded-up quilt that’s there. And Darla loves that we decorated in her fur colors.  Anyway, the rug isn’t centered and the existing couch may end up on the right wall when the new one arrives. We just have to wait and see. In the meantime, I am searching for a nice large clock (Bruce wants an antique-looking map clock) and other wall items for the large wall on the right which you can’t see. More pictures when everything is really done, in January.

But for now, we are loving our evenings in our respective chairs with tables, lamps (not shown, but they would be in foreground), with the fire going, reading our books or watching TV. That smaller left cabinet is filled with grandkid toys, and the right one now houses our DVDs, turntable, media computer, DVD player, receiver, etc. The speakers will eventually be added to the shelving once they are painted white.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Another quilt finish! This one is November Rain for my son Ryan’s Christmas present. It, too, is in Darla’s colors, which she asked me to relay. It finished at 67x86 (or was it 83?). Anyway, the quilting is wonky/wavy line quilting and the back is fabric from half a cotton duvet cover from IKEA.

The November Rain Quilt was #10 on my Quarter 4 Finish-Along goals, which is listed HERE.

And I also was able to finish the flimsy for one of my RSC quilts this week. Here is the Improv quilt blocks in green, blue, purple and teal.  It measures 72x72 and has a couple quilts ahead of it in line for quilting..... So it may or may not be finished this month.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I’ve been trying to grab time to read this week, and the book is Rubbing Stones, pictured below. The author, Nancy Burkey is a longtime friend of mine and this is her first book. Nancy and I were best friends in our high school and early college years. We were in Job’s Daughters together (a Masonic organization for girls) and she was my Maid of Honor at my wedding in 1974. She went on to become an MD (OB-GYN) and then switched her specialty to Psychiatry, which she practiced for nearly 30 years. She is now semi-retired (does some locum tenens) and writes. She uses her psychiatry background in her writing.

The book can be found on Amazon here, which gives a good description of it.  The book is exciting and VERY good, and I am reading slowly, savoring every morsel. I would recommend it as a great read (all the reviews so far are 5-star), even though I’m only 1/4 through!  I’ve bought six hard copies (even though I usually read e-books because I can make the print bigger for my eyes), and lots of my family and friends will be getting copies of it for Christmas.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Today I will finish up the third kitty quilt - it’s about half quilted now. That will complete the Christmas presents, and the shopping is done. All that’s left is for me to do some grocery shopping and baking. Just a bit; everyone is coming for brunch on the 24th or 25th, so I`m only worrying about those things. Bruce and I have a rib roast together that evening by ourselves.

Linking up to Rainbow Scrap Challenge over at Angela’s So Scrappy blog, where the ladies are all finishing up their 2016 quilts. And I will link up to Oh Scrap! too (If I can remember on Sunday!!)

Another Week of Sewing and ....

In between everything else, I got rows sewn together this week on a Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilt. These are the 8.5” improv blocks that I made all year, and this quilt will include the colors of blue, green, teal and purple. I have an identical quilt planned (but maybe with a white or other color sashing) for the orange, yellow, red and pink blocks. They are a low priority until the Christmas quilts are done (more about that below), but I wanted to show you this for now. The backing will be random FQs in the colors of the quilt. It’ll help me clean out some of my orphaned fabric. It should finish at about 72x72”.

Great news! The living room will be finished up this weekend!  Here is a picture of it after last weekend after the cabinetry and mantel, etc was installed - but before both our cousin/contractor Jeff and my DH Bruce worked on it Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. Jeff finished up the crown molding and baseboard trims, caulking, etc. Bruce finished up all the electrical and media wiring. Now the cabinet doors and drawers can go on/in.

This weekend they will add the can lights in the ceiling, mount the door hardware and the TV. And then the big clean-up. The furniture (except the backordered leather couch and ottoman) will arrive on Monday. And work will continue down the hallway and into the back bedroom with the hardwood floors and baseboards, so there will still be some baseboards and boxes of flooring lying around (where the leather couch will eventually go, on the right side of the picture) until it’s all installed.

But at least I will be able to have seating and do some decorating in the living room! I ran around doing errands yesterday, and one stop was JoAnn Fabrics to get some updated floral decorations for my outdoor wreath. Now, if I can just find the heavy duty magnet that attaches it to our steel front door, I’ll be set!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
This week I managed to get a lot of basting and quilting done. Cousin Kim came over and we basted the Cozy Christmas quilt and November Rain. I was able to finish quilting the Big Game Quilt (designed by Emily Herrick for Pattern Jam) for my SIL Mike.

The panel was purchased last year, and I added the two borders and the backing. It is quilted with straight lines only to keep the masculine feel. The batting is the same as always - The Warm Co.’s Warm and Plush 100% cotton. I like the little bit of extra loft it gives. (I buy it online from JoAnn by the 25-yard bolt when they have free shipping or a great sale).  Anyway, it measures 62x74”.

And here is Cozy Christmas Quilt finished. This is NOT the official post for this quilt finish; I will do a separate one soon to comply with the Finish Along rules.

All I have left to finish for Christmas gift-giving is the wavy-line quilting (and binding) of November Rain for my son Ryan, and the basting/quilting of Kitty Quilt #3. Should be a easy to finish by next weekend. And that will leave me two weeks to finish up another Rainbow Scrap Quilt (maybe the vintage sheet rainbows?) by year-end. Or maybe the Let it Snow quilt I cut out this week (oops!) (wink) that you can see here on Heather Mulder Peterson’s Pinterest.  I will also be focusing on finishing up the other RSC quilts over December and January, so stay tuned for those.

Linking up to Rainbow Scrap Challenge Scrappy Saturday.