Oh Scrap! : January's Scrappy Goodness

It is hard to believe it is the last week of January already!

I was able to squeeze in a sew day with a good friend.  She sent me hone with some bags of her scraps.  I immediately sorted them into colors as soon as I got home.  

Only scrap quilters understand how exciting this can be - I petted each little bit! 😀

 Among all those scraps, there were a number of these triangles.  They are actually quite large - probably cut from a 4.5" square.  I sorted them into three piles.  I am not sure what to do with them.  There are 66 of the colored ones and less of the light ones.  I might just pull a solid from my stash and turn them all into a HST.  Maybe a Shadow gray solid?  

Anyone have any creative ideas?

 I did finish my last RSC block for the month.  This one finishes at 20" square.

This project is carrying over from last year.  I think I will make 4 more blocks - probably orange, yellow, turquoise and gray.  Not my favorite quilt but it is using up a lot of tired old scraps.

I keep all of my RSC projects on the design walls in my quilting studio.  Right now this is what I look at as I work at my longarm.

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It is now your turn to share what you are making with scraps.  Here are the details for linking up: 

• This linky party is for any scrappy project - It can be in-process or a finished piece.
• You can link up your blog post (not your homepage please) or Instagram photo from the past week that features your use of scraps.
• If you are linking to a blog post, I ask that you link back to my blog somewhere in your post. So if you are writing about scraps, just get into the habit of including a link as there will be a linky party available every week!
• If you are using Instagram, please use the hashtag #ohscrap.
• This is a party so remember to socialize and comment on the posts of others.
• Following my blog is not necessary but it sure would be great if you do! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

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Linking Up:

Love Laugh Quilt (Monday Making)

So Scrappy for RSC19 

For those of you with finished quilt tops, Connecting Threads has added some new 108" wide backing prints.  They also have all of their red and pink fabric on sale just in time for Valentine's Day!

***This post contains affiliate links.  I appreciate the support!

Nighttime Sky

I have finished my Nighttime Sky improv wall hanging.  

I used the same technique I used on my Improv Garden and pillow.  I really like how it turned out!

The size of this piece is just 36" square and is made from navy and yellow scraps.

I changed up the lighting here so you can see the dark fabrics in the background really have a lot going on in them.  There is a lot of purples, turquoise and gray that add a lot of interest.

On the back, I used a New York City piece I have been hoarding for years.  It was released before 9/11 so the twin towers are on it (look upper left right next to the quilted circle).  The colors really do seem to glow on it.

This one will be another sample for my Improv class.  

I look forward to seeing what my students create!

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Linking Up:

My Quilt Infatuation (Needle & Thread)

Confessions of a Fabric Addict (Can I get a Whoop! Whoop!)

From Bolt to Beauty (Brag about your Beauties)

Alycia Quilts (Finished or not Friday)

Finally Replacing some Tools

Many, many moons ago, I bought my first rotary cutter.  I don't think I bought any rulers at the time and I have no doubt I was not using it as it was intended.  In fact, I am pretty sure my accuracy was very diminished at first.  

Nowadays, a rotary cutter is an extension of my hand (in fact, both hands equally) because I use it so often.

I recently shared a photo on my Instagram account of my first rotary cutter and (I think) my second one that I was having to retire.  They have been glued, shimmed and taped so many times, they have become pretty unsafe.

Olfa saw my post and let me know they would happily replace them. What?!  I know the new ones have a lifetime warranty but I was astonished that they would honor it for these old friends too.  I had stated that I was having emotional issues just tossing these, they asked if I would send them off to them for their archives.  When I told them I still had the original mat that came as a set, they immediately needed a photo.  It was the very first mat they sold!  It is like 11 x 22 - crazy size huh?!  And it has no markings on it at all.

Now that these tools will be kept as examples of the history of quilting tools, I was happy to send them off.  They have definitely earned that honor!

And in return, Olfa let me choose some new tools.  I really wanted one of the Ruby cutters.  Because of its red color and limited addition, I won't get them mixed up with other people's tools quite as easily.  And because it is not an ergonomic style, I can still cut easily with both hands.  

I also asked for a set of their small scissors.  I have to say, I am in love!  They are small and sharp and now reside at my sewing machine machine to cut threads.

The company also included one of their endurance blades for me.  Just as a gift!

I have always been a fan of Olfa tools and mats but after witnessing this great customer service, I will be a dedicated fan for life!

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***This post contains affiliate links.  I appreciate the support!

Oh Scrap! : My New RSC Block

For some reason, I had a really hard time selecting my third Rainbow Scrap Challenge block for 2020.  I had a number of ideas but as I made test blocks, they just didn't seem like a block I wanted to do over 10 months.

But then I made this block and it ticked all the boxes for me.

It is a 12" block so 30 blocks will make a nice size donation quilt.

 

I quickly finished up the three green blocks I need for January.

I think these are going to make a great rainbow quilt - I can't wait to see them in more colors!

Another scrappy project that arrived on my doorstep yesterday was over 200 Covered In Love blocks.  I wish I would have taken a photo of the giant stack but I was too inspired to get them sorted into seven quilt tops so I could sew them up quickly.  I already have one top finished and ready for quilting!  I will share the quilts as they are completed.

And finally, a note for Judy Sturm - I would love to answer your questions in your wonderful comments, but I have no way to contact you.  You have your profile set up as a no-reply.

In fact, any of you who do not receive replies from the comments you leave on blogs might want to check out how to change your profile.  You can google how to check but I think you can just go to "edit User Profile" and make sure you check the box to show your email address.  

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It is now your turn to share what you are making with scraps.  Here are the details for linking up: 

• This linky party is for any scrappy project - It can be in-process or a finished piece.
• You can link up your blog post (not your homepage please) or Instagram photo from the past week that features your use of scraps.
• If you are linking to a blog post, I ask that you link back to my blog somewhere in your post. So if you are writing about scraps, just get into the habit of including a link as there will be a linky party available every week!
• If you are using Instagram, please use the hashtag #ohscrap.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Follow Me on Bloglovin'          Follow Me thru Email          Follow Me on Feedly

Linking Up:

Love Laugh Quilt (Monday Making)

So Scrappy for RSC19 

Every Quilt Eventually Finds a Home

 Over the holidays, I took some time off and focused on getting some tasks done around my house.  One of those tasks was to replace the canvas leads on my longarm.  

Once I got them installed, I needed to test them out with one of my own quilts, so I loaded up the Kaffe Fassett orphan block quilt I was working on at the end of last year.

I was really thinking hard about not finishing this quilt.

The beauty in this one was in the making of it, not the finished top!

All of the bits and pieces in this quilt were leftovers or discarded blocks from previous quilts.

The only fabric that really came out of my stash was the dark plum.

Even the purple fabric I used as the backing was free due to an inventory error.

I might have invested in about a yard of fabric for this one!

But the main reason I decided to finish this one up is I found a good home for it.  Also over the holidays, the small blanket I always keep in my car was needed in an emergency situation.  So now this quilt can take its place.  Its durable, it can easily be washed and I am not attached to it so however it gets used is fine with me!

Now I am back to working on client quilts and my longarm looks great with its new canvas leads.

Time to start planning my quilts for 2020!

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Linking Up:

My Quilt Infatuation (Needle & Thread)

Confessions of a Fabric Addict (Can I get a Whoop! Whoop!)

From Bolt to Beauty (Brag about your Beauties)

Alycia Quilts (Finished or not Friday)

Oh Scrap! : Green Strings

The color green was assigned to the month of January for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, so I have been working through the scraps in that color.

Thanks to a number of recent quilts that used gren, my scraps are pretty slim for green.  I did have a bunch of strings in green and teal so I thought I would make some quick 12" string blocks.

Here is one of my little secrets, I use fabric foundations for my string blocks.  There seems to be no shortage of thin, very vintage fabrics in people's stash that can be found on the "free" table at quilter's gatherings.  As long as my strings are darks or medium in tone, these are what I sew my strings to.  

It makes for a very interesting backside of my quilt tops!

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

It is now your turn to share what you are making with scraps.  Here are the details for linking up: 

• This linky party is for any scrappy project - It can be in-process or a finished piece.
• You can link up your blog post (not your homepage please) or Instagram photo from the past week that features your use of scraps.
• If you are linking to a blog post, I ask that you link back to my blog somewhere in your post. So if you are writing about scraps, just get into the habit of including a link as there will be a linky party available every week!
• If you are using Instagram, please use the hashtag #ohscrap.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Follow Me on Bloglovin'          Follow Me thru Email          Follow Me on Feedly

Linking Up:

Love Laugh Quilt (Monday Making)