Oh Scrap! : Nope

I so appreciate the work Angela over at SoScrappy does to keep the Rainbow Scrap Challenge going.  But there are sometimes when her ideas and my ideas clash.  Spending a third month on the color blue just doesn't work with my scraps.  So I am going to take a sideways step on the colorwheel and just pretend that the RSC color for July is purple! 

In the few days of July, I have already finished my three blocks for my rail fence variation quilt.  I need just seven more blocks - I am going to go with three gold, two brown and two black.  Then I can start sewing the blocks together so I will probably be finishing this one up soon.

Everyone seems to be finishing up really old UFOs, so I decided to dig in some older project boxes and see if I found anything inspiring.  I came across a bunch of Kaffe Fassett fabrics that I had already cut for an Envelope quilt.  I cut these fabrics back in 2015 and planned on making my Letters of Love quilt. 

The finished block is quite large at 16".  Each block will have a print and a solid.  I have the planned blocks all sorted and stacked and sitting next to my machine so I can start sewing them. 

I hope to get 25 blocks completed so I have an 80 x 80" quilt.  

I am not sure why it went to the closet in the first place but it will be nice to get this one done! 

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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

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

Linking Up:

Love Laugh Quilt (Monday Making)

So Scrappy for RSC19 

Voting By Mail

The post for my finish this week got pushed out to next week, so today I am sharing the newest block I made for my Vote quilt.

I really didn't have a firm plan for this block.  I started by cutting some 1" strips and I made the letters.  Then I just added enough fabric around it to trim it into the diamond shape I needed.  The rest of the block was just a matter of sewing on pieces and trimming them up to the look I wanted.

I live in the state of Oregon in the US.  Here, everyone votes-by-mail.  We have no voting precints, so we never have long lines.  No need to take time off from work to vote and you can even do it in your PJs.  Voting is super easy and convenient with lots of time to complete your ballot.  It has huge support here in the state and voter turnout is about 60-80% depending on what's on the ballot.

Oregon has been voting this way since 1998.  A citizen's initiative (ballot measure 60) made Oregon the first state in the US to conduct it elections exclusively by mail.  The way it is set up, it is really difficult to create fraud.  It is a LOT of work (and a felony) to steal ONE vote.

Since I started this quilt project, I have been asking a number of long time Oregon residents if they think there is a lot of voter fraud with mail-in-voting.  No one I talked to has ever had an issue or even heard of an issue.  And they all feel the election security is safe.

Personally I feel far better filling out a paper ballot than casting my vote on some electronic device.

Mail in voting works for our military and most politicians vote that way.

(Note - Vote by mail does not mean that you have to put your ballot in the mail - there are lots of secure ballot receptacles around the city where they can be dropped off.  Always in convenient locations.  Here in Oregon, we WANT people to vote!)

If this is something you want to see in your state, you should start pressing your politicians now.

Don't be afraid to use your voice - the citizens of Oregon made the change decades ago.

Here are all of the blocks that I have finished to date.  This has been a fun project to not only plan the blocks but to also learn more about the aspects of voting.

I know there are still some states with primary elections soon - please get out and vote!

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Linking Up:

My Quilt Infatuation (Needle & Thread)

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

Alycia Quilts (Finished or not Friday)

Oh Scrap! : More Log Cabin Blocks

Even though this month is supposed to be all about pink scraps, I decided to get out my blue scrap bins and make a few more log cabin blocks.

I pulled some navy, teal and medium blue shades for my next three circles.

I am trying to focus on using a lot of my print fabrics so each block has a lot of interest.

Here are all the blocks I have finished so far.  The purple circles is 22" wide, the blue ones will finish at 15" I think and the pink ones will make 11" circles.  Now I need to empty one of my design walls so I can lay these out and start making a bunch of filler blocks.  The rest of the blocks are all small in size so the cutting is going to take a LONG time.  But I am using a number of the small strings filling up my scrap bins so I am pleased to start seeing those get used.

Time for you so share your scrappy projects!

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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

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

Linking Up:

Love Laugh Quilt (Monday Making)

So Scrappy for RSC19 

Vote : Big and Small

I don't have a finished quilt to share with you this week but I did finish another of my "Vote" blocks.  This one uses the Spell It With Fabric letters from Moda.

(You can get the free pdf pattern here.)

The blocks finish at 10" tall.  I haven't attached them together yet because I am not sure exactly how I will use them in the quilt.  It might be fun to add some stars in between the letters.  But I have lots of time to think about that - I have many more blocks to do!

You can see the comparison to the smaller 4" blocks I wrote about earlier.

As I was working on the blocks, I thought a lot about the importance of voting in both the big and the small elections.  Sure, it is important to vote for our President, Senators and Representatives but I think the smaller elections are just as important.

Here are some positions you might see in your smaller elections along with some of their responsibilities...

A Mayor not only runs the day to day administration of a city, but they are also responsible for setting the tone of the culture of the city.  They help to recruit businesses and take a lead role in city legislation. They also usually appoints the chief of police to manage law enforcement. 

A Sheriff is typically an elected position that oversees a county and is responsible for seeing that the laws are enforced fairly.

District Attorneys decide when an arrest leads to a charge.  They are also the ones who negotiate plea bargains.  This position can either be elected or appointed depending on your area.

State Legislators are responsible for policies that set the tone of the culture of your state.  They define what constitutes the procedures for responding to crime, sentencing structures and funding government agencies that are responsible for dealing with offenders and victims.  

Your state legislator represents your area within the state.

There is great importance in these positions - they directly influence our day to day lives and the lives of our neighbors.  If you are not happy with how these positions are being run, use your vote and influence to try and make a positive change. 

Please vote in ALL of  elections!

A further step I am taking to ensure a positive change is to join my Neighborhood Association.  This group represents 26K people of my city's population.  Attending these meetings gives me access to my local officials and to hear their views and policies.  I want the place I live to be a welcoming, healthy and safe environment for all.

Making changes takes some effort - I am dedicated to seeing a better tomorrow!

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Late Night Inspiration

I am a really bad sleeper - I always have been.  So lots of time I am sewing or watching TV during the wee hours of the morning.

Most of the time I am only listening to the TV but the other night I was streaming an old auction show that was selling off mid-century furniture.  So I was checking out all the lovely items going up for sale.  

I literally sat up in bed when I saw a rug in the corner of the screen...

That would make such a great scrap quilt!

Thanks goodness I was streaming so I was able to back up and get a better glimpse.  Here is the photo I captured.  I am sure it was quite comical watching me try to run my remote and camera for an image that was just shown for a second.

Isn't it the coolest?!

So today I got out my brown scraps and started cutting some 4.5" squares.

I might not make the same design as the rug but it is certainly going to inspire my quilt.

I will share more as I get further along.

It is nice to be finally excited over a new project!

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Oh Scrap! : Colorful Chains

I can't believe another week has already gone by.  Where does the time go?!

Most of my sewing has been occurring late at night.  I did get a chance to finish up three more RSC blocks in pink.  It is hard to see in this (late night) photo but I chose mostly hot and dark pinks for these blocks.

I didn't use any light shades of pink because I was afraid they would stand out - or maybe I should say fade away.  Here are all the blocks to date.  I am going for 30 blocks so I think some blocks in gold, purple, brown and maybe dark gray will finish this quilt off.

Most of my daylight hours that I am not working on client quilts, I am out in my gardens.  Lots of berries to harvest right now and my daylilies are starting to bloom.  With over thirty different varieties growing throughout my yard, there is color inspiration everywhere!

I have a TON of strawberries his year - tell me your favorite recipes!

I have already made jam and I have frozen some (with rhubarb) for strawberry/rhubarb crumble this winter.  I am running out of ideas!

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

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

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

Linking Up:

Love Laugh Quilt (Monday Making)

So Scrappy for RSC20