Sunday, July 30, 2017

Oh Scrap! : Improv Stripes

I continue to attempt to use up a large majority of the black and white scraps I have accumulated over the years.  It seems the many Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilts I have made so far have not done the trick.  So when I saw the Improv Stripes QAL starting next week over at A Quilter's Table, I knew I wanted to join in.

I love royal blue with black/white so I pulled this lovely stack out of my folded scrap area.  I was getting all excited and made the mistake of opening another drawer....



 Next thing I knew, some red and yellow were thrown into the mix. Not sure how (or if) I will use all these colors but it will be fun to see where this quilt leads.



Of course, I also started pulling all my loose scraps from my color scrap bins.  As usual, I have FAR more fabric pulled than I need.  But I definitely see a lovely scrap quilt hiding in there!

Debbie will be starting her Improv Stripes QAL on Monday July 31st so there is still time to jump on board.  This one will be a great scrap buster!  Will you be joining in?

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Share your scrap projects.  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!

    Quilting is more fun than Housework

    So if you love scrappy projects, feel free to grab my button for your sidebar or posts and get ready to share all your wonderful projects from scraps.  And if you have a great idea for using scraps and would like to be featured, feel free to contact me!





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    Friday, July 28, 2017

    Christmas in July - A Moose for Christmas Giveaway




    Today we are celebrating Christmas in July!




    Benartex recently contacted me and asked me if I would be interested in participating in their Christmas in July blog hop.  I quickly chose the whimsical
    .

    A Moose for Xmas


    I received  the fat quarter bundle which also includes a panel filled with lots of great designs to inspire various projects.  I love the warm colors and the lodge feel to these prints.




    I instantly thought of my sister and her country home.  She loves to decorate for the holidays so I made her a new pillow cover for the 16 x 38" pillow she keeps on a bench in her entry way.

    I loved the moose panel and used it as the central design.  Then it was just a matter of adding in pieces of all the great prints to fill the body of the pillow.  I decided to add a scrappy flange to give the pillow an added detail.  I know she is going to love it!

    If you would like a chance at winning your own fat quarter bundle of A Moose for Christmas collection by Cheryl Haynes, leave a comment on my blog telling me how you like to decorate for the holidays.  Do you go all out (like my sister) or are you a "Bah Humbug" (like me)?  Or do you find yourself somewhere in between...

    I will be randomly choosing a winner Sunday the 30th after 5 pm PST.  The bundle will be coming directly from Benartex and is only open to US residents.

    For more chances to see some of the other lovely Christmas collections being featured by Benartex, you can visit their Sew in Love website.

    Or check out the other projects on the Christmas in July Blog Hop.

    Christmas in July Blog Hop
    Wednesday: Mulberry Lane Placemats by Lisa Ruble
    Thursday: Nordic Holiday Star Quilt by Debby Kratovil
    Friday: A Moose for Christmas Pillow by Cynthia Brunz   (That's Me!)
    Saturday: Winter Story Wall Hanging by Benartex blog design team




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    Sunday, July 23, 2017

    Oh Scrap! : New RSC Block

    I haven't had too much time this weekend to sew but I did decide on a new Rainbow Scrap Challenge block and sewed up a couple to see if I like them.

    Yep...cute little bowtie blocks!



    I thought for these blocks, I would use some of my Kaffe Fassett and my low volume scraps.  I decided because I tend to have larger chunks in these scrap bins that I would go ahead and make some nice sized 8" blocks.

    I am not sure how many blocks I will make each month.  All of these prints have so many colors in them, at times it will be difficult to know what month the block was done.  And just like the "scales" above (from Kaffe's Gone Fishing print), I can fussy cut colors out of his large prints to get the colors I am after.

    I hope you found some time to sew your scraps.  Please share what you made below!


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

    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!

      Quilting is more fun than Housework

      So if you love scrappy projects, feel free to grab my button for your sidebar or posts and get ready to share all your wonderful projects from scraps.  And if you have a great idea for using scraps and would like to be featured, feel free to contact me!






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      Friday, July 21, 2017

      Festive Picnic Finish

      Look what I finished just in time for picnic season!



      My red, white and blue string quilt is quilted and bound.
      I made the red and the blue string blocks as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  I knew I had a few patriotic scraps that I could use to create a nice outside border.  I really like how it turned out!



      In a white thread, I simply quilted some loops and stars. 
      I thought it went beautifully with the theme of the quilt.
      I had one piece of yardage that wasn't quite big enough for the backing, so I used some leftover striped fabrics to make it large enough.  Another RWB striped fabric was used for the binding.  I can now say, my patriotic scraps/fabrics are pretty much all used up!

      I really had fun plying with the different sized string blocks.  You can see some of the other layout ideas I considered here.

       I received the parts for my longarm but sadly, it didn't fix the problem.  We have determined there is a short in some of the cabling and I am unable to fix it myself.  Bummer.  Now I need to send Pete back to the factory.  We did get him working....kinda.  So I am trying to finish up what I can before I break him down for shipping.

      I guess I get a long vacation this summer!




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      Monday, July 17, 2017

      Quick and Easy

      One of the things I have accomplished during my downtime this past week was to clean my sewing room and go through all my project boxes.  It is amazing what one finds!



      Tucked away I found a box of some leftover Parson Gray fabrics.  They were cut in varying sizes so I decided to recut them into some uniform 6" squares.  As I cut, I always stack my pieces in layers of 10 shifted an eighth turn.  This way they are easy to count.



      I have laid them out on my design wall so I can pull them down in rows and sew them up as a leader/ender project as I work on other things.  In the box was a backing and binding so this will be an easy finish!
      (And I will have more space in my fabric cabinet...)





      Linking Up:

      Freemotion by the River (Linky Tuesday)
      My Quilt Infatuation (Needle & Thread)


      One Week Sale

      If you need a backing for a quilt you are about to finish, Connecting Threads is having an Open Stock Sale.  I always love to stock up when prices are like this. 
      There are also some great blender pieces on sale too.  



      This post contains affiliate links.  I appreciate the support!
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      Sunday, July 16, 2017

      Oh Scrap! : Calling it Done

      I finished up my blue string blocks early in the month but I still had my 9 patch blocks to finish up for my other Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilt.
      I only made three blocks this month because once I did a count on my blocks finished to date, I realized I have enough framed blocks to finish out a quilt.  I don't want it to get too big.













      I tossed them up onto my design wall  with the dark black 9 patches around the outside and the lighter ones toward the center.  I quickly decided they needed a sashing.


      And, as with so many of my projects, once I make a decision, I jump right in and get it done!  (Yes, this photo has the sashing already attached.)











      When I was digging through a bag of black and white scraps, I came across some 2.5" strips that had came in a strap bag from a friend.  They were extremely frayed but I thought maybe I could use them somehow.  There were just a few strips and there was both a light and a dark version.  Some quick math and I discovered by cutting them down to 1.25" wide, I had just enough to sash the whole quilt.




      Now I think it needs a small outside border.  I have two choices - I really like the white stars on the top but I am not quite sure I have enough fabric.  The darker piece on the bottom is the fabric I used for the tiny cornerstones.

      While I ponder these two, I think I will go dig for a backing fabric. 
      Feel free to weigh in if you have a preference!

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

      It is now your turn to share what you have been 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!

        Quilting is more fun than Housework

        So if you love scrappy projects, feel free to grab my button for your sidebar or posts and get ready to share all your wonderful projects from scraps.  And if you have a great idea for using scraps and would like to be featured, feel free to contact me!








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        Friday, July 14, 2017

        The Final Three!

        Just prior to my longarm machine dying, I finished quilting two of the final three Covered in Love donation quilts.  So a total of 15 quilts are being donated.  There were 12 made from the May/June block drive, one finished quilt top was donated and I am donating two finished quilts that just need a good home!


        This quilt was largely made by one block donor.  (These blocks are so easy and fun to make, I think some of you really enjoyed making them!) Once again, I simply aligned the colors into rows.



        I did think a bit about color placement.  I knew this one was going to get a blue backing (because that is what we had).  I placed the pink row right through the center of the quilt, knowing I had a pink and blue dotted fabric for the binding. The binding really helped to tie the backing to the top.
        I quilted happy daisy chains on this one!

        Thanks to receiving a bunch of yellow and red blocks, I was able to make this two color layout.



        There is a surprise on the back of this one.  I was sent a wonderful vintage Alexander Henry duck fabric (circa 1993) that I was able to add a bit of fabric from my stash to make it work for the back.  The actual colors were hard to capture but think 90's navy, emerald, gold and maroon red. The quilt looks nice and will bring a smile to a duck hunter.


        This one is still just a quilt top.  I will get it finished as soon as I am up and running.  These are the last of the blocks.  I didn't have quite enough to finish a quilt but I decided to pull some fabric from my stash.  Rather than go scrappy, I decided on a green Kaffe Fassett Jungle print.



        You may be wondering why I went with a green print...I had one more backing available and it was a bright green.  I thought the print will help tie the quilt in with the front.

        There were so many people who donated.  I thank you all!  We had blocks come from 25 states and one Canadian province.  Now I just need to find boxes big enough to ship all of these in!




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        Tuesday, July 11, 2017

        Sewcial Bee Sampler Blocks

        For those of you who don't follow me on Instagram, sadly the printed circuit boards crashed on my longarm so I am currently on a forced vacation!

        The good news is I now have time to get caught up on a few things!



         Here is block 21 of my Sewcial Bee Sampler.  I have been trying to use a different fabric for all of the outside frames.  I am almost running out of options!



         This is block 22.  The geese are made using the no waste technique.  I don't know what I do wrong but I can never get these to turn out perfectly.  I prefer just to do flip corners.  Everything matches up but this one does not lay very flat!



        And after completing this block #23, I am all caught up.




         Here are all of my blocks all together.  There will be a total of 25 blocks set in a 5 x 5 layout.  I think I will add a thin sashing to give them a bit of definition.

        Only two more block designs to be released over the next couple weeks.
        This one might actually get finished!

        This quilt along was hosted by Maureen Cracknell and Sharon Holland.  You can find free downloads for all of the block patterns on their websites.





        Linking Up:

        Freemotion by the River (Linky Tuesday)

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        Sunday, July 9, 2017

        Oh Scrap! : The Popular Vote

        I tallied up the votes for everyone's favorite layout on my string quilt and the third layout was the popular vote.  So I put all the blocks back up on my design wall and am slowly sewing them up into a quilt top.



        The quilt will be 60" square when it is finished so it barely fits on my smaller design wall. (Which is jammed in a corner and difficult to photograph.)  I was originally planning on binding it in blue but red might look nice too!

        This is the only scrap sewing I have been doing....What about you!


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

        It is now your turn to share what you have been 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!

          Quilting is more fun than Housework

          So if you love scrappy projects, feel free to grab my button for your sidebar or posts and get ready to share all your wonderful projects from scraps.  And if you have a great idea for using scraps and would like to be featured, feel free to contact me!








          Follow Me on Bloglovin'          Follow me thru Email          Follow me on Feedly
          Linking Up:

          Love Laugh Quilt (Monday Making)
          Small Quilts and Doll Quilts (Design Wall Monday)
          Cooking Up Quilts (Main Crush Mondays)
          Em's ScrapBag (Moving it Forward)


          And for those of you who have an Accuquilt Studio fabric cutter, Studio dies are on sale through July 9th.  It is a great time to pick up some new ones.


          AccuQuilt Studio Dies Sale

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          Friday, July 7, 2017

          Three More Finishes

          I am still working away on all the Covered in Love quilt blocks sent in by so many of you.  I have three more finished quilts to share with you today.



          I did get the colorwash layout all quilted up.


          I quilted this one with some vertical loop quilting.  The piecing helped me to keep my quilting straight across the entire length. 



          At first glance, there might not appear to be a pattern here but each row includes only two colors.



          I put a soft purple backing on this one and quilted it with a squared off swirl pattern.



          I have very little yellow in my stash so it surprised me that the majority of the blocks I received were yellow.  I was able to change the look on this quilt by using all yellow blocks to create an out border.



          I tried something new for the quilting on this one.  I quilted a vertical line and then quilted some large swooping curves across it.  I really like the effect it gave.  

          This one received a very bright green backing.  As I am sure you can imagine, coming up with backings for all of these has been a challenge for both Kat and I.  But with some careful piecing and scrimping, I have enough for the last three quilts that are awaiting quilting.

          Yes, this project is coming to an end for me.  I will have 15 quilts ready to send off to Kat around the end of July.  I will share the last 3 quilts in a couple weeks.

          If you are wanting to participate in the July/August block drive, you can read more about it here.

          Thanks again!




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          Wednesday, July 5, 2017

          More Play with Strings

          To celebrate Independence Day yesterday, I grabbed a bag of patriotic scraps and continued working on my red, white and blue string quilt.








          I put all of the larger cuts aside with the idea to use them in the backing.  The leftover bits, I cut into strings and started making some 6" blocks.  I mixed them up with some low volume strings so I had enough to yield 36 blocks.  I wanted to use them as an outer border.


          I will be using these with the red and blue string blocks I made for this year's RSC project.  I have three options for layouts.  Feel free to weigh in on your favorite!








           Option #1




          Option #2



          Option #3

          The red, white and blue blocks will frame around the red blocks.  I will finish it off with a blue binding.  This project should eliminate another bag of scraps from my sewing room! Yay!






          Linking Up:

          Sew Fresh Quilts (Bee Social)
          Posted by at 42 comments:
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