Oh Scrap! : In A Slump

I am finding myself in a bit of a creative slump right now.  2019 was a really busy year for me and I think I hit my limits around mid-December.  So for the past few weeks, I have just been focusing on tasks like housework and health so that I feel a bit more in control.

When I have felt like going into my sewing room, I have been working on my Kaffe Fassett orphan block project.  I decided to bring back the dark plum fabric I used in the center to the outside border.  I had a "tunnel" block leftover from a recent finish and cut in half to add to the right border.

I went back to orphan block suitcase and pulled some older Tula Pink blocks.

I decided to slice them diagonally...

...swap around the pieces and turn them into hourglass blocks.  Now they look a bit more similar.

I used them with another Splendid Sampler block for the left border.

I had three more Tula blocks that I thought I might use for the outside corner blocks.

I needed four blocks so I sliced the odd blue one...

...and sewed on one of the leftover inset triangles I had from an old finish.

The bottom border used up more orphan blocks.

 I used up a few more bits for the top border.

And here is the top all finished up.  It is not one of my favorite finishes but the process of fitting all those pieces together keeps my mind exercised.  It measures about 49" x 54".  I wasn't going to finish it but I bought my longarm Pete some new canvas leads I just installed so I need something to quilt to test them out.

Sorry about the lighting on these photos.  But I am a nighttime sewer and there is no natural light!

I only had 5 blocks I ended up not using.  

They will go back into my suitcase for use in a later project.

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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)

Best of 2019

For the last five years, Cheryl over at Meadow Mist Designs has hosted the "Best of" the year event.  I always enjoy going back through my posts to see what quilts I made - some of my all-time favorites were made in 2019.

Early in the year, I finished my colorwash postage stamp quilt.  This one has become a favorite in my trunkshow.  People are always fascinated to hear how I made it and look at all the different fabrics used in this lovely scrap quilt.

I also finished my Splendid Sampler quilt this year.  This was probably the most work I have put into making a quilt - the blocks where 6" and many had dozens of pieces to them.  I did not make all 100 blocks and added in a few of my own designs.  I enjoyed the process of making this quilt but I found myself not that attached to it.  Right after I posted the finish, someone offered to buy it and it quickly was sent off to a new home.

The post with the most views this year was definitely my Scrappy Kaffe Fassett quilt.  I have made this design numerous times and it is always popular and shared by many.  This design is one of my Scrap-A-Palooza designs and I have been thinking about making another one.

The quilt most talked about was one I finished fairly recently.  It was a simple Color Block quilt that was one of last year's Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilts and was made entirely from 2.5" squares.  That's it!

I think that is what is so intriguing about this quilt.  

And my personal favorite finish for the year is my Improv Garden quilt.  It now hangs in my Livingroom and travels with me to trunkshows.  I start teaching this technique in March and can't wait to see what quilts get created in the future.

A big thanks to Cheryl for hosting this event.  I hope you take some time to check out her blog and the links to other bloggers that have linked up.  

You just might find some inspiration for your 2020 quilts!

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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! : Mindless Sewing

I am happy to report that all of my holiday sewing is completed and my clients have picked up all of their quilts that they needed this year.  I am ready for a much needed break!

I celebrated a bit by putting away the MANY stacks of fabric cluttering every surface in my sewing room.  It felt good to get everything tucked away.

I had a few minutes to sew so I decided to make a eight 10" string blocks in orange.  It was therapeutic to spend some time doing a bit of mindless sewing.

As I was cleaning I came across the yellow blocks I made a few months ago and decided to sew them all together.
This isn't a finished top - I will simply use this as the center for a bigger string quilt.

It is hard to believe the end of 2019 is almost upon us.  I still need to decide on another Rainbow Scrap Challenge block and think about the scrap quilts I want to make next year.

I hope you are planning some scrappy quilting too - Oh Scrap! will continue into 2020!

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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 

In case you want to do a little holiday shopping for yourself :)

More Holiday Making

Is there something that intimidates you?  For me, it is zippers!

I have been wanting to make some Sew Together Bags for years.  But whenever I thought about sewing in FOUR zippers, I chickened out.

Well look at these!  I have already made two and I have the fabric and the supplies all pulled for two more.  Again, I didn't plan very well on colors because I have to trade the thread color out for each bag.  But I am really pleased with how they are turning out.

I don't know why zippers scare me so much.  I had no problem at all making these.  I will admit, I used a bunch of zippers I already had on hand so the main zipper isn't as long as they suggest.  So I did have to modify the pattern a bit to make them work.  Also, the bags don't open as wide as designed but I doubt the recipients will even know that.

If you want to give this bag a try, you can buy the pattern here.

I have a few more gifty projects to share but I have to wait until they have been opened.

So maybe next Friday!

Now I am headed back to my sewing room.....

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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)

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Oh Scrap! : Playing with Kaffe Bits

With the rush to prepare for the upcoming holidays, I haven't been able to spend too much time to sew this week. But I did work a bit on some of the orphan blocks that were left up on one of my design walls.

Here are the orphan blocks I pulled using Kaffe Fassett fabrics.  

They were just placed up on the wall randomly.

I decided to start with these snowball blocks.  I framed them in a dark plum quilters linen.

I then circled them with some of the HSTs that were left over from a couple previous projects.  I think I had to make a couple more using some of my Kaffe scraps.

I decided to add some high contract red to the mix.

I had a whole bunch of those leftover strip set triangles that I sewed into squares and then was able to match up colors to create a couple of striped strips.

I had a few blocks that had been culled from my Splendid Sampler quilt.  I didn't use some of them because they just looked like a mushy mess.  I thought they would fill the space nicely on the sides of the center medallion.  They still look mushy but they are being used!

And then things might have gone a bit sideways!  

I decided to use a green as a background - it was a color that had good contrast from the various blocks.  I had a bunch of odd shaped scraps of an older Martha Negley button mum floral.

I still need to sew a few of the seams together.  And I think with some creative piecing, I might still have enough fabric to add a strip to both sides to frame things up a bit more.

I know I could have used a solid, or pulled something from my stash that might not have been quite so busy.  But for me, that is not what this intentional play is about.  I always tell my students that "creativity is a muscle".  It is important to stretch it - and what a better way to do that than using these discarded/leftover blocks.  I learn to create pattern, see how colors work together and to brainstorm how to fit all the blocks together and keep a directional background fabric going all in the same direction.  The learning is what is important to me - not the finished quilt.

I still have more work to do on this project.  I have more blocks I want to add so I have plans for one more round.  I wonder what crazy idea I will try and execute next!!

Are you stretching your Scrappy creativity muscle?

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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)