Sunday, July 31, 2022

Oh Scrap! : Last Positivity Blocks

 This was a busy week for me!

It didn't involve a lot of sewing, or even a lot of longarm quilting.  I spent the week processing my garden harvests.  I canned sweet relish, plum jam and bread & butter pickles.  Plus some beans, tomatoes and blueberries all went into the freezer.

And with the temperatures above 100 degrees, all my energy was sapped by the end of the day.




I did get the last seven blocks for my Positivity quilt finished.  I have been playing with the blocks up on my design wall trying to decide on a final layout.  All of my blocks are blue, green or purple so I can have some fun with color.  But I also think I should just mix them up and get it quilted.  I would love to get this sent off early in August.

I also determined the status of my RSC projects.  I did get the purple centers finished for my Chaser blocks, I found my blue letters that still need to be finished for June (July isn't even started yet), and I haven't touched my swithplate blocks since the end of June.

As one of my kind readers said...Don't stress, it will eventually get 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! 

Quilting is more fun than Housework



You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


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Linking Up:

Friday, July 29, 2022

July Placemats

 I am so glad this placemat project is only for one year.  Having so many stacks of scraps around have sure been disruptive.  I am still working on the color blue - the scraps in these bins are so small!




Here are six I finished. I am trying to use up some of my solids for the bindings, so some of these were bound with a dark teal.
 



Here are five more that are finished.  I still think I have some blue waiting to be quilted or bound.  They will have to be added in August.  But I have started on my purple scraps!




If you are curious, that brings the total up to 121 placemats!  I added a yardstick to the stack.  
The stack is now about 20" high.

I know I still have orange and purple to go.  I also still have a number of orphan/spare parts that I need to make into mats.  My goal is to reach 200 - not sure I will make it though.

(And because I am always asked...I trim these to 11 x 15 and I will be donating these to my local Meals on Wheels to be handed out with one of the holiday meals.)

Hope everyone has a great weekend!




Thursday, July 28, 2022

I Have Been Waiting for this

 Almost every July, Connecting Threads has a nice sale where I can stock up on my backing inventory.  I just got notice of their sale.




This year they are calling it their Finishing Sale.  Both Batting and Wide Backing are up to 25% off.

They have some of my favorites in stock - Hand Drawn Lines, Lava Lamp and Word Play.  This is a great time to buy those items that are keeping you from finishing that quilt!

They also have a few white on white that can easily be used for background fabrics.  In fact, I have been using the Handrawn white on a number of current blocks.  Can't beat the price!



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Sunday, July 24, 2022

Oh Scrap! : Finally Purple Scraps

 Here we are, almost the end of July and I just got out my bin of purple scrap for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.




The first thing I did was to sort out some big chunks that were large enough for my Positivity  Quilt.  I sewed up these 12 blocks last week.



Yesterday I was able to finish another five.  I still need 7 more.  I have all the pieces cut; I just need to sew up the blocks. 

But I have sad news - my favorite Bernina 830 machine (Sparky) went in to be repaired.  He was starting to sound more like a tank.  I was told his motor is shot and finding motors for these machines is nearly impossible.

So he will need to be retired for use as parts for my other two Berninas.  I still have another 830 (The Lovely Lucy) and an adorable 810 (Wee Willie).  But Sparky and I have made a lot of quilts together!

He will be greatly missed!

I will be pretty productive once I retrieve Lucy from her storage place.  I have a large stack of cut pieces waiting to be sewn.  I am hoping that next week will be a productive one!


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

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! 

Quilting is more fun than Housework

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter



Linking Up:


Friday, July 22, 2022

The Final CIL Finish

 There is still one last Covered in Love quilt to share.  I finally finished sewing on the binding!



This last quilt is made with the autumn colored Tall Nine blocks.  People sure have some lovely leaf fabrics in their stash!



Here is second shot.  I know some people like to see if they can spot the blocks they donated.



Here is a full shot of this pretty quilt.

I used another leaf panto to quilt this one.





The backing contains three prints.  The leaf quilting pattern really shows up in the gold piece.

All the quilts are on their way back to Kat.  I even included two of my quilts so a nice round ten quilts will soon be bringing comfort to families.

Thanks to all who help make these donation quilts happen - either through donating blocks, sending fabric, quilting them up or donating money for materials. 💝




Lots of great offers at Accuquilt right now!

Sunday, July 17, 2022

Oh Scrap! : So Far Behind!

 What is the saying?  "The Busier I am, the more Behind I feel!" (Or something to that effect.)

It was another busy week and I don't have a lot of things to share today.




I did finish four more blocks for my Mercyful quilt.  I also have about 6 more blocks cut out and just waiting to be sewn in green and blue.




Here is my progress so far.  I STILL haven't gotten out my purple scraps but I am sure I will be able to find lots of large scraps in that color for more blocks.

I did finish my last two blue placemat tops.  I am hoping to quilt them up today sometime.  I can then focus on making some in purple while the purple bin is out.

I am just juggling too many projects right now!


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

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! 

Quilting is more fun than Housework



You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Friday, July 15, 2022

Covered in Love Quilt #7

 Every evening for a few weeks has been spent working on hand sewing the bindings on quilts.  

I just finished the 7th quilt for Covered in Love.



I was able to stretch out the 90 star blocks into four (rather than 3) quilts.  The first four quilts you can see here and here.  I had 27 blocks left over from the first 3 quilts.  I thought I would be faced with making a few myself or sending some extras back to Kat. 


 

But then I came up with the idea to stagger a few of the rows.  On both ends of three block columns, I put in some flag fabric which made up for the three blocks missing for a whole quilt.




I really liked how staggering the blocks made all those stars look like they were floating.



The stars in this quilt are quite varied.  There are some great designs!



I still have one more Tall Nine quilt to share.  Then I can send off two big boxes of finished quilts back to Kat!  A big thanks to all who sent in some of these blocks.  They were all made so beautifully!





Here is a photo of the back.  I had to use three segments from the fabrics that were left.

For the quilting, I used a line design to kind of give the feel of a waving flag.  
I thought it fit this quilt quite nicely!

I have a busy weekend in front of me.  Lots to harvest from the garden, loads of prep to get done before the contractors/painters show up and my printer decided to die yesterday. I really need my printer...so somewhere I have to fit in some shopping.

Hope you all have something fun and relaxing planned!




Wednesday, July 13, 2022

UFO Challenge Status

 I am still making progress on my goal of reducing my UFOs in 2022.

I have finished all of the projects drawn in January through May.  I am still working on my June project.


Here are the blocks I am making this month.  

They will finish at 12" and I really like how they look.

I know I don't have enough of the taupe background fabric.  But I am hoping to switch to something else and make it looked planned.



Right now I have ten blocks completed with this background.  I do have enough for a couple more blocks but I think I will stop here.  These equate to half the blocks needed for the quilt.



Today I pulled out another background fabric that I think will work for the rest of the blocks.
Here is the first block...




And here it is up on the wall.  I plan to put some sort of sashing in between the blocks.  I have a lot of fabrics to use up so I am not sure yet what that will look like.  At least now I know I have a solution for the rest of the blocks and I can move forward.




I haven't even started my July project.  I remodeled my kitchen in 2013 and I still need to sew two valances out of this mod fabric.  My hold up is actually how I am going to hang them.  So tomorrow I am off to DIY stores and hopefully I will find all the hardware I need to move this one forward too!

Hope you all are having a fabulous week!




You still have a few more days to take advantage of some of the sales going on at Connecting Threads.  In addition to their yardage sale, they are having daily stash bargains.  Check it out!




Sunday, July 10, 2022

Oh Scrap! : I Touched a lot of Scraps

 Last week was such a busy week for me.  I had lots of berries to process from the garden, I completed some small home improvements tasks, had a visit from a plumber and I had a sew day.  In between all that, I spent a lot of time cutting scraps.  I have a giant stack of paired bits ready to go under the needle but nothing was really sewn.

So all I did was touch a lot of scraps this week...I hope that counts!



When I sewed with my friend, I raided her scrap bin.  Of course I had to start a new project with some of the things I brought home.

Here are some big florals that she used for some quilt backings.  I stole the trimmings that were left after quilting.




I cut them up into some 4.5" x 6.5" squares.  I have a plan for them!

(Isn't that how it works?  
When you have a busy week, you respond by piling more on your plate!)



My plan is to use a bunch of scraps and make something like this quilt I made back in 2019.  It will be fun to see how the light and dark florals look together in the same quilt.

I still haven't looked at my purple scraps for July.  I am still trying to get all the blue scraps from last month completed.  I am getting close.  

I should have lots to share next week!


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

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! 

Quilting is more fun than Housework



You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
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