I'm happy to say that the baggy of Civil War scraps is now empty. I made 12 more floating stars (5" unfinished"), 10 Chunky Churns (5.5" unfinished), and 1 patchwork block that was a result of chaining between some of the other piecing.
I will be participating in the Christmas In July Hop (new button on the side bar), so the tote of seasonal fabric had to be pulled out. I don't particularly like working with this fabric type, but I have a project I have been wanting to tackle and it was good timing.
I need a white background for this project and dug thru my whites and found this snowflake w/w. A large piece, some chunks and strips - there just might be enough of this, plus it will be cleaned out of the tote. So while we finally experiencing some HEAT here in the NorEast, I laugh as I am working on a Christmas project - maybe it will keep me cool. Sewingly Yours, Sharon
I'll be trying to clear out another baggy of scraps. I've been tossing bits from the past few Civil War project into this bag. Some simple 'floating' Stars using 2" squares for the 9-patches and 1.5" squares for the points. There could be other blocks made to use up pieces that don't fit into these Stars so I can clear out that bag. A good start to some basic blocks that will eventually be worked into a wallhanging or quilt.
These two rarely lay near each other, so had to catch them in the act. After a heavy morning's rain the sun came out and the air was so refreshing with a light breeze. Bella and Moe soaked it up all afternoon and into the evening. More rain to come the next few days - best get stitching, Sewingly Yours, Sharon
Half of the floral quilt is completed and even if these are not fabrics I chose to buy or work with, this was the easiest way to use them up. Yes, the gifted baggy is empty! I cut as many 6.5" squares as I could get out of them and the rest was cut down into my scrap barrel system.
The sashing I wanted a soft look to, so chose what is left of my Osnaburg Muslin (closest match to original flax linen) and the corner stones are from this old piece of what looks mottled but is a beige/light green leaf swirl.
Today I hope to get the other half sashed and then stitch the two halves together. I hate borders, but want to get those on so this un-planned project can be wrapped up and cleared from the table. I have 4 major events (and one blog Hop) in early July, so I need to get those things all wrapped up and ready to go out the door (or on-line). We are expecting another rainy week, lots of indoor time to get all things done. Sewingly Yours, Sharon
The smaller postage stamp blocks became a center and now to add some fun to it. I have one round of 2.5" squares and I think I will add two rounds of 4.5" (I have a lot of 5" in that barrel) squares which will make this a good size lap quilt.
The Tiny Tuesday blocks got finished and I got all of those waiting into their straght or diagonal settings. I now have 14 straght and 13 diagonal. Some have questioned the difference in amount of blocks, but I think sometimes two blocks were offered with your choice - and I made them all. I think next month (once that color is announced) I will lay them out and see what fillers I need to complete my setting and get this one at least into a flimsy.
A large baggie of these florals kept falling off the shelf. I hate storing fabrics in baggies, but it does aid in 'use it up' if it keeps plopping on the floor. It was time for these. Someone gifted these florals as I don't buy them. So today and probably the weekend, these will become a "In My Garden" quilt.
While I was busy cutting flowers, I got a helper who is so bored with all this rain. Moe doesn't mind doing his property patrol in light rain, but being caught in heavy downpours brings on the sniffles. He hates those and so do I as he shares a sneeze while getting some skritch time.
The look of disgust! Rain - flowers - come on Mom!!! AND Bella? She has decided the upstairs spare bedroom is a good place to just vegetate while this is all going on.
Another new button added to the side bar - Summer Scrapping Fun! If you don't know Kevin The Quilter, you are missing out on some scrap goodness. He's come a long way since the first time we 'on-line' met, speaking and designing and trunk shows and a new pattern for sale and summer fun offerings with his scrap squad. Have a grand weekend, Sewingly Yours, Sharon
Today will be for playing with tiny projects. First I have 12 of these patch work blocks from 1.5" squares for a new postage stamp quilt. They will be a center to be added to over time.
Then I need to catch up with the BLUE Tiny Tuesday blocks. I have a LOT of blue and a LOT of scrap lites. These tiny RSC blocks just aren't using this stuff up! Another day of rain is on the horizon (all week actually), so some housework and another re-org project is in the mix as well. INDOORS - I will need an escape by this weekend. Sewingly Yours, Sharon
Well, I got right down to business with those gifted cut-offs. A bit of variations of a 16-patch on point for a basket look. My guild Summer Inspiration project. Inspired certainly by those cut-offs, but also by the current quilt/flower show. I hope it reflects a little of it and some thing just has to go in those very open corners. Today I want to get all the diagonal rows together and add the small corners. Then I will play with ideas for those empty spots.
With the finale of the Scrap Dance 'Minuet' mystery, I laid out the units for the one block - I never finished up the units for the second block. I know this is different from Carole's star as I was playing and playing and playing. I came to the conclusion that I just don't love this and it needs time to meld while I rethink my choices - or maybe theses units will go into the 'kitchen sink' orphan blocks box. There are some new buttons on the side bar for new QALs. Not to be an instigator, but there might be someone out there looking for a NEW.
Since I have moved a few projects into their flimsy stage, I think I need a NEW. The Moda 'At the Seashore' QAL looks interesting and there are three setting choices for different size quilts. I like this setting, but will not go with the 'seashore' theme. Depending on the blocks, I'll do them or replace with something else as they are all 12.5" unfinished blocks. Of course, going with all scraps because you just can't tame them. I, also, need to start pulling some fabrics for a project for an up-coming Christmas in July HOP. The project is all drafted and mathed out and once those fabrics are selected - pedal to the medal. I have the first day and I like to be ready. Sewingly Yours, Sharon
The Temecula Quilt Co "Summer Scraps" is now a flimsie! I love the color and movement in this quilt. It now joins the many others in that pile of 'to be quilted'. Did it make a dent in the scraps? Heck NO! There were several 'old' pieces in the CW tote that did get used up finally.
Going another route - bright colors. A guild member brought this little bag of corner cut offs and asked what she could do with them. I offered some suggestions and was handed the bag - 'have fun' she said. Our guild is having a Summer Challenge of finding something inspirational and designing our own piece using that inspiration. Well bright bits of fabric that remind me of some of the flowers that were at the library quilt/flower show is my inspiration. I know I have all summer to make this, but hey - they were sitting on the table just begging. I am home today and the weather is lovely. I think some time walking the property to see what colors I can spy might be on the agenda as well. Sewingly Yours, Sharon
I have today to play all day. I never completed my OMG piece last month, not the little cross stitch socks. Since June and July are so booked for me, I am going to sit out OMG those months and catch what fancies me or I have the time for. I've had the center columns of the Temecula Quilt Co's "Summer Scraps" done for a while and I'd like to progress this more.
The next columns along side the Broken Dishes are lots of 9-patches...
And lots more 9-patches......
And a few more 9-patches. I made sure to not use any of the fabrics in the Broken Dishes so I don't have to worry about setting two likes next to each other - I have lots of fabric/scraps. I have more than needed, but the variety gives me fun in the lay out. The extras will go in the orphan block box for the Kitchen Sink quilt in the fall. The goal is to at least get the two columns together. If I can get them attached - plus! Then I have to decide whether to leave as is or to add a stop border and then larger border - I hate borders. **linking up with Monday Making** It's to be a rainy day, so a good day to spend stitching, Sewingly Yours, Sharon
We aren't all just lazing around, but we are taking things a bit at a time. There are several things going on that need attention and it is being tackled in scheduled times along with some enjoyment of some lovely weather for a change. A week ago we had temps in the 30's with snow and now in the 70's with sunshine - have to soak it in.
Bits of time was used to get the light background Chandelier Bead Blocks done in the new RSC19 color.
We hung quilts in the library to prepare for the show. They will hang for two weeks with a number of flower and quilting activities mixed in.
A little bit of time was taken to get the dark background Chandelier Bead Blocks done in the new RSC19 color.
The garden club came in to the library to set up the little vinettes of flowers with some of the quilts. These will stay up for a week or as long as the flowers last.
Some of the Button Blocks for the Temecula Quilt Co project. I did make a few in blue - I have a lot of blue. I made 80 signature blocks up as well with bits of time for an activity at the library - will show these the day they are used.
One of the library activities - decorate a planter and then plant a flower of choice. Yes, I donated the fabric and some other bits for this project. Then I attended the presentation of Betty Fikes Pillsbury on growing roses followed by a lovely tea party on the front porch of the library. So I have been grabbing bits of time to stitch, enjoy the day, and support a local series of activities. How do you use your bits of time? Sewingly Yours, Sharon
A new month a new color for RSC. Angela said we are going to be working with a lot of blues and to start with the dark spectrum to begin with. I don't want to get too dark with the black setting or those blues will be lost. The piles of Chandelier Bead Blocks are growing pretty good now. I'm thinking that next month I might just pick one and lay it out, fill in the colors to get at least one finished and out of the way. Besides, the other one will need more room in the container.
I haven't worked on the Temecula Quilt Co project for a few weeks due to the commission taking up time. I was making more each week so I had MORE than the required weekly count, but now I might be a little behind. I'll double up on the week's count and should be good. As you can see, I started stitching them into twosies which will help speed up the final piecing - and they had to get moved into a larger container. Both of these blocks are very quick, so I am hoping to have some afternoon 'me' time for a little outing. Sewingly Yours, Sharon
Well the judging is finished and the quilts are all hung at the library, so it's time to get some serious work done. This is the next commission piece. One very huge tumbler quilt - hand pieced! Just soak in that scrappy goodness and notice all of those bubblegum pinks. Mixed mostly with browns, but a sprinkle of fun color here and there.
This quilt top was made by the young man's grandmother and somewhere along the way an aunt tied this quilt. She used a rather odd piece for the back, but they want to keep it because of the 'family' character of it - I gather the aunt was a bit odd too. The problem is the 'batting' is a wool blanket that is folded in half and was not laid square with the quilt top. So one - it is one very heavy quilt! Two, they want it bound for a smoother finish to help preserve it. Being that the blanket is kiltered, I will be adding a piece of old wool blanketing of same weight around the edge to bring it out to full size. They picked out one of my reproduction browns to use as a binding and then that will get attached. I am loving that these younger generations are taking pride in the heritage of these wonderful old quilts being brought to me. Learning of their past 'hands' has been a treasure and I am happy to help them in preserving these gems. Sewingly Yours, Sharon
Today I will be participating on the judging panel for review of sponsored quilters for the next induction into the Hall of Fame. As sitting President, I have to be an alternate judge - each county within the Catskill Mountain region provides a select judge, but if there is a nominee from their county the alternate sits as a judge. There is another gal as our official county judge and she lives close by, so we are traveling together.
Then tonight I help the set up crew to get ready for the 2019 Quilt and Floral show at the local Library. This show has been extended to two weeks this year with a lot of activities related to gardening and quilting thru those weeks. No sewing today, but lots of quilty goodness will be happening, Sewingly Yours, Sharon
I got to enjoy a 'mental health' day playing with several quild members in building villages. We had a much enjoyed class on the technique' and book by Karen Eckmeir. We had several members cancel out due to illness - we seem to have a huge outbreak of pnuemonia in our county.
Robbie Sutton (in black shirt) was our instructor; a member of our 'sister' guild on the other side of the creek. She was quite helpful and a lot of fun.
Yup, one of our 'roosters' was at the class. Lots of color play at this table.
These gals had a lot of fabric that I would have loved to have just scooped up and taken home. They were both into making seaside scenes.
A bit of Italy was going on at this table. They were a little slow to start, but once it clicked they were a house on fire.
Ginny has been very interested in the culture, architecture, and history of Turkey of late. She chose a great inspirational photo from a travel brouchure to be creative with.
And this is mine. I had a photo of the village of Saithes, England. If I hadn't been such a class 'rover' and chatter monkey, I might have gotten more done - well, more was done after I went around to do photos. You free hand or ruler/rotery cut your fabrics and glue them in place on a piece of batting. Then a tulle is placed over the whole piece and you quilt the pat-tute out of it. I plan on getting this done to show at our next Guild meeting. Have you tryed something new or stretched out of your zone? Sewingly Yours, Sharon
The Log Cabins is being picked up today - headed home. I don't know why the one blue photo'ed grey. but it is a blue check.
A pillow cover and a table topper - this is more true to the 'real' colors.
The last Orange Tiny Tuesday blocks were made. My butterfly is different from the pattern, but it's my butterfly. It came out a 1/4 inch smaller, but it will be set on the diagonal and I can make the final block size finish - you will never notice that.
Of course I had a helper in the mix. Love how he is half on the tub and half on the table - it kept him mostly out of the way. My car is packed and I am off to play with a new adventure today. Photos will be posted tomorrow. Sewingly Yours, Sharon
