Finishing Up January 2015

The first month of the new year is coming to a close.  A long month that seemed to just fly by.  Like most in the NorEast, we have had our share of cold, snow, and winds.  It made for lots of indoor time - time to spend with fabric.

I am playing again with the Rainbow Scrapt Challenge and in keeping my year simple I have just 3 projects going with the colors chosen for each month.  This project will see two houses each month.....

  

and two Sawtooth Stars.  These blocks don't take much time to make so I can easily do them up and then get to play with something else.

The woven heart - another simple block - this is going to look so cute when it is put together.

Bricks for the Now & Later quilt.  I need 40 of each, but since I have these units in my fabric food chain it doesn't take long to feed them thru the machine.  I even did up the pink for next month.

I thought the RSC15 would also be a good incentive to go thru my HSTs and be sure they are all sewn, trimmed, and in order.  Doing a color for the month is much easier than trying to go thru who knows how many all at once - yuk!  Yes, I have different sizes of these - these are just the 2.5" units.

I made a small dent in that barrel using the 2.5" squares to make the 16-patches for the Sweet16 Challenge.  I know there will be more of these as I see what Sarah has in store for us.

And I decided to go with the double 4-patch for the alternating blocks with them.  Again, these pieces all came from my fabric food chain so a quick sew.

I have three of the Sew Sweet Simplicity blocks done.  There is one more block  plus 2 bonus blocks were offered, but I am thinking of just putting these three into a table runner.

My 'Let's Book It' project is at the flimsie stage and I am still thinking on whether to add borders or buy another layer cake for more blocks.

And I did have some finishes for the month.  The first being the Little Letters quilt.  This was such a fun and easy quilt and I am thinking of doing another one.

I finished up the Charming Stars quilt.  I even tried a new to me FMQ motif - paisley flower - and it went rather well, so I can see using it again.

YES - the grape vine cross stitch got finished.  I used reverse applique to circle the piece.  I used 'grape' colored thread and the stretch stitch on my machine with my walking foot to quilt it. I used one layer of wool batt and one cotton which gave it a bit of puff to it.

It was a good first month,
Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Scraps, Scraps, Scraps

This has been the month for scraps.  They are coming in large boxes, medium boxes, and baggies of all sizes.  AND I AM LOVING IT!!  So are the furkins - do you see Bella in the middle of this glorious pile?  This became scattered all over with great delight - by both her and me.

Moe loves the boxes - yup, that was one huge box!!

And I can't believe how neatly this pile is stacked when I pulled it out of the box - actually it was neater, I thumbed thru it.  I can't even fold up quilt tops neatly to pack off.  I have everything else processed down, but this one is new.  It will wait for a play date in February as I really need to get some sewing done.

Some of these went into the strip boxes, some into my different project containers, and yes even into baggies that hold a future project.  That baggy is my collection for a 'low-volumn' quilt.  Actually I have 3 of those now so I think there is enough for an April play date.

Yup, I process these as soon as they come in.  If it is a small bag I can get the done in an afternoon.  Large boxes take a day to sort and some of that sort does get put in it's place.  Then another day to finish the processing and sometimes a day to cut it down into the fabric food chain - I love cutting fabric - really, I do.

Some went into my rolling drawer towers, some into the plastic shoe bins (FQ size), some in my barrels.  As you can see, these barrels are STUFFED!!  That's where I need to tackle with a marathon session with my machine.  My SIL is using my Juki right now as her little lady went off for a Spa treatment - so my little 'Walmart' Brother machine is perfect for this - it does hum happily with chaining pieces - other things - NO.

I did do a little sewing - my blue and pink bricks for the 'Now & Later' project.  This is a RSC15 project and I need 388 bricks for this quilt, so 40 of each color over 10 months will get me there with room to play. 

And I totally freaked today because I thought I had forgotten I needed to pull a winner for my bag of salvedges.  But it was today, so sigh of relief.  And more was stuffed in here too.  The winner is:

Barb H @ StitchXStitch

I will contact her for mailing info and off they will go.  This bag fills pretty fast, so there will be future chances.

Another snow storm has hit us, so a good time to sew,
Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Let's Book It - January 2015

Wow - didn't this month go by so fast?  It's hard to believe it is already that time for the linky party.  Remember, you don't have to be finished and if you have a large project you can carry it over into as many months you need.  AND I hope it is working right, but I upgraded my InLinkz to include photos.  I think it helps draw people to your blog if they get a 'tease' photo.

This was my project for the month - long ago printed off and hanging on the wall just waiting to be played with.  I really think it was waiting for this fabric to be honest.

The cutting went really quickly once I got started on this project.

As well as the sewing part - why did I wait so long to play with this?

If you remember the laying out was a challenge due to 2 fun loving furry helpers.

And the top is complete!  This is only 51.5" square which is just too small.  So I have to think on borders - yes I hate borders, but this needs borders or maybe I'll pick up another layer cake and make more blocks - that sounds better.

This is a free pattern on Me and My Sister Designs called 'Ground Cover'.  You could easily make it from your own scraps or yardage.  Have an ugly large floral - perfect for this.  Cuts up quickly, sews up quickly, and looks fab together - a super charity quilt pattern. 

  

This year the charm pin is the cute vintage sewing machine and January's charm in Sunbonnet Sue - a great vintage block to start the year off with. 

Now it is your turn to share:

An InLinkz Link-up

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Tuesday Archives 1/27/15

This Tuesday over at Val's Quilting Studio is all about Mystery quilts and I am so honored to be a feature.  I have done a lot of mysteries with my LQS, Bonny Hunter, and other on-line hosted QALs and have been very pleased with the final results.  You will have to visit Valerie to se my mystery piece there, but I want to share another.

This was a mystery quilt offered with the very first May For Me year - 2010.  It was designed by Tonya now @ HillBilly Quilt Shop and I did some of the pattern testing for this. You can find the original final post HERE.

Have a mystery quilt to share?  Go link up with Val's Quilting Studio.

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon 

Design Wall Monday 1/26/15

Remember I last was creating all these strattas from 2.5" scrap strips.......

well, they got sub-cut into 2.5" pieced strips............

and they became 16-patches.  I got a total of 40 blocks which is more than I need for this project, but the rest will be used in something else or pieced into the backing.

This is for the Sweet16 Project for Hands2Help (both buttons are on the sidebar).  Now to decide  if I want to go with a simple 4-patch.  I would have to cut those 4.5", but I do have a lot of scraps that need down sizing. 

Or do I want to go with a double 4-patch setting?  2015 is my year of keeping it simple, but I do have a LOT of 2.5" squares to use up.  Which ever I chose, it will be done as a leader/ender project so they will get quickly done up inbetween other projects.

I have all my blocks done for my Let's Book It project and I have them laid out on two table right now - which two furry friends think is just the cat's meow!!  So these need to be sewn into rows/flimsie today (I did take photos so I know the lay out should they be scattered some more).

And we are rowing along!!!!!!!!

I do need to get out for errands and pick up a few staples as we are to be hit with the 'storm of the season'.  I'm sure the fur-kins will want Mom to have enough treats on hand should we be snowed in for the week - oh yeah, she can get food for herself, too.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Qult Doodle Doodle BOM 2014 Blog Hop

When I first saw Cindy's BOM I thought 'how cute'!!  But I admit that I am not a lover of seasonal fabric, especially Christmas fabrics.  I had just been doing some re-organizing and came across a blue FQ bundle and odds/ends that I had bagged for some kind of play.  Well, it was fate - right?  And thus, I was making a winter quilt - not a Christmas quilt (I said to self).

The entire quilt was 'mapped' for using 2.5" squares (love to play with those), but I had to remember I had some FQs and scraps and needed to really try to use them to their fullest without running out.  The first row was the cute snowmen.

Cindy gave us wonderful directions/tutorials each month.  As you can see from her diagram this was a row quilt, but we got things mixed so you had to wait and see what came next. 

All my rows were coming out so nicely when putting things together, but these cute lights.  I went back to the original post - duh, I had added a row inbetween each 'socket end' units.  A little session with 'ribbet' and things were fine.   

I loved how everyone made this into their own, though using the same pattern.  Different fabrics, colors, layouts, embellishments, and finishing.  I have yet to embellish mine - it will be a Christmas in July project this year - then it can be quilted for the new 2015 winter season quilt.  I used up all the left over fabrics in the final border.  A few small pieces went into my fabric food chain system.  

Be sure to visit all those who are participating in this Hop:

 January 24th

Mari - The Academic Quilter

LeeAnna - Not Afraid of Color

Liz - Hosted by Quilt Doodles

Joanna - Needle, Thread, Happiness

Sherri - Sushine in the Attic

January 25th

Dee - deesdoings

Nancy D - Hosted by Quilt Doodles

Sharon - Vroomans Quilts

Leslie - 365 Days of Wonderful
Jules - Quilting with Calicos

January 26th

Kathy-Kathy's Quilting Blog

Nicole - quiltinglikeamaniac

Pam - Stitching Between the Lines

Jill - Hosted by Quilt Doodles
Debra - My Life Is A Stitch 

And Cindy has a new BOM just starting - you can find the first installment right HERE.

Thank you for visiting,

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Leaf - Sand - Block

This wonderful box arrived at my house and I am going to play for the next few days.  And while playing, I am thinking about how it makes me feel.

Yes, boxes are good cat traps - and Moe gives you an idea of how BIG this box is.  While I was pulling treasures to play with, it made for a nice 'nest' for a cat nap.

Normally I would just dump this box and play in all the goodness like a child plays in a leaf pile (the snoring cat made me reconsider).  Do you like to play in leaf piles?  Do they make you light hearted, giddy, light headed?

As you rake and pile and tame - do find contentment?  Or do you want to jump back in and scatter it all?  Lots of 2.5" strips for strattas to chop up and pieces to make up 16-patches for the Sweet16 QAL patterns being offered for Hands2Help.

Or do you prefer to play in a sand box?  Boxes of small grains of sand that can be molded into all kinds of shapes.  

Do those small grains let your imagination soar or be down right planned with it?  Do you build your whole project or do you leave it partially done and cover it back up to play with another day?  I just pulled all the shades of blue for the RSC15 - 70 lovely HSTs - yes, put back and covered for another day of play.

Or do you think of it as playing with building blocks?  Getting out the box of bricks, cubes, triangles, squares - ready to play?

The fun of putting all those things into a pattern - one building into another building into another building.

I finally got to dump that box and even my Mom came to play - she took all the real skinny long strips to teach someone how to make a rug like she has done.  Now if I can get these two out of the leaf pile, I can play some more myself.  Yeah, they are not happy I took the box away.

Now I save these treasures, but not for me to play with - they are to share with you.  My salvedge baggy is stuffed full again and they need to go to a new home.  So if you would like them to play with - tell me, are you a leaf jumper, a sand shaper, or a block builder?  Will ship international - comments open until Thursday, Jan. 29th (10pm EST)

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon