RSC17 week 30

NOT MUCH BLUE

There is beautiful blue sky today, but only a little blue in my latest quilt projects.  That's okay, because I'm working on a new little blue project for next week.  It's very simple except foe the amount of ripping involved.  So it's not ready for you to see,until next week.

I just completed a really cute flimsy, the Fence Rail Star quilt by Jenny Doan at MSQC.  I loved its size, about 42 inches square, and the deceptively easy pattern.  I found lots of colorful jelly roll strips in my kids theme stash, so it used lots of one of a kind strips and lots of color.

After completing the rail fence blocks I took a photo of the entire layout.  I had to refer to it constantly to make sure they twisted and turned properly.  Even when I finished it I saw a glaring mistake.  Fortunately, the lucky little one won't know the difference.  It does have monkeys in it and that's what counts.  It still needs a white border.  However, I really was lucky to find the perfect backing in my stash.

Monkeys plus bunnies makes it really perfect for snuggling.

GENTRIFICATION

On Tuesday I published the result of my Ad Hoc Improv Quilts Challenge Two on Ann's blog, Fret Not Yourself. The challenge was to combine two different blocks into one quilt. I had eight blocks of little wonky houses which I had made using the stack and Whack method.  They were not done with any purpose in mind but just to try out the method.  They were cute and colorful and easy to make but I need to something to contrast with them.  So I got out my ugliest dirty looking scraps and improv pieced them into 8 inch blocks to match the little houses.  

My inspiration came by chance.  In June I happened to see an MSNBC interview of Richard Florida who has written a book about gentrification called  The New Urban Crisis.  In several large cities like New York rundown buildings have been bought cheaply and refurbished.  The neighborhoods became more desireable with the addition of new restaurants, boutique shops and an influx of more affluent tenants.  This caused real estate values to rise dramatically, making rents unaffordable for former tenants who were forced to move away from their homes, jobs and way of life.  Thus more inequality,  segregation and poverty have resulted.  

This dilemma is what I have attempted to show in my quilt.  It's represented by the contrast between the new houses and the empty lots.  The black strips with "fencing""  divide the blocks along their sides, and the lime green strips represent the bright new face of the neighborhood.  I'm going to add  more to it for the third challenge.

So that was my busy quilting week.  I appreciate Angela's and Cynthia,s faithful linkups every week so we can share what is working or not working for us with friends who understand.  Check it out at RSC17 at soscrappy  and

Oh, Scrap! at 

Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

RSC17 week 29

WISHING FOR BLUE SKIES

In the past week of clouds, rain and thunderstorms I've been missing the beautiful blue skies here in the Midwest.  So I've kept busy using my blue scraps for Rainbow Scrap Challenge goals.  My final project in blues was the Geese Migration blocks.  Cynthia has inspired me to really dig in and find special blue scraps.  

The light block was easier to do than the dark one, because the dark colors tend to blur together too easily, so I had to use bits of other colors to enliven the blocks. 

Here you can compare the blocks and see the different things that stand out.

Now that I got my two tops sent off Covered In Love,  I wanted something quick, easy and colorful for a Project Linus quilt.  Jenny Doan came out with a new pattern, Fence Rail Stars, not long ago which had me drooling over her colors and the simplicity of it.  The size is just right also, about 45 inches.  She used a really colorful jelly roll which was on my wish list.  

However, I knew I could find enough bright and child themed strips in my stash.  I also found I had a 2-yard piece of a not-quite white which needed to be used. I bought it back in my first rush of online fabric buying, not realizing there are dozens of whites with fancy names that don't mix with each other. 

After gathering and piecing my sets of three strips, I happily cut them up into 6-1/2-inch squares.  Until I found that from each strip I had cut one square too short.  My non-math head doing its thing again.  However, in order to have something, anything for this blog I prepared four blocks with flip triangles and laid them out on my lovely new design floor, aka my recently replaced kitchen floor, to show you.

Since then I have found and pieced together enough strips to complete the project.  You really need to have them all at hand to do a balanced layout of colors.  This terrible weather is expected to last at least another week, so I will have the finished top to show you next week.

Until then I will also be working on my third AHIQ challenge, due next Tuesday.  I don't know what I will do for other blues, maybe some friendship stars to add to my beginnings of a QOV project.  I'm learning from many of you how handy it is to have a parts department with blocks ready to be used.

I'm anxious to see all of your fine scrappy projects so please join me at

Rainbow Scrap Challenge at

   soscrappy  and

Oh, Scrap! at 

Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

RSC17 week 28

SUMMER BLUE

Blue makes me feel cool, just what I need these days.  I've made progress on a couple of fronts this week.  For a start, I completed construction of two blue houses.  Would you believe an elephant can fit in a 6-inch square house?  Well, somehow he squeezed in when my back was turned.

At the last.minute today I decided to make my blue Folded Box block.  I did really careful trimming each piece to size and had a very easy time piecing it.  Why didn't I think of that these last few months?

The major sewing project for the week, between the houses and the box, was binding my Summer Kaffe Fassett quilt.  It took almost nine jelly roll strips to do the job.  I used Bella strips in red.  I really am sold on those Bella strips, which come in a junior roll of 20 strips.  They have tiny pinking, so no fraying, and seem to fold and drape more easily,than other fabrics.  I stitched it down on the front first.  Then I did a zigzag on the back. Since the front border was such a mix of red tones, the occasional areas of zigzagging onto the border do not show at all.  

Here is a really good pic of the lovely longarm quilting.

This next photo show binding, back and front.

And finally, here is my Summer quilt on my bed.  Amazingly, for the first time in a year I slept eight hours straight.  There's just something about sleeping under your own dream quilt!

I wish you all sweet summer dreams this week.

Please join me in checking out some great scrappy quilting at

Rainbow Scrap Challenge at

   soscrappy  and

Oh, Scrap! at 

Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

RSC17 week 27

THE LIVING IS EASY

Blue skies, blue water mean summertime and here we are celebrating the red, white and blue or the Canadian maple leaf.  I watched the Capitaal Fourth celebration honoring our country and the ordinary people who make it so great.

It was easy after getting out my blues to make a patriotic star for Covered In Love this month.

My first RSC17 blue project is my row for the Crayon quilt.  I will do the points at the end.  Cathy k in Utah finished her top last week, so check her,s out.

The other things I've been working on are two tops for Covered In Love to be donated to dying patients and their families at a large hospital in Tyler, Texas.  This is run by Kat Drinkwater of Kat and Cat Quilts.

I finished the first top, formerly Tossed Salad, which will be nameless after donation.  The patient and family can name it whatever they choose.  I think some cross name would be appropriate.

Fortunately,the mailing box will have enough room for my other top, Type Face, a cheerful variation of the Color Works pattern.  It is also adult size and I just added the border to finish it off.

I had this box of fat quarters sitting around for more than two years, so between these two Quilts I have made a significant dent in my stash.  Funny, though, I can't see the stash getting smaller.

I love seeing all the amazing quilt projects each week.  The weekend is my favorite time to enjoy your posts, so please keep them coming.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge at

   soscrappy  and

Oh, Scrap! at 

Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework