RSC17 week 4

PURPLES AND A BRIGHT FINISH

My list of purple projects has grown a bit this week.  First, I have a heap of purple 4-patch blocks I'm not using.  So I thought about adding something to perk them up.  I call it Sparks.  It's just little flip triangles added here and there before piecing a larger block.

I like the way it turned out, but I'm not sure if I will continue it as a rainbow project.

Another Project Linus quilt I'm working on is Color Me, with a rainbow of crayons.  Here is my purple crayon strip without the tip.

These two Geese Migration and one Folded Box   complete my purple projects this month, the first time I've ever met the deadline.

Now  for the finish I promised last week.  Beth and Sarah came over to pick up Sarah's new quilt and take some good photos.  Her iPhone takes much sharper pics than my iPad.  My building hallway worked pretty well for the lighting.  I call it Color Charms.

The back was a real improv job because I enlarged the front.  So extra strips and charms had to make the back equal in size.  The top has an extra gray strip and the bottom has an added black strip.  At least we can tell up from down now.

Sarah was delighted with it and the timing was perfect.  The quilt blocks were laid out last summer by Sarah and her exchange student from France.  This week they found out that another girl from France will be arriving next week, so the quilt will be on their guest room bed for her three week visit.  

It's not exactly an RSC 16 finish, but it definitely has enough rainbow colors to qualify!

Can't wait to learn the new color and see all your great finishes.  Please join me for lots more fun at

Rainbow Scrap Challenge at

   soscrappy 

Oh, Scrap! at 

Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework 

Ad Hoc Improv Quilts, 1/23

PLAY OF LIGHT:  Three wall hangings done in 1990, based on a block from a photo in a Michael James book.  It was just a photo, but I liked the assymetry and feeling of motion.  I used many fabrics such as velvet, tie dye and ribbons.  I machine quilted all of them in the ditch due to the variety of fabrics.

FIRELIGHT:  I was inspired to make this first wall hanging to use a piece of tie dyed fabric in warm shades.  I made it back in the late 60's when the kids were little.  Two other friends would show up, all of us with toddlers, and turn the back yard into an art studio for tie dye, batik, silk screening or whatever.

    The warm colors in the piece developed into the idea of a campfire at night.  I learned so much about color, using purples, teal, but no black or dull tones for the darkness.

 

The piece I began with is the slanting one in the center, with pinks and yellows.  I added small bits of satin for the sheen, plaids and dark purple velvet.  It does convey the image of sparks flying up into the darkness.

MOONLIGHT:  How do you convey moonlight?  By its reflection on water, snow, etc.  This is how I interpreted a snow scene at night, with shiny and sparkling fabrics in contrast to the deep purples and blues.  I never used black or grey in these quilts.  Even shadows are seen as color. There is a small bit of white satin to represent the moon.

SUNLIGHT:  This was a challenge to convey sunlight streaming down through the forest.  I tested and eliminated any greyed colors, using only true hues. For the leaves I found an pieces from an old 1960's silk sheath dress for $1.  Again I used Thai silk, velvets and added yellow ribbons for the rays of the sun. Purple was used in the shadows because it is the complement of yellow.  

I learned a great deal about color by doing these wall hangings and they are one of my favorite series.   It helped me to have the block structure to work within so that nothing was random, but chosen for its particular shape and placement.  

I'm very happy to be linking up with Ad Hoc Improv Quilter at Fret Not Yourself.  Please check out the fascinating things shared there.

RSC17 week 3

A FINAL FINISH

This week I feel great because I actually finished Sarah's Color Charm quilt, the "elephant" I wrestled with.   It ended up being 54 X 66 inches.  This is only a sneak peak, but when Sarah receives it we will get some good photos.

A NEW START

For the new Rainbow Scrap Challenge I've gotten busy using my purple scraps.  Last week I finished two Geese Migration purple blocks.  Today I managed, with the usual ripping, to finish my purple Folded Box block for the month.  

However, it is actually my second one.  The first one I tried was found at http://patchworksquare.com/ which is a complete list of patterns, many given in various sizes.  I found the Folded Box 12-inch version with excellent PDF of directions for three sizes.

So I wil be one month ahead when pink comes along.

There is only one more Saturday this month.  It seems to have flown by so fast.  I can't wait to see all the fun scrappy projects you have made.  I get some of my best ideas from you folks.  So keep coming to Rainbow Scrap Challenge at soscrappy  and

Oh, Scrap! at 

Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

RSC17 week 2

WRESTLING WITH AN ELEPHANT 

All of a sudden January has arrived and besides lots of snow and freezing, Angela has stated our Rainbow Scrap Challenge year off with purple.  I'm amazed at how much purple I have in my stash.  The color is confusing, sometimes bluish and others on the maroon side.  The patterns I've chosen allow me to mix and match.

My main rainbow project this year is Geese Migration by Cynthia at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework .  It's 25 scrappy 10-inch blocks set on point, so there is plenty of room for a rainbow of colors.  I've started off with a lavender toned one and a darker purple.  It's just three columns of 2-1/2-inch squares paired with five flying geese.  She uses the flip triangle method for the geese,so easy.  

I'm very pleased with this start for 2017. 

I've also been working away on Sarah's Color Charms quilt, which got pinned this afternoon with the help of a friend.  We worked down in our club room with big tables for doing the job.  The only one who gets on the floor any more is Sarah.  I used Warm and White batting, bought off the 90-inch roll with my Hobby Lobby coupon.  

Here are two glimpses of the top.

 

Because I decided that the top was too small, I added three more rows across and two mor down the side.  Since the back was already in progress, I had to keep adding segments to make it match. 

I added the center strips and blocks, which made it work.  The Cotton and Steel fat quarters were purchased with a giveaway by Gotham from Alyce at Blossom Heart Quilts, and the cute village scene was a piece I had in my stash.

  I bought some rolls of black and gray Bella strips by Moda on sale at Green Fairy Quilts.  I find that I really prefer them to the Kona strips because they are cut with a tiny pinked edge, so no fraying. The fabric itself seems slightly weightier and folds press out very easily.  Just passing that info?

I was so anxious to get this project quilted,  with a friend's help we got it pinned quickly.  I decided to quilt it with grey thread, switched to my machine's walking foot and dove right in.  Just horizontal and vertical lines, very simple.  My arms began aching and i soon felt like I was wrestling with an elephant!  But with the help of muscle rub and ibuprofen I finished half of it in two days, incredible for me.  Two more days should finish it and I can get my 1/4-inch foot back in use again and take the quilt to show and tell at our guild.  Hooray! Back to the rainbow again.

I'm so anxious to see what each of you is going to be doing for RSC17.  It surely will be colorful and perhaps some new creatures will come on the scene.

Come check out all the Quilty fun at

Rainbow Scrap Challenge at

   soscrappy 

Oh, Scrap! at 

Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework 

"I Like" Thursdays, Jan. 12

WHAT DO I SEE IN ONE SPOT?

Last night my granddaughter and SIL helped me take down my Chrstmas decorations.  When I got up this morning, well closer to noon, the place seemed so bare.  Then I received LeAnna's blog and thought, "What is left here for me to like?"   I glanced at the,window and I could not help but see the light shining through the turquoise vase I bought at a recent estate sale.  

It was sitting on the floor near the window, so I snapped a photo with my iPad.  What else is in the photo?  It has some amazing twists and turnings, obviously a support for something.

Now you can see the entire structure of beautiful turned spindles and curving legs.  Looks like there is a shelf above that.  What is on the shelf?

Two of my favorite pottery pieces.  The smaller one was stashed there just for convenience during the decorating.  It's mid century modern style, so simple but with that surprising tilt of the opening.  The larger one I bought to use as a salad bowl, but it is too heavy for me to lift easily, so I just put it where I can see and enjoy it.  I like the contrast between them.  

Let's back up now so you can see the entire picture.

This is one of my earliest antique acquisitions.  When my darling and I were engaged we bought a small house a few months before our wedding.  An old couple were moving into a retirement center.  When the wife took us to see the garage this table was sitting there in the dust.  I told her how much I like it.  She said that if we liked it we could have it for free.

This table dates from around the Civil War period.  The top has some water stains, and another, not water, added by one of Chris's cats.  But I love all the turnings, especially the little pendant ones hanging off the drawer edges. It has served us well for over 50 years, including my little Christmas tree.  I have to decide what to put there next.  

Isn't it interesting how much we can see to appreciate if we take the time to look in just one spot?

I hope you keep your eyes open to what is right around you this week, as I will try to do.

Check Leeanna's blog, Not Afraid Of Color  , for more lovely things folks share on "I Like"  Thursdays.

RSC17 week 1

MY RAINBOWS

Angela asked us if we would show some of our rainbow quilts this week.  In 2015, the first year I took part in Rainbow Scrap Challenge, I completed the flimsy for a balloon block quilt.  The frames for each block were made in the color of the month.  I have not got the backing finished yet.  It's still a WIP.

My granddaughter's 14th birthday was that July and she loved the Beattles and rainbows. So I rushed to get a quilt done for the birthday.  This is a rainbow zigzag design, which used lots of my Jellyroll scraps.  It was basically a rail fence pattern, very easy.  The back is bright yellow, her favorite color.

Here she is showing it at our Monona Quilters meeting.

T

It went perfectly in her room with yellow walls and Beattles pillow.

This past year Angela gave us two colors to combine each month.  I chose to make the Twinkler star block in the combined colors.  It is still a flimsy, but I love it hanging on my bedroom wall.

Those are the three quilts which are strictly RSC rainbow quilts.  The rest of them are still in the WIPs stage or were mostly Project Linus quilts for charity.

This year I have a couple of rainbow plans in mind. I will have something to show next week in purple.  Hope you all have fun with Rainbow Scrap Challenge this year.

Check out the other colorful posts at

Rainbow Scrap Challenge at

   soscrappy 

Oh, Scrap! at 

Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework 

RSC16 week 53

2016 REVIEW

This past year was one of many monthly block projects.  Some were very fulfilling.  Others were good learning and practice opportunities.  As a result I did not have as much time and energy for doing entire quilt projects, except for my Project Linus kids quilts.  Plus, the last couple of months have been taken up with Bonnie Hunter's El Porvence Mystery quilt, lots and lots of piecing.  That plus the use of an old loaner machine this month prevented me from doing anything beyond basics.  No FMQ, no quilting at all.

If this sounds like excuses, it is definitely not.  I'm proud of all the blocks I've made, whether or not they have become finishes.

This is how far I got on piecing together these forgotten blocks from years ago, found in my daughter's attic.  I call it Arizona and it will be a wall hanging when finished.  I love the colors, which remind me of our visit to Phoenix and Sedona.

This is my favorite project from RSC16, my Twinkler wall hanging.  It was definitely in the frustrating but rewarding category and hangs in my bedroom as a flimsy.

Here is my Dog Park quilt when it was donated to Project Linus.  My previous post tells the story of its improv development.  It is one of my favorites.

 My two Pinwheel row quilts were also given to Project Linus.  They started when I received a giveaway of 92 HSTs, which I turned into pinwheel blocks.  I had enough for two quilts, adding rows of some pieced blocks and a lot of precuts.  The backs were made with the leftover fabrics.  Somehow I missed taking full pics of the finishes.

My 6-inch boat blocks continue to multiply and will end up bouncing on the waves in a row quilt.

The RSC16 monthly 16-patch blocks have had a few more added and are now a flimsy.

My 8-inch improv blocks have been the most rewarding project for me.  They are also RSC16 colors. I plan to set them on a grey background, sort of in gallery fashion.  Im definitely going to continue these and do more in this direction.

B
I took part in Modern HST Sampler with Alyce at Blossom Heart Quilts   I completed 20 of the 24 12-inch blocks, two a  month.  This Folded Box was a substitute for one of those.  I love the 3-D effect and am going to do this one for RSC17.

Those are the highlights of a very enjoyable year with Angela.  I feel like Rainbow Scrap Challenge is my online neighborhood, with many dear friends.  I wish all of you a very Happy New Year and lots of quilting fun.

I'm linking up with

Rainbow Scrap Challenge at

   soscrappy 

Oh, Scrap! at 

Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework 

AHIQ, 12/27

Ann and Kaya - I came across your blog from Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts tonight.  I posted a comment about my improv blocks.  When I read your post, Ann, I realized that I have been doing improv quilting all along.  Here is one I'd like to share.

I like to do Project Linus quilts for kids at our local Chidrens Hospital.  I found a discount store that had a sale on fleece blankets, edged at 50 X 60 inches.  At less than $3.00 each I bought a bunch of kid themed ones to use instead of batting and backing.  All I had to do was make a top within those size limits.

Here's the fleece backing, which evolved into my Dog Park quilt.

I had bought this really cute dog fabric  all kinds together on green backing.  But the piece was not long enough.  So I decided,to make a row quilt.  I found the assorted brown strips that looked like paths or fences.  To add more length I broke them up with ball/balloon strips, making the length right.  I still had no name for it.  Then I found this whole Jellyroll of cars running along.  This became the streets  where the owners parked to get out and let the dogs play.  Voila!  A dog park.

It was amazing how all the colors went together and matched the fleece backing.  So here it was:

DOG PARK QUILT

I did give it to our quilt group's charity collection day held twice a year.  This year we collected about 300 quilts of all types and sizes, for veterans, halfway houses, nursing homes, NIQUs and Project Linus.  It is not only creative but satisfying being able to give it to a child who will love it.

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I'm linking this with AHIQ, Ad Hoc Imrpov Quilter at Fret Not Yourself  

En Provence link-up 5

ACTUAL COMPLETION OF PART 5 

Completed my 32 HSTs in no time.  I used the Magic Eight method, seen in Blossom Heart Quilts and on Gogle, which is the easiest for me.  I tried cutting from strips but it was too slippery with the Easy Angle Ruler.  To mark my large squares for stitching and cutting, I lay the top fabric on sandpaper, so no slipping.  After stitching the whole large block I press it flat before cutting the pieces apart.  I trim them to size before pressing them open, so only one edge needs trimming.  Then I press them open.  I hope this may help those of you who may be all thumbs or shaky like me.

Here are samples of my Parts 3 and 4.  Please pardon the lighting, done late at night. 

I'm feeing more on top of things now.  I hope you are all coming along nicely as well.

Linking up with Bonnie Hunter at    Quiltville's Quips and Snips   

RSC week 52!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HANNUKAH

It's not quite the end of year.  For some reson there is still one more Rainbow Scrap Challenge 

 Saturday left.  This year has been so full of interesting quilt things happening, but I am too busy now to look back yet.

I'm rushing to finish Sarah's gift quilt, but a strange thing happened.  I had finished the top, but when I tried to cuddle under it, it was too small, and Sarah has not yet finished growing.  I have all the measurements down for the front and back to match, but I decided to make it bigger a few days ago.  Since it is all print and solid charm squares it was easy to do,a row at a time, blending the colors as I went.  Two days ago it looked like this.

I had added two more rows at the top in this photo.  My plan was for one more at the top and three  more lengthwise.  I have done the three top rows, but decided to stop with two more side rows.  This hallway photo would not hold the entire quilt top if I continued.  Running out of charms is not a problem.  I've been collecting them for years and I don't even have a bracelet.  I'm going to add a row on the backing, which should make the two equal.

Here is the start of the backing layout way back when.  It's undergone a lot of changes in size and placement. But you get the general idea.

I think Sarah will receive two gifts, one flimsy and one backing, but no batting or quilting.  The more I've worked on it the more I enjoy it. By the time it is finished it should be filled with love.

I've also tried to work on my half-size En Provence blocks, but nothing to show today.  

I did find this fuzzy friend at a sale the other day.  The charming 100-year-old lady had died peacefully in her sleep after a very active life.  

I just had to have this little duck, whose tag says Squeeze me.  He then shouts Aflac, AFLAC, AAAFLAAC! 

So blessings to all of you for happy holidays and making good memories.

Check out the other colorful posts at

Rainbow Scrap Challenge at

   soscrappy 

Oh, Scrap! at 

Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework 

En Provence Linkup 4

A LITTLE BIT SLOW

I have not had time to start on week 4 Tri-Rec blocks yet, but I'm familiar with them and have chosen my fabrics.

These are the last few blocks for week 3. They are going like magic now that my tuned up machine is home and purring like a kitten.

I  hope you are all enjoying the Mystery process. I'm linking up with Bonnie Hunter at  

Quiltville's Quips and Snips   

RSC16 week 51

BETHLEHEM 

I've had a tradition of setting up a Christmas stable scene since my kids were tiny, about forty five years now.  It has grown bit by bit until it now occupys my six-foot long breakfast bar and has become my Bethlehem village.

My granddaughter Sarah now sets it up yearly and knows where every piece belongs.  The scenes go from left to right.

First are the shepherds coming with their sheep to the stable and Angels announcing Christ's birth.  There in the stable are Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, some animals and the Wise Men.  These are all from my original collection.  Some of the characters show their age, but are cherished.

The second view is of the townspeople.  You can see the food vendor with his wares, the town well with people coming for water and a group of singers celebrating.  These begin my Fontanini collection which produces new items yearly, each with a name and a story.  Sorry that I could not edit out my kitchen in the background.

The third area is the temple with a rabbi studying his scrolls.  You can also see the Roman soldier reading from a scroll the edict about the census which brought Jospeh and Mary to Bethlehem to be counted as David's descendants.

The last scene is the Wise Men's camp where their laden camels are resting and a meal is being prepared for them.  A woman is bringing another dish to add to the feast for the honored guests.  This includes little old dishes set out on a rug and other food items.

I invite my friends and children to visit and enjoy the scene, which tells the true story of Christmas, the birth of God's Son sent from heaven to bring us to salvation.

As for quilting, I worked with a 1960's Kenmore loaner while my machine was in for a tuneup.  I mostly worked on simple 4-patch blocks for Bonnie Hunter's En Provence Mystery.  Yesterday my machine came home and just purrs like a kitten now.  So I did a bit of trial and error with my sailboats.

Gayle at     mangofeet.blogspot.com gave me some good pointers on how she got her piglets to run up and down hills.  This is my awkward start at having my boats ride the waves on a row quilt.  I'm also going to be trying to get my granddaughter 's quilt done for Christmas. 

God bless all of you dear friends during this holiday season.  This year Hannukah falls on Christmas as well.  May you all have health and happiness in abundance.  I hope you will take a look at all the posts at

Rainbow Scrap Challenge at

   soscrappy 

Oh, Scrap! at 

Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework