RSC16 week 24

OCEAN MEMORIES

I grew up in Rhode Island where salt water was the defining element of summer.  When I was just a toddler my father took me into the shallow bay waters where I loved spashing and paddling around him.  Later on I went to the ocean beaches near my relatives' homes.  I learned how to dive through the breakers and float on the calm surface father out. I took my share of tumbles of course, but I would spend hours in the water. No sunning on the sand for me.  I went sailing on my uncle's 30 to 40-foot boats, the happiest place on earth for me.

When I moved to the West Coast after college I loved the beauty of the long deserted beaches, tall cliffs and tide pools teeming with sea creatures.  Collecting shells and driftwood was a new hobby.

So this month's Rainbow Scrap Challenge colors bring to mind all those happy moments.  Here is my fleet of 6-inch one-masted sloop blocks like Uncle Charlie's succession of them.

The Modern HST Sampler block this week makes me think of warm Florida waters and beach umbrellas.

Here is my 16-patch block for the month, aqua and lime tones like cool drinks at a seaside restaurant.

 Don't know how the fox got in there so close to the henhouse, probably while we were watching the fireworks.

Recently I've ordered some very fun charm packs and lovely solids, which will make a very easy leader/ender Project Linus quilt.

That looks like enough color for this week.  I hope all of you have a good time playing with your colors this week.  I link up with RSC16 at   soscrappy and Sew Cute Tuesday at Blossom Heart Quilts

RSC15, week 37

A COLOR SHOW

This week I have had orange on the brain.  My pinwheel quilt has been taking all my sewing time.  I constructed two more new rows.  The first was simple, just a row of charm blocks from my stash to complement the pinwheel rows.  The second was a bear to construct.  I wanted to challenge myself by doing a chevron design.  I chose a MSQC technique, using a binding tool to make a Friendship Braid.  I cut down on the length of the pieces so the row would be about six inches wide.  There was a lot of ripping after attaching some pieces in the wrong direction.  Here are the two new rows with some white spacer strips.

This is just a trial placement.  When I laid more of it out on my kitchen floor I realized it will be bigger than I thought, because I laid out only two of the four pinwheel strips.  I took these photos of some of the rows and I was thrilled.  It's too bad these pics cannot convey the brilliant colors.

 Rather than picking it all up off the floor to make dinner, I called a couple of friends in my building to come quickly and see it.  Both of them said, "Wow" and as we all crowded in the hallway they were happy they came.  One had just gotten home from a day at Quilt Expo, fighting the crowds, and she bragged about the buys she had made, which made it worthwhile going.  I was just as happy that I had stayed home and had my own little show.

I link up with RSC15 at superscrappy.blogspot.com, Sew Cute Tuesday at blossomheartquilts.com and Throwback Thursday at kristaquilts.blogspot.com. Please stop by and enjoy what others have done.