Last Blue Day

Last day in January and final blue post.  Time to put the blue scraps away.  As I was doing so I played with a few strings.  No I didn't make music just slabs of fabric. 

First I made a blue string strip and trimmed it down to 6.5" squares.  These got sewn together to make this:

I found some odd bits lying around from another project and rather than putting them into their proper bags and bins I just included them in the strip.  I think I'll make one block each month and see what comes of it at the end of the year.

I watched a video tutorial for making these next blocks but didn't know how they'd turn out as my strips weren't all the same size.  Again I pieced a strip chain about 30" long and cut out four 7.5 inch squares.

The squares were laid right sides together.  One strip set went vertically and the other horizontally.  I then stitched 1/4" from edge all around then cut on the diagonal one way and then the other.  I repeated with a second pair then mixed things up to make two blocks. 

They finish an odd size but it won't matter if all are made identically.  These little blocks used up a fair number of strips that didn't have to get tidied up so I think I'll make two of these blocks every month and see what happens at year's end.

 

The blue is put away for another year but check So Scrappy to see the last of the blue scrappy goodness.

Yeah February's colour is Pink

I haven't checked out my favourite blog spots for a few days now and did I have a whole lot of catching up to do.  I read about a great art quilt finish, a tale of woe,  happy announcements, and viewed some gorgeous antique quilts.  Oh, and Angela announced we'll be in the pink in February.  Yeah!  Done with winter blues!  I'll be digging through my pink scraps getting ready for  more scrappy fun. 

Blue - Week Three

Thanks to the chiropractor I'm feeling more like my usual self.  I can move again and the cold/flu has finally left my system (fingers crossed, knock on wood).
I've been busy with cooking/shopping preparation for a funeral luncheon at church and then a communal luncheon the next day so the amount of quilting time has been limited but I was feeling so guilty for not doing any blue work this week that I quickly cut my 24 + two and a half inch squares for the alternate blocks. 

Lots of variety in the blues and few that would be great transition colours depending on what is needed.   Hopefully next week will be more productive.  Check in at So Scrappy to see what others have been doing.

Quilter's Funk

Well have you ever been working on something and hit a wall?  That's what's happened to me.  One of the groups I belong to decided to do a group project.  Everyone's individual piece would be melded into one glorious statement piece.  I selected my subject, chose fabrics and have even done some work on it but I'm stuck.  My vision and how to do it just aren't coming together.  Here's what I've got so far:

I know I have to keep working on it because the time line is looming but....

So what do you do when you reach that point.  Well I looked for a diversion.  I've read three wonderful Louise Penny Inspector Gamache novels and started a new quilt.  Every month I get a new scrappy pattern from the guild and here's my start for the December pattern.

I found a small bag with bits of fabric ranging from just over an eight of a yard to fat quarter size and decided they would be perfect for this quilt.  So the centre section is almost done and I have the borders to work on for a flimsy finish.  Once that's done I guess I'll see if I can work on the group project again.  The time is drawing near for a finish.  Aaagh!

Background Fabric

Well I just can't believe it.  I went to the fabric store to pick up an additional 3 yards of fabric so I'd have enough for all the blocks for the RSC blocks and they didn't have any left.  So I bought 6 yards of a different print for the background.  Now I have to make a decision.  Do I take the two blocks apart and sub in the new fabric?  Do I use the first fabric for the various centre blocks of the sawtooth stars and the new fabric for the star point portions?  Do I remake the blocks with the new fabric and have two orphan blocks waiting for another project?  Decisions.  Decisions. 

Card Trick - Block Two

I've been recuperating.  First the flu/cold then I put my back out.  I haven't been able to sit, stand, lie down or walk around for long periods of time so there hasn't been much happening.  I went to a fabric store sale on Thursday and bought  some insul bright  and new fabric to recover my extended ironing board.  It looks so nice - almost hate to press my blocks on it.  But I did....

Here's my second sawtooth star.  This one has a card trick block in the centre.  As I was making this block I remembered, Ruth, a friend from my previous guild.  Whenever we had a round robin exchange she always made a card trick block.  It was her favourite and she could make them in her sleep.  Today as I cut and sewed I appreciated how complicated the block was.  Angela's diagram really helped organize all the little bits.

 

I've also been working on the Grand Illusion Mystery and have the first row put together.  I'm making the 12 block version - a 3 x 4 setting.

This is the first row with sashing around the blocks.  It's bright!  It's busy! 

At my local guild I won a pack of mini charm squares.  I like the way the dancing nine patch is set so used that idea with the mini charms to make a small table runner. 

 

I'll be checking in at So Scrappy to see what blue happenings are going on there.

 

 

Cool Blues for January

It's time to start a new year of Rainbow Scrappy goodness.  Last year I made a Boxy Star block each month and I'll continue with the Boxy stars for another year.  Hopefully the 24 blocks will give a good sized quilt at the end of 2015.

This year I've opted to keep one fabric as a constant in each quarter of the star.  I like this look better than all the scrappiness of last year's blocks.  My constant for January is a hand dyed fabric that I purchased at one of our Guild Meetings.  I used the other two hand dyed blues in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge sampler block.

(OOPs I was a little heavy with cropping the photo and took off the star points.  They really are there.  Just not in the photo.)   Check in at RSC15 to see what others have started in 2015.