Scrap Happy Saturday: Retiring Yellow

Today was an unusual Saturday, as I had to work this morning.  A co-worker and I pulled the duty to work at our company's booth at a medical conference.  I enjoyed doing something out of the usual routine, even if it was on a Saturday!  The conference ended at noon and since I was already in the French Quarter, I took the opportunity to do some shopping at one of my favorite clothing stores.  I missed my usual Saturday morning quilting, but it was still a winning morning!

 

Not the greatest pictures, as I waited until this evening to take shots of this week's yellow Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects.  Here is my Lemoyne Star for the Rainbow Scrap Sampler.

 

I finished this month's Carpenter's Wheel after I got home this afternoon.

 

The design wall was empty, so I pinned up the previous RSC Carpenter's Wheel blocks.   These blocks finish at 16 inches.  My original thought was that I'd only make 9 of these blocks, but that all depends on what other colors are included in this year's challenge.

I still haven't looked at all the other RSC sharing at Angela's blog today.  I think I'll fix a tall glass of something cold to drink and go unwind by looking at lots of Rainbow Scrap inspiration!

 

Scrap Happy Saturday: Yellow Stars

 

I don't know if there's a well-known name for these star blocks, but they're my new favorite scrap-buster!  I was inspired by Kathy's "Dotty for Kaffe" quilt.

 

I also added some yellow maverick stars to my Rainbow Scrap Challenge collection.

Since it's Scrap Happy Saturday, I'm looking forward to seeing lots of great Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects over at Angela's blog.  I don't know if I will sew today or go antiquing.  Dear Husband and Oldest Son have gone off on a chartered fishing trip, so it's just me and the dogs to greet the morning.  Maybe some coffee will get me energized!

Memory Quilt Progress

 

This week I managed to finish piecing and attaching the zig-zag border to my latest memory quilt.  I love how the zig-zag looks on the corners!

 

I think I have enough of this fabric (guitars and banjos) for the outer border.  My dad was a life-long guitar and banjo player, so this fabric is perfect.  I also used it for the backing on one of the previous memory quilts. 

 

I keep adding new HST units to the pile, as there are still two more quilts to complete!

Austen Family Album: Up To Date Again

I didn't realize I was so far behind in posting my Austen Family Album blocks.  It hasn't been difficult to keep up with this BOM, but I forget about posting my blocks after I make them.  I also keep adding new fabrics to the original collection of Curio by Basic Grey fat quarters.  I'm a little worried the colors and fabrics are not going to be cohesive by the end of the project.  We'll see - there are still a lot of blocks to stitch!

 

Going back to block 7 in the series:  Philadelphia Block for Jane's aunt, Phila Hancock.  I found her story quite fascinating, as she sailed to India to find a husband.

 

Phila Hancock's daughter Eliza Hancock de Feullide Austen inspired the block Eliza's Star.

 

Block #9 - London Roads - was inspired by Jane's brother Henry Austen.  After spending time in military service, he became a banker in London.

 

Jane's youngest brother, Edward Austen Knight, inspired block 10:  Good Fortune.  Edward had the good fortune to be adopted by a wealthy couple, the Knights.

 

Edward Austen Knight's adoptive mother, Catherine Knatchbull Knight inspired this week's block, Friendship Square.  Catherine was a friend of Jane's and provided financial support for her work.

 

 

 

 

Scrap Happy Saturday: Shades of Yellow Fabric Therapy

So many distractions this week!  Still, I managed to find time for fabric therapy - thank goodness!

I've spent a good bit of time playing with yellow scraps and yardage, as yellow is this month's Rainbow Scrap Challenge color.  Angela posted several new blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Sampler and I coordinated and cut all the pieces for a yellow Carpenter's Wheel block.

 

Doesn't the Wacky Pinwheel block remind you of a bow on a gift package?

 

The Alamo Star block gave me an excuse to use the Tri-Recs ruler - my new favorite piecing tool.

 

The Economy Block was perfect for using some yellows that have a gray undertone.

 

The Bright Hopes block used a neat technique for piecing the inset block without using Y seams.

I also finished a 16 patch block, which will eventually become a star.

As always, there will be lots of yellow inspiration over at Angela's Soscrappy blog.  I'm going to allow myself to be distracted by that - as well as watching a World Cup game between England and Italy. 

 

 

 

Scrap Happy Saturday: Yellow = Happy

Yellow is such a happy color...quilting makes me happy...why don't I have more yellow in my quilts?  Which is my way of saying - I don't have that many yellow scraps!  I've already taken steps to rectify this problem and stopped at one of my LQS yesterday afternoon.

 

I did find enough scraps to assemble the first yellow Rainbow Sampler block, Framed Four Patch.

And a scrappy Lover's Knot.  

One scrappy 9 patch was completed. 

 

I also finished up two additional green sampler blocks and stitched an additional sampler block in purple.

Now that I have some additional yellow fabrics, I should be able to start work on this month's Carpenter's Wheel block.  I'm looking forward to some more happy yellow Rainbow Scrap Sampler blocks as well.  For more yellow scrappy inspiration, do check out Angela's Soscrappy blog today!

 

Retreat to Stripes & Plaids

During my unplanned quilting retreat last week, I returned to a project that stalled almost two years ago.  After my father passed away, I decided to make memory quilts using his collection of striped and plaid shirts.  I initially completed 3 of the quilts and then got side-tracked into other projects.  As I re-arranged my sewing studio to make room for my new sewing machine, I came across the basket of shirting fabrics and resolved to get the remainder of the quilts made.

 

For the first two memory quilts, I used Bonnie Hunter's Star Struck and Blue Ridge Beauty patterns.  After those two quilts, I realized I could work more efficiently by using one size of HST unit and just making different designs.  I finished an additional quilt, a quilt center and lots of loose HST units before getting distracted by other projects.  

 

I started my re-directed project by adding a frame to the barn-raising style center medallion I had previously pieced.  The gold fabric is an antique map print - my dad was a geography buff.  When I was little, he would keep me occupied for hours by having me find countries, cities and geographic features on the world map pinned to my bedroom wall!  After adding the medallion frame, I worked out a zig-zag border.  The border isn't stitched yet, so I guess that's the next step.  The quilt top will be finished with another fabric frame or two.

 

Next, I thought I'd try a Carpenter's Wheel center medallion using the shirting HSTs.  In the stash I found a hunk of off-white with a small white design which worked nicely for the background squares.  I set the new medallion on top of the barn-raising medallion and decided it was a good plan.  I'll add a different framing border to the Carpenter's Wheel.  I might even try a different HST border, although I'm quite fond of the zig-zags!  I will make one more Carpenter's Wheel block (maybe with white background fabric?) and that will finish up the memory quilts for my dad's grandchildren.