Turning to Teal

This week afforded several opportunities to play with teal (aqua, turquoise, not-blue-not-green) scraps for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  Before I started participating in the RSC, I really didn't have much in the way of teal fabric or scraps.  Thankfully, all that has changed!  I discovered I really enjoy working with this color range, and my stash has increased accordingly.  One thing I have noticed about the teals is that they don't all play well with each other.  That's OK, it adds to the fun of the challenge!

First up, a teal (turquoise?) Friendship Star block for the RSC Sampler.  This one turned out a little more "low volume" than I anticipated, but it used up some never-ending scraps, so I'm happy.

A nice assortment of lights and darks made it into a 16-patch block.  I didn't have enough light and dark scraps for a second block, so I'm hopeful I'll have that taken care of by the end of the month!

A 9-patch variation made from the 2 1/2 inch strips and squares bin.

Half-square triangles ready to be pieced for a Carpenter's Wheel block.  Now that I have the cutting order down, it was easy to cut the HSTs from 2 1/2 inch strips using the Easy Angle Ruler.

The Maverick/Wonky stars were great fabric therapy one night after work.  These are such fun to make, I can see them as an ongoing scrap therapy project indefinitely!

Today is link-up day with the other Rainbow Scrappers.  I'm going to go over there and get inspired, then tear through some more teal scraps!

My World is Blue

Purple has always been my favorite personal color.  Purple clothes, purple jewelry, purple handbags, purple shoes...well, I don't think I've ever owned any purple shoes - guess I will have to fix that!

But when it comes to quilts, fabric (especially toile), decorating, china - blue and white are my all-time favorites!  Blue and white china (transferware) - small but growing collection.  Blue and white toile fabric - an embarrassment of riches!  Decorating schemes - some day I will have a blue & white bedroom.  Blue and white quilts - only one so far!

This Friendship Star quilt was made in honor of my parents' 50th wedding anniversary in 2003.  The star blocks have anniversary wishes from friends and family around the country, as well as pictures of my folks as children and newlyweds.  Wedding pictures of their three daughters round out the display.  The center medallion is a family group picture taken on the beach during the weekend of their anniversary celebration.  Mini friendship stars and more family pictures round out the outer border.  The free-motion quilting was done by my friend Annie Kusilek, using a treadle sewing machine.  

You would think after completing that scrappy memento I'd have a huge assortment of blue scraps.  The dirty little secret is that I don't really have scraps...more like yardage!  I have always intended to make more blue and white quilts, so I just keep collecting blue and white fabric!  Especially light-toned fabrics, as they can be hard to find.  Maybe what I need is a blue and white (scrap) quilt challenge!

I did have a fair number of ready-sliced 2" strips and squares, so assembling these 16 patches went pretty quickly.  I'll have to cut more strips and squares to complete my other rainbow blocks this month.  Maybe what I need to do is cut lots of blue squares and white squares and use them as leaders and enders.  I could have another blue and white quilt before the end of the year!

Blue is the color for this month's Rainbow Scrap Challenge installment - be sure to stop by Soscrappy's blog to see more amazing uses of the color blue!