Playing with Scrappy Pinwheels

I've pretty much wrapped up all my purple projects for this month's Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  I was inspired to make a second Burgoyne block with some purple and green scraps, but now I'm just waiting for the announcement of the March color.

This Burgoyne definitely has me thinking of Spring!  It appears spring weather may be fleeting here in South Louisiana - we've had a week of temperatures in the low 80s already.  I don't care for really cold weather, but I do feel cheated when we jump straight from winter weather to summer temps!

I have no shortage of projects to work on, but I needed something fairly simple to take to the camp this weekend.  I did some prep cutting earlier in the week so I could start assembling the pinwheel blocks I made for last year's RSC.

The pinwheels are assembled into 9-patch blocks.  They will ultimately have plain alternate blocks, but for now I've just laid them out for admiring.  The colors look kind of drab in the picture, but they look much happier in person.

I've had plenty of fun playing with purple scraps this month, but I'm ready for the next color challenge!  Be sure to check out the RSC weekly link-up for more scrappy inspiration.

String Star Memory Quilt Update

For the past 8 years I've been using my late father's collection of plaid and striped shirts to make memory quilts for family members.  I've managed to use up a good bit of the shirt fabric over the years, but lots of strips and strings remained.  To use up those scraps, I chose to make a version of the Spring Clean Quilt, which features stars made from strings.

Earlier this year, I finished making all the string blocks needed for the quilt - 144 blocks, to be exact.  Since my design wall was empty this week, I decided it was time to start assembling the star blocks.  The 144 individual blocks get assembled in sets of 16 to form a star.  So far I've completed 4 blocks - leaving 5 to go!

Each star block is 32 inches, making it difficult to photograph them on the design wall.  Instead, I spread them out on my dining room floor.  BTW, not every fabric in my string blocks is shirt fabric - I also used some novelty fabrics related to my dad's hobbies, etc.

Of course, once you put quilts on the floor, the dogs have to come and help out!  My golden retriever/English lab mix McKenzie was the best helper; Bailey, the black lab mix, was a little less enthusiastic about helping!

Purple Repro Crosses and an RSC Finish

I'm still focused on the color purple for this month's Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

A horrible picture (it's so hard to photograph dark purple fabrics!) of quarter-square log cabin blocks in purple reproduction fabrics.  These blocks are quick and fun to make; I already did the math for the finished quilt, so I'm looking forward to making 5 blocks in each RSC color this year.

In other news, I was finally able to get pictures of a finished RSC quilt.

The Carpenter's Wheel (some call it Carpenter's Star) block had been on my bucket list for years.  I decided to use it for a Rainbow Scrap project in 2014.  After experimenting with different methods of block construction, I settled on a plan to use HSTs for the blocks - thereby avoiding the dreaded set-in seams.  

I made eight blocks in the bright rainbow hues, and finished with a ninth, multi-color block.

As usual, my longarm quilter, Cindy Braiwick, did a fantastic job.  

I have gifted many of my RSC quilts - but I think I'll keep this one for myself!

More Rainbow Scrap inspiration can be found at the weekly RSC link-up.

Burgoyne Goes Purple

After seeing all the mistakes I had made in previous Burgoyne Surrounded blocks, I wanted to take my time with the next block and make sure I put all the parts together correctly!  I worked slowly and deliberately on this block today and managed to assemble all the parts without having to rip.  Yay!

I've been trying to incorporate at least 2 colors into my Burgoyne blocks, but the purple fabrics for this version practically jumped out of the stash at me.  I'm sure there will be other purple-themed blocks in the finished quilt, but I'm happy with this one for now.

In other news, I also made some scrappy HSTs for the border on my Windblown Wishes quilt.  Whatever doesn't get used in the border can go into the Parts Department basket.

That's the limit of my scrappy stitching today.  I'm looking forward to checking out the RSC link-up for lots of wonderful purple scrappy ideas!

Finished Flimsy: Treadle On Origami Bow-Tie Blocks

I finished machine-stitching the appliqué border on my Origami Bow-Tie blocks this week.  Once I started the machine stitching, I kind of got into a rhythm and just kept working at it until it was finished.  I don't have any solid plans for the quilting yet; I'm just happy to have the finished flimsy!

I used Soft Fuse to hold the appliqué shapes in place (fabric glue for the vines), then machine-stitched a blanket stitch edging on all the shapes.  The border design is from Fons and Porter's Quick Quilts from the Heart.  The stitching was not difficult, but I did find I needed to be careful to use good posture, remember to breathe (!) and take frequent breaks to stretch and rest my wrists and hands.

The Origami or 3-D Bow-Tie blocks were from an exchange among antique and vintage sewing machine users from the Treadle On mail list.  The exchange requirements included using reproduction quilting fabric and stitching the blocks on a pre-1900 people-powered sewing machine.  

These blocks will always have a special place in my heart because I received them during my exile from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.  My son and I were living with my sister's family in Florida so my son could continue to attend high school - his school had taken on over 12 feet of water and was in no shape for classes.  My husband had gone back to New Orleans to work, because his hospital was one of the only functioning hospitals in the metro area.  I looked for a job in Florida, but although folks were sympathetic, they weren't interested in hiring a temporary employee.  I didn't have any access to Fabric Therapy, so I spent my days reading and trying not to watch television coverage about the flooding in New Orleans.  When my package of blocks arrived in the mail, it was a harbinger that life might eventually return to "normal".  Not long after that, we learned electricity had been restored to our neighborhood, my son's school had arranged for classes to be held at an alternate location and we would be able to go home!

Purple is for Mardi Gras!

This month's Rainbow Scrap Challenge color is purple.  Yay!  My favorite color and perfect for February, as Mardi Gras is February 13th and New Orleans Mardi Gras colors are purple, green and gold!

I dug around in the 1.5 inch strip bin and found enough purple strips to make some 49-patch blocks.  I guess I could call these Trip Around the World blocks, or Postage Stamp blocks - but to me they are just humble one-patch blocks.

Inspired by a photo of a table runner on Diane Knott's Instagram feed, I pulled some green blocks and started dreaming about Mardi Gras decorations of my own.  I don't think I'll have time to make a table runner this month, but it's fun to think about!

We're at our camp this weekend.  Our hot water heater at home is dead, and the plumber can't replace it until Monday.  The weather forecast calls for clouds and rain - perfect weather for hand-stitching quilt bindings.  And at least I can take a hot shower!

Linking up with the RSC Saturday linky - lots of scrappy purple inspiration!