As the Needle Sews

 Hi quilting friends!

I thought my quilt blogging days might be over as I lost my blogging mojo somewhere during the second half of 2022.  I decided to take a break from blogging and see if I was well and truly finished with the medium.  It's only been in the last few days I've thought about giving the blog a visit.

I don't know how my blogging efforts will carry out in 2023, but I'm going to make a start and see what happens.

Even though I lost my blogging mojo, I didn't lose any quilting mojo!  Here are a few finished projects from 2022.

 

I finished this mini quilt in June, 2022 with plans to share it for Wendy's  (The Constant Quilter) monthly mini challenge.  I never got around to posting it, as I got called away to help my mom move to an independent living facility.  The selvedge basket blocks were made in 2016 for a blog hop celebrating Diane Knott's first book, Scrap Quilt Secrets.  It doesn't show up in the pictures, but I hand quilted some flowers inside the basket handle, then machine quilted the basket outline.  Now I have the perfect Easter wall hanging!
 

Yay!  I finally finished Blackbird Designs' Gathered Harvest quilt!  Well, it's still waiting for binding, sleeve, and label, but I should have that finished by the end of January.

Undercover in Chicago V - a mystery quilt by Debbie Caffrey.  My local quilt guild does a mystery quilt every year.  As a new member, this was my first year to participate.  The goal is to finish the quilt and share it at our annual Christmas meeting in December.  I'm happy to say I met the goal!  I still need to add a label, so I'll share more pictures when that's done.

Bonnie Hunter's Carolina Chain.  The blocks were made as a Rainbow Scrap Challenge project and finally assembled late last summer.  The finished quilt has already been gifted (and I forgot to take more pictures!).

Another Rainbow Scrap Challenge project - Burgoyne Surrounded - which got started in 2017.  The picture only shows the block arrangement prior to assembly, but they got assembled and are awaiting their turn to be quilted.

 Mardi Gras Memories, pattern by Diane Knott.  My regional quilt guild - Gulf States Quilting Association - will be holding their quarterly meeting this month in New Orleans.  My local guild (Cotton Pickin' Quilters 😁) is co-hosting the meeting, and our theme is Mardi Gras (Mardi Gras will be celebrated February 21 this year).  The call went out for Mardi Gras-themed quilts to decorate the meeting venue, so of course I had to contribute.  Fortunately, I had started the quilt much earlier in the year, so it wasn't a huge hurdle to finish. 

OK, that's enough for now!  I still have some holiday projects to talk about, and then there's that pesky planning for 2023 quilts.  Maybe the blogging mojo is returning?

 

Scrappy Times

I never get tired of making scrappy quilts!  I added a new project to my Rainbow Scrap Challenge list last month in an effort to use up more of the strips filling my 2 inch scrap bin.

Carolina Chain is a Bonnie Hunter pattern.  It's a variation on a 9-patch block which results in light and dark chains criss-crossing the quilt.  This makes a great leader-ender project, as the cutting and piecing are quick and easy.  I'll keep making these for the next year or so until there are enough for a quilt.  Hopefully, they will put a dent in the 2 inch strip bin!

I also paired up some random 2 inch scraps into 4-patch blocks.  These go into the Parts Department and will eventually become part of another scrappy quilt.

Tiny Tuesday blocks are great for using up small scraps.  I'm glad I tried my hand at intense flip triangles for Sally's pink piglet.  I chose the pink and brown fabric for the piggy body as it reminded me of chocolate-covered bacon!

No pink scraps were harmed for another Burgoyne Surrounded block.  I only need three more blocks for the BS quilt, so I'm looking through scrappy chunks of multi-colored prints on white backgrounds for block inspiration.  I love these little birds, so decided to give them their own block.

Ditto for this multi-colored fish print.   It is now part of the Burgoyne scrappiness.  Only one block left to make, and I'm having trouble deciding on colors and fabrics.  It probably won't be this month's RSC color, light blue, but who knows where inspiration will lead?!

More scrappy goodies to be seen at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge link-up!

A Little More Pink

It was a fun Saturday!  My company sponsors health fairs around the state to help kids get back-to-school check-ups.  Today's health fair was here in New Orleans, so our local office team helped out.  We had a great turn-out, and lots of kids got check-ups.  I was on my feet for a big chunk of the day, so I was happy to get home, have a cup of tea, and then do a little sewing!

I'm still making blocks for a Ring of Stars quilt.  They go together quickly and use up lots of scrappy chunks.  

I didn't start making these blocks until March of this year, so I missed a few Rainbow Scrap colors.  I'll have to go back and catch them later.

I found enough pink chunks to make another pink Burgoyne Surrounded block.  I only need three more Burgoyne blocks, so I think I'll just go ahead and finish them.  Maybe I won't make any mistakes if I do them all at the same time!

The days of pink for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge are winding down, but there's still plenty of inspiration at the weekly link-up.

Making More Pink Scraps

Pink is the color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this month.  As I looked through my fabric bins, I realized my scrappy pink choices were getting a little thin.  That meant I needed to make some more scraps, i.e. indulge in a little stash enhancement.  Fortunately, I found some great pink fat quarters and have sliced most of them up into usable strips and chunks to feed the RSC fun!

Before I started on the pink scraps though, I was inspired by the Fourth of July to make a red, white, and blue Burgoyne Surrounded block.

I wanted to use that red, white, and blue print that looks like fireworks as the central fabric for the block.  I'm pretty happy with how it turned out!

I had already cut out this pink and green block last year, but never got around to stitching it.  It went together quickly, although I just now spotted two errors.  Just when I think I can finally make these blocks without mistakes, I mess up!

I used some of my new pink scraps and chunks for two Sugar Bowl blocks.

They will join previous Sugar Bowl blocks.  I think I only need two more colors to finish out all the blocks for this quilt.

There are still some more pink projects to work on this month, but first I need to go fix that &*@! Burgoyne block.  Go enjoy some pink scrappy projects at the RSC link-up while I practice my seam ripping!

Let the Summer Fun Begin!

Hi blog!  I've missed you!  Life has been keeping me away from you, but I'm back and ready to share some stitching fun.

Summer started out with a family trip to Wisconsin.  Even though I grew up in Florida, I was born in Wisconsin, and both my parents have extensive family history there.  Somehow, I wrangled both boys and my dear hubby into making this trip to visit family and family history sites.  We had a great trip and made lots of great new memories!

Once we got back from our trip, it was back to work and back to stitching.  I needed to make a fourth orange Tiny Tuesday block.  I struck off on my own for this block, as this Hayes Corner block (upper left) tickled my fancy.  

Once the orange Tiny Tuesday blocks were wrapped up, it was time to dig into a new batch of scraps.  Dark blue is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge color for June, and I jumped in and made a blue Burgoyne Surrounded block.  

Next up - Ring of Stars blocks.  They look pretty good in dark blues!

Sugar Bowl blocks are still on the menu, too.  After finishing these RSC blocks, there was a noticeable decrease in the pile of dark blue scraps and chunks!

And so my RSC blocks for the month are done.  There are still Tiny Tuesday blocks to make each week, but now I can direct my stitching time to catching up on my Hospital Sketches blocks.  Of course, there's always temptation inspiration to be found in the weekly Rainbow Scrap link-up!

Orange Scraps Are Very Appealing!

Fabric therapy time has been in short supply the past few weeks.  Happily, I was able to rummage through the orange scraps and put together some blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!

Two orange Sugar Bowl blocks were added to the collection.

I set them together with Sugar Bowl blocks from last year.  The plan is to set the blocks in groups of four like this.

I used some scrappy chunks to make more Ring of Stars blocks.  I'm definitely planning to gift this quilt to a friend when it's finished, but I might have to make one of these for myself!

Bits of this and that got turned into 4-patch blocks.  These go in the Parts Department for now.

One all orange Burgoyne Surrounded block used up a good hunk of scraps.  

I wanted to see how all my Burgoyne colors were balancing out, so they all went for a spin on the design wall.  I still need some pink blocks, more blue blocks, and maybe another purple.  I only need seven more blocks before I can start the assembly process.  The final quilt will have sashing and 9-patch cornerstones (already complete).  

Now that the Rainbow Scrap projects are wrapped up, I'm ready to focus on my Hospital Sketches BOM.  This month's block is a challenge, for sure!

If scrappy quilts are appealing to you, check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge weekly link-up.

Antidote for Age-Shock: April Aqua!

I think most of us would agree that quilt-making equals Fabric Therapy and Fabric Therapy helps us deal with the stresses of life. 💖 Since the beginning of April, I have been using Fabric Therapy as an antidote (or celebration?!) to the observation of another trip around the sun.  

I managed to finish up my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects using this month's soothing color of aqua.

I made two Sugar Bowl blocks to add to the collection.

It was easy to pull together six Ring of Stars blocks using chunks of fabric left over from previous projects.  

An aqua fleur de lis Burgoyne Surrounded block

And an aqua and pink Burgoyne Surrounded

Only seven blocks still needed to complete the requirements for the Burgoyne quilt!

I also pulled out a long-term UFO and decided it needed finishing - now!

The pattern is Merry-Go-Round by Sandy Klop (American Jane Patterns - be careful if you go here - it's a rabbit hole of great pattens!).  It's a fun take on hexagons using fabric strips and an equilateral triangle ruler.  The triangles are assembled in half-hexagons, then sewn into strips, matching hexagon tops and bottoms.  

 I was inspired to try the pattern using a fat quarter collection of tropical brights I purchased at a quilt show many moons ago.  I started the blocks at least ten years ago, but put them away when I needed the design wall for another project.  I "found" the bag of blocks and and scrappy strips a few weeks ago and decided it was time to finish things up.  Since I made my blocks using fat quarters instead of jelly rolls, I had a more limited amount of fabric to make hexagons.  There were enough hexies for a wall-hanging, and that was good enough!  I've gotten all the hexie parts sewn into strips and now need to sew the strips together.  Another UFO will be crossed off the list!

And now that it's Saturday, it's time for the Rainbow Scrap link-up AND more Fabric Therapy!

Rainbow Scrappin' into 2019

It's been a great, scrappy Saturday!  I stitched together some blocks, made some plans for the coming year, and did some machine quilting on mini quilts that have languished too long.

Another year of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge is underway.  Angela, of SoScrappy, provides the rainbow inspiration and a venue to share our projects with others.  It's a great way to use up scraps, and get to know other scrappy-minded quilters.

My RSC goals for this year involve finishing some projects that were inspired in earlier RSC years.  High on my list of things to complete are the remaining blocks for my Burgoyne Surrounded quilt.  After today, I only need ten more blocks!

Today's Burgoyne Surrounded block, brought to you by the color red - the RSC color for January.

Today's red block and last month's red, Christmas-y block will round out my red BS blocks for now.

Burgoynes playing together.  There will also be nine-patch cornerstone blocks and sashing.  Eventually.

(Burgoyne pattern here)

These Sugar Bowl blocks from 2015 were my planning project today.  I've struggled with how I want to use the blocks in a quilt, but I think I've found my solution.  My plan requires 16 more Sugar Bowl blocks and some type of pieced or appliquéd center.  More to follow.

Lastly, as I've been digging around and organizing piles of stuff in my sewing room, I've come across all number of small, unfinished quilt tops.  These babies are from 2013, and were inspired by an RSC color of the month.  The scraps are from my yummy Chocolate Quilt.  These tops were already layered with backing and batting, so all I had to do was quilt them.  I finished the pink one earlier in the week and quilted the red one today.  Now I just have to stitch the binding down and I'll have two more UFOs I can scratch off the list!

For more scrappy inspiration, check out the link-up at Angela's blog.  Enjoy your stitching - especially this coming week - I think we're all going to need some fabric therapy!

The Last Stitches of 2018

Oh December!  How quickly you passed - and how gloomy has been your weather!  Between rain and fog, I feel like I haven't seen the sun all month!

December is always a busy month at my house.  My husband and youngest son both have December birthdays, so we have celebrations beyond the usual.  Stitching takes a back seat to everything else, at least until after Christmas.  I did manage to get the binding finished on two quilts, but stitching binding is not particularly blog-worthy!

After seeing multiple Christmas-themed Burgoyne Surrounded quilts (a Secret Santa Sew Along from Temecula Quilt Company), I was inspired to make a Christmas-y BS block of my own.  Most of the fabrics are vintage prints from the late 1990s - I was so happy to use them!  This will get included in my on-going Burgoyne Surrounded RSC quilt.

I also took some time to take stock of finished and unfinished projects, as well as new quilting ideas that are clamoring for attention.  More on that in a future post.

For the last quarter of 2018, it seemed all I blogged about was finishing stalled projects.  That focus on finishing helped me wrap up lots of quilts.  I need to go back and take pictures of some of these FOs - I'm hopeful we'll have a sunny day soon so I can go outside for a photo shoot.

1. 1.  String Star Memory Quilt.  I used the Spring Clean quilt pattern to make a memory quilt using my late father's shirts and novelty fabrics that reflected his interests and hobbies.  The finished quilt measured 90 inches x 90 inches and was long-arm quilted by Diane D. Knott.  I finished up the binding about a week before Christmas and immediately shipped it off to my mom so she could open it on Christmas Day.
2. A Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilt begun in 2016.  Also long-arm quilted by Diane Knott.  I finished hand stitching the binding and label yesterday; I also added a hanging sleeve.
3. Feed Sack Bags - a tote bag pattern by Joanna Figueroa.
4. Pensacola Sailboats.  Wall-hanging size quilt made with souvenir blocks from the Pensacola Quilters' Guild Show in 1993.  Hand quilted.
5. Red, white, and blue scrappy 16-patch and pinwheels.  Started as a Rainbow Scrap Challenge project, inspired by a Bonnie Hunter pattern.  Gifted to my uncle, a U.S. Air Force veteran.
6. Austen Family Album, a Barbara Brackman BOW dedicated to Jane Austen.  Long-arm quilted by Cindy Braiwick.  Another large quilt, 88 inches x 88 inches.  Also needs better pictures!

The focus on finishing also got me several completed quilt tops, which will move to the "Quilting Needed" queue for 2019.

1. Tonganoxie Nine Patch.  The nine patch blocks were from a swap sponsored by Barb Vedder at Fun with Barb.  Barb's swap included a great tutorial on making speedy nine patch blocks.
2. (Not) Modern Crosses.  A Rainbow Scrap Challenge project, inspired by a pattern in Modern Log Cabin Quilting.  My quilt is not modern because I used reproduction fabrics.
3. The Cow Quilt.  An on-again, off-again project started years and years ago.  The top is finished, but I haven't begun to think about how to quilt it.
4. Flutter Wheel.  Another Rainbow Scrap Challenge project.  
5. Grandmother's Choice, a Barbara Brackman BOW in honor of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution.

Maybe it's a good thing we have been having gloomy weather!  What better activity for a rainy day than binge-watching a new show, or listening to an audiobook while hand-stitching binding on a quilt?  All of these are in the pile of quilts needing binding.

1. Windblown Wishes.  Inspired by a pattern from Diane D Knott's Scrap Quilt Secrets AND long-arm quilted by Diane!
2. English Garden.  Pattern by Kaye England from the booklet Vintage Gathering.  Quilt started in a class with Kaye, 2005.
3. Origami Bow-Ties.  3-D Bow-Tie pattern with machine-appliqued border.
4. Rainbow Scrap Sampler 2014.

I'm sure the last day of the year will have some stitching opportunities - there are plenty of projects to choose from!  We don't do much to celebrate New Year's Eve - a fun meal and a bottle of champagne will suffice.  Our dogs hate the noise of fireworks, so we'll probably be up at midnight to try to calm them down.  Here's to lots of fun stitching in 2019!

Cheating on the No New Project Diet

I've been on a (No) New Project Diet for several weeks now.  My goal has been to finish up some long-standing projects before I start anything new.  

The diet has been working pretty well, but sometimes it's hard to resist the urge to have some creative fabric play.  Inspiration struck this week when I decided it was OK to indulge in fabric play - for a project that was already under way.

I started making Burgoyne Surrounded blocks last year as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  I hadn't made any for several months, but the need for some fabric therapy got me going again.  The RSC color(s) for this month are dark green and sage.  The starting fabric for this block was the small green floral.  The scraps didn't lead in exactly the dark green direction I intended, but I like the result. 

This block started with the dark green batik.  I haven't sewn all the parts together yet, but you can see how I handle all the little pieces.  First, sew the different block units (9 patches, 4 patches, etc.) together, then assemble all the parts into rows.

We are having glorious Autumn weather here in our neck of the Gu'f Coast.  Dear Hubby and I both took Friday off from work (gotta use those vacation days, they disappear at the end of the year!) and have been chillin' at our camp.  Of course being at the camp means I get to sew on my Singer 15K treadle.  I enjoyed many happy hours of stitching this weekend!

And what was I stitching?  Some 9-patches from a swap organized by Barb at Fun With Barb.  This project has been on my Finish It list for over a year.  I'm so happy to finally be assembling these into a quilt top!  This picture is a tease, because the final block arrangement will be very different.

And since we're enjoying the camp, I decided it was time to hang my New Orleans Sunflowers quilt.  This was my first hand appliqué quilt.  My inspiration was a pattern by Anita Shackleford.  Dear Hubby made the quilt hanger for me.

I haven't given up on the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, so I'm linking up with them this week.  It's always great to see all the colorful inspiration on display!  

Scrappy Building Blocks

It's a new month and a new color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  This month we are challenged to use our light green and lime green scraps.  I have plenty of scraps in that fit the description, so I got to work!

I had enough 1.5" strips to make two 49-patch blocks.  I'll keep making these 7 inch blocks for the rest of the year - maybe I'll have enough for a quilt at the end of the year!

A few more scraps made some HSTs to go in the border I'm planning for the Windblown Wishes quilt.

I made this light green Burgoyne Surrounded block last year.  I looked through the scrap stash and nothing in the lime green family jumped out at me, so I'll wait until we do dark green scraps to create another green Burgoyne block.

All of these pinwheel blocks were an RSC project last year.  I finished assembling them into 9-patches earlier this week.  Next up:  sashing and cornerstones (more pinwheel blocks!).  

For more scrappy inspiration, check out the linky party for the RSC 2018!