The Never-Ending Scraps

 The Rainbow Scrap Challenge trick or treats into October with a call to use lime green scraps.

I have already been digging through some lime green scraps for my flamingo fabric string piecing project, so it didn't take long to make some scrappy lime green blocks.

The top Antique Tile block contains some Tula Pink scraps I'm trying to use up.  The lime green is a bit different, but I went with it anyway.

The second block was inspired by some Kaffe Fassett Roman Glass fabric.  

I think I have some more Antique Tile blocks up my sleeve - the month isn't over yet!

When you have leftover flamingo fabrics, of course you try to incorporate them into as many scrap quilts as possible!

In fact, all of these fabrics are leftover from the Flamboyant Flamingos quilt. 

 

I've cut and prepped the strips for another Sugar Loaf block.  The strip sections are sub-cut at a 60 degree angle into 2-inch wide strips.  The strips all get background (white) triangles added to the outside edge, then all the pieces are assembled into the familiar star shape.  This process is best done when one is rested and energized for careful piecing!
 

A Little September Scrappiness

 Yes indeed - it's already October, but I haven't shared my September scrappy stitching.

I'm still playing along with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, using Angela's color cues to stitch up scraps into blocks and ultimately into quilts.  September's scrappy color was orange.

I started making Sugar Loaf blocks in January of 2021, with the goal of having enough blocks for the Flashes of Brilliance quilt by the end of the year.  I used the orange bandana print as my starting point for the fabrics in this block.

This one was inspired by the red and orange leaf print.  We don't have much in the way of autumn leaves here in south Louisiana, so this is as close as I'll get to leaf "peeping"! 

I still need seven more blocks, so I may not finish up by the end of the year.  

 

I added the Antique Tiles block to my RSC plans a couple of months ago.  This block is a great scrap buster!

 

I had no orange Easy Breezy blocks in the pile, so I added some of those as well.  I need to play with these blocks and see if I have enough for a quilt.  Maybe this will be a finish by year's end!

 

Don't Forget the Scraps!

 I've been focused on other quilting projects this month, but I still found some time to work on Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks.

The RSC color for August was teal/aqua.  I found lots of scraps and chunks to use, but I also cut into some yardage and made new scraps.

Taking inspiration from Gayle at Mangofeet and Cathy at Sane, Crazy, Crumby Quilting, I started making some Antique Tile blocks.  These are great scrap busters!  You can find instructions and more inspiration at Generations Quilt Patterns.

I'm still making Sugar Loaf blocks using the instructions from American Patchwork and Quilting October 2015.

I used some previously uncut Bonnie and Camille yardage for this block.  It felt good to cut into some fabric that had been marinating for a long time!

Talk about fortuitous use of scraps - the outer print in this block is leftovers from a pillowcase I had just made to hold a gifted quilt.  It's a neat print of tropical birds and foliage, but with a watercolor painting-like feel.

Looking through my stack of Easy Breezy blocks, I noticed there were almost no aqua/teal blocks.  That was quickly remedied.

Two other scrappy projects crossed my path this month - lotto blocks from a newly joined local quilting group.  

New Orleans doesn't really have a city-wide quilting guild.  Instead, we have the region-wide Gulf States Quilting Association, which covers Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida (mostly just the panhandle area).  The group sponsors quilt shows, quilting education, and meets quarterly in different locations throughout the Gulf Coast.

Under the Association's umbrella, different localities have their own quilting organizations.  Some are large, traditional quilt guilds, others are smaller, informal gatherings.  New Orleans and the surrounding area has multiple small gatherings/groups.  I was recently invited to join one of these groups; they keep the membership around 20 members due to meeting place size constraints.  I attended my first meeting at the end of July.  I look forward to getting to know the group better!

They do lotto blocks every month.  Each month, a different member chooses the lotto block and provides instructions and background fabric.

The July block was this spool pattern.  I made mine retro-actively.

For August, the lotto blocks had a New Orleans twist.  

The lotto leader wanted to decrease her large stash of New Orleans-themed fabric scraps, so she chose the Jenny Lane house blocks pattern from Missouri Star Quilt Company.  

The leader provided all the pre-cut fabrics instead of just the background fabric.  My fabrics included illustrations of New Orleans shotgun houses and a plate of Cafe du Monde beignets.  The winner of the lotto blocks will receive everyone's house blocks, plus a copy of the Jenny Lane pattern, so they can assemble the entire quilt.  

We are in hurricane prep mode.  The National Hurricane Center says Ida has the potential to be a Category 3 storm at landfall.  Whatever happens, we're probably in for some rough weather over the next couple of days.  As our governor says, we plan for the worst and hope for the best!

Purple Flashes of Brilliance

 I did a little playing with purple scraps this month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  My initial thought when I looked through my purple scrap/yardage drawer was that it was time to make a mostly purple scrap quilt.  There are lots of chunks of purple fabric just waiting to get used up.  Unfortunately, the thought didn't evolve into a plan, so no purple scrap quilt has gotten started.  

On the other hand, I did manage to make two Sugar Loaf blocks using purple scrap chunks.

One lavender Sugar Loaf block.

And one darker purple block. 

The Flashes of Brilliance quilt calls for 25 blocks.  I've completed 12 so far, using the RSC monthly colors.  

The scraps from cutting the Sugar Loaf blocks are great for making Easy Breezy blocks.  

While I had purple on the brain, I remembered a quilt kit I had purchased from the Quilted Owl (alas, now closed) several years ago.  

Photo courtesy of the Quilted Owl.

The quilt pattern, Pyramid, is from the book Traditional Fat Quarter Quilts by Monique Dillard.

The fabrics are from a collection called New Orleans 1850 by Newcastle Fabrics.

I got all the quilt parts and pieces cut out this week.  So I guess instead of making a purple scrap quilt, I'll be making a purple-by-design quilt.  I love the color purple, so I'm a happy camper either way!

Rainbow Scrappy Red

  I have not been doing much new Rainbow Scrap Challenge sewing this year.  I have been trying to make at least two Sugar Loaf blocks (aka Flashes of Brilliance/APQ October 2915) each month using the RSC colors.  This month's color was red, so I had fun trying to put together light and dark scrappy strips for the blocks.

I guess this selection of fabrics didn't provide high contrast, but I like the result anyway.

When I look at this block out of the corner of my eye, I'm reminded of Pizza Margherita!

And with the leftover bits, I made some Easy Breezy blocks.

Looking forward to a new color challenge for next month's blocks!

Spring Scraps

Usually, it's quilts and fabric making the loudest clamor at my house.  This month however, other projects have crowded out the quilts.

Circa 1990s kitchen

For example, we've decided to go ahead with last year's plan to update our kitchen with new cabinets.  Turns out, during the pandemic everyone decided to update their kitchen and now there's a looong wait time for supplies and contractors.  We're going to proceed, but with the understanding this project may not come to fruition quickly.  Hmm, sounds like the quilt-making process!

Louisiana Iris in bloom

Then there's gardening.  The unusual hard freeze in February damaged some of our landscaping, so there was that to deal with.  Plus, in our neck of the woods it's now time for planting veggies, so we've been busy with that as well.

Best of all - socializing!!  Good friends and former neighbors from Florida drove over for a long weekend.  We've all been vaccinated and passed the immunity waiting period, so it was a joy to have guests in our home!  Next up:  my mom just got her second vaccine, so a trip to visit her is on the horizon.

I did manage to spend some quality time working on quilts this week, and it was lovely!  I focused on catching up with some Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects.

I've been trying to finish this quilt featuring bright prints in rainbow colors.  My original plan was to use random print setting squares at the intersecting sashing points.  However, after getting all the blocks pinned to the design wall I decided they needed something to pull them all together.  I found a dark teal Moda Grunge fabric in my stash that makes a great setting square.  I needed to order more of the fabric online, so while waiting I assembled all the rows.  

One of my year-long projects for 2021 is making Sugar Loaf blocks following the Rainbow Scrap Challenge color order.  Yellow was February's color. 

Yellow Sugar Loaf block #2.  The pattern for these blocks is from American Patchwork & Quilting, October 2015.

And some Easy Peasy Breezy blocks made with 2 inch scraps.

Moving on to green, the March Rainbow Scrap Challenge color.  This pattern uses strip piecing and it's been a challenge to find scrappy chunks and fat quarters to meet the fabric requirements.  Strips need to be at least 20 inches long, so that rules out lots of scrappy bits.

I was determined to use that shamrock fabric in one of the green Sugar Loaf blocks; this is what happened!

More Easy Breezy blocks.  

I'm ready for the April RSC color.  Bring it on!

Still Rainbow Scrappin'!

 It's a new year for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, hosted by Angela at Soscrappy.  The challenge is all about using scraps, and making scrappy quilts.  I never get tired of scrappy quilts, so I've had fun playing along with the challenge for the past nine years!

Each month, Angela announces a color to focus on while using our scraps.  January's color has been pink.  Despite being distracted by some other quilting projects, I managed to also work on two pink scrappy projects.

Last year, Cathy at Sane, Crazy, Crumby Quilting started making these Sugar Loaf blocks.  She was inspired by an American Patchwork and Quilting pattern by Pam Buda, "Flashes of Brilliance".  The lightbulb went off in my head, reminding me I had that magazine issue and that quilt was on my bucket list.  I knew it was time to start that quilt.

Unfortunately, 2020 went by and the quilt didn't get started.  I was determined to make the quilt in 2021, and following the Rainbow Scrap Challenge monthly schedule seemed like a good way to work through the blocks.

I wasn't sure I would get two blocks made in January, but after making the first block, the process was less intimidating and went quickly.  

I look forward to playing with lots of scrappy chunks trying to come up with good fabric combos for the blocks!

I started making Bonnie Hunter's Easy Breezy (aka Easy Peasy) blocks last year, but didn't make much progress.  I plan to keep making them this year and managed to knock out a few with new and old pink scraps.

There's a weekly link-up for anyone playing along with the RSC, so if you like scrappy, colorful quilts, stop by and see what everyone else is making.