April Digest

 Although I spent a large chunk of April focused on finishing the T-Shirt Quiltathon, I also managed to work on a few other projects.

During one of our recent phone calls, my mom mentioned buying paper napkins.  I realized I had never made her any cloth napkins, so I got busy and pulled some fun prints and started stitching.

Once I got started, I was on a roll and made some for my sister, too.

Dear Hubby and I (and McKenzie, our dog), took a road trip to Florida last weekend to visit family, so I was able to present each set of napkins in person.  Yay for vaccines!

While I was digging through the flamingo fabric stash to find fabric for my t-shirt quilt pillowcase, this 'mingo fabric spoke up and told me it was ready to be in the spotlight.

I used a tote bag pattern I had pinned to a Pinterest board ages ago.  The pattern is free from the All People Quilt website.  You'll have to register with APC if you want to download a printed version of the pattern.   It's a quick project - you may even be able to make it with supplies on hand.  If I were to make the bag again, I'd add some refinements like an interior pocket (or two) and a magnetic or zipper closure.  

A monthly project this year to to make Sugar Loaf blocks following the Rainbow Scrap Challenge monthly color selection.  April's challenge was to use light blue and bright blue scraps.  I went for the low volume look with this light blue block.

And switching over to bright blues, I put this block together based on the tropical fish (outer row) fabric.

Using scraps from various April projects, I put together some Easy Breezy blocks.

Last but not least, I finally got all the parts and pieces assembled for the 25-patch star quilt top.  

My original plan was to add a plain white border with a narrow strip of the turquoise fabric used for the cornerstones.  But last week, I started hearing whisperings that maybe an appliquéd vine, flower, and leaf border would look good.  I guess that will be a project for May!

A Few More Sawtooth Stars in Aqua...and Napkins

The Rainbow Scrap Challenge is still focused on aqua, teal or turquoise - colors that remind me of past trips to islands in the Caribbean!  I stitched up a few more Sawtooth Stars this week, thanks to the parts and pieces I prepped a few weeks ago.

 

I think I've just about used up all the bits of that brush-stroke aqua fabric in the upper left.

 

And here are all of this month's stars together.  My current plan is to set all these 4" RSC stars medallion-style, maybe with some bright folk-art applique in the center.

My sewing plan for today was to make some new cloth napkins.  I've been making and using cloth napkins since my boys went off to college.  I try to keep a good stash on hand, but lately my oldest son's dog has been stealing them from the table and chewing them to bits.

 

The stripe and paisley fabrics had been in the stash for a long time, and I decided I'd probably never use them in a quilt.  The moose novelty fabric was at my husband's request.  My weekday dishes are a brown transferware, so these colors all work just fine.   If you're interested in making your own napkins, a good tutorial can be found here.  Starch is very useful in making crisp mitered corners on these!

Time to go help DH with dinner preparations - we're making pizza on the grill tonight with basil and tomatoes from our garden.  In between preparations, I'll be checking out all the other aqua RSC inspiration at Angela's blog.

Wrapping Up Rainbow Scraps

Time has slipped away from me, as it always does between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Two family birthdays, celebrations and socializing, shopping and cooking - plus work - it all takes me away from fabric therapy.   I think the last time I spent quality time with my sewing machine was the week before Thanksgiving!

I do have a few Rainbow Scrap Challenge loose ends to tie up before the end of the year, so I'll be posting some random Finished Objects as time permits. 

Once my kids left home, I decided it was time to use cloth napkins at mealtime.  Since it's usually only DH and I at dinner, we re-use our napkins for a week or so before throwing them in the laundry.  I've got a pretty good stash of napkins now, so if guests show up for dinner, there are always plenty of clean ones.  This brown checked fabric got pulled out of the stash for the November Rainbow Scrap Challenge color, and when I saw the date 1988 on the selvedge, I knew it was time to use up as much of the fabric as possible!

DH spotted this dog-themed fabric at Hobby Lobby and asked for some dog napkins.  They kinda go with my china, doncha think?

Napkins are easy sewing and make great gifts.  If you're feeling inclined, a good tutorial can be found here.

I never knew napkin folding could be so much fun - step by step instructions can be found here.