March Comes in with the Scraps

 I don't know about you, but for the past two weeks I've been struggling to stay focused on long-term or complicated quilt projects. It's not that I've lost my sewing mojo, just that complicated pattern instructions or large piecing projects just seem overwhelming.  Simplicity has been the rule of the day.

In that case, hurrah for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!

Antique Tile blocks couldn't be simpler.  A couple of squares, a couple of rectangles, sew everything into 9-patch components - pretty soon you have a finished 12-inch square.  

BTW, this month's color for the RSC is yellow. 😎

 I was able to use up some vintage scraps here - the blue and yellow print is 20 years old.

 The sunflower print is another vintage fabric.  I'll be sad when I've used up the last of these scraps!

The Blackford's Beauty blocks require a little more concentration, but after you've made a few of them, they're not that difficult.  Just assemble the pieces into 9-patch units and sew everything together as you would a 9-patch block.

 After making a BB block in bright yellow scraps, dig out some reproduction yellow/gold scraps and make another block.  I think most of the scraps here were generated during Barbara Brackman's Stars in a Time Warp BOW.  Which reminds me I still haven't assembled my SIATW blocks.
 

 You may recall a few weeks ago I was working on a tulip block project for my quilt group.  Tulips are not traditional spring flowers in New Orleans because our climate is not all that favorable to them.  However, they can be coaxed into blooming, and we love the results.

The largest park in New Orleans - City Park - shares a tulip garden every year on the shores of their Big Lake.  This is just a small slice of the scenery, taken the Saturday after Mardi Gras.  Happy Spring!

February Mini: Scrappy Snowballs

 I have had Snowball quilt blocks on the brain since the beginning of 2022.

Snowballs may seem a bit out of place in New Orleans, especially since our winter weather rarely features snow.  

The last time it snowed in New Orleans was December, 2008.  Hardly enough snow for snowballs!
 

 On the other hand, we love our warm-weather snowballs, and consider our version of the summer-time treat to be the best!

The first ice shaving machine was invented in New Orleans in 1936.  The SnoWizard machine started the  New Orleans snowball tradition, and the popularity of snowballs has never waned.

Our snowballs are made with finely shaved ice and heavenly syrup flavors.  At your neighborhood snowball stand you'll find a myriad of fruit flavors as well as local favorites like wedding cake and cream of nectar (nectar was a popular local soft drink flavor back in the day: a combo of almond and vanilla).   There are even "gourmet" snowball emporiums that dish out flavors like vanilla orchid cream, rosehips raspberry, and ginger cayenne.

But I digress.  

 

 My February mini was inspired by a similar quilt I saw online, and the happy chance of finding a stack of 2.5 inch blue squares in my reproduction fabric scrap bin.

The snowballs finished at 2 inches.  The checkered border didn't work out exactly, but that's OK with me.  Most of the fabrics in the top were scraps - just a small amount of yardage was cut to get enough snowball blocks...and the binding.

I found this cute teacup toile in my stash - just right for the backing.

I used a single fold binding again for this quilt.  I'm definitely glad I added this technique to my bag of quilting tricks.

And now I hope I've satisfied my craving for snowballs!

Rainbow Scrap Surprise

 I did not anticipate doing any Rainbow Scrap Challenge sewing this month.

I thought my only ongoing RSC project this year would be to make and assemble Antique Tile blocks.  And maybe assemble some neglected RSC blocks from previous years, but that was really more wishful thinking than an actual plan.

The RSC color for February is teal, and I had already made teal Antique Tile blocks last August, so - no new RSC sewing, right?

Not so fast!  As I was digging through the box of reproduction fabric scraps, looking for fabrics for an entirely different inspiration, I came across a hunk of 2-inch teal strips.  Were there enough strips and enough variety to make a Blackford's Beauty block?

Well yes - another Blackford's Beauty block created!

Hmmm...I also made a Blackford's Beauty block in bright fabric scraps last month.  Are there enough scrappy teal brights to make another BB block?

And another block joins the bunch!

The blocks finish at 12 inches, so if I want a bed-sized quilt I'll need more than just one block per month.  Maybe an alternate chain block?

There's still plenty of time to think about how to put these blocks to use, so for now I'm just going to enjoy making them every month!

Return of the Flying Mimosas

 

I'm happy to be sharing a February Finish:  Flying Mimosas!

Finished size:  76" x 84"

 The quilt was inspired by a Missouri Star Quilt company Triple Play video featuring Flying Geese quilt block patterns.

I had the perfect fabric bundle for the quilt aging in my stash - Mimosa by Another Point of View for Windham Fabrics.  Hence the name "Flying Mimosas"!

Diane Knott of Butterfly Threads Quilting did the long-arm quilting for me. 

 

 

I found just the right binding fabric at my local quilt store, and used it for bias binding.  Bias stripes are one of my favorite bindings!

I meant to use machine stitching for the entire binding, but my brain was on auto-pilot and I sewed the binding to the front of the quilt instead of the back.  Oops, that meant hand stitching the binding to the back of the quilt.

Having the quilt cover me during stitching was a good way to keep warm during the chilly weather we've been having!

 

This was definitely a fun quilt to make!  

I just need to add a label, and then it will be ready to gift to a special family friend.  

 

I also came up with a tulip quilt block pattern to share with my quilt group for March's lotto block.

I incorporated piecing techniques from a couple of different tulip block patterns to come up with my block.  Of course I had to make several of them to make sure the pattern worked OK!

February: Flannel and Tulips

 I didn't know February would be for Flannel, but I've just finished assembling a flannel quilt top and I didn't go crazy working with that notoriously difficult fabric!

I bought a flannel fat quarter bundle last fall and used some of the pieces to make pillows for my oldest son:

 

 

I had a vague idea I would use the remains of the FQ bundle to make a quilt for him, even though I really dislike working with flannel fabric.

 

When I saw the Harmony flannel quilt pattern from Carried Away Quilting, I thought it would be a good way to use up my flannel remainders.  I purchased the pattern and some additional flannel yardage and started cutting and sewing.

I didn't want to have a lot of leftovers - because I don't like sewing with flannel - so I simplified the block requirements and went with just solid navy blue flannel.  

The sashing around the blocks is a heather gray flannel and the cornerstones are also navy.

 

Finally, I added a black four inch border and pronounced it done.  Yes, the backing will also be flannel, but that's a story for another time.

BTW, if you're considering a flannel quilt, here are some things that might make life easier for you:  pre-wash your fabric, use a walking foot on your sewing machine, decrease the pressure from your presser foot, and increase your stitch length.  I practiced all these techniques, but I'll still never voluntarily make another flannel quilt!

I needed some distractions while I was working with the flannel, so I contemplated lotto blocks for my small, local quilt guild.

I volunteered to coordinate lotto blocks for February.  There are only 18 quilters in the group, so it's not a huge project to prep for.  On the other hand, I'm a new member and don't really know much about the group's past projects.

 

This is the lotto block for January!  

The coordinator provided ALL the fabric AND did all the cutting (Accuquilt to the rescue).  This is not typical of the group's lotto projects, but it still gave me a lot to think about.

 

I wanted something simple to construct, but seasonal and different.  

I think my choice is going to be tulip blocks.

I studied a bunch of different blocks online, then started playing.

 

I took the two designs I liked best and tweaked the block size and piecing techniques.  

 

 

Do you have a favorite?

I think a tulip wall hanging or table topper is in my future.  These are too cute to just make one block.  In my research I learned there are purple tulips...and I love the color purple, so I think the color scheme is decided!

 

 

 

January Minis

I've had my "Calorie-Free Chocolates" quilt on the dining room display hanger since the holidays.   Looking at those chocolate Nine Patch and Snowball blocks every day inspired me to try some mini snowballs and nine patches this month.

I had just enough chocolate fabric scraps and some chocolate-y brown fabric to make two six-inch mug rugs.  I used Barb Vedder's Nine Patch tutorial to make two sets of Nine Patch blocks.  

I even had some chocolate-dipped strawberry fabric scraps to use for the backs.  

I had designs on making at least one additional Snowball-themed project, but got distracted by other ideas!

 

For example, as I was digging through the drawers looking for French General fabrics, I came across a group of scraps I had saved in a plastic bag.  

The leftovers were from a fabric collection called "Alice's Washday Blues" by Blue Hill Fabrics.  I had used the collection to make blocks for Barbara Brackman's Grandmother's Choice BOW.  

I kept all the scraps together in hopes of using them up in another project, but forgot about them until discovering them earlier this month.  Thinking about Janet's "baggie challenge", I decided it was time to put those scraps to work!

I had a new-to-me 3.5 inch tumbler die for the Accuquilt cutter, and I decided tumbler blocks would be a great scrap-buster.  I thought the Alice scraps might be a little bland on their own, so I found a hunk of red to spice things up a little.  Since my goal was to use up as many scraps as possible, I just kept adding blocks until I ran out of tumblers.

 

A different red fabric for the binding...and I used a single binding this time.  I don't know why I never tried single binding before, but it works great, especially if you follow another of Barb's tutorials. 

A final row of tumblers on the back, two slices of backing left from a previous project, and outline quilting finish the project.

 

 I wasn't going to add a label, but inspiration struck today and I had a name: Alice's Last Washday.  I also found this sliced piece of selvedge, so I'm trying to come up with a way to incorporate it into the label.

And so goes my monthly mini tale!  Many thanks to Wendy (The Constant Quilter) for encouraging mini madness for another year!

January Ends & Odds

 I don't want to jinx myself for the rest of the year, but if I can keep up the sewing pace I set in January, I'll get all my goals accomplished!   Hahaha - who am I fooling?!

I experimented with a couple of potential new Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks, but in the end decided this was not the time to start a new RSC project.  That may change as the year goes on, but for now I'm going to attempt to finish some RSC UFOs before I tackle something new.

The Antique Tiles block is a carry-over from 2021.  These three blocks feature January's RSC color:  red.  I don't have an entire rainbow's worth of these blocks yet, so I'll keep adding to the collection as the year goes on.

While we're talking Rainbow Scrap Challenge:

I just finished stitching this RSC project which features Bonnie Hunter's Easy Breezy block.  I put an audiobook on my phone and plowed through the stitching in about three days.  That's 143 blocks; finished size 66" x 78".  I'll definitely be sending this to the "spa" (Pat Sloan's term for sending a quilt to the longarm quilter), and ultimately gifting it.

And since we all need to have the hope of Spring, I offer a Mary Engelbreit garden-themed panel quilt kit.  Forgive the crazy indoor picture - this is another Dear Hubby-made quilt hanger in our hallway.  It's a great location for displaying quilts, but not great for taking pictures.  I finished hand-stitching the binding on this, but was afraid to wash the quilt.  So - the edges are a little wavy.  I'll have to figure out what I want to do about that.

 

 

Leave it to Mary Engelbreit to layer color and shape and texture!  I follow her on Instagram and I'm always amazed by the creative work she shares.

 

 Happiness Must Be Grown In One's Own Garden.  

Absolutely!

I love the quilting on this!  At first, I didn't think all-over quilting would work, but I decided to jump in and see how I liked it.  Quilting by Diane Knott of Butterfly Threads Quilting.  

 

I'm looking forward to February's quilting endeavors!

Of French Generals and Patchwork Divas

I have been a fan of sunflower-themed quilts since my earliest days as a quilter.

Although I've made several sunflower projects, my Bucket List plan was to make a traditional sunflower (or Russian Sunflower) quilt.

After seeing Cathy's Sunflowers quilt and later, Pat's Diamond Jubilee Sunflowers, I knew it was my turn to give this pattern a whirl.

I had planned to start making Sunflower blocks in January of 2021, but I got side-tracked by a batch of t-shirt quilts.  Determined to get started in early 2022, I made time earlier this week to begin the process.

 The pattern can be found in the 19th Century Patchwork Divas' Treasury of Quilts.

 

 

The pattern calls for 18 blocks set on point, which results in a 74" x 98" quilt.  I don't need a quilt that large, so I'm only going to make 13 blocks.

   

The Patchwork Divas recommend using Marti Michell's Sunburst acrylic template set for accurate piecing.

 

 I actually ordered the templates and made a practice block in December of 2020.  Then the templates and practice block sat in the sewing room giving me pleading looks for a year!

I have been hoarding collecting French General fabrics for several years, so it seemed like a good idea to do a fabric pull from the stash.

 This initial pull really makes me smile - it will be so much fun to cut into all these fabrics!

Last, but not least, I finished the first block! All the diamond and triangle shapes are machine-pieced, but the center circle is appliquéd using the back-basting technique.

The circle will eventually be appliquéd to a background square.  This particular background looks great in person, but not so wonderful through the camera lens.   I'll probably make all the circles first, then decide on different backgrounds for each.

 

 

Starting with Scraps

 My sewing priorities for the beginning of the year included finishing up two Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects from 2021.

 

I finished making all the blocks for the Flashes of Brillance/Sugar Loaf quilt.  Here they are assembled, and waiting to be trimmed according to the pattern.  I really had to steel myself to cut those blocks in half!

 

Aye-yi-yi - and what am I going to do with these sliced up half blocks?!

 

 

Anyway, here is the finished quilt top.  

 

As I was making the original Sugar Loaf blocks, I thought it would be fun to make another version of the quilt in reproduction fabrics.  I still like that idea, but after working with all the bias edges on the blocks and sashing, I'm not in a hurry to do it any time soon! 

Once Flashes of Brillance was down from my design wall, I immediately started laying out another scrappy quilt top.

I've been making Bonnie Hunter's Easy Breezy blocks as a leader-ender project since July, 2020.  I decided it was finally time to assemble a quilt top.  The framed squares were added to boost the quilt size, as the blocks only measure six inches. 

I have some dedicated sewing ahead of me to get them all stitched together!

I haven't decided on a Rainbow Scrap Challenge project for 2022.  Last week I made a Blackford's Beauty block in modern fabrics, then followed up by making another block in reproduction style fabrics.  

 

I love how the repro fabrics look in this block, but since the blocks finish at twelve inches, I'd feel compelled to make more than one block each month.  That would entail a good bit of cutting/prep work (i.e. making scraps), so I'm not sure I want to commit to the project.

In the meantime, Gayle (mangofeet) showed one of her new RSC blocks - framed stars - which I've always wanted to try.  I haven't tried my own version yet, but that's on tap for this week.