GO! ABCs Orange Letters

 Orange you glad I worked on my letter blocks today?  Here's my progress on the four orange blocks:

You can find the pattern for the GO! ABCs Throw Quilt Pattern on the Accuquilt site here.  It's a free download as of right now.

A Tuesday Finish -- Orphan Block Table Topper

 Yesterday I finished this Christmas orphan block.  I made it into a little table topper.

I found this orphan block last week while looking for backing fabrics for another quilt.  I remember it was a quilt along block.  I don't remember which one.  I had the great idea to only use Christmas fabrics for the  quilt.  I didn't really like the looks of this block, so I discontinued participating in the QA.

This is probably how it will look for a while with things thrown on top of it.  It's only a matter of time before it gets covered with a bunch of Christmas snowmen or decorations that Owen decides to put on it.

I didn't get my OMG quilt (Gobble Gobble) quilted this month.  It will most likely end up being a birthday present for my SIL since she liked it so much.  Her birthday isn't until September.  It will stay on the WIP list for a while.

Botanical -- From Scrappy Improv Quilts

 Today I finished my Botanical quilt.  This fun pattern can be found in the book, Scrappy Improv Quilting.

I don't usually do improv quilts, but this one took me out of my comfort zone in a fun way.  I do plan to make a few more table toppers such as this from the book.  I will probably use larger neutrals so that it's not so "seamy".  It measures a nice 24" square.  I really like the darker neutral used as the binding.

I practiced a little improv quilting as well.

I'm linking up at Joy's blog for the Table Scraps Challenge.

This project originally started because of two other challenges I found while reading Joy's blog.  

The two were at The Constant Quilter.  You can see the November challenge results here.

The other challenge was The Monthly Mini Maker Baggie Challenge at Rogue Quilter.

This challenge started out by working from something I had sitting around in a bag:

The pieces were quite small.

I'm also linking up at Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making.

House #8 -- Cabins by the Lake

 I'm still keeping up with my one house per week until this flimsy is done.  Here's House #8 for the Cabins by the Lake quilt.  This is a Fons & Porter pattern.

RSC21 -- Rainbow Sewing

 I've been working on a few odds and ends to some RSC21 projects.  We had a very low-key, low drama Thanksgiving.  We put a puzzle together as a family.  Then there was some "free time".  I sewed!  I made several letters for my GO! ABCs Throw Quilt.  This is a free pattern (at this time) on the Accuquilt site.  You can find it here.  I need to complete five orange letters and three more red letters before I can turn these blocks into a flimsy.

Earlier this week I had time to make the purple row of my Stay Centered quilt.  This is also a 2021 RSC project.  It is coming along nicely.  One orange row to go.  Stay Centered is a free pattern on the APQS site.  You can find it here.

I'm linking up with Angela at SoScrappy for the RSC21.  I'm linking up to the Scrap Happy Saturday post here.

Thanksgiving Morning Sewing

 Ahhh.  The turkey is ready to stick in the oven.  I made the extras such as 7-layer salad, deviled eggs, cheesecake, and Dirx pudding yesterday.  Before the parade I had a little quiet time and did a little sewing.  I finished the three purple blocks for my Stay Centered quilt.  

I'm making a lot of great progress using purple scraps these days.  No school until Tuesday.  I hope I get a little extra sewing in this weekend.  My Christmas shopping locally is pretty close to being done.  I just need to grab a few gift cards and do a little online shopping.  Woohoo!  I'm usually an early shopper.  I might even get them wrapped if my husband takes our son for a ride somewhere this weekend.  Something's gotta need parts, right?  It's just that our son is getting so clever on finding unwrapped gifts.  I need to get them wrapped soon.  He wouldn't dare unwrap them.  His OT skills are awesome, but I don't think he'd be able to re-wrap it like an 8-year old (meaning that I wrap like an eight-year-old.  LOL)

Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate!  Praising God for all the blessings in our lives.

WIP Wednesday 11.24.21

 This quilt was added to my list of WIPS this week.  It's not mine, but I will longarm quilt it for a friend.

This week I finished making the one purple block for this crib quilt and assembled it.  It was a project started in 2014 for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC14).  I think it turned out cute and will be a snuggle charity quilt.

I'm super happy to move another project closer to "finished" list!  I am thinking about backing it with a soft fleece.  That would be a quick back because it would be one piece--that is if I have a piece long enough.  Fleece seems to quilt nicely for me.

I reached into another bin of purple and found a large piece and made a pieced back for my Pumpkins & the Beanstalk quilt (it's a Fig Tree & Olive pattern.) I'm happy to move another quilt to the "to be quilted" list!  I had to throw in some greens and a grey, but I'm happy with another pieced back.  They keep things interesting.

I made good use of my waiting time and cut all the neutrals while I waited for our son to finish his weight lifting session at the school.  I LOVE to see the expression of happiness and self confidence when he leaves that gym.  He loves telling me about new exercises that he has learned.  I'm going too have to make sure that the coach that allowed him to do this unusual schedule of weight lifting with the high school students knows how much we appreciate him and his encouragement towards our son.

Here's my little cutting station.  I have to be very, very careful nothing slips and I cut my leather console top!

Yesterday I had time to sew the pieces I cut in the truck together for the Stay Centered quilt.  I kept digging into the purple scrap bag and cut all the pieces for the other three blocks in the row.  I love having little "cut kits" ready for some mindless sewing some days.

More rail fence blocks were made as leader/enders this week.--twenty-two to be exact.  240 of 900 3.5" blocks (3" finished" are complete.  These seem to be adding up fast.

I'm linking up at Quilt Fabrication for Midweek Makers 307.

50 projects on my WIP list, but more and more are closer to the finish.  

Pieces Need to be Cut & Sewn

 1.  Cheddar Jack cat pattern

 2.  Digging up Bones (Owen's dinosaur quilt)

 3.  Rock Island Campfire Quilt

 4.  Picadilly Circle

 5.  ...And Sew On BOM at Quiet Play (one block to go)

 6.  RSC16 Folk Art Birds

 7.  2016 Plus Blocks (from left over pieces of Soul Searching Blocks

 8.  Leah Day Building Blocks QA

 9.  Jelly Roll Rug

10.  Classic Meets Modern BOM

11.   GO! ABC Quilt started during the pink month of RSC21, January 2021

12.  Mod Mod QA (from Block Lotto, circles w/lines)

13.  Stay Centered started February, 2021

14.  Rail Fence Blocks 240/900 complete started during the pink month of RSC21, January 2021

15.  Maroon Sampler Quilt--I found this on 2.6.21

16.  Kite Girl (RSC14)

17.  Amish Country BOM (from Lynn, Johnna's mom)

18.  Cabins at the Lake (from Fons  Porter Magazine) six house blocks complete.

19.  2.5" Scraps from Dani -- making "cracker" blocks

20.  Waffle Blocks (August 2019 -- RSC19)

21.  Little Houses (3.5" blocks)

22.  Kathleen Tracy's 2019 Mystery Quilt Facebook QA started in March, 2019   

23.  Dresser Scarf (My Grandma's WIP from the 1970's found 1/1/20

24.  Gypsy Wife QA started in August 2017

25.  Full Stop, started RSC21 (January,2021)

26.  Bonnie Hunter Box Kite class from March 2017 (need 6 more blocks for 6 x 8 layout)

27.  Unity Quilt Along with Bonnie Hunter (started 4/1/2020)

Blocks Still Need to be Made

 1.  Bluepatch Mystery Quilt

 2.  Finding Nemo Scrappy Trip quilt 

 3.  We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler

 4.  Drunkard's Path Variation quilt

Blocks Are Made But Need to be Sewn Together (and/or Some Sashing)

 1.  Tula Pink's City Sampler 100 Modern Quilt Blocks 5/17/17 QA

 2.  Cruise blocks won from Libby

 3.  Cathy's CRAZY BY DESIGN Dot Dot Dash Bag, Won April, 2018

 4.  Split Stars (blocks won from the Block Lotto, October, 2012)

 5.  African Violet baby quilt (Block Lotto inspired)

 6.  Tall Fly (blocks won from Block Lotto; October 2012)

 7.  Pre-printed cross stitch pillow sham (May 2018)

 8.  Sonja's Windows string quilt

 9.  Flower Baskets (blue and white with some applique) Block Lotto win 10/1/18

Quilt Back Needs to be Made (Tops are Done)

1.  Card Trick (pink and blue)

2.  Hunter Green Star Quilt

3.  Good Fortune -- A Bonnie Hunter Mystery started Thanksgiving weekend, 2018

Ready to Longarm

1.  Bubble Gum Pink & Navy Quilt

2.  Gobble, Gobble, pattern by Lori Holt, started February 2021 (back made 11.15.21)

3.  Botanical from Scrappy Improv Quilting, November 20217 (on the frame)  

4.  Rescue Quilt from my SIL (patchwork squares)

5.  Pink Patchwork Quilt (CM) longarm quilting for a friend with Cosmos

6.  Pumpkins & the Beanstalk (a 2nd quilt)

7.  Slabs with White Rectangle (Started RSC14) 

Cutting on the Go!

Here's my cutting area in my truck -- yes, I'm determined to move these RSC projects forward.  I graded my neutral bin of 2.5" strips, two rulers, and my rotary cutter.  I'm cutting strips for my Stay Centered quilt which is a Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC21) project that I started this year.

It's not the ideal cutting table, but it's working at the moment.  My dash is the finished area.

Our son is excited to participate in weight lifting with the school a couple times a week.  It doesn't make sense for me to drive him there, drive home, and drive back to pick him up.  At 7:30am I don't have many errands to run.  I could walk on the track, but brrrr.  It's been cold in the mornings.  I usually have something in my sew-to-go bag to hand stitch, but I just wanted to make more progress on my RSC projects to get them closer to a finish.  BIG finishes in the works for 2022.

Here's my Stay Centered quilt where it last left off.  I hope to have the purple made in the next week or so.

House #7

 Another week, another house for my Cabins by the Lake quilt (from Fons & Porter.) This is house #7 of 12.  I really like the colors on this one.  I found a couple more flannels in my stash that coordinated with the other fabrics nicely.

Here it is with the other blocks so far.  The block that is not attached is the first one I made.  It is block #12.  (I'm trying to get my colors spread out by a chart that I am using in conjunction with the pattern.)

An RSC14 Flimsy -- Slabs With a White Rectangle

 Yesterday I finished the purple block for this little crib quilt.  It's called Slabs With a White Rectangle (creative name, right?) LOL.  It was a project I started in 2014 for the RSC.  

I'm super happy to move another RSC project to the "needs a back" section on my WIP list!

I'm linking up at Angela's blog for the RSC21.

More Longarm Quilting in the Works

 Yesterday I dropped this quilt off to my friend.  I had finished the longarm quilting on it for her.

She was quite pleased with it.  She gave me another quilt for longarm quilting.

Finally!  A feminine quilt.  I have been waiting to use my Circle Lord giant template board called Cosmos on one of her quilts.  Almost all of the previous quilts were for males.  This one is finally for her sister's granddaughter.  The Cosmos design takes a little longer than my other template boards, but the effect is well worth it.  Add another project back to my to-do list.

WIP Wednesday 11.17.21

 I've been quite productive lately.  Here's what happened this week:

I threw together a mini called Botanical from the book Scrappy Improv Quilting.  This is just the flimsy that measures 24" x 24".  I think it will look cute on my kitchen table.

The above Botanical project started by working out of this scrap bag of small strips of neutrals.  After I pieced everything and fluffed up what was in the bag, there is still plenty more to play with.  I can see myself breaking out for a squirrel project and making a few more projects from the book, Scrappy Improv Quilting.

I finished the longarm quilting on my friend's quilt yesterday.  I call it the Draperies Quilt because it was made from her daughter's re-purposed draperies.  Luckily it was a nice quilting cotton.  I quilted it using my Circle Lord giant template board called Swirls.

While sorting projects for the RSC I found this "rescue" quilt that my sister-in-law got at a garage sale for free.  I eventually throw it on the longarm frame.  It does add an item to my project list.  I'll call it Rescue Quilt.  The snow from this weekend has melted.  It is supposed to get up to 63 degrees today.  Ohio...  I will most likely experiment with a 60" fabric that is not cotton in my stash.  I have tons of stuff people didn't want that I can experiment with.  A soft fleece would work for this quilt nicely.  Hope I have one piece long enough.

I made a list of 2022 projects (all but two are already on my list) for the RSC22.  I am telling myself that if I finish two of them that I will allow myself to start two more.  I have been sooooo good this year about not starting too many new projects.  You can see the RSC22 list here.   

21 more rail fence blocks were made as leader/enders this week.  218 of 900 complete.  They are 3.5".

I am progressing a house a week for the Cabins by the Lake quilt from Fons & Porter magazine.  This is house #6.  Working on one block a week for this project is a great strategy for me.

We had our first snowfall!  Everything looks so clean and peaceful.  Yet I know there is a bunch of mud under all this pretty snow.

I'm linking up at Quilt Fabrication for Midweek Makers 306.

I still stand at 49 projects on my WIP list.  I'm very happy that projects are progressing to the "need quilt backs" and "ready to longarm" sections.  Woohoo.  That means more finishes for 2022!

Pieces Need to be Cut & Sewn

 1.  Cheddar Jack cat pattern

 2.  Digging up Bones (Owen's dinosaur quilt)

 3.  Rock Island Campfire Quilt

 4.  Picadilly Circle

 5.  ...And Sew On BOM at Quiet Play (one block to go)

 6.  RSC16 Folk Art Birds

 7.  2016 Plus Blocks (from left over pieces of Soul Searching Blocks

 8.  Leah Day Building Blocks QA

 9.  Jelly Roll Rug

10.  Classic Meets Modern BOM

11.   GO! ABC Quilt started during the pink month of RSC21, January 2021

12.  Mod Mod QA (from Block Lotto, circles w/lines)

13.  Stay Centered started February, 2021

14.  Rail Fence Blocks 218/900 complete started during the pink month of RSC21, January 2021

15.  Maroon Sampler Quilt--I found this on 2.6.21

16.  Kite Girl (RSC14)

17.  Amish Country BOM (from Lynn, Johnna's mom)

18.  Cabins at the Lake (from Fons  Porter Magazine) six house blocks complete.

19.  2.5" Scraps from Dani -- making "cracker" blocks

20.  Waffle Blocks (August 2019 -- RSC19)

21.  Little Houses (3.5" blocks)

22.  Kathleen Tracy's 2019 Mystery Quilt Facebook QA started in March, 2019   

23.  Dresser Scarf (My Grandma's WIP from the 1970's found 1/1/20

24.  Gypsy Wife QA started in August 2017

25.  Slabs with White Rectangle (RSC14 started -- need one purple block for a crib quilt

26.  Bonnie Hunter Box Kite class from March 2017 (need 6 more blocks for 6 x 8 layout)

27.  Unity Quilt Along with Bonnie Hunter (started 4/1/2020)

28.  Full Stop, started RSC21 (January,2021)

Blocks Still Need to be Made

 1.  Bluepatch Mystery Quilt

 2.  Finding Nemo Scrappy Trip quilt 

 3.  We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler

 4.  Drunkard's Path Variation quilt

Blocks Are Made But Need to be Sewn Together (and/or Some Sashing)

 1.  Tula Pink's City Sampler 100 Modern Quilt Blocks 5/17/17 QA

 2.  Cruise blocks won from Libby

 3.  Cathy's CRAZY BY DESIGN Dot Dot Dash Bag, Won April, 2018

 4.  Split Stars (blocks won from the Block Lotto, October, 2012)

 5.  African Violet baby quilt (Block Lotto inspired)

 6.  Tall Fly (blocks won from Block Lotto; October 2012)

 7.  Pre-printed cross stitch pillow sham (May 2018)

 8.  Sonja's Windows string quilt

 9.  Flower Baskets (blue and white with some applique) Block Lotto win 10/1/18

Quilt Back Needs to be Made (Tops are Done)

1.  Card Trick (pink and blue)

2.  Hunter Green Star Quilt

3.  Good Fortune -- A Bonnie Hunter Mystery started Thanksgiving weekend, 2018

4.  Pumpkins & the Beanstalk (a 2nd quilt)

Ready to Longarm

1.  Bubble Gum Pink & Navy Quilt

2.  Gobble, Gobble, pattern by Lori Holt, started February 2021 (back made 11.15.21)

3.  Botanical from Scrappy Improv Quilting, November 20217.  

4.  Rescue Quilt from my SIL (patchwork squares)

Draperies Quilt Complete

 I cranked up the heat in the quilt room and finished the longarm quilting on my friend's quilt today.  I call this the draperies quilt because the focus fabric came from her daughter's re-purposed drapes.  I'm happy they were a nice quality of quilting cotton.

She had enough of the focus fabric for the entire backing.  Woohoo!  AND it was large enough!  I quilted it using my Circle Lord giant template board called Swirls.  Of course that is my most requested design that I put on quilts for friends.  I'm happy that it is done.  She should have time to finish it before Thanksgiving so that she can gift it without shipping it while her family is in town.

I'm happy to cross this off of my To-Do List.  I'm linking up with Texas Quilt Gal for To-Do Tuesday.

The things I need to do this week are:

1.  Finish a pieced back for the Gobble Gobble quilt.

2.  Quilt the Botanicals improv table topper.

3.  Make a purple block with a piece of white in it for an RSC crib quilt.

4.  Make a house block by Sunday.

5.  Put the purple block together with the other five colored blocks and add a border to RSC quilt.

Botanical -- A Scrappy Improv Quilting Quilt

I whipped this little 24" x 24" table topper after I saw a couple of challenges at the October Monthly Mini Challenge at The Constant Quilter in conjunction with The Monthly Mini Maker Baggie Challenge at Rogue Quiler's blog.  It is called Botanical from the book Scrappy Improv Quilting.

I don't have a lot of practice on improv blocks.  I think it turned out kinda cool.  The next time I make a project from this book I will most likely make my made fabric pieces larger.  Some of my scraps were pretty small.

Now I need to be motivated to finish my friend's quilt that is on the longarm frame so that I can quilt this mini.

This little mini was a result of the Squirrel Club.  See Quiltdivajulie's post at Me and My Quilts - Exporing the Possibilities here.

I'm linking up at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework for Oh Scrap!

I'm linking up at Love Laugh Quilt: Monday Making.

We had our first snowfall of this season.  It was beautiful and peaceful and stuck on the ground.  I remembered to take my camera with me when I fed the chickens right before dark.  It was 33 degrees.

My husband has been busy moving all the orchard trees and flowering shrubs and bushes.  More than half of them have been moved.  I moved some ornamental grass, yucka, and peonies.  Glad I got that done!

Happy House Day

 Another house was created this week for my Cabins by the Lake quilt.  This is a Fons & Porter pattern.  This is house #6.

RSC 2022 Projects

At the time of this post I still have 49 projects on my WIP list.  Some of them can be incorporated into my RSC 2022 (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) projects.  Here's some of the scrappy rainbow projects I have happening:

1.  Rail Fence Blocks 

These are 3.5" (3" finished) made from 1.5" strips with a neutral in the middle.  I started making these blocks in 2021.  I am totally a copy cat when it comes to being inspired by Cathy's rail fence quilt.  Cathy blogs at Sane, Crazy, Crumby Quilting.  You can see her amazing rail fence quilt here.  I have 197 of 900 blocks complete.  Here's the ones from last week:

2.  Piccadilly Circle

I started making this quilt in 2014 for the RSC.  In 2021 I made only three of the border pieces (yellow, light green, and dark green).  I made one yellow and one dark green Piccadilly Circle blocks in 2022.  I still need to make circle blocks in dark purple and lime green.  I also need the other border parts.

3.  Kite Girl

All of the Kite Girl blocks are made.  All of the embroidery of the flower stems and kite strings are complete.  This quilt will have an antique look with mint green sashing.  I plan to work on it during the month for light green.  The inspiration for this quilt appeared at Q is for Quilter. I believe I started this project for the RSC in 2014.

4.  GO! ABC Quilt

This quilt was started in January of 2021.  It was an RSC project.  I still need to make twelve letters.  It looks like I need orange, bright blue, maybe more purple and light green?  We'll see how these play together.

5.  Starry Night

These quilt shop hop block kits were given to me by my SIL's mom.  I still have a ways to go on it.  I do like the jewel tones and black (Amish inspired).    I don't have all the block kits.  I'd have to make up something for the alternating block (probably a chain).  That's probably why this one has been sitting on the shelf for so long.

6.  Stay Centered

Stay Centered was also a 2021 start.  I only need a purple row and an orange row to finish this 60" x 70" quilt.  It would be a nice donation quilt for H2H this year.

7.  Full Stop

I'm starting to see a pattern...  This is the RSC21 project.  I need a few more rows.  I will continue with this project.  I am still super happy with the background fabric for this project.  

8.  Cracker Blocks

I started the Cracker Blocks quilt when my friend's daughter gave me a bunch of her fabrics that she was no longer interested in during 2019.  I only made six blocks.  Not much I can do with six blocks.  I'll have to keep going on this one.

9.  Folk Art Birds

I need to locate the paper bird template for this one.  It could be with another bird I had made.  This was a 2016 RSC project start.

10.  Plus Blocks

These plus blocks were also a 2016 start.  I use the ends of the pieces from my Soul Searching quilt to make plusses.    I think I have enough blocks.  I need to add cornerstones and sashing.

11.  Maroon Sampler

This quilt is a combination of different sampler quilts.  I want to say this was around 2013ish for some of the first blocks.  I need to count to see how many I have and go from there.

12.  Box Kite

This was from a Bonnie Hunter workshop back in March of 2017.  I wasn't a big fan of this block pattern, but it was an awesome workshop.  I need to slap 6 more of these together and make 6 x 8 layout with a border.

13.  Slabs with a White Rectangle

This was a project started RSC14.  It looks like if I just made one purple block, added a border or two, it would be a cute crib quilt.  

14.  Chickens

Although it is not a current project, I splurged and bought this pattern by Cluck Cluck Sew a while ago.  If I finish two projects off (any two... not just RSC projects) my list I will allow myself to start this in 2022.

15.  Christmas Wreaths

I won a gift card to the Fat Quarter Shop early in 2021.  This Christmas Wreaths pattern is one of the things I purchased.  I was thinking of making "flowers" instead of wreaths as a RSC2022 project.  I think it will work.  The quilt size in the pattern is 59" x 59".  I'm sure I'd make it bigger in some way.

16.  Waffle Blocks

Sorry, I do not have a photo for this one.  It's 2.5" strips of the color of the month and then 2.5" blocks at random colors to make a 12.5" block.  I'm sure they are in the bottom of one of the bins on the shelf.  I think I only have about four of them made.

I'm sure I'm missing something.  I'm linking up at Angela's blog, SoScrappy, for RSC21here.