15 Minutes and Stash Report Sunday 5/27/18

I had a finish this week, my Wonky Log Cabins quilt for the Hands 2 Help Challenge, but most of the fabric had already been counted in previous stash reports. All I can report as used for that project is 3/8 yards for the binding. I also used another 3/8 yard for my pink Scraptastic Stars, which showed up in yesterday's post. 

In honor of Memorial Day weekend, I pulled out my red, white & blue Moda Blockheads blocks and got one of them put together. I will calculate fabric used once a few more blocks are completed, but here is the block I made yesterday. Check out all those little triangles! This block finishes at 6", so the triangles measure only 3/4" across. That's about as small as I can handle.

Moda Blockheads, block #11
pattern by Lisa Bongean

2018 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                   .75 yards

Used year to date:            25.25 yards

Added last week:                  0.0 yards
Added year to date:              8.0 yards
Net used year to date:   17.25 yards

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces has us tracking how many days each week we get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. Work has calmed down quite a bit, which makes it easier to have the energy for quilting in the evening. I need to come up with a new hand-stitching project that I can work on during my morning train ride to work. 

15 Minute Challenge:  
5/20 - 5/26            7 of 7 days
2018 Total       142 of 146 days

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate, and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces.

Julie in GA

Scraptastic Stars in Pink

It was down to the wire, but I finished this month's Scraptastic Star block for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge just yesterday. I have been making two of these blocks every month in our assigned color, one block from 2" squares and the other from 2.5" squares. 

Scraptastic Stars
pattern by Melissa Corry

I have one extra block this month because I had already made two pink blocks last October as a trial run of this pattern. I liked the pattern very much, but I had used the same light fabric for the stars and chains of squares in both blocks. I knew there wouldn't be enough of that fabric for two full sets of blocks, so I have been using different prints in my larger blocks. The large block at lower right will probably be a spare to join my collection of orphan blocks.

Here are the two different sizes up close:

Scraptastic Star from 2.5" squares (16" block)

Scraptastic Star from 2" squares (12" block)

It seemed like a good time to check out the mix of colors together. These are all 16" blocks, including a brown block from last November. I love the way the light squares link together where the blocks meet up.

I am linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on Saturday and at Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is more fun than Housework on Sunday. Be sure to check out all of the wonderful projects that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA

Hands 2 Help and a Change of Plans

I can finally share the finished quilt I made for Sarah's Hands 2 Help Challenge. The thing that changed is which quilt got finished. My original quilt was a blue and yellow Sister's Choice quilt (see it in process HERE) that was being assembled and quilted with a quilt-as-you-go method that is new to me. I realized there was no way I could finish that quilt in time, so it meant switching to Plan B.

I started this quilt top over a year ago, following a tutorial at Kat and Cat Quilts for her "Four-Fat-Quarter Baby Quilt." I scaled my blocks a little bigger, started with pieces that measured 20" x 24". My blocks finished at 16.5" x 20.5" each. After adding the sashing and borders, the top finished at 42.5" x 50".

Wonky Log Cabins quilt, 42.5" x 50"
tutorial at Kat and Cat Quilts

Wonky Log Cabins quilt back

This quilt will get packed up over the weekend and will be on it's way to Emily for Happy Chemo, to be given to patients undergoing chemo. I hope this quilt will help brighten up someone's day very soon.

Check out Sarah's blog page to see all the other quilts being donated to a variety of charities. There are over 170 quilts already posted to her page! Many thanks once again to Sarah for all her hard work in organizing the Hands 2 Help challenge!


Julie in GA

15 Minutes and Stash Report Sunday 5/20/18

The past couple of weeks seem to have slipped by very quickly, and I missed posting my stash report last Sunday. I'm excited to report my first completely finished quilt for the year! I finished the Beveled Blocks quilt that I was making as a gift for my husband. It is a small wallhanging and used a total of 4.5 yards of fabric. This photo is just the top when it was pin basted for quilting. I will share photos of the finished quilt and more info in a separate blog post.

I also used 3/8 yard on my Squared Away sampler blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (see them in this post.) No fabric added to the stash.

2018 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                4.875 yards

Used year to date:              24.5 yards

Added last week:                  0.0 yards
Added year to date:              8.0 yards
Net used year to date:   16.5 yards

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces has us tracking how many days each week we get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. Despite our crazy schedule at work, I have managed  to get my 15 minutes every day over the past two weeks.

15 Minute Challenge:  
5/6 - 5/19              7 of 7 days
2018 Total       135 of 139 days

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate, and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces.

Julie in GA

Squared Away in Pink

The Rainbow Scrap Challenge colors for May are pink and rose. I didn't expect to have much time to work on my blocks for the Squared Away sampler this week, but the pieces had all been cut out last week. They were the perfect project for one of those nights when I was too tired to think very hard about what to sew.

The top row has three Squared Away blocks. The pattern is called Baton Rouge Square, and the pattern/instructions are available at The Academic Quilter. The two blocks in the bottom row are from the 2017 Patchwork Quilt Along at the Fat Quarter Shop (find the pattern HERE.)

Now that we have added a couple of warm colors to the mix, it seemed like a good time to check out the whole group on the design wall. I seem to be one block short on yellow, but I'm pleased with how they are looking together. These will go back in the box until we find out the new color for next month.

I am linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on Saturday and at Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is more fun than Housework on Sunday. Be sure to check out all of the wonderful projects that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday and 15 Minutes to Stitch

My stash report for the past week doesn't show the half yard of usage that seems to have become my usual change over the last several weeks. Instead, my usage was 3/8 yard for the three pink Spinning Boxes blocks that I showed in yesterday's post. 

More difficult to determine is the yardage added to my stash. I won a giveaway from Mari at The Academic Quilter, and my prize was a package of her yellow scraps left over after our month of using yellow for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. There is everything from a 1/2 yard piece of beige Grunge, several good-sized chunks up to almost a fat quarter, some smaller pieces and strips, plus some pre-cut squares. The thing that amazes me most is that I don't have any of the same yellow fabrics in my stash! I think some yellow crumb blocks lie ahead. I'm counting this as 2.5 yards added.

2018 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:               0.375 yards

Used year to date:          19.625 yards

Added last week:                2.50 yards
Added year to date:              8.0 yards
Net used year to date:   11.625 yards

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces has us tracking how many days each week we get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. Work is still very busy, including working another Saturday, but I'm still finding time to quilt every day. 

15 Minute Challenge:  
4/29 - 5/5             7 of 7 days
2018 Total       121 of 125 days

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate, and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces.

Julie in GA

OMG May 2018

The new month means it is time to choose my One Monthly Goal for May. I don't have to think too hard about it this month because I have a project with a deadline. Meeting that deadline is going to be a big challenge.

My May goal is to finish the quilting, assembly and binding on the Sister's Choice quilt that I have been making for Sarah's Hands2Help challenge. The blocks for this quilt have all been joined into rows, along with the sashing and borders, and the quilting has started. I am quilting each row separately, then planning to join them together--I haven't done this exact technique before, so wish me luck! The photo cuts off parts of both ends of the quilt, but you can get the idea.

We are supposed to share photos of our completed quilts during the week of May 20 - 25. That's less than three weeks for me to finish this quilt. I'd better get back to my sewing machine! I will report back at the end of the month and let you see how it turned out. 

I am joining the One Monthly Goal link-up for May at Elm Street Quilts. I'm also linking up with the H2H Challenge at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. Check them out to see what others are hoping to get done this month!

Julie in GA

Spinning Pink Boxes

The beginning of a new month also means beginning a new color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Our assignment for May is to use our pink and rose scraps, and I have plenty of those colors.

Last night I pulled out my drawers of pink strips, planning to make two Spinning Boxes blocks. Somehow I got carried away and ended up with three--lots of lovely pink scraps! These will be great additions to my collection. The tutorial for this block is available HERE.

Spinning Boxes blocks

I am linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on Saturday and at Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is more fun than Housework on Sunday. Be sure to check out all of the wonderful projects that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA