Sewcialites Saturday

In my continuing series of the weekly Sewcialites 2 blocks, this is block #8 called Interwoven by Shereece Nicole. This was another challenging block pattern to sew even in the 6" size.  I can't imagine sewing it in the 3" size, although I am very tempted to try!

There are 32 pieces to cut for this block and I felt like I was making a fabric jigsaw puzzle. I had no idea if my selected fabrics would work or be a complete disaster. What do you think - will this combination turn out okay?

Here is block #8. 

I love it!

It's a combination of some old Kaffe paperweights, plus some recently acquired Dublin fabric, with the border print (Dragonfly Lagoon) in the corners.

Here are all the blocks on the design wall. I look forward to adding more colours next year sewing along with the Rainbow Scrap Quilters.

Linking up to the weekly RSC party

Sewcialites Saturday

Block # 7 called Butterfly Garden was just posted. It's a pattern by Pat Sloan and although it was a  challenging pattern, and I made a few mistakes, I really enjoyed sewing it!

Here is a photo of some strips of Dublin fabric I recently bought and it matches my Sewcialites border fabric so well that it had to be used in the butterfly block.

I tried so hard to be organized and used the Alphabitties to label all the pieces. After I made my first mistake, I labelled each of the quadrants.

I finally figured out why I had pattern reading dyslexia. On page 2 of the pattern it has the left bottom block written on the right side of the page, and the right bottom block written on the left side of the page. You can't make this stuff up you guys! That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! 

But finally I figured it out and here is the butterfly in all her glory. I'm not loving the colour combo without the background fabric right by it, so this block will have to be placed beside the border in the final layout.

Here are my Sewcialites blocks on the design wall. It's quite a disparate collection so far. Oh well... I have made so many sampler quilts that I just trust that it will all come together well in the end!

Linking up to the weekly RSC party where the quilters are finishing up their RSC projects, and I am still making more blocks!

Scrappy Saturday

 Are you keeping up with the Sewcialites 2 blocks?

The pattern for block #6 was just posted and is called Always Star by Camille Roskelley. I used the multicoloured print that will be the border in this block. The centre is fussy cut from this print. So pretty - it looks almost watercoloury!

Here are my six blocks on the design wall. It doesn't look like much yet, but just you wait until all of the blocks are made - it will be amazing!

Linking up to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge

Scrappy Saturday

The Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilters are finishing up their scrappy projects from this year. But not me! I do finish quilts occasionally, but I much prefer to start them! LOL

Today I'm digging into the strip bin to make blocks for the new Quiltville mystery. These might work. There seem to be a lot of lights and darks but not as many mediums values.

Here are some of my scrappy 4 patch blocks for part #1 of the Quiltville mystery.  

It's so fun to sort according to value only. 

For example, should this green scrap be a medium?

Or should it be in with the lights??

It's both! It's value depends on which fabrics are beside it. So there is no wrong answer - it's all fun brain snacks for me!

Linking up to Rainbow Scrap Challenge and Oh Scrap!

Scrappy Saturday

In spite of feeling under the weather this week, I did enjoy digging around in some scrap bags and catching up with the Sewcialites blocks. In this quilt along there are 3 size options and I am sewing the 6" size.

My plan is to follow the colours of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, but this month we are using brown scraps and I just couldn't force myself to do it! So I veered slightly from that, using teals instead because that's the scrap bag that attracted my interest. 

This is block #4 called Flirty by Chelsi Stratton. It was an easy sew - just 3 squares and 6 HSTs using scraps that my friend Jackie gave me.

Here is block #5 called Empower by Carrie Nelson. Now this is something I could dig my quilting teeth into! There are 48 pieces in this 6" block!

I really want to challenge myself to make it in the 3" size - just for fun! Maybe that desire will pass if I distract myself with other projects?!?

Here are my first 5 Sewcialites 2 blocks on the design wall. It's a very odd collection of colours, but wait until we get back into the full colour rotation at RSC and it will all come together!

Linking up to the weekly RSC party at Angela's

Scrappy Saturday Sewcialites 2

My Sewcialites 2 blocks will be sewn according to the colours of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. This month's colour is brown/black/darks so I dug into the brown scrap bin and used up several small pieces in this block. And then I promptly sewed the block incorrectly. 

Ugh... seam ripper time.

This is block #3 called Patchy Days by Jackie MacDonald sewn correctly! I changed up the value placement to emphasize the arrows. Pop over to Corey Yoder's blog and see her pretty 3"  block which is quite different from mine.

Here are the first 3 Sewcialites blocks on the design wall - 2 green from October, and 1 brown from November.  I'm sewing the blocks in the 6" size, but directions are given for 3", 6" and 9".  There will be 24 blocks posted weekly. If you like using up scraps and making fun blocks, join in the fun - click here for more info.

Linking up to Rainbow Scrap Challenge

Scrappy Saturday Mini Quilt

The weather this week has been glorious and tempted me to be outside as much as possible. Quilting time has been greatly decreased, but soon the snow will fly and there will be lots (too much) indoor time.

I did finish Sewcialites block #2 called Tussy Mussy by in Susan Ache. I enjoyed using up some small pieces from the 2" scrap box to make this on point block. It doesn't have a "co-ordinated" look, but it makes me happy!

But what made me even happier was using up the tiny leftover baby HSTs I made while sewing this block. Whenever possible before cutting off block corners, I sew a second seam and cut between the stitching lines, which gives me bonus tiny blocks. In this case they were trimmed up to be 1.5" (1" finished).

These little pieces turned into a little coaster. To give a sense of the scale, this is the variegated green Aurifil thread I used for the quilting... almost as big as the coaster!

I enjoyed hand binding the mini quilt in the sunshine and took a ridiculous photo of the little quilted gem clipped to the tree in the front yard. The leaves are a beautiful golden colour and the sky was a pretty blue.

And one last shot of this new finish already doing it's job as a coaster! 

Finished size: 4.5" x 4.5"

Linking up to Rainbow Scrap Challenge and the Table Scraps Challenge

Rainbow Sewcialites

A new RSC project has been started in my sewing room! You know how it goes here 😀

Fat Quarter Shop has started Sewcialites 2 which is a free sew along. I missed out on the first series last year (darn my self control!)... but I'm not missing out this time around!  

I am starting with a gorgeous fabric called Dragonfly Lagoon by Henry Glass which will be the border. I use the Alphabitties to help me keep all the cut pieces organized.

Here is my first block, made in bright greens since that is the RSC colour this month. Click here for the link to the first block by Bev McCullough. I found the directions a wee bit confusing, but it does say that this block is for experienced sewers. I made my first block in the 6" size, but I'm not sure if I will make the entire series in 6" yet. I may try all the sizes!

Linking up to the weekly RSC party

Rainbow Scrap Challenge Quilt Top

One of the primary ways I sew scrap quilts is following along with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Every month our host Angela gives us a colour to focus on for that month. It's a great way to keep scraps organized and constantly being sewn into projects.

This month I am so happy to have finished one of my rainbow quilt tops - a waffle project (non edible!)

This project was inspired by Nann and I started sewing waffles in June 2020. This is the perfect project to use up 1.5" squares and strips. 

There are a lot of seams in this quilt top which made pressing the blocks and rows a challenge. 

And now for the age old question - does it need a border? It doesn't need to be bigger but does it need a frame?!? 

Linking up to the weekly Rainbow Scrap Quilters party

Scrappy Saturday

A few more blue sewing machines were added to the collection this week. I cut three blocks at the same time which is totally doable when I use the alphabitties to label the pieces.

This is the 6" machine block. I usually start with this size since it's larger and therefore easier to piece.

And here is a 3" block.

These blocks look the same size on the computer screen, but they are not the same in real life!

Here is the herd of sewing machines on the design wall. 

I love this pattern and it's a treat to make these blocks! For now, they will go back into storage until more blocks are added next month.

Linking up to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge

Scrappy Saturday

When I was visiting my friend Deanna earlier this month, she showed us a gorgeous scrap quilt that had won a 1st place ribbon at the fair. I fell in love immediately and started planning to make a similar one in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge style. The original pattern was called "When this you see" by Lydia Quigley of The Rabbit Factory. I searched for the pattern on the internet but couldn't find it.

It is a 2 block quilt, with one block being a 25 patch made from scraps, and the second block being a framed sawtooth star. Deanna made her version totally scrappy, and I think mine will be controlled scrappy.

This is the tester 3"  sawtooth star block made in blue/blueish for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge colour of the month. So cute!

This is a practice scrappy 25 patch block. I don't know how many blocks I'll make each month or where this quilt is going yet - it's a fresh idea, still germinating.

Linking up to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge

Saturday Sewing

I added another block to my July Shop Hop block collection. I was able to track down more Dublin fabric (thank you Caroline) and a fellow guild member Stephanie sent me another block kit (thank you Stephanie).

The block kit had all the pieces precut, but not made from the Dublin fabric. I cannot explain why that matters so much to me, but it does! So using the kit pieces as a template, I tried to cut my own pieces using Dublin blue. This was the miserable end result for 1/4 of the block! Not going to work!

Then I got fed up with that idea and just made a modified Lemoyne star block using all  HST's instead. Perfect result!

Linking up to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge party

Scrappy Saturday

Some additions were made to the sewing machine collection this week...the fabric ones that is! No actual machines were acquired (I think a herd size of 17 is more than enough!) These are all the pieces cut out and ready to make a 6" block and a 3" block. 

I made the larger block first because that is always easier. (The fabrics are brighter and orangier in real life than they appear in these photos). I concentrated when cutting to make sure that the rainbows are all the right side up.

And here is the 3" block in a burnt orange dimples fabrics. It's always a challenge sewing this small, but I do love it! 

Here is the fabric sewing machine herd on the design wall. 

This is a free pattern (click here) from Fat Quarter Shop. I have had so much fun with this block pattern! 

Linking up to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge

Riley Blake Block Challenge

I am way behind in getting my Riley Blake block challenge sampler blocks sewn and spent time this week figuring out which blocks and colours still need to be sewn.

It's orange month at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge so I started with that. This is block # 9 called Lynx by Amanda Niederhauser. 

This is block #10 called Wind Blown by Amy Smart

These pretty orange blocks will join the RBD sampler collection. 

I missed the 2nd quarter of colours for this project, so I have 6 more blocks to make in green, purple and blue. Happy to be back on track with this project! 

Linking up to the weekly scrap party at Angela's

Sewing Machine Blocks

Two more sewing machines were added to the herd this week. Not the actual herd, but the quilt block herd. 

I cut out all the pieces for 2 blocks and labelled them with my Alphabitties (which I love). The dark purple pieces will make a 3" block and the lighter purple with make a 6" block.

I am using the Fat Quarter Shop's free pattern.

I sewed the 3" block first since smaller is usually more challenging but it went together easily and turned out so darn cute.

I also made a sweet 6" block and it was fun to sew.

The problem came when I put the whole herd of machines on the design wall.

Can you spot the problem?

I have so many scraps and cannot believe I chose the exact same purple fabric twice! Apparently I really like it!

Linking up to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge party