RSC25 - Week #22

The next RSC project to move forward is Pyramids.  

The blocks were mostly made for RSC 2024, and I finally got the top assembled this year.  I debated with myself over what color to use for backing, until I found that rainbow of big dots.  So it will be circles on the back and triangles on the front!!  This one went to a long armer this week.  This might be a good one for a scrappy binding.  

 

Early in the month I had pulled out various UFO and WIP projects that had a lot of green in them.  This wall hanging was a Lori Holt project from her Prairie Home book that we are dabbling with in the Sew Vintage group.  It's ready to quilt, and I actually have some ideas of how to quilt it myself.  The rest of those UFO/WIP projects had to go back into the closet, because I just didn't get to them. 

There was a partial set of blocks I found hanging in the back of the closet that appear to have been set aside and forgotten.  I'm not sure I even added to them last year.  This is certainly how UFOs are born!!  The pattern is Wisdom, from the Sewcialites sew-along a few years ago.  It's a 9" (finished) Churn Dash with a 4-patch center.  I was making these from a layer cake of Bloomington by Moda.  I know that only because the tag is hanging on the hanger with the pattern, blocks, and remaining parts of the layer cake.  Thirteen blocks had been made, and in the remainder of the layer cake were 2 green pieces.  So now there are 15 of the 20 blocks finished.  These are going on my June "To Do" list because it shouldn't take long to finish the last 5 blocks.  That would move them 1 step closer to the finish line, and at least not leave a partial set of blocks hanging there.  

I did play a bit this week with the pile of scrappy String Triangle blocks that I've been doing.  The original plan was to make long vertical strips of these, but that plan is evolving.  Putting 3 of them together, and then framing with black is different direction to go with these.  There are plenty of black prints in my stash to use as different frames.  I'll need more variety of triangle colors (all scrappy) so this will be an on-going RSC project.  A number of final layout ideas are spinning in my head. 

And I added 1 more blue block to the set of Whirl blocks because I had extra blue squares from that wall hanging above.  These will keep adding up gradually.   

Let's see what color might be next for RSC . . .
https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/ 

Friday check-in

This post is pretty photo heavy . . . but I had so much to share.  LOL
 

Another Quilt of Valor presentation was on my schedule for Wednesday afternoon, in Madison SD.  The family asked to have it at the new Veteran's Park in town - notice those beautiful engraved panels of marble behind the veteran.  Madison is a little over an hour away from here, and our group has awarded quilts there before as there isn't a local QOV group.

After the QOV presentation I drove to Sioux Falls to meet up with my younger daughter at a cooking class.  What fun!!!  She and her husband have attended several of these at Plum's Cooking Company.  She says it's an awesome date night activity.  I think there were 16 seats around a half circle bar style "classroom" area.  The instructor was funny and kept the group involved all through.  Plus we had a full 3 course meal to eat.  I would definitely do this again!

The theme of the cooking class was "Evening With Ina Garten", and all 3 of the dishes were Ina's recipes.  We began with a hot crab dip with fried wontons.  OMG!!  I dug right in and didn't think of taking an photos until my plate was empty.  Laura and I decided this might be a good recipe for a dip to make for our next family gathering.  Then the instructors did a cheese tasting with 2 fabulous European cheeses.  I bought a chunk of one called Alp Blossom - soft and mild. Yum!  The main dish was baked chicken with a mustard/breadcrumb topping and a rice pilaf.  So good, and everyone took home their leftovers.  I had enough for my supper again last night.  And dessert was a cake with cream cheese frosting and coconut.  The shop sells all kinds of cookware, wines, honey, every seasoning you've ever heard of.  What a fun place to go.  

OK, enough talk about food - my drive home had a very dramatic sky.  I know I shouldn't take a photo while driving but I was the only car on the interstate at that spot.

I finished the 2 blocks for this week's Moda Blockheads 6 sew-along. There will usually only be 1 block each week, but occasionally 2.  And I guess not all of the blocks will be the same size, with the different sizes at least being compatible with each other.  Hmmm . . .  Since my plan is to use these as parts for 1 or more Quilts of Valor I guess it will be interesting as we progress to see how they work out.

There are now 17 of these Spool blocks done in patriotic prints, along with 2 more strip sets ready to be cut.  And I've pulled a few more strips and put them into the project box so that these can continue to be a Leader/Ender project as I work on other things.  

The parts are cut for the final Circle of Friends block, and I hope to get it sewn today after playing golf (maybe).  Once this 12th block is done then figuring out how I want to finish the quilt will be next.  Carol Doak, the designer, is actually beginning another BOM via Facebook beginning in July.  I may have to continue to play along because these have been fun and stretched my paper pieing skills.  Besides - one block per month is manageable, right?

RWB mode

Not much sewing of any kind has happened here so far this week because I haven't been home much.  But I did finish the binding on this table topper, and got a start on some BOM project blocks.  I'm definitely in red, white, and blue mode this week.  
 

This runner is about 20 x 25, and totally scrappy.  The hexies were all cut from QOV scraps, and the idea was based on a pattern that I had saved ages ago.  I actually did all those Y seams on my sewing machine, and I also did the simple quilting myself.  

The final block for the paper pieced Carol Doak project was posted this week.  I printed it but haven't pulled out the project box to select and cut the pieces yet.  The finishing instructions for the Riley Blake challenge were posted on Tuesday.  They are printed and I plan to work on this over the weekend.  And the first block for the Moda Blockheads 6 sew-along was posted yesterday.  

So, with the limited time I had to sew yesterday I began with the Blockheads block #1.  There will be 2 of these 9" blocks.  I'm using red/white/blue with white backgrounds so that the blocks can end up as a future Quilt of Valor.  The second block is using basically the same fabrics but with red HSTs instead of blue.  Notice those Spool block sections at the top of the table - also in patriotic fabrics.  

Once I get these done today I plan to work on the paper pieced block.  No red, white, and blue in that project - just bright colors. 

Drive time ideas

 Does your brain spin with ideas when you are driving by yourself?  I used to spend a lot of hours driving alone, but that doesn't happen as much anymore.  Some days I literally had to pull over somewhere and make some notes about projects - not just quilting - so that I wouldn't forget them before getting home.  

Well, yesterday I had a 200 mile road trip, mostly alone.  And of course my brain began contemplating various future project ideas.  Some were quilting ideas, like how I want the borders to look on the Lone Star quilt.  Did I pull over and make myself notes?  Yes I did - luckily there was a convenient rest stop on the interstate.

But because I was still thinking about the Quilts of Valor awarded on Monday, and also thinking about the next QOV award coming up later today - my brain was thinking about more Quilts of Valor.  In the car I had an interesting conversation with my granddaughter about something she had just read about WWII, and my brain got really busy.  We talked about her great-grandfathers and where they served during the war.  And that's where the little idea in my head started to become a big plan.  

 We have quite a collection of old photos from my father-in-law, taken when he was serving in the army during World War II.   This beat up little "suitcase" is about 7" by 9", and about 5" deep.  It's full of those old photos!  And it's time to scan them and put them into a book.  I hope I can actually accomplish this task.

And then speaking of the 200 miles in the car - it is officially road construction season everywhere.  It was 75 miles on the interstate from my house to the aquatic center in Sioux Falls where I picked up granddaughter Sophia from swim team practice.  I drove through 8 orange cone zones in that 75 miles, all with reduced speeds and reduced lanes.

I took her home - another 25 miles, and 3 more cone zones!!  The last 10 miles from the interstate into her town is finally paved, but is still 1 lane each way with lots of cones.  After dropping her off at home I turned around to get home in time for an afternoon appointment I had.  Back through ALL of those road construction zones.  LOL   

I'll be passing through some of those same construction zones later today, as I drive to Madison SD for the QOV award, then back to Sioux Falls to meet one of my daughters at a cooking class we are going to take together this evening. 

Should be an awesome day!!  

Quilts of Valor

 Another wonderful Quilts of Valor presentation is in the books.

Brenda and I went to a small town Memorial Day program yesterday to award quilts to 3 veterans.  This is a father and sons.  The father served in Viet Nam, and both sons served in Iraq.  Both of the young men were actually former students of mine.  

Thank you gentlemen for your service!

Design Wall Monday - May 26

 I always have several projects going at once, and this week is no exception to that.  Today however, will probably not involve any actual time in my sewing room.  

Today is Memorial Day and a couple of us are going to a nearby small town to award 3 Quilts of Valor at their Memorial Day program.  One more is scheduled in another town for Wednesday afternoon.  I love being involved in these events. 

As for multiple projects going on, I've already begun to think about what I want to accomplish in June.  So I've chosen which UFO is next up to work on, and which WIPs I want to move forward closer to the finish line.  And of course there are more PIGS.  More on those projects will be shared later this week I think. 

The layout design for this year's Riley Blake Design challenge will be posted tomorrow, so these blocks will hopefully become a finished flimsy within the next week or so.  I'm excited to get them all together.  Sew-alongs are a great way for me to keep up the excitement of a new project, but with it coming in small increments - weekly or monthly.  

Since I love free sew-alongs, and since the block-making phase of the RBD challenge is done my attention is being drawn to a new sew-along of course.  Moda has been doing the Blockhead programs for 5 years now, and I've used several of the blocks from those sew-alongs to make quilts during that time.  I've never actually done ALL of the blocks any year.

But I decided that with the Blockheads 6 this year I'm going scrappy, with patriotic fabrics - because that part of my stash is totally out of control again.  And because then any finished quilts can become Quilts of Valor.  One block is posted each week.  If there is a block I really don't like then I won't make it.  No pressure.  The link below gives all the info on this year's Blockheads 6 program.  

https://modafabrics.com/inspiration-resources/blockheads-6-kick-off

And I've already begun working on a new QOV set of blocks using a free block pattern from Mary Quilts.  This is really Alycia's fault.  Last week she posted HERE a beautiful quilt she had just finished using Mary's Spool block.  I had that pattern already downloaded and in a binder, so I pulled it out and looked through my jelly rolls for ideas.  There was a partial jelly roll of light neutral patriotic prints, and that triggered the new plan. That partial jelly roll would work for a great scrappy background.  And there are plenty of red, gold, and blue fabrics waiting in the wings.  The first 6 blocks are done, and a few strips are paired up for more.  This will make a good Leader/Ended project to work on in between other projects. 

I'm linking up today with:

https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/ 

https://songbirddesigns.blog  

RSC25 - Week #21

I think she likes her graduation quilt!!

My great-niece finally got to open the box with the graduation quilt I made for her.  The quilt was not an RSC project . . . but it is definitely an example of WHY we all quilt.  Her delight is written all over her face.  Yay!!!!   This young lady wants to be an equine veterinarian, and has been riding and competing in horse events since she was a toddler.  Now she's heading to college.  Where did the time go? 

The most important thing I accomplished this week was finishing the quilt top for Night Vision.  It's a flimsy!!  Time to celebrate another RSC project moving forward.  The Night Vision blocks began in 2024 for RSC, and continued into this year.  Actually the last one needed was made at the beginning of this month.  

I saw the Night Vision block online somewhere, but without any actual cutting or sewing instructions.  So I did the math myself.  The colored pieces in the Flying Geese are cut 3.5" by 6.5", the 5 dark squares are cut 3.5", and the 4 light squares are also 3.5"  One dark square is used for the center, and the rest are wings for the geese.  There is ONE partial seam, but this is a really easy block to make.  As long as the finished square sizes are half of the finished rectangle size, then this could be made in any size you want.  These blocks are 9.5" unfinished.  

The Night Vision blocks contain 4 Flying Geese units spinning around a center square.  Each block has 4 different color pieces.  The left wing on the geese was done with a black print, and the right wing has a white print.  I cut sets of these, so they match in each block.  But overall it's scrappy.  And I couldn't make myself throw away the corner trimmings, so a light and a dark pinwheel was made for each of these.  So - 30 Night Vision blocks and 60 Pinwheels were collected.  I used most of the Pinwheels in the border of the quilt, but the rest will possibly be used for a doll quilt or a placemat.  Waste not, want not!! 

Entwined Star blocks have been neglected the past couple of months.  But I've now added 2, both with green.  That makes a total of 11 so far.  These are 12" finished blocks, and I've used a medium scale floral in each one of them.  Some have white backgrounds, and some have cream backgrounds.  The rest are hanging on that hanger on the left.  

My new RSC block is the Give It a Whirl block (Riley Blake challenge), with a little adaptation of my own.  The designer is Melissa Mortenson, and she used 3 colors plus a background.  And her colored squares were cut at 6".  But I wanted to use leftover charm squares - so again I did the math.  And those background squares are cut half the size of the colored ones in my version.  Easy Peasy!  Also I've been using only 2 different colored ones so far, but could end up with 3 as I go forward with new colors.  Early in the month I did 3 green ones, but have since added 3 blue, 2 yellow, 2 pink, and now 2 red ones. I think these blocks are going to make a really cute quilt - eventually.   

Let's see what else is happening with RSC . . .
https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/ 

Enchanting finish

 I can check off another finished quilt from my PHD (projects half done) and UFO list for this year, as the Poppy quilt is DONE!!

The last stitches on the binding happened while watching the season finale of Survivor on Wednesday evening.  Yesterday morning there was a brief period of partial sunshine after several rainy days, so I took it outside to the porch for a photo.

The gorgeous poppy fabric was a gift from a blogging friend, Connie at https://farsideoffifty.blogspot.com/.  I've used most of it in this quilt, but still have a little chunk left to play with in a future project.  That fabric is gorgeous!  Thank you my friend!!

The pattern I used is Enchanting from this 3-yard quilt book by Fabric Cafe.  I just couldn't cut that large floral into little pieces and lose the "pretty".  These books have lots of great patterns that use larger pieces so they are ideal for showcasing a great focus print.  And they are easy to adapt into larger quilts.  Instead of 1 yard of 3 fabrics, you can do 1.5 yards or 2 yards.  Or add larger (or more) borders.  And the patterns are quick and easy. 

I think this pattern will be one I use for a future Quilt of Valor since I have some fabrics that would really pop in those big squares.  

Riley Blake #16

The final block for the 2025 Riley Blake Design challenge is done!  Yay!

I'm looking forward to setting these blocks together as all of the fabrics I'm using this year are Tula Pink, except for the scrappy white-on-white backgrounds.  

A lot more sewing happened yesterday besides this block.  I prepped another binding, worked on borders for a WIP, and did just a little RSC green sewing. But those things can wait for another day.  

Stranded Squares

This month's row(s) for Saturday Sampler can be checked off as done!

Stranded On the Prairie is this year's Saturday Sampler pattern, which was designed by a local young woman.  It's based on stranded knitting patterns.  Each month we'll get a row pattern.  This month's row is Stranded Squares, and we actually made 2 identical rows.  

Mine is using the lime green, which is my accent color. It does kind of wake up those other rows where I used 2 shades of brown, 2 shades of burgundy, and the cream.  This definitely looking more interesting now. 

Hello Tuesday

 

I whined all winter about no snow and how much we needed rain.  Now I'll whine about needing sunshine!  And the wind seems endless!  Notice all the leaves and seeds all over the deck?  The yard and deck are covered with leaves and seeds blown off the trees.  And yes - we are still feeding nervous feral kitties.  This is my favorite one. He or she is so pretty!

The first border is on the Night Vision quilt.  I decided to use a white with a tiny black print, because it follows along with what is in the blocks.  Now it's time to start adding the pinwheel borders.  Light ones will go around the top and down the left side.  Darks ones will be on the opposite sides.  All of those pinwheels were made from the corners trimmed off the Flying Geese in those Night Vision blocks.  

Some progress was made yesterday on the Saturday Sampler.  There will be 2 identical 4.5" rows made from these little blocks.  One of them is done and pressed.  And the second one is partially done.  Today I might finish - unless I get distracted.  

Design Wall Monday - May 19

There are 2 main projects on the design wall for this week, and since it's supposed to be chilly and wet a good share of the week I'm optimistic about what I'll accomplish.  A good start has been made on this month's row for Saturday Sampler.  I'll need a total of 30 of those floating square-in-a-square blocks.  They are only 4.5" unfinished, and there will be 15 in each of 2 rows in the quilt.

 

All 6 rows of the Night Vision main blocks are assembled, and ready for the first border.  Those pinwheels will be part of the second border.  This may be a "design as I sew" kind of project from this point.

The final block for the Riley Blake challenge will be released tomorrow, so that is also on my list of things to work on for the week.  I grumbled all winter about no snow, but now we're finally getting some rain.  We had a couple of lovely 90 degree days about a week ago, and now it's back into the 50s, windy and rainy.  Perfect sewing weather, right?

I'm linking up today with:

https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/ 

https://songbirddesigns.blog  

RSC25 - Week #20

I have the rows sewn using the Night Vision blocks I've been making for RSC in 2024 and 2025.  Next week I'll hopefully get those rows assembled to make the center of the quilt.  I'm excited about this one.  

Lots of green came out to play this week.

The Gameboard blocks take more time to search for the right scraps than they do to sew.  There are now 2 each of the 5 RSC colors we've used so far in 2025.  

Why wait for 2026 to add a new block to the mix now that Night Vision is in the assembly stage?  Last week's Riley Blake Design challenge block was Give It a Whirl by Melissa Mortenson, and I loved it.  All of this year's free RBD blocks can be found at this link:  https://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/2025-rbd-block-challenge-patterns 
I adjusted the sizes to use leftover charm squares and other scraps for RSC blocks.  It is such a fast, easy block!  Before I knew it I had 3 green blocks sewn.

Next I made 2 pink ones the next day, because I just couldn't resist.  And because I had pink charm squares to play with and plenty of white strips for background. 

And then blue and yellow happened during the week too.  So far I have 10 of these blocks made.  I'm looking forward to adding more in lots of other colors.   

The summer wall hanging I've been working on with the sunflower blocks has 4 leaf sections and I got those done this week.  Lots of green in those!!  And lots of little corners to sew.  Next up are the center and border made of 5" squares. 

The Spinning Hexie was inspired last week by Leanna at Not Afraid of Color, and became my hand stitching project this week.  It was much easier to do than that Moravian Star, but the technique is pretty similar.  For now I have no idea what I want to do with it, however it was fun and satisfying to make. 

Green binding was prepped for a table runner.  This was a recent kit purchase, and it will NOT become a PIG, laying in a drawer waiting.  I think it will make a good gift. 

The last green thing I worked on this week was cutting the pieces for the next Saturday Sampler assignment.  This month we're making 2 narrow rows instead of 1 row.  And the accent color I'm using is a lime green.  There will be 15 of these "floating" square-in-a-square blocks in each of the 2 rows.  That should keep me busy next week. 

Let's see what else is happening with RSC . . .
https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/ 

RBD #15 and other stuff

We're so close to finishing up the Riley Blake challenge - with block #15 released this week.  Only 1 more to go!!

This is Bright Spark by Amy Smart.  It made me think of a thistle for some reason.  I've been using my stash of Tula Pink fabrics paired up with scrappy white backgrounds for this sew-along, and have a lot of this purple so I'm thinking it will appear in some way as borders or binding for the quilt.  I'm actually excited to start working on the layout.

With the RBD sew-along coming to an end, I was looking at other BOM types of projects.  Bear Creek Quilting has mystery quilts going on all the time online.  I did their big mystery (Tranquility) last year and just finished binding it back in March.  On May 31 they are launching Mystery 5.0, which is going to be a small quilt, possibly wall hanging size.  I love mystery quilts, and a small one should be fun to do.  The clues will actually be posted at various times during one day I think. The fabric requirement is just 6 fat quarters with 1 of them being a focus fabric.  I pulled out 3 "bright-on-black" prints from the drawer as possibilities.  And I've curated some fat quarters of brights.  I may replace that aqua on the bottom with a lighter aqua or blue because it doesn't look like enough contrast with the purple on top. 

 

We have been feeding some feral kitties here lately.  There is a big boy we call One Ear, as he's missing his whole right ear.  He's the bravest one of the bunch.  And there are 4 younger smaller ones that we think are litter mates, maybe last year's kittens.  One of those younger ones just had 5 babies a couple of weeks ago.  We found her "hidey hole" right under a thick flowering bush up against the house.  (The downspout you can see on the edge isn't actually attached as it's an extra extension we use sometimes.)  We got 2" of rain on Wednesday morning, so I'm sure the poor things got wet no matter where they are.  She has maybe even moved them already.  We haven't checked again today because she is so skittish we didn't want to scare her off.