RSC26 - Week #22

A new flimsy has been born from Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks.  The block pattern is called Give It a Whirl, and definitely has been one of my favorite RSC blocks to make.  The flimsy is 48 x 60, so a nice size for a kid's quilt or a couch cuddler.  

Because I was finishing up one set of RSC blocks, I've been testing some new blocks.  This is Ticker Tape.  Only 6 orange ones have been made so far.  These are 4 x 8" finished, and look great lined up vertically or horizontally. The fun thing about this block is that they can be made using squares and HSTs for that color area- very scrappy - or with strips.  For RSC I'm going to use strips. So far I haven't gone back to any of the previous 2026 colors, but I'm excited to make some in whatever color we're doing for June. 

This week I also made more Ticker Tape blocks in patriotic prints from a bunch of strips in a bag of QOV scraps I was recently given.  These should be a fun QOV.

One of the other "new" blocks I played with this month is Confetti Star.  It's a 6.5" paper pieced scrappy block.  Only 2 orange ones happened so far, along with 1 green one and a red, white and blue version.  My plan is to use scrappy neutral prints for the background. 

Reflecting on the whole month of orange sewing . . . was very satisfying!  This is the point in the year when we have lots of color variety to begin playing with layout ideas.  But as always, I'm ready to dig into a new color for June.

Let's go check out more Rainbow fun . . .

https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/

It's Friday - Yay!!

Wow - it's already Friday, and there is not much to report.  There hasn't been much sewing time this week, but there was time with friends and family and that is even better.

You know how photos pop up every day on Facebook as memories?  Those memories always bring a smile to my face.  I have the same thing also happen in my email from One Drive, and recently this picture popped up from 2008. I was hand quilting, and there was no room on my lap for a 22 pound cat.  Sammy was tucked into the puddle of fabric on the floor next to me.  I sure miss this guy!  We had him for 19 years, and he was definitely my sewing room companion. Can't believe he's been gone for nearly 3 years already.

Full disclosure about that quilt.  I got about 1/3 of it hand quilted and then set it aside for about 10 years.  Then I took it to the local Senior Center and paid the ladies there to finish quilting it.  It's a twin size quilt from a Saturday Sampler, done in rows.  Mine used 30s reproduction prints so I was determined it would be hand quilted.  

And look - my hair wasn't white!!  To be honest, it really was totally white but I was still coloring it back in 2008 because I wasn't ready to look at myself with white hair.

Next UFO & a WIP

Shadow Stars came back from the quilter this week, so I'm ready to do the binding on it.  This quilt is on my PHD list at the quilt shop, so it will be good to check it off the list of UFOs for 2026.  I may donate this one to our Quilts of Valor group. 

Today I should finally have time in the sewing room to finish getting this top assembled. Two of the vertical rows are sewn so far.  I'm adding a white brick to the top and bottom of those rows to make them off-set.  

Then it's time to empty out a couple of project boxes holding things that are fairly close to being Finished Objects.  I'm continuing on the quest to decrease the number of UFOs and WIPs laying around.

The next UFO up to be moved along is the Moda Blockheads 6 blocks, to become a Quilt of Valor.  Guess I'm still in red, white, blue mode this week.  These blocks were all made in 2025 for the Blockheads 6 sew along. However, I am going to remake that center medallion first because I'm not happy with my color choices at all.   

And the WIP that needs attention after that is Salt Water Taffy.  The blocks are all made and waiting patiently in the project box.  This was a leader/ended kind of project all spring until I had used up a whole charm pack and a good share of a jelly roll.  Now it's time to turn the blocks into a finished top for another donation quilt. 

Quilts of Valor projects

I do enjoy the process of cutting the parts and pieces for a new quilting project, so kitting up blocks and whole projects is something I actually like to do. Sunday afternoon I went through our QOV bins to gather things for a couple of kits for new quilts.

First I went through the various block sets to see what we have to work with.  This year's free block for the block drive on the QOV website is Echo.  We had a good size collection of the 10" Echo blocks, and only needed 22 to frame this panel.  Voila!  Kit #1 is ready to hand over.  There are 7 left over blocks for another future quilt.  

Another stack of blocks contained a variety of 12" (finished) blocks that would work in a sampler layout with simple sashing and cornerstones.  Some of my recent test blocks are in this collection.  The bin containing lots of fabric donated to us, and lots of backing leftovers, yielded the sashing, cornerstones, and an outer border for this kit.  Kit #2 is ready to go as well - but with that light blue block swapped out for a better choice.  

And I've paired up backing for 3 additional Quilts of Valor.  Our group had 2 partial bolts of wide backing, so it was fairly quick get those ready for quilting.  I'm thinking that Churn Dash will be a block pattern that we need to use again soon as this is a really pretty quilt.

The 2 Quilts of Valor that will be awarded next weekend are both washed, and I have the labels ready to attach.   

This and that

One small finish can be checked off so far this week . . . the Hollow Stars runner.  This was the kit I purchased recently.  Yay - a kit that didn't end up languishing in a drawer. 

I'll need to clear all the Quilt of Valor stuff off my dining room table before I can actually make use of this new runner on the table.  LOL

It's possible this will be the ONLY finish this week as the sewing time is quite limited due to all the other things going on.  That's OK of course.

This week has a busy full calendar, which doesn't happen much lately.  Two evenings of baseball, one high school softball game, monthly lunch with the "retired" group of ladies, a manicure appointment, and a pedicure appointment.  Over the weekend there will be 2 Quilt of Valor awards, and plans to attend a dinner theater with one of my daughters.  And then next week there will be 3 family birthdays to celebrate!!  And more baseball. 

A niece got married last Saturday, and we had a really fun time gathering with family.  It was a small wedding, with a big reception, dance, and BBQ after.  The music was good and the food was delicious. 

Design Wall Monday - May 25

Memorial Day 2026 - a day of remembrance.

Here in the US today we're honoring those veterans who are no longer with us.  I'm not attending any Memorial Day programs this year but am taking a bit of time to reflect on my father and his 5 brothers who all served our country in uniform. Three of them, including my dad, all served during WWII. I've been researching my dad's military "history", as he rarely talked about it when he was alive. He was a 19 year old paratrooper dropped behind enemy line in Operation Varsity near the end of the war in Europe.  He passed away 36 years ago already.  Thank you for your service Dad!!

I've been in the mood this weekend for some red, white, and blue sewing.

I've said fairly often that I like to test blocks, and my "Go To" fabric choices for the blocks will usually be patriotic fabrics. That way the blocks can be used in QOV sampler quilts rather than go to waste.  This weekend I tested out 2 more star blocks.  The bottom one I'm calling Spiky Star, and is one I saw on Pinterest.  I had to figure out the math myself to make them 12" finished blocks.  But that was pretty easy.  The top one is one I've made before but adapted to the 12" size I want to use.  Again - easy math.

The Hollow Star table runner kit is now a flimsy and sandwiched with batting and backing.  And the practice block I made has borders added so it can be used as a table topper too.  Notice more of that blue star fabric from the test blocks?  Hopefully I'll get the quilting finished on these and the binding attached this week.

A couple of additional goals for this week:

** play some golf with my husband
** kit up parts for 2 Quilts of Valor for our ladies to sew
** assemble flimsy for Give It a Whirl blocks
** take Beach Bums to quilter
** choose next UFO to tackle
** pair more backings with QOV tops

I'm linking up today with:

https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/ 

https://songbirddesigns.blog 

RSC26 - Week #21

It's Memorial Day weekend and for us, a family wedding weekend.  One of our nieces is getting married this afternoon and I'm really looking forward to gathering with extended family to celebrate the occasion.

This was the 3rd full week of orange sewing, and there is something to show for it in spite of most of my focus this week being on other projects.

The Who Found the Catnip block was made in orange early in the week.  These whimsical blocks just make me smile every single time.

Some string blocks happened this week. 

Two orange Give It a Whirl blocks were made.  This only totaled 40 blocks, and I was aiming for 42 total.  

So, I ended up making an aqua block and a yellow block. I should have gone with green I think, but these were the scraps most handy.  

Next I played with layouts, and I think this is the plan.  I'll add a white "brick" to either the top or bottom of each column to even them out.  Once these are sewn together, then I'll decide whether or not to add borders but I'm thinking there will be borders.

Let's go check out more Rainbow fun . . .

https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/

Finished (or not) Friday

I'm very pleased this week to have 2 finishes - one big and one small.

A big UFO finish for this week makes me really really happy.  This photo of me holding it was taken at The Pin Cushion when I took it there to check it off the PHD (Projects Half Done) list at the shop.  This was Cactus In the Cabin, a sew along from Bear Creek Quilting in 2025.  The black background makes the orange, pink, and green batiks pop.  I don't use a dark background often enough, but I'm sure glad I did on this one.  

Isn't the quilting pretty?  It looks white here but is actually a variegated thread in the orange, pink, and green colors.  It's perfect.  

The other finish for this week was the final 14" mini quilt in the Year of Spools series from Fat Quarter Shop.  The June mini is called Sew Jammy, and the pattern also includes an apple, a pear, and a peach for that jar center.  I saw someone online ask for a grape and that would be fun too.

I have kept up with these each month, since July of 2025.  At only 14" square they were quick finishes.  Now looking at the photo I realize the Sunflowers (August) should come before the Apples (September) when I layed them on the floor in order.  The only one that I personally think still need tweaking . . . that Christmas Tree.  At the time, I added a small sparkly star button on top.  But it needs a much bigger button. 

This is probably going on my own bed.

For more finishes, please visit:  https://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/

Small project progress

The Sew Jammy mini quilt should be done today. It's quilted but needs binding. The binding is red.  I just did a simple stitch in the ditch around some components. 

I couldn't resist the kit for a new patriotic table runner at The Pin Cushion this week, and I want it to use on my table this summer.  Hollow Star is the pattern name. 

The runner is done in strips, using a 60 degree runner to cut diamond shapes.  I have a 60 degree triangle ruler that I use quite often.  But I also have a 60 degree diamond ruler that doesn't get used very often.  Time to use it. 

Beach Bums is a flimsy

Finally - I have all the little pieces ironed onto the Beach Bums wall hanging.  It's ready to be quilted, and I want it to be dense quilting to make sure all those little pieces stay put.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out.  Now a backing is needed.  

Next up was this month's Saturday Sampler blocks.  The May instructions called for only 6 log cabin type of blocks, finishing at 9".  They were sewn into 2 sets of 3.  These probably took me longer to choose fabrics for them than to sew them.

However - look what arrived in the mail?  This might have to come right after Saturday Sampler.  Sew Jammy is the final Year of Spools mini quilt. The spool is the jam jar, and so cute with the red/white gingham.  

All of the pieces are cut out and laying on a design board.  There were not nearly as many tiny pieces as there were for the May mini.  

Of course I had to start sewing on this mini because I had time.  It's possible that I'll get this mini quilt all finished today.  

Pizza Box Challenge for May

Peggy shared her star block choice for the on-going Pizza Box Challenge at Sew Vintage a week ago.  Anyone who wanted to participate would make the block in RWB, and pass them on to our Quilt of Valor group for future quilts.  Some are also making the blocks to keep for their own sampler quilt, in whatever colors they choose.  

I'm making my own blocks using 30s reproduction prints.  There is a whole shelf full of these reproduction fabrics in my sewing room.  I love the happy colors.  I pulled an orange and a brown print, and am using a scrappy white background.  

For the QOV version - I made 2 of Peggy's star so far, but might make at least 1 more because I have a ton of QOV scraps to play with.  Last month we did Lemoyne Stars, and this pattern uses the same cutting instructions, but turns the HSTs differently.  A whole different star is born!

The beach bags are ready to add to Beach Bums.  And some of the tiny little accessories are at least traced onto the fusible.  The flip flops are what I'm dreading the most, because they are weird shapes and very little. 

Design Wall Monday - May 18

My husband is deep into a couple of home improvement projects since he is 98% retired.  Did you catch my eye roll?  Anyway, contractors are scheduled to arrive this morning to begin the deck replacement.  I'm not ready for the noise and the mess, and I'm positive our little colony of feral cats are not ready for the noise. I'm moving their food dishes to the front porch. The biggest worry is moving the "cat house" to the porch - carefully because the little grey kitty had her kittens inside the canvas house on Sunday morning. We don't want her to abandon those babies.  I'm actually hoping the schedule is delayed due to rain this morning.  

I never made a goal list for the month of May, but have been writing on little sticky notes on my desk.  So maybe it's time to consolidate those sticky notes into an actual list.

• Keep up with Saturday Sampler
• Finish applique on Beach Bums wall hanging & choose backing
• Bind Cactus in the Cabin quilt
• make next star blocks from the Pizza Box Challenge
• 1 block in 30s prints (for me)
• 2 or more blocks in RWB (for QOV)
• Finish up the orange RSC blocks for May
• Catnip blocks
• string blocks
• Give It a Whirl blocks
• misc orange blocks
• Determine last clue for guild DIY Round Robin & make the handout

I'm linking up today with:

https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/ 

https://songbirddesigns.blog 

RSC26 - Week #20

Lots of orange to report this week.  Some of the blocks are joining sets with the first 4 colors of 2026, but a few are brand new block sets just beginning. 

The 12" (finished) bees are done.  The Honey Bee block is a Lori Holt pattern.  

Scrappy Stars . . . I'm trying to make a dent in the big drawer FULL of black prints.  These finish at 9", and I've been making 4 each month.  I don't often go with dark backgrounds, but I'm sure liking these.

Six inch Vintage Spools . . . so far there are only 3 orange ones.  I need to cut pieces for more of these to use as Leaders/Enders for next week. 

And a new block is Confetti Star.  It's a 6" paper pieced block from Amy Friend at During Quiet Time.  The first one I made was in patriotic scraps, but then I just had to try it out in orange, and then in green.  I think I like the totally scrappy backgrounds the best.

Another "new" block is the Mardi Gras Triangles. Again, I'm hoping to make a dent in that drawer of black prints.  These are 6" finished blocks too.  So far, I've made several orange ones, and even went back to make a couple of each of the other 2026 colors.

Finally, I couldn't resist making some of the Ticker Tape blocks in orange.  This version uses just one fabric for the color section, where as the patriotic ones I made first used several HSTs and squares to make the color section.  Either way they use up some scraps.  The blocks will finish at 4" by 8".  I can picture using a jelly roll for this block in the future.  

Let's go check out more Rainbow fun . . .

https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/

Finished (or Not) Friday

Some steady progress has been made this week on the Beach Bums wall hanging.  It's still a long ways from finished however.

The beach towels with the chubby "bums" are all lined up.  Next step is to iron on the palm fronds at the top.  Then a beach bag for each lady is needed, and a variety of small accessories like flip flops and tropical drinks.  It's 45" wide, so you can get a feel for size. 

On Wednesday I got a call to say my quilt was ready to pick up from the long armer.  The binding needs attaching, which may happen this morning.  Then I'll have some binding to work on in the evenings.  Cactus In the Cabin has a black background, with bright pinks, orange, and greens.  The quilting design is just gorgeous. In the photo, the thread looks white, but it's actually bright pink, orange, and green variegated - just perfect and really pops on that black.

The flimsy for this one was done in November last year.  Then it hung in the closet waiting it's turn for quilting.  It's 85" square. 

For more finishes, please visit:  https://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/