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/

Block play

Yesterday's post mentioned recent block testing I've been doing in between other projects.  My regular readers know that I'm always on the lookout for new blocks to play with . . .  and I'm so easily distracted by squirrels that cross my path.  That makes for a dangerous combination sometimes.  I've been steadily working on the applique pieces for Beach Bums this week but I've also played with some "new to me" blocks.

At Sew Vintage last Saturday we had a little demo of making "puff" blocks.  These are not stuffed with batting and are only 3" square.  The technique was published in a magazine several years ago, and a small finished project was displayed in the quilt shop classroom this winter.  Several of us expressed interest in learning how to do these.  

I cut a dozen 5" squares from each of 2 fat quarters, plus smaller squares from muslin for the back of the puff.  A little machine stitching, plus a little hand stitching and we have a puff square.  In the displayed project in the shop this winter, there were little pearl buttons sewn into the centers, and I had a bag of peart buttons.  I may need to use smaller buttons instead of these big pearls.  We'll see.  These will make some good hand stitching in the evenings - if I ever stay home, which hasn't happened much this week.

Another squirrel/new block is small (6" finished) and paper pieced.  Confetti Star is a free block from Amy Friend at During Quiet Time.  A big thank you to Needled Mom blog for sharing info on the block.  You know I can't resist a star block of any kind.  The first version I tried out was in red, white and blue.  But wouldn't this be a great block for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge?  Of course some orange scraps joined the party right away.  

There is no chance that I'll ever run out of scraps - or be bored. 

Lady #2 and more

The second lady on the beach is coming together.  I haven't figured out yet what color her beach towel and bag will be. I've decided to work on the lady and swim suit for each first, and then I'll go back and choose some of the other colors. Her hat and the trim on her swimsuit isn't a batik, but it works. 
 

I shouldn't admit this, but I've been testing some blocks as Leaders/Enders lately - new to me patterns.  Some have been possibilities for Quilts of Valor, and others have been for Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  More on the block testing tomorrow, but I'll share a couple of things today.  This is the Mardi Gras Triangle, which was something I saw on Pinterest.  Mine will finish at 6", but these could easily be made in any size.  I think they would work nicely done in red, white, and blue too.

And there are the Ticker Tape blocks that I'm thinking could be a future Quilt of Valor idea.  I've been seeing this block online, but with different layouts.  Grace and Peace has them going horizontally across her quilt. Her blocks are constructed differently, but end up the same shape and her fabrics are all the same in each block.  I really like how her version looks.  The other version had vertical strings of blue, then strings of red alternating.  The blocks in that version are simply HSTs and squares and very very scrappy.  I'm not sure where I'm going with these, but I have a whole bag full of red and blue HSTs in 2.5" size.  And there are a ton of neutral 2.5" squares in the bin, along with every other color.  These could be very cute done in a rainbow of colors for RSC as well.  

So many possibilities.  And yes, this is one way that UFOs are born. 

Beach Bums ladies

There is nothing actually ironed onto the Beach Bums background yet, but I have a good start on the gazillion pieces that will eventually be ironed on. Choosing colors might be the most difficult task.

The palm fronds are all cut out from the gradient green batik.  There will be 3 of the fronds on each side of the wall hanging, as kind of a frame around the scene.

Lady #1 has most of her pieces now - hat, swimsuit, towel, and beach bag.  There is a martini in a glass, and there will be some dragon flies and flip flops near her too.  I'm planning to stick to mostly batiks for all of the main pieces.  Four more ladies to go.

I won't iron any of the ladies onto the background until I have all the main pieces (body and towels) ready to go so that I can space them properly across the scene.  Maybe by the end of the week I'll have all 5 ladies ready to go, except for the really tiny extras. 

Design Wall Monday - May 11

The mini quilt for May (Year in Spools) is done, and hanging on its little metal stand on the family room fireplace. 

Now that the pattern test project is done and delivered, and the mini quilt is done . . . TA DA!!!  Beach Bums is on the top of my priority list for this week.  The background has been sewn together (about 30 x 45) from the gradient batiks I bought a couple of years ago when I bought the pattern. The palm fronds have been ironed onto the green gradient batik.  I'll get those cut out, and begin working on the ladies on the beach.  There are 5 ladies in swim suits and hats, with various accessories around them such as towels, bags, flip flops, and a martini. Maybe I'll actually have something to show by the end of the week.   

I'm linking up today with:

https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/ 

https://songbirddesigns.blog 

RSC26 - Week #19

Another good week of sewing, but not as much orange as I hoped.

Early in the week I got 2 Snail Trail blocks made, as Leaders/Enders while working on something else.  But now that the high priority project is behind me I can focus on more RSC sewing. I've been making 4 of each color every month.

Yesterday I got 2 more made. 
 

And 3 orange Hollow-9 blocks joined the pack.  They were a good reminder that I have a baby quilt of Hollow-9 blocks ready to quilt, by me on my regular machine.  I need to bite the bullet next week and work on that.

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

https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/

Finished (or Not) Friday

One finish for this week can't be shown yet . . . but I do have the flimsy done for the mystery quilt pattern test.  I'll either take it to Mariah later today or can drop it off (hidden in a bag) when I go for Saturday Sampler tomorrow.  The flimsy is 74 x 86, and turned out very pretty.  But I probably won't be able to show a picture until early fall, once the mystery clues have all been shared with the participants.

However, I am excited to show off the other finish for this week.  This is Ribbon, a QOV pattern by Alycia for a sew-along.  I finished binding it while watching Survivor on Wednesday night.  Thank you Alycia for this amazing pattern.

It's not a finish but I did make some progress was made yesterday on the mini quilt for May.  One of the 3 flowers is done.  For general information there are over 60 tiny 1" squares in this kit, so it is kind of slow going.  

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

Some midweek progress

Monday morning I did manage to cut all the remaining pieces for the mystery quilt pattern test, and I got a little bit of sewing done for the final 2 clues.  Yesterday I had quite a bit of sewing time on this project, and I'm now ready to begin assembling the quilt top.  

I've already shown you the colors I'm using before, so here is just a little peek from one of the clues for this mystery.  There are strip sets involved, but that's as detailed as I can tell you.  I'm really excited to see what colors and fabrics all the shops choose for their mystery quilt kits this summer during the shop hop.    

While I was in cutting mode, I also cut more pieces for QOV blocks and RSC blocks to use as Leaders/Enders this week. Pieces are ready for 2 orange Snail Trail blocks, and parts are cut for several more of the Echo blocks for Quilts of Valor.

 That cutting marathon also yielded the parts for the mini quilt with the flowers and spools.  I've been just moving this kit around in my sewing room for 2 weeks, but it's finally layed out on a design board to be at least started this week.  

This coming weekend is Saturday Sampler and Sew Vintage. I'm all ready for both, with the sewing already done.  But I did need to get things organized to take with me on Saturday morning.  This month for SS we made 18 flying geese, and sewed them into 2 sections.  My geese are done with only 2 colors, navy blue and aqua.  

Sharing an artist's work

 

Because I have nothing of my own to share yet today, I thought I would share something really beautiful from last weekend's guild meeting.  This quilt was enormous, well over 100" wide. The blocks were antique, and all done by hand with cross stich.  

The ladies at the local "senior center" hand quilted this beauty and one brought it to guild so everyone could see it. Isn't it gorgeous?  Using the solid colors gave the quilt a lovely mix of antique and modern.  I'm sure the owner will be thrilled.  

Design Wall Monday - May 4

I have very little to share today in terms of progress or plans.  HMMM . . .

I'm about halfway around a Quilt of Valor with the binding.  A striped binding always makes me smile.  So does that quilting design on this one, done by our state QOV coordinator for us.  

I'm still working on that mystery quilt pattern test, but plan to be all done with the quilt top by the end of this week.  This morning I hope to have the pieces for week 6 all cut out, and begin sewing.  Week 6 appears to be a mirror image of the week 5 blocks - which by the way, required some assistance from my seam ripper. I had some problems with diagonals.  Wish I could show how this is coming together, but it's a mystery.  

Once the pattern test is done, then I'll work on a small project - the May mini in The Year of Spools series.  Once that is done, we'll have just one more.  This is one of the cuter kits, but has a LOT of little corners that will need trimming.

My afternoon plans involve playing cards with some girl friends.   

I'm linking up today with:

https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/ 

RSC26 - Week #18

These orange flying geese blocks happened because of the pattern I'm testing for a local designer.  I wanted to try out the technique with my own fabric before cutting and sewing them in the designer's fabric.  So, orange is what I chose to experiment with for the geese.  I'm sure these will get used in something before long. 

The only orange RSC blocks I got around to so far are 5 of the reversed Buckeye blocks.  But I know next week I'll be diving into that orange scrap bin and having some fun. 

I looked through the closet to see if there were any flimsies hanging in there that had a lot of orange.  Turns out - yes!!  That was not a surprise.  This is a small quilt from 2024 called Summer Getaway.  It was a Sew Sampler box project, mostly navy blue and orange.  So, I'll see if I can find a good backing, and get this UFO across the finish line this month. 

There is a doll quilt with lots of a coral/orange too, so maybe that can be another May finish.

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

https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/

Road trip and more

I'm working on week 4 of the mystery pattern test. Steady progress, with just a few questions for the designer to clarify a step or two.  Nothing I can show however.  

Tuesday evening we made a short road trip to Sioux Falls for granddaughter Olivia's spring orchestra concert.  She plays the viola in the 6th grade orchestra at her middle school. I'm glad we're only an hour away.   

The difference from the fall concert to the spring concert is quite amazing as their skills grow dramatically.  In her case, this is her 3rd year playing the viola.  The music was really good, and I'm so glad we were able to be there. 

Over the weekend, I finished up a third set of the Sew Vintage star blocks to add to the collection (top 3) for the pizza box challenge.  I had the pieces already cut from the RWB scraps I had been trying to organize.  So it made sense to get those blocks sewn.  The bottom 3 blocks are "test" blocks I've been playing with as possible QOV group blocks. Actually that bottom left block is the paper pieced one I did, and I know most of our ladies have no interest in doing any paper piecing, but it's still going into the box.  It will be fine in a sampler.  The other 2 blocks on the bottom definitely show me how important good contrast is.   

Wednesday progress

Today's post is more for my own accountability and not terribly interesting otherwise.  I had set 4 goals for this week.  Yesterday I gave you a peek at the progress on Goal #1 (guild round robin), but there is no additional progress to report.  

Goal #2 was to finish tracing the parts for Beach Bums, a UFO wall hanging project.  The tracing is done.  Yay!!  I took me almost 3 yards of Heat and Bond (light) to get all of the parts traced for this applique project.  So many tiny little pieces!! 

Goal #3 was continued progress on the mystery quilt pattern test.  I've finished all the blocks for the first 3 clues, with 4 more to go before I can assemble blocks into a flimsy.  Today's task will be to cut clue 4 and sew those blocks.  Can't show you anything yet however.

Goal #4 was to work on various blocks as Leaders/Enders while I sew on that pattern test. I had one design board covered with parts cut for various Quilt of Valor blocks.  From those parts, while sewing test blocks, I also made 2 blocks for the Gleam QOV.  

A second design board held parts for new RSC blocks and 1 new Sewcialites block.  The little 6" strawberry block that was last week's Sewcialites pattern is just too cute.  Pat Sloan designed the strawberry, and even though I'm not keeping up with the Sewcialites this year I am saving the patterns.  And I've played with a couple of them just because.  I think this will become a strawberry mug rug.  Lots of parts for the reversed Buckeye blocks are ready, in both orange (May color) and blue (past color). 

Tuesday catch up

Monday felt like a catch up day around here. I was co-hosting the monthly pinochle group in the evening, so I spent a little extra tidy-up time and not as much sewing time.  The other co-host brought ALL the food and drink, so I had the easy part.  LOL

I to share the 2 pillowcases that I finished on Saturday.  This print with the animals and flowers was too cute to keep hiding away.  Pillowcases are a quick way to add yardage USED to my spreadsheet, so I should kit up a few more from the project box marked "pillowcase" kits.  LOL

All of the pieces for Week 3 of the pattern testing are cut, so I'm hoping this morning to get these 4 blocks made.  These will be mirror images of the blocks for Week 2.

One of my tasks for this week has been to work on the next clue for our guild DIY Round Robin.  It needs to be ready to share on Saturday morning at our May meeting. Clue 4 involves using some leftover double-ended Dresden blades, but I can't show you exactly how I'm using them until next week - after the clue is shared with participants.

I've been cleaning up some of my smaller collections of scraps.  April for RSC was pink, and my pink bin also contained orange.  So I sorted those orange scraps into a shoebox size bin with a lid.  I did the same by sorting brown and grey OUT of the black bin.  And pulled the purple and aqua scraps out of the blue bin.  Each of these little shoebox containers has a label, and they'll stack nicely in the closet or on a shelf.  The funny things is orange was announced for the May color, and here are those scraps all ready to play with.
 

There is also a little shoebox bin for Red, White, Blue - but not to hold scraps.  There are too many for that size bin.  Instead, I'm using it to put in various random "units" I've made or parts I've cut such as HSTs, or 4-patches.  I often do those units as Leaders/Enders when I'm making QOV blocks because they tend to be the leftovers of those blocks.  While sorting out some of those over the weekend, I organized the parts for some additional QOV blocks.  These will also be Leaders/Enders this week as I'm sewing on the pattern test.  There are parts on this design board for a couple of Gleam blocks, more Echo blocks, and along the top are parts for more small 4-Patch Fun blocks.