More Hunter's Star

More sets of batik Hunter's Star blocks joined the growing collection.
 

There are 4 of each color combo.  That bottom pink is really more of a plum color than it appears here.  Counting these I have 20 sets of 4, and still need another set.

The triangles and trapezoids for the final sets of blocks are cut.  At least I think these will be the last ones.  The black strips for the star points are cut too.  I'm using the Rapid Fire Hunter's Star ruler (Studio 180) and process.  I went to a workshop several years ago and this process was used.  There is a Hunter's Star die in my Accuquilt stuff too, but it didn't even occur to me to use it.  Oops!! Totally forgot I even had that die.  Next time!!

Mid-week progress

You knew this would happen . . . the rainbow pineapple in 2 sizes.
 

I cut a lot of scraps into squares and rectangles in the sizes I use the most.  However, I don't seem to use them up as fast as they accumulate in the small bins.  There are LOTS of 2.5", 3.5", 5" - and 1.5" squares collected from scraps.  And I also cut rectangles - 3.5" x 6.5" bricks and more recently 2.5" x 4.5".  Other than the background white in these 2 blocks all of the squares came from the containers of squares.  The little block used 1.5" and the big one used 2.5".  The process was just like the strawberries I made over the summer and the cats too.

They are fun little addictions distractions, and I keep seeing things like this - on blogs and Pinterest.  You know how it is, once you click on one, then you keep seeing more.

I'm alternating making new blocks this week, with sewing existing block sets into 2-sies or 4-sies.  Makes me feel like I'm keeping the momentum going on some WIPs but still playing with new projects.  A few of the blue and white Twinkler blocks are done now.  More are cut and ready to sew.

  

The next sets of 4 Hunter's Star blocks have also been in the mix. That orange batik is one of the new ones I just bought because there was only 1 other set of orange blocks in the stack for this project.  

This n that . . .

First thing today is a BIG thank you to Anne!!  She lives about 80 miles away but contacted me about donating a Quilt of Valor to our Mitchell group.

And on Saturday she let me know she would be here in Mitchell, and suggested we meet at The Pin Cushion quilt shop.  Her husband wanted a photo of us holding the quilt.  Isn't it pretty?  And it was already washed and ready to be wrapped around a veteran in the next few weeks.  Thank you so much Anne!!

Clue #5 for the Tranquility mystery quilt was emailed out at the end of last week.  This month we only used 2 of the fabrics and made 4 blocks.  LeMoyne Star is the name.  Easy peasy!!  They are done and hanging up with the previous blocks.  I have no ideas yet how these are going to go together.  So, it's still a mystery!  

Over the weekend I did pull out a small hand quilting project to work on while watching TV.  This is an "adopt a UFO" project from guild a few years ago.  I hand stitched those little stars, then put 9 of them together into a small quilt.  Last summer I took it along on the Alaskan cruise to give me some hand work while traveling.  And then - it began a long hibernation.  Time to finish it, or at least make some actual progress!!!!

Of course you knew this was likely to happen using 1.5" squares, right?  LOL

Design Wall Monday - October 7

Updating my focus for the week, gives me some WIPs and something new.  The "new" project is my reward for finishing another quilt top plus a table runner flimsy last week.

The Tranquility mystery quilt clue #5 came out at the end of last week.  It's a LeMoyne Star block - 4 of them.  My pieces were cut while watching the Vikings play the Jets on Sunday morning.  I should get the blocks made today.

I'll be continuing to make the batik Hunter's Star blocks.  This began with the idea of making a small quilt, but I have enough batiks in the stash to make a big quilt.  I did buy a half yard of red and of orange batiks on Saturday because I realized those were colors I was short of for this project.  

And I'll be making more Shooting Star blocks all month.  The stack of blocks is getting closer to being large enough for a quilt top.  

My reward?  I will use a jelly roll that has spent way too much time sitting on the shelf.  The fabric line is Bubble Blues (Robert Kaufman fabrics), and the pattern is Twinkler, by Podunk Pretties.  She did a great tutorial for this block on her blog.  I'm excited to make another blue and white quilt.  And you know how I love star blocks - so how could I resist. 

Check in on more Design Wall Monday fun . . .
https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/

And Monday Musings at . . .

https://songbirddesigns.blog/

RSC24 - Week #40

Another week in the books.  This is my favorite time of year because the days still tend to get warm but are not hot. And the evenings are crisp and cool.  It's also allergy season, so I am spending lots of time in the sewing room.

Dutchman's Puzzle is one more Rainbow Scrap Challenge project for this year that has reached the flimsy stage.  It's about 68 x 80, and much brighter in person.

That outer border batik was actually hidden away in my stash, so I didn't even have to go shopping for border fabric.  The plan is to bind it in aqua.  For now it's hanging in the closet waiting for its turn to be quilted.

A little fun was had using 2.5" squares from the bin.  I saw a picture of a rainbow pineapple on Pinterest, and just HAD to play with the idea.  It's 12.5" wide and 20.5" tall, so I'm not completely sure yet what it will become.  But it's cute and was fun. 

A few 5" string blocks - pieced on phone book paper - have been my leader/enders the last week or so.  These still need the frames to become Bead blocks.  And no noticeable decrease happened in the scrap bins either.    

More Shooting Star blocks will be one focus for continuing RSC projects this month. They won't be the only ones of course.  There is a whole rainbow of colors yet to put into the batik Hunter's Star blocks too.

I'm not quite sure how to approach the light neutrals in terms of scrap usage this month. Light neutrals are already something I use often, especially as background in scrappy projects.  So maybe projects with white/cream/neutral backgrounds will be my October RSC goal.

Let's check out more RSC fun . . .

https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/

Christmas table runner flimsy

 Well - here it is, a new table runner flimsy.

I made this from a kit called Under the Pines, designed by Heather Peterson of Anka's Treasures.  Because the full design would have been 62" long, I left out the snowflake block that would have been in the center of the runner.  I just didn't want it to be that long.  I will still make the snowflake block and turn it into a mug rug or hot pad.  The flimsy still needs a good pressing before quilting.  And I'll trim the outside edges before binding it.  

We both got our Covid and flu shots yesterday afternoon.  It remains to be seen if I feel like accomplishing anything today. 

Progress on the table runner

One of my other goals for this week is to finish the Christmas table runner I started last weekend.
 

I mentioned in a previous post that the pattern isn't written in a format that works for my brain.  Ugh!!  I hate adding 7/8" slivers to things to make them the same width as other sections.  And the pattern actually called for those skinny pieces at both ends of this holly section of the runner.  My other rant - the charm pack in the kit was not actually cut square.  The pieces are not 5" square.  In reality those charm pack pieces are 4.75" by 5".  What???  It's pretty difficult to cut 4 equal 2.5" squares from something that isn't big enough.  

The kit and pattern for this runner makes the final result 62" long.  Well, my dining room table is NOT that long so I'm changing things up a little.  The border pieces should be finished today, and then I'll decide how I want to quilt it.