To Do Tuesday

My "to do" list this week has a lot of variety to keep me from getting bored.  As the weather gets nicer finally, I know that I'll be easily distracted by spending more time outdoors.

So, there is a lot of variety, and mostly quick things to do.    

• 2 new Farmers Wife Sampler blocks 
• 4 Wisdom blocks for Moneik's block drive
• make 2 of the 6 pillowcases currently kitted up and ready
• finish 1 additional Laundry Line block
• sew the blocks into rows for Rectangles
• Rectangles doll quilt - finish the flimsy

Design Wall Monday - April 26

 What is on your design wall this morning?  I'm linking up with Design Wall Monday - 
https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/

Mine is holding the blocks I made on Sunday for Rectangles.  This is another free pattern from Mary Quilts.  This one used 18 of the 20 strips from a bright colored half jelly roll, and 18 strips cut from a black-on-black yardage.  I paired them up to make 18 strip sets.  And once I saw this photo, I realized that some rearranging of colors needs to happen, on the left side in particular.  

Each strip set yields 9 sections cut 4.5" wide.  8 of them are used to make 2 blocks each for the quilt and the extra section is going into a doll quilt.  I ended up with 2 of these little sections left over.  I'll turn those into 4-patches and add them to my "orphan block" drawer.   

One of my goals this week is to sew these into rows.  And if I'm really ambitious I might even get the quilt top all put together.  This was a project that I cut and kitted up a couple of weeks ago from a PIG that was in the stash.  I had this Project in a Grocery Sack paired with a different pattern.  I ditched the other pattern as it had way too much black for my current taste, and decided to use the fabric for this quick and easy project.  Only half of the black was used for this so the rest is in with my other black yardage, and will get used for something else. 

Once the top is done I'll have an empty project box again and can refill it with something else pulled from the stash.  One more example of being able to "use it up".  

More UFOs

In my sewing room, tucked under a table, has been a big grey tub.  I knew it held a couple of quilts needing to be finished, but really hadn't looked in it lately.  Since I had a cleaning and organizing mojo going this past week, I decided it was time to open it up and see what I might have been putting off. 

Near the top was a gallon zip lock bag holding about 8 blocks, a partial layer cake, and about a yard of fabric.  No pattern and none of that white background - which is kind of thin anyway.  There was a sticky note in it that said "Bliss", which I think is the fabric line and not the pattern.  Obviously I cut the layer cake pieces into 5" squares and was framing them on 2 sides with 2.5" strips.  Very simple.  And after making a few blocks I stopped.  Was it because I wasn't happy with the quality of that white sashing?  Bored?  Distracted?  Who knows - but it's time to add this to my UFO list and finish it.  I think it would make a sweet baby quilt. 

What I knew was in this tub was one of the very first quilts I ever made, and it was why I decided to dig into it in the first place.  It's the Eleanor Burns Diamond Log Cabin, and I made it in a class in the mid 1980s.  Originally my binding was cream colored with an attached lace ruffle.  So 1980s, and so ugly!!  That binding, not the quilt.  I actually still like the pattern and the teal color scheme I used.  Several years ago I cut that binding off and planned to just put new binding on.  Well . . . obviously that didn't happen.  It's time.  

And folded up under that log cabin quilt was something else that screams 1980s.  If the colors don't give it away, then the nasty polyester batting poking out will.  Yikes!!  There is a quilt and a matching table runner - both are sandwiched and pin basted.   I believe this is a Jack in the Box block. 

The quilt is actually partially hand quilted, with really big stitches that look pretty bad.  Plus, it's been pinned and folded up for over 30 years!  I'll start with the table runner.  The pins are coming out and that nasty batting is going to be thrown away.  After a good pressing I'll decide if it can be salvaged.  The pins I used are pretty big, so maybe the holes are permanent after 30+ years.  I didn't see any rust however so that is good.  The quilt may or may not meet a similar fate.  

In the interest of being honest with myself . . . there is plenty more in that big grey tub that needs to be dealt with, but some other time.  I think this enough to add to the UFO list for now.

It's not new, but it's blue

 This week I donated 3 quilts to various charities that are collecting quilts for causes such as chemo patients and foster children programs.  I forgot to take a picture of one quilt, but these are the others.

This pinwheel baby quilt was something I made a couple of years ago. I like to have some baby quilts put away for last minute gift needs.  I really liked this simple pinwheel pattern because it works perfectly with scraps, even a scrappy background.  This one had yardage for the background however. It's very good to finally give it a home.  Since it's blue, I'm posting this one with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge group today:

https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/

This purple and yellow Dresden Plate quilt was one I made several years ago but just had quilted last year.  This was made entirely from stash, including the purple backing I used.  I love the texture that the quilting gave in that yellow area.  This one went to a chemo patient group.  It's a lap size quilt which is the size they wanted.  

It feels so good to share a quilt with a program that pays it forward.  We can't keep them all, even though it sometimes seems like I keep too many.  

Jelly Belly Bars

 It's done!  Yay!  This is Jelly Belly Bars.  I cut the kit from a jelly roll and background to take to a retreat in late February.  

Most of the blocks were made at the retreat, but that is also when I realized that my jelly roll had only been a half jelly roll.  But between a gift of leftovers from my friend Moneik, plus a little purchased yardage, I was able to finish it up.  It's a great cuddle up size, and I plan to gift it. 

Carol quilted this one for me.  She used a beautiful aqua thread to stitch a swirly flower design all over.  I love how it turned out.  And I do believe this is a pattern I'll use again.  I can picture this pattern as a Quilt of Valor done with red and blue strips around a patriotic print.  Hmmm - that may have to be a plan to pursue!

Prepping leads to organizing

 I've prepped a dozen blocks for a charity block drive, and it led to another organizing and cleaning effort.  Although first it led to a mess.  A friend is collecting blocks to make one (or more) children's quilts for a local charity where she lives.  Her block choice was one of my favorites - Wisdom, from Fat Quarter Shop's Sewcialites sew-along.  I've made a ton of these for myself, and now I have an excuse to make more to send to Moneik.  I love, love this block so much.  

The paper plates came in handy again.  These will get neutral backgrounds, and will most likely be made in between other projects.  I have until late June to get these made and in the mail so there is no rush.  But I couldn't resist doing the prepping for the blocks right away.  

Five pillowcases have also been kitted up from those kid prints.  Won't that road fabric make a great pillowcase?  There was enough for 2 of them and I may have to set one of them aside for Jack for next Christmas.  There was enough of the frog fabric for 3 pillowcases.  I love having a pile of pillowcases ready for gifts and donations.

Now - about that mess.  I knew most of my child themed prints were in a couple of canvas cubes but I had no idea just what a mess I actually had in those cubes until I decided to dump one onto the floor.

These are not the best photos, but that might be a good thing.  What a mess of scraps and yardage from a lot of kids' quilts, aprons, burb clothes, and pillowcases made over the years.  This is the picture I took after sorting out just the yardage and bindings .  The blue cube now holds child themed novelty print yardage.  And the red cube is now the location of panels and border print yardage.  Note to self - stop buying border prints!!  I have a ton of them, but just can't resist them.   

The other thing discovered was yards and yards of binding leftovers, in every imaginable color and quantity.  Years worth of binding leftovers!!  These are now folded neatly and put in 2 shallow drawers, rather than mixed in with scraps and yardage.  Looks like I'll have scrappy binding for more than one future scrappy quilt.  This wasn't on my organization list, but I'm really happy it's all done. 

Binding progress

The binding on Jelly Belly Bars is halfway done. Yay!!  Because I didn't want to buy any additional fabric to finish this I made a scrappy binding using 3 of the Tula Pink fabrics I had left from the quilt blocks.  There are pink, purple, and aqua sections to that binding and yes, I am switching thread color as I get to each section. 

The blocks were all made from Tula Pink fabrics so I couldn't resist putting a backing on this quilt that comes from Tula Pink.  This one is so sweet. The whole piece looks like an artist's sketchbook.  It has a very subtle grid with black "sketches" over it - words and phrases, animals, hearts, stars, and more.  It's almost too cute to hide on the back of a quilt.  

I'm hoping that my evening hand stitching sessions will have this done by the weekend.