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/

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.