Reducing the clutter

I'm trying to reduce the "stuff" everywhere in my house, not only in my sewing room but in closets and drawers everywhere.  Some weeks I make better progress than others. This wasn't the most productive week for decluttering, but every little bit helps. 

Starting with my sewing room this week . . .

I started with this bag with 5 leftover blocks from a previous project.  These tiny blocks are only 3.5" unfinished, and were part of a free sew-along a couple of years ago when I was crazy enough to make the blocks in all 3 sizes - 3", 6", and 9".  

Adding setting triangles to those 3.5" blocks and turning them into mug rugs was a quick way to use these.  One empty Ziplock bag. Check!!

There was a gallon sized bag with some solid red yardage.  One piece was really good, and I cut it into binding strips for an upcoming project.  The other piece was so thin you could see through it.  I just can't use something like that in a quilt.  I threw it away.  That was kind of brave of me, right?   That makes 2 empty bags.  Check, check!!

Another bag buried in a drawer held the flimsy version of a table runner, with points on each end.  It's a bit too floral for my taste, which is probably why I never finished it.  So, I cut those pointy ends off, and voila!  Another placemat is ready for sandwiching and quilting.  It's in the stack with some others, and hopefully will be finished next week.  That makes 3 empty bags. Check, check, check!!!

Two doll quilt flimsies were born from the leftovers in another bag.  The top one was leftover pieces from a recent baby quilt, and the light blue was a stack of 4.5" squares leftover from something.  I can't even remember what that light blue came from.  But I remembered that fun pastel stripe in the fabric that Nann sent me this winter, and it worked great with the blue.  I've been trying to make at least 1 doll quilt each month to be donated to some local agency along with a stuffed animal or doll.  One more empty bag - #4.  Check, check, check, check!!!!

The last bag I'm going to deal with right now holds the front of a small bag that I remember starting several years ago.  The lining fabric is in the bag.  The front is already quilted onto some batting, and there is a little applique pinned on.  It's time to finish this one up.  The bag isn't empty yet - but I have hopes.

Every little bit helps lighten the burden. 

Circle of Friends block

The April block for Circle of Friends is complete.

This one is really beautiful isn't it?  I followed the colors Carol Doak used in her design, and am so glad I did.  Those yellow points absolutely glow.  This one has a lot more small pieces, especially in that black background area around the "flowers".  But it was sure worth the extra time it took.  

There is progress on Pyramids as well - with 5 of the 6 rows done.  Maybe today I'll get that last row sewn.  And I've quilted a few more placemats and mug rugs.  Lots of productive time has been spent in the sewing room.  

Binding Twinkle & more

Binding is a perfect task to work on while watching college basketball on TV, and there has been lots of both going on at our house in the past week.
 

Twinkle is all done, and I love it.  Blue and white quilts are so clean and crisp looking.  A little more than half of this quilt is hanging on the backside of the railing.  This one is going to look great on the guest room bed for now.

The 2 red/white/blue placemats are done too.  There are more random extra blocks in the Quilt of Valor bin, so more of these will probably be made in the future.

Four more mug rugs are finished.  These were some 6.5" orphan blocks left over from some project in the past.  Now they have a purpose.

I have assembled 3 of the 6 rows of Pyramids.  A reveal will have to wait until all 6 rows are done, which hopefully will be by the end of this week.  There are a lot of bias edges involved with those blocks, so there has been a LOT more pinning than I usually do in order to make those points match up nicely.  

Setting some new project goals

It's the beginning of a new month already.  That means I typically look back at my goal list and think about what goes onto the next goal list.  I'm a list maker!!

Voila!  Here are the finished placemats and mug rugs that used up most of the leftover Kaffe jelly roll.  It is satisfying to see something useful made of leftovers so they don't end up increasing the quantity of scraps living in my sewing room.  The binding of 2 red/white/blue placemats and some fun mug rugs should be done today.  And there are a few others in the works as well.  

I was on the hunt Sunday for a WIP, UFO or PIG that had a focus on teal as that is the new Rainbow Scrap Challenge color for April.  And here we go - a fat quarter bundle with teal in the prints that was tucked in with that teal yardage.  So, once I get the Pyramid blocks brought to the completed flimsy stage, this will be a good one to work on next.

The scrap bin holding every imaginable shade of blue and purple needed to be sorted, especially after I was digging into it for blue scraps for February.  Teal was a bit on the stingy side, but I did manage to cut enough of the Dresden blades for 2 blocks.  I think I'll use aqua ones to make at least 1 or 2 more.  

As I was sorting that bin - still not completely done BTW - I found these purple Dresden blades near the bottom.  They are even the same size as the ones I'm making now.  Hmmm - wonder what I was planning with these.  For now they are tucked into the project box with the others. 

Looking back at March I realized it was a very productive month in spite of being gone nearly a whole week early in the month.  I managed to get several block sets to the flimsy stage, and got 2 fairly large UFOs bound.  I've share one of those earlier, and will share the other this week as soon as I manage to get a photo of it.  

**  Saturday Sampler row #2 - DONE
**  Circle of Friends block for March - DONE
**  Riley Blake challenge blocks - DONE
**  Easter bench pillow kit - DONE
**  progress on SAHRR - NOTHING!
**  add borders onto batik Hunter's Star quilt - DONE & delivered to a long armer
**  March door hanger kit - holding for a green RSC month
**  Tiger Lily wall hanging kit - holding for a green or orange RSC month
**  RSC blocks with yellow - YES
**  bind 1 UFO - DONE (Tranquility & Twinkle)
**  quilt and bind 1 doll quilt - DONE
**  assemble QOV Buckeye Beauties into flimsy - DONE

**  assemble Churn Dash blocks into flimsy - DONE