Rainbow Scrap Challenge Yellow

I have been poking through my stash looking for yellow fabric.  Yellow and orange always seem to be in short supply in my sewing room.  During this year's Rainbow Scrap Challenge, I have been envious of Sharon V's Garlic Knot blocks.  I finally decided to make some of my own.  I used the tutorial offered by Angela (the hostess of the RSC) on her Super Scrappy blog.  I changed the size by using some of the 2.5 strips I had in my stash.  My version finishes at 8 inches instead of the original 6 inches.  Angela has lots of tutorials for six inch blocks that work well to use up scraps.

I made a few more blocks from the Dottie pattern and more four patches for my collection.

I enjoyed making the Knot blocks so much that I made them in other colors.

I also finished another scrappy top with blocks I made last summer. I loved being able to use lots of 2 inch scrap strips.

 Retired guy was kind enough to hold up the quilt for me and to pose with his new gardening hat.

My stylish new footwear has been keeping me close to home so I have extra time to sew.  I've gotten through the first week of the six week period.  I have a different style to wear while I sleep.  Hopefully, my Achilles tendon will heal and I will be able to avoid surgery.  In the meantime, please don't ask me to dance.

I'm linking up to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge at So Scrappy.  As usual, there are lots of great projects to see.

Christmas Panel Giveaway Winner

May and June have been filled with short trips for my husband and I.  This weekend, we were back in Boston to see my daughter.  We visited one of her favorite places, the Boston Aquarium.  Our family has visited many Marine Life Centers over the years, Boston is definitely one of the best we have seen.  Their penguin habitats are really fun.

There were divers cleaning the huge tanks while we were there.

I even managed to pick a winner for the Christmas panel giveaway right there in front of the tank.

I will send notify Debra by email.

Hands 2 Help Challenge and May Wrap Up

My apologies to anyone who placed their name in the Christmas panel giveaway.  I haven't had access to my blog so I will post the winner tomorrow.
Unfortunately, my knees did not allow me to baste any quilts during May, but I did manage to complete 2 quilt tops.  I am sending four quilt tops to Sarah, at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, for the Hands to Help Challenge that she will quilt on her long arm.  I will be mailing the Gum Drop 3 quilt, Rainbow Postage Stamp quilt, and Film at Five, and Ground Cover, the two I finished in May.

 Gum Drop Three-56 x 70.

 Rainbow Postage Stamp, using blocks made for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge in 2013-
 64 X 80.

Film at Five was completed in May- 54 x 70.

 I also finished the Ground Cover quilt top in May, 68 x 85. There are 9 additional blocks that can be used on the back.

I am linking up with other participants in the Hands 2 Help Challenge.  I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to quilt my tops, but I'm grateful that Sarah will be quilting them on Jolene her long arm and using them as part of her church's mission trip to New Jersey to help victims of Hurricane Sandy.

As part of the 350 Blocks Project for 2014 at Prairie Moon Quilts, I finished 111 quilt blocks.

Third Week (or Fourth) of Green for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge

I originally wrote the Rainbow Scrap Challenge last Saturday.  Unfortunately, Blogger would not let me post before we left for my daughter's graduation.

 Here she is posing in front of the school mascot, Jumbo.

She received a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Development Research.  We should be receiving a hard covered copy of her thesis in 12 weeks.  I can't wait to see her name in print.  She doesn't have a job yet, but will be working part time at the University's Research lab this summer.  We left the day after graduation for a short vacation on Cape Cod before she starts her summer job.

 

We stopped off to visit Plymouth Plantation where the Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving and took a look at Plymouth Rock which is fenced in to protect it.

(Below is last week's post which never made it to print).

Last week, I made a few blocks from a free pattern (Ground Cover) from Me and My Sister Designs.  The blocks went together so quickly that I found myself making 44 more.  The pattern as written called for a six by six setting, finishing as a 51 1/2 inch square top.  I prefer a rectangular quilt so I added 2 more rows to the length.  I really like the way it makes the tired old green florals look fresh and bright.

I made one more green  "Dottie" block. Sorry for the bad lighting.  The weather is too nasty to take a photo outside.

I plan on taking a break from making green blocks for the rest of the month and will concentrate on finishing my Gum Drops 3 top.
I am linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge at Sew Scrappy.  There are always great projects to see.
If you are interested in the Christmas panel giveaway, please leave a comment on the April Wrap Up post

Rainbow Scrap Challenge - Green

May's color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge is Green in bright and dark shades. I have some green florals that have been languishing in the fabric closet for years so it was the perfect chance to use them.  I found a great free quilt pattern at Me and My Sister Designs that uses a layer cake.  The blocks of the Ground Cover pattern go together quickly as you make 2 blocks at a time.

I made a few more green blocks.

 I'm catching up with colors from previous months.

A few more nine patch blocks that will be part of the Disappearing 9 Patch top.

I am linking up at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge over at Sew Scrappy.  There are lots of great projects to see this week.

The Christmas panel giveaway is still open.  You can leave a comment on last week's post.

April Wrap Up/May Goals and a Small Giveaway

When I was growing up, I always wanted to use, "The dog ate my homework," as an excuse.  Unfortunately, our family never had a dog.  I still don't have a dog so I can't use that as an excuse for why I didn't state any goals for April and never posted any April Rainbow Scrap Challenge purple blocks.  I did go on vacation to Arizona, but it's not a good enough excuse.

I guess the posts I attempted to write were pretty boring because they kept vanishing no matter how many times I tried to save them.

In April, I continued to make blocks for my Rainbow Chevron quilt.  The picture below shows a new layout I am trying.  It contains both April's purple blocks and May's green blocks.  Although only a few of the new colors are shown, I made 27 of each color in case I change my mind about the setting again  

I made nine 9 patch blocks.  They don't look like much now, but they will be quartered and turned into a Disappearing 9 patch quilt for Debra at Debra's Design Studio to use for the Family Promise Project.

Although I have lots of purple scraps hanging around, I only made 4 purple blocks for the RSC.  They are shown here with blocks for my Gumdrop 3 quilt.   Below are more 4 patches and another Dottie block.

.

April's goal for the 350 Blocks Project at Prairie Moon Quilts is 30.  I made a grand total of 37 blocks so I barely squeaked by.  Hopefully, I can get back on track and pick up the pace in May.

My goal for May will be to finish the Gumdrop 3 quilt.  My plan is to donate it to Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict for her Hands 2 Help Charity Quilt Challenge.

I have been going through my stash with a critical eye and am determined to rid myself of anything I know I will not use.  I discovered five Christmas panels purchased long ago.  They were purchased at Joann's so they are not quilt shop quality.  Some of the panels are pre-washed. If you think you can make use of them, please let me know in the comments.  I will draw a name on Memorial Day and send them your way.

A Finish for March

I am thrilled to finally have my second finish of the year.  This Bungle Jungle is slightly smaller than the one I finished in January.  The backing and quilting is different.  I really like the quilting, but it hasn't been washed yet so it may be difficult to see.

I will be liking up with everyone else who finished their March goal at A Lovely Year of Finishes on the Sew Bittersweet Designs blogs.