RSC July: Dark Blue and Table Scraps Challenge

 

In May, I jumped on the Dresden train and I got hooked! I feel like a kid at the fair whose parents can't get her off the pony! Making a Dresden Plate block had been on my to-do list for so many years. Now I've got 6 pieces to prove that I've accomplished this task and can move on. 

Well, maybe. 

This  piece was made from a charm pack I had in my stash. Even though the traditional Dresden Plate uses just 2 fabrics with alternating blades, I like to break the rules and use 5 different fabrics. 

Call me a rebel.

Stitching down the ends before adding the center circle. 

This one block wonder is truly scrappy with what I could find in my stash. 

It fits perfectly on the small table in our sitting room. 

And this is the smallest topper that is made of medium blue scraps. 

The stand is an antique piece from a church in town. 

My brother gave it to us as a wedding gift almost 38 years ago. 

Both the pillar and Dresden topper is being modeled by 

Miss Sophie who turned 8 this month! 💜

Linking up with: 

Rainbow Scrap Challenge @ So Scrappy

Table Scraps Challenge @ The Joyful Quilter

RSC June (purple) and Table Scraps Challenge

 

June was the perfect timing for purple to show its glory!

One of my sweetest friends retired this month after 34 years of teaching. Kerry is one of the kindest, most patient, most thoughtful friends I've ever had. On top of all that, her most favorite color is purple too! It's good to have such great people to hang out with as it always warms my heart and leaves me with sweet memories. 

So, Kerry was the impetus for the purple table topper this month! 

I chose the Friendship Star Wreath as my project.

I found the basic instructions on the Quilt Social Blog. 

It came together so quickly. 

Without the instructions, I would have never thought to sew these small squares into rows. Seeing the photos helped this visual learner out a lot.

This was really fun to FMQ with my ever-improving meander stitch. 

99% of my points were pointy! Final measurement is 20" x 20".

A retirement party is happening this week when I'll surprise Kerry with this purple topper. 

I'm sure a hug will happen! I've missed those hugs...haven't you?

I also sewed up some leftover skinny purple scraps into a long strip to decorate a tea towel. Adding an embroidered K made it even more special. 

This one is for me and hangs on my oven door handle. 

I can see more of these in every color coming my way in the future. 

In between projects, I sewed up a few more hearts for the I Found A Quilted Heart project. 

To see my first set of hearts, read about it here: Quilted Hearts

I've placed about 20 hearts in my area, but only one has been "reported" on the official blog. 

That is the fun part (besides hoping that each heart brings love and goodness to the finder) to see it appear as a "found" heart and their thoughts on it. My "one" is listed on June 20th if you'd like to look for it on the above link. 

This batch is all red, white, and blue for the USA holiday coming up. 

Each will be placed out into the open this week and hopefully will be a reminder to someone that love exists all around us!

Linking up with:

Super Scrappy Blog

Joy's Table Topper Challenge

RSC May (red) and Table Scraps Challenge

 

Red! I am really falling for this color! I've also fallen for Dresden Plate blocks!

Earlier this month, I paid for an online Zoom class to make Dresden blocks. Overall, I was fairly unhappy with the class and how it was run. Good thing it included an instruction sheet with template (that had to be revised on the second day), or I may have flipped. 

With each new experience, something is learned, right? 

Since my scrap bag(s) don't include much red, I chose a charm pack that I've had for ages to make the above small runner. I absolutely got hooked on making these blocks! It felt so good since making a Dresden Plate block has been on my to-do list for ages. They really are much easier to make than I had imagined. 

So, I went on to make a few more....

This little lady is truly scrappy with 3 fabrics in each blade. She fits perfectly on an antique pedestal in my family room.

And the final one is just a bit bigger than the previous one. She sits on a small table in our front sitting room. 

Here they are next to each other like sisters. 

There will definitely be more Dresden blocks in my future!

Linking up with: 

Table Scraps Challenge @The Joyful Quilter

RSC May @ScrapHappy

New-To-Me Scrappy Project : IFAQH

 

Have you ever found a quilted heart out along your adventures? If so, you are very lucky! I first heard about this project about 2 weeks ago while scrolling through Instagram. At times, those leisurely scrolls stumble across some really "aha" moments!

The official I Found A Quilted Heart project started in January 2014 when a quilted heart was found in a cave in the Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. Since then, people all over the world have participated in making hearts as a random act of kindness. I have happily added myself to that list!

There is a lot more information on this website: I Found A Quilted Heart  

Included in this website are the guidelines for placing hearts, a printable tag sheet, and a list of FAQS (frequently asked questions). There is no template for the heart itself as it's up to the maker to choose a desirable shape and size. 

When a heart is found, there are places to "report" them, too! On the tag, the website is listed, along with a hashtag for Instagram. There is a Facebook group also, with photos of the hearts and often with a picture of the "finder". 

Above is the first heart I hung in a tree in my neighborhood. About  10 days later, it still hasn't been found! It's visible from the street, sidewalk and right where cars drive by in a mini mall. I like to think that it's meant for someone very special and who needs a reminder that there is love in this world. 

These hearts are so much fun for me to make. It's quite addicting and a fabulous way to use up scraps of all sizes. Every single one of my hearts contains purple in some way...a fabric scrap, a button, lace or ribbon. Just so you know, in case you find one, it may have come from me!

Linking up with: 

DrEAMi! #52 @MMM Quilts

Meadow Mist Favorite Finish

Midweek Makers @ Quiltfabrication

Put Your Foot Down @ForTheLoveOfGeese

RSC April (blue) and Table Scraps Challenge

 

This Iowa girl is blogging from Tennessee tonight! We came down Wednesday to spend a few days in the Smoky Mountains and catch some warmer weather. Even though we're 11 hours further south, the weather turned and it's colder here than back home! Oh well. 

We've visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park a few times and were "hunting" for bears. We were lucky enough to see black bears 4 different times! The last sighting was last night. As we were driving,  I saw a mama and her 2 cubs...it caused quite the "bear jam" on the road with about 20 cars stopping to ooh and aww. That was really a jackpot sighting!

No worries about being too close. My husband has a fancy camera that allows him to get close ups. Mama Bear was keeping a close eye on her babes and the on-lookers!

Back to quilting....

This month's Rainbow Scrap Challenge color was light/bright blue. My scraps did not contain much of either, so I had to drag my pitiful self off to the fabric shop to purchase some blues!

I had seen a pretty table runner pattern on line that inspired me to make one using blues and a bit of yellow. If that's cheating, don't chew my head off. 

I started with pieces of fabric 3" x 5" and randomly-for-the-most-part sewed them together into rows and then sewed the rows together. Above, I'm checking out the fabric for the border. (It's not your beer goggles causing the blurring, but my poor camera skills.)

The border is on and the sandwich is made! Ready for quilting!

An all-over meandering did the trick nicely. I need to remember to meander all on the same day as I could see one day I was much looser than the next! 

My little bunny family loves it! The yellow binding was the perfect touch. 

As I'm not a blue lover, so I twisted the arm of my sweet friend's daughter to see if she would like to give this to her mom for Mother's Day. She jumped at the chance and when I get back, I'll embroider a label for the back. 

Another blue project I made this month was a bib for Jack! 

He's the 4th grandchild of my high school best friend who now lives in Rochester, Minnesota.

Linking up with: 

Scrap Happy Saturday (SoScrappy RSC)

Table Scraps Challenge (The Joyful Quilter)

RSC March (Green) and Table Scraps Challenges

 

This month's Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) called for the greens to come out and get some fresh air! You may recall that green isn't in my top 100 favorite colors. Especially dark green. Shiver down my spine! 

Last year, when it was time to pull my greens out of slumber, I spend an afternoon cutting up my squares. I was ready to chain stitch my rows into 9 patches, when I realized that I cut them too big. Gah!

Holy green cabbages! What in the world would I do with a gazillion green 2.5 inch squares? (Never mind that I now needed to cut another gazillion 2" squares to make my 9 patches.) I tucked those little 2.5 inchers into a baggie and stashed them away for some project in a faraway time. 

That faraway time turned into March 2021! I hauled them out and make a whole lotta HSTs with them, pairing them with a  random assortment of low volume fabrics. Here they are before going under the knife being cut in two.

What to do...what to do...so much stress! 

If only they appealed to me!

Arranging them into blocks of 8 flying geese going into each direction was OK.

Adding some more blocks on point and a few details gave it more interest. I was digging it!

My favorite part was the meander stitching to get the layers quilted together. 

I used a light green Aurifil thread that looks so good on both the light and dark fabrics.

A light green stripe fabric served perfectly for the binding. 

Even the geese approved!

Get your wings up and let's High Five!

The week wore on and the pile of green squares stared at me. They needed a purpose. 

A handful of the squares became this smaller topper, just right for our table in our sitting room. This one used a few larger scraps of 2 other fabrics. I free-motioned large leaves in the same light green Aurifil thread. As far as I know, this block was completely designed in my head. If someone knows otherwise, I'll happily give credit to that person.

I guess I'll keep the rest of the squares for next year. 

These orphans are going back into the baggie for another day. Sigh.

Linking up with: 

Super Scrappy Blog (RSC March)

The Joyful Quilter Table Scraps Challenge

Free-Motion Mavericks

Project Quilting 12.5: You're Crazy!

 

If you knew how many times I questioned my sanity this week, you would laugh! 

I really had no idea where this "You're Crazy" theme was going to take me . I started out with pulling scraps of my favorite colors, some satin-ny scraps, ribbons and laces and a few Pinterest ideas. 

I did manage to use up a good pile of scraps, but didn't use the black/white fabrics above.  They looked too crazy when put together.

So I started sewing scraps into strips, adding some ribbon, lace and satin-ny pieces as I went. These tidbits are often part of Crazy Quilting and I wanted to throw in bits of Crazy here and there. 

More strips were added and I pulled my beloved Alison Glass text fabric out of hiding to use on this crazy mess. It was taking shape, but it really wasn't what I was hoping for. Plus, what would it be? 

I like things to have a purpose. I didn't need a wall hanging of these colors; I didn't have a stool or bench to make a cover for; it would make a really big pillow that I had no place to put; maybe a backing for a jacket, but my time was limited! 

I doodled some weird FMQ designs on paper and decided to go for it. Then I thought I'd add a border. Purple, of course.

That's when the thought came to me that I could make a tote bag out of this!

 "Bingo," the older woman from the back yelled. Yes, at this point, I knew I was hearing voices. 

I sewed the sides together and finished them with a binding tape, then boxed the corners.

Bag handles were added using the tutorial for

 SewCanShe Japanese style Bag Handles ...very easy and I love the look!

What a relief to finish this crazy project late on Saturday afternoon! I came down the stairs strutting my stuff with this cool bag hanging on my shoulder. Even hubby was impressed!

It will be perfect for Farmer's Market, the beach, road trips, carrying a picnic lunch or even carrying around my scattered brain!

If I'd had more time (and forethought), I would've added a few pockets to the inside. Oh well!

My tote bag measures: 21" wide x 10.5" deep (not including handles)

Have you made anything crazy lately?

Linking up with: 

Persimon Dreams Project Quilting 12.5