Design Wall Monday, November 30, 2020

 

These are the fabrics to start the Grassy Creek Mystery brought to you by Bonnie Hunter.  These are for Part 1 released on Black Friday.  I plan right now to only do half the project.  Honestly I was a bit surprised that she starts us with a larger than usual star! 

Here are the units cut.  There are 14 sets of HSTs ready for sewing.  Anxious to show you the finished Part 1.  There will be more on this as I stitch the pieces together.  This project is one of my 2021 UFOs!  If you want to play along a part is released every Friday until sometime around New Years Day.  The entire mystery can be had on her website at quiltville.com.

I received another installment of the Beware! It's Halloween BOM from Midway Wool.  This installment contains blocks for the Graveyard and Broomstick.  

Midway Wool also sent me a freebie FQ that just happens to be a gray that will be included in the Grassy Creek project for sure.

Happy Monday!  Join me in welcoming December =^.^=  Before we know it we will be ringing in 2021...but let's not get ahead of Christmas!

Sunday Stash Report, November 29, 2020

Rainbow Radiance is finished!  This is my last 2020 UFO.  Oh what a wonderful feeling...  It took a bunch of thinking as the stash was a bit thin on batik neutrals.  The final border was the tough part, LOL.  It was to be 5 1/2" wide.  No way to get this out of what I had left to use from the inner neutral border.  So I improvised of course =^.^=  I came up with the 5 1/2" by two borders one of a neutral used in the top and the rest of the measurement with the inner border fabric plus about 7" on both sides of just the top and bottom of the sashing of another neutral used in the top.  I also added in one new fabric and a six more already used fabrics for the second border because the stash was not enough of the rustic orange.  Needless to say...I am happy with the results.  The purple print batik is the backing.  This fabric is left from the first ever mystery published in Quiltmaker Magazine called Secret Garden that I hosted each month for four months.  Finally another last word on the design's use of the Omnigrip On-Point Ruler...not a fan!  Packaged up and ready to head to Kerry's Quilting on Monday.

During the week I also finished making Candy Cat blocks.  This one uses the background fabric from a birthday present sent by my Sister-in-Law Rita.  I can't show you the other two as they will become a Christmas gift.  These go into the mail Monday.

I did not take a photo, but made two more blocks for the 2021-2022 Sunshine Opportunity Quilt.  These go into the mail Monday as well.

I pulled fabrics for Bonnie Hunter's Grassy Creek Winter 2020 Mystery.  Part 1 was released on Black Friday.  Started out with gold and gray fabrics.  There will be more on this project on Design Wall Monday post.

Thrilled to have some binding to do.  One of these is my UFO #4 project with Sunshine Quilt Guild.  It needs to be completely finished before Monday next week.  I will have the binding sewn down and ready for hand stitching later today.

So for now I have a big USED this week with Rainbow Radiance.  Hope your Sunday is terrific!

Used this week:  10 yards
Used YTD:  152.5 yards
Purchased this week:  0 yards

Purchased YTD:  23.75 yards

Net used in 2020: 128.75 yard 

 

Design Wall Monday, November 30, 2020

It has been all Rainbow Radiance this week.  I have been putting together this last UFO for 2020.  I really struggled with the fabrics for this project.  I really liked the basic color wheel fabrics from the designers sample, but wanted something more that I would use in my home.  Mom suggested batiks...taking a look at what was available in my stash...my project was created.  My first obstacle and still one is having enough of the neutral to get me through.  I pulled every neutral that could work and came up with enough for the blocks.

The next obstacle is figuring out what to do with the two borders.  I have enough for the inner border, but will there be enough for the outer border beyond the 2 1/2" square border that happens after the inner border?  My next cut into the yardage of the inner border fabric you see already will be tricky.  Need to preserve enough to go the 5 1/2" outer border.  Wish me luck!

p.s. the colors of the first photo are more like what the fabrics are.  Funny how they came out so different=^.^=

Sunday Stash Report, November 21, 2020

 

This is a completion of #9 UFO for 2020.  Just one left to go and UFO 2020 List will be complete.  YIPPEE!  It has been awhile since I have been able to finish all 12 projects in a UFO year.  I'm still looking for the right "K" name for this project...think spools, variegated, thread, batiks, antique...  These are the thoughts behind this project.  It is Variegated Thread by Laundry Basket Quilts scaled down to a smaller size.

The next project in my queue is the last UFO for 2020.  #11 Rainbow Radiance.  This one is by Donna Lynn Thomas and finishes at 56" x 66".  I plan to make it the full size as a thrown for the family room.  

My color choices use batiks where I had at least a FQ.

I will substitute a bunch of neutrals for the requirement.  Unfortunately I do not have enough of one fabric for the entire project.  I will worry about the borders once the 9" blocks are stitched.

The project uses two rulers Omnigrid On-Point Ruler is one of them and the standard ruler in my case by Creative Grid.  I do have to learn again the ins and outs of the On-Point Ruler since I have not used it in awhile.  There will be more on this project tomorrow.

Today though I turn the dial on my Stash Stats!  Always a good day =^.^=

Used this week:  2.75 yards
Used YTD:  142.5 yards
Purchased this week:  0 yards

Purchased YTD:  23.75 yards

Net used in 2020: 118.75 yard 

Design Wall Monday, November 16, 2020

 

I have the pieces mostly figured out for this next UFO project.  It is #9 on the 2020 List.  Variegated Thread by Laundry Basket Quilts.  I decided to use the colors in my home from scrap stash.  The background has been a wonderful gift from someone at my Mom's guild.  I have used it and used it and used it for many projects.  It was a lot of yardage.  My spools will be three colors; oaky brown, gray, and a darker brown.  

Some of the "thread" will be variegated shades of the same color and other "thread" will be a mix of two colors.  This will be interesting!  The fun of 1/2" finished pieces eight of them on a spool will be a challenge for sure.

Next post you'll see how I'm doing =^.^=

Sunday Stash Report, November 15, 2020

It has been a busy week.  Also a short work week that is always OH SO NICE!.  As I mentioned yesterday in my late Design Wall post, a second orphan project was in the works.  I have it done now.  The blue blocks were the orphans plus a few of the nine patch blocks.  I spent the day digging out 2" squares from my scraps to come up with the rest of the units that were needed.  Imagine my excitement to find this is part of the Sunshine UFO Challenge!  It is #5 on my list.  So now I'm ahead by two UFO projects in this challenge.  This one and the earlier finish this week head to Arizona tomorrow.

I also got the second 2021-2022 Opportunity Quilt block done and headed to El Cajon earlier in the week.  This is going to be a spectacular quilt.  With a winner take it in June 2022.  Doesn't that seem like a far away date?

Right now this is the 2020-2021 Opportunity Quilt that will see a new owner in June 2021.  If you want a chance to win it just let me know.  Tickets are available six for $5 or one for $1.

Earlier this week in FaceBook I posted how you could tell the difference between the three types of cactus - Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter.  Of course this happens to be when the cactus blooms in the US.  My porch is alive with pink!

It is pretty obvious this one is a Thanksgiving cactus.  I took a photo of the two that I have; up close to see if Beth had given me a different variety.  It is a bit new to bloom.  I sort of think it is another Thanksgiving cactus.  What do you think?

New Cactus

Time to start working on my 11th UFO for 2020.  This one is by Laundry Basket Quilts called Variegated Thread.  

I have a creamy background to use and will be pulling the thread part of the block from my strip stash.  Each strip starts at 1" and will finish in the eight strip spool at 1/2".  I'll be pulling colors from around the house so my smaller version will fit anywhere in my home.  Mine will be three spools across by three spools long.  Probably go for the more traditional oaky color for my spool holders.

Until tomorrow =^.^=

Used this week:  8.75 yards
Used YTD:  139.75 yards
Purchased this week:  0 yards

Purchased YTD:  23.75 yards

Net used in 2020: 116 yard 

Design Wall Saturday, November 14, 2020

I wanted to wait until after Tuesday before I started on a new project.  Tuesday was Sunshine's November Meeting where the next project to work would be drawn for the Challenge.  #4 was drawn and for me that was to put a quilt together with the yellow and blue squares that were sewn together in pairs.  There were a lot to work with.  I only had two pairs left!  These were blocks Mom relinquished to me awhile back.  This will become a charity quilt.

This is what is on my design wall today. While pulling out the bag of yellow and blue orphans another bag of two shades of blue came out too.  As long as I was working with orphans might as well get another Mom relinquished project completed.  The 6" finished scrappy nine patch units will go on all four sides.  Another charity quilt project.

Last to share is the sample for the Sunshine BOM that I'm coordinating this month.  I was so focused on having my "act" together for the Challenge that I totally forgot to make the sample to share with membership during the Zoom meeting.  This is one of Bonnie Hunter's FREE patterns called Emery's Stars. These are the colors she suggests and I like how the pinks and purples work together.

Sunday Stash Report, November 8, 2020

I'm on the last parts of having my #3 Sunshine Challenge complete.  Need only to attach the label...  I will be printing it just after this post is posted =^.^=

In the mean time I have finished all the string unts for each of the blocks and have them sewn together.  Next comes sewing the blocks together.  This #5 2020 UFO is just about complete.  There will be a change in my Stash Report next week.

Kerry and I are pulling our stashes together for Bonnie Hunter's 2020 Winter Mystery.  Starting with the yellow greens.  I'll give her half of what is in this basket.  Right now both of us are going for half the size of her project.

I took one of each block that is part of the 2021-2022 Sunshine Opportunity Quilt project.  I have one of them done and the other to work on after finishing up Kambray and Keziah.

Used this week:  0 yards
Used YTD:  131 yards
Purchased this week:  0 yards

Purchased YTD:  23.75 yards

Net used in 2020: 107.25 yards

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

 

Finished my October BOM project.  I had enough strings already put together for this project and enough black background to make two more small blocks.  So for my $1 entry to participate the winner is getting a bit more!  I used Lori Holt's applique method to create the circles versus having a raw edge under my satin stitches.  This will certainly be an interesting project if it ever sees a finish!  Thanks Sherri for offering to coordinate the October BOM project.  Mine go in the USPS today to Lorna.  Looking forward to our meeting on Tuesday.

Design Wall Monday, November 2, 2020

 

The start of my next 2020 UFO, Starburst Strings by Myra Mahy of Country Faces.  The project as designed finishes 40" x 48", but I might just make mine a bit smaller.

I was totally excited to find red string blocks in my drawer of leftover blocks that can be trimmed down to fit.  I will need to make the white/red string blocks and this is just a sampling of the fabrics that will be used.  I can't tell you how long those white/red fabrics have been a part of my stash!

I pulled out a bunch of red 1 1/2" strips in various lengths to get variety in the center of each block.  This project will go faster than trying to figure out a "K" name =^.^=

Since I was working with reds...that camouflage kitty needed to be fixed and I was determined to use the black and white cat.  Much better!  Now to use the Micky Mouse background...  This project is going to be quick to put together too once I find the right gray for the sashing.

Last I pulled out Fall colors for making the Sunshine October block.  The blacks will be used for the backgrounds.  More on this later in the week.  For now enjoy November!

Sunday Stash Report, November 1, 2020

Karefree finished!  This is my very first Mardi Gras project.  I wanted something small to go on a particular wall in my home.  Karefree will be perfect for that spot =^.^=  This is a Pam Buda design called Prairie Winds and my #12 2020 UFO.  Karefree will go out in the mail tomorrow for Kerry to put some Mardi Gras beads into the quilting design.  I'm thinking a white thread, but we'll see when she shows me some different options.

Midway Wool sent me another BOM installment for the Beware! It's Halloween project.  Not started any of this yet, but it's time will come.

Mom sent me some of her neutral scraps and a couple of other fabric goodies.  She isn't much on the smaller pieces as I am.  I'll have to decide what to do with the charm pack that is all in yellows/whites/blacks.  Something is certainly waiting for it that I have in my collection of patterns.

Used this week:  4 yards
Used YTD:  131 yards
Purchased this week:  0 yards

Purchased YTD:  23.75 yards

Net used in 2020: 107.25 yards