Rainbow Scrappy Saturday--Blues

I've been working on the blue 30's strippy and its now quilted--

It's a pattern called Granny's Strippy by Darlene Zimmerman.  I used my 30's repro stash and 30's plain blue. 

I quilted Asher's name in the border.  Let's see if I can get the binding done by March 1st.  

The Workhouse on the Prairie opened!  Inmate Lorri2Rs was here Saturday to Thursday.  We had lots of fun, here's our selfie--

 

We have sequined slippers.  The cheerleading pompons were used A LOT!!  I don't wear my slippers all the time but 2Rs did--she said that's why she got so much done--

2Rs made me microwave bowl & plate holders and a Bionic bag.  Aren't I lucky?  She also made snowmen wall hangings.  She made two and gave one to me.  I had to do the embroidery, buttons, and binding.  Inmate 2Rs insisted I do SOMETHING other than be the Warden. 

Check out the fancy stitch she used to attach the binding--

Snowflakes!  And there's blue snowflake fabric in the border too!  We had quilting supplies--

 Plenty of chocolate.  One day we made body butter--

Its easy to make, 2Rs used geranium scented oil in hers, mine is jasmine.  If you have dry winter skin this is the best!  Shea butter, sweet almond oil and coconut oil.  A tiny tiny bit of beeswax.  The scented oil.  That's all that's in it.  

Remember when I made album blocks for two years each month for RSC?  Here is a finished quilt--

It will be donated to the McCrossan Boy's Ranch (a group home) at my next guild meeting. 

Last week I reported these finishes that also contained Album blocks or were blue--

Blue backing was dyed for all of these.  January had a LOT of blue finishes!  These also were donated to McCrossan Boy's Ranch.  There are only a few album blocks not set into a top yet.  At least one album top waiting to be quilted.  The album blocks were addicting, I could make them for another year or two!  Please see what everyone has done with blue at SoScrappy.

~Lori in South Dakota~

Motivation Friday and some Flings

This week I have some finishes.  First is the Teal project--

Lost the light to the west, Ken is standing on the deck holding it draped over the handrails of the steps facing south.  I estimated 13 yds-78x94".  This will be donated to the boys group home. I made Album blocks for RSC and they are so versatile--I love them!  This is quilt #7?? from Album blocks.

I made another Album block quilt--

This one used a hodgepodge of fabrics.  Dark brown for the background--used it all.  There was the lighter brown and the blue--but not enough for borders all the way around.  The light inner border is browns/blue/white--perfect!  It was strips in a box of scraps from Dee.  Thank you Dee--they were perfect!  Its 81X97" for 14 yds.  I dyed a blue backing for it. 

I had a lot of album blocks and wanted to do "something different" with them.  Kat drew up the pattern for a "streak of lightning" setting and did the math for me.  Thank you so much Kat!!! Kat has a blog Scrapbox Quilts.

Next up is a Scrappy Trips--

It languished in a laundry basket for a couple years, I didn't like it.  I redid it (rip rip rip) using dark blues in the same position in all the blocks and then let them form a diagonal chain.  Better.  A blue border draws the blue out.  Its a free pattern at Quiltville.com  Thank you Bonnie--I use this pattern A LOT!!   I also quilted this using Bright variegated thread--

Hard to see on the light blue backing.  88X100" for 15 yds.

This was a favorite of mine to make--

Scrappy 4 patches and squares.  The "chain" squares were made using brighter TOT fabrics and black.  Just assorted scrap 5" charm squares.  81X95" for 15 yds.

Judy in MN made this top--

Forgive me Judy--I didn't notice I had the state wrong until after the quilt was donated and I had deleted the original picture.  But is was made by Judy B in MINNESOTA!  Judy generously sends me tops to quilt and backings--boxes of backings!  Last week I received EIGHT in the mail.  This so helps the boy quilt project as I have tops waiting for backings.  Thank you so much Judy B!!  All I did was quilt this top and make the binding for 3/4yd.  There are different nautical motifs--boats, lighthouses etc.  I think the quilt should be called "Sunny Days on the Water" 75X92".  The last four quilts have already been donated to the boys group home. I hugged them all before they left, so they have built in hugs!

These finishes will have an impact on my stash report--57.75 yds of stash was used! 

Lorri2Rs is coming this week to sew, I have her bed made--

If you'd like to join us there are more beds and LOTS of quilts to snuggle under. 

How are my goals coming??

Last two borders on the Orange project--done

Pick a top to quilt--done

Start sewing on an Irish Chain project-not yet

Cut Shuffle Pieces-not yet

Finish binding the teal quilt--done

Prep a backing--done

Pretty good!  An old project got me a little off track--

My YoYo project!  I needed a "recliner" hand sewing project (usually bindings) but pulled this out.  So far 35 "blocks" are done--that's 2,240 yoyos.  I am setting these on the diagonal and will have to make more yoyos.  First I will finish sewing together what I have.  Its 49 random yoyos framed by 28 all the same fabric.  Who knows, maybe this year it will be finished.  

~Lori in South Dakota~

Sunday Stash Report and Design Wall Monday

This week I bought 7+ yds of flannel to back a quilt.  21 Fat8ths because they work for a new start I'm planning.  I'm saying 10 yds.  

Added this week--10 yds

Add YTD 25 yds

Out this week--0

Out YTD--0

Stash is ahead 25 yds

No sweat--I'm binding a project and have some others ready to go--

What's on the Design Wall??  The orange 30's project--

Two of the pieced borders are on, next I will mark the seam lines on the last two borders.  The diamonds go round the quilt and it needs to be exact to meet in the corners.  Its not that wrinkly, there are hundreds of yellow headed pins stuck in the styrofoam underneath it making bumps and lumps.

This is on the floor--

3" 9 patches I was given.  If they lay there long enough maybe an idea will pop in my head! Last week I visited the boys.  We laughed watching Max use Moustache as a "playmate"--

He carefully placed Legos on Moustache. 

Moustache saw Max's fuzzy mouse and wanted it.  Max is carefully stealing it back!  Moustache and the boys get along pretty well.  If Moustache is not in the mood he either gives fair warning with his big eyes and twitching tail, or simply leaves and goes somewhere else.  But he spends a lot of time where they are, he is a very social cat.  When Mason reads in his room Moustache naps with him.  If Laura Beth is in her office he sleeps under her desk.  

I'm linking to Love Laugh Quilt, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts,and QuiltPaintCreate.  

Weekly Goals--

Last two borders on the Orange project

Pick a top to quilt

Start sewing on an Irish Chain project

Cut Shuffle Pieces

Finish binding the teal quilt

Prep a backing

That will keep me busy!  2Rs is planning to visit this weekend, I need to make room for her to sew.  She will have to deal with goat trails!  I promise a clean bed, clean towels, and to love having her here!  

~Lori in South Dakota~

Stash Report and Design Wall Monday/Goals

First my stash report--I bought a bunch of solids and two half jelly rolls on sale--

Do you use solids in your quilting?  So my stash report is--

Stash added this week--15 yds

Stash out this week--0

Stash is ahead 15 yards!

The borders for the Orange 30's project are on my design couch--

I need to mark the seam lines on the edges.  The borders have to fit exactly so the design continues around the quilt without a break.  Tedious and time consuming but not hard.

I've been playing with these fabrics--

Myra sent me some "boy" themed fabrics and I pulled others from my stash.  Horseshoes, baseballs, African Savannah, cowboys on horses, horse heads, tooled leather, and anything I thought blended with them.  Next I searched the scrap boxes--

Anything I found in the scrap box I thought might blend with the other fabrics.  I want to use them in this pattern--

Its a free pattern called Shuffle.  It uses 5x10" rectangles, perfect to use the boy fabric but leave the motifs as intact as possible. 

Weekly Goals--

Orange 30's borders

Press/cut the Shuffle fabrics

Scrap Irish Chain

That's enough for this week, its a busy week.  I'm linking to QuiltPaintCreate and Quilting is More Fun than Housework. 

~LORI~ 

RSC Saturday

January is light to medium blues--

A few extra spool blocks--there were pieces laying there begging to be used!  The Ritzy Cracker blues were found in the "chunks" piles.  Not a FQ but an odd shaped piece.  None of these projects have enough blocks to make a quilt--eight Three Steps Forward, a small pile of spools, and 54 Ritzy Crackers.  Please see what everyone has made with blues at SoScrappy.

~LORI~

OMG

For January I'm going to have the Orange 30's project into a finished top. 

 It needs more sashings and the pieced borders.  I'm linking up with Elm Street Quilts.

~Lori~

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

The Orange 30's project is coming along--

Some of the sashings are sewn on.  When the center is together I'll add the pieced borders.  I love this color--its 30's orange but I call it melon.  Where do you keep melon fabric?  

In the produce drawer!  Spritzed it with water and sealed in a plastic bag.  If its longer than a few days they go in the freezer.  The yellow for the ICC challenge is frozen.    I could have put it outside, its currently -14F.  Last night was -24F.  UGH!  COLD!!  Liz said it was cold at her house--I suggested she check this-

I gave her instructions on how to turn it up.  Aren't I a nice friend?  She lives in balmy Houston.   I'm linking to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and Oh Scrap.

The days between Christmas and New Years were spent preparing for 2018.  I have four new starts--

Labeled project boxes!  I did lots of cutting and I'm ready to start sewing AFTER the orange project is together.  I did post this in my 2018 guidelines--

Finish a UFO before starting a new project

Its only been one day and I'm holding firm!

Weekly Goals--

Sew on the orange project

Cut more parts

RSC Light to Medium Blues

That will keep me busy.  Have a great week and a wonderful start to 2018!

~LORI~
 

Happy New Year 2018

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 

 

 Its a new year, and I'm using my 2016 & 2017 Guidelines again--

 

2018 Guidelines

Refold/organize ONE cube/spot in my stash per month

Work on ONE UFO per month and move it One more step towards completion.  (add borders, set blocks into a top, etc)

Any piece of stash less than 9" WOF goes into the scrap box to be recut into usable units--noodles, 3.5" x 6.5" bricks, 5" charms.  

Finish a UFO before starting a new project (this one is a bit iffy)

I plan to participate in Design Wall Mondays, Stashbuster's UFO Challenge, Rainbow Scrap Challenge, ICC Challenge, and other internet fun.  Even Stash reports!  I may not post to each one every week--but I enjoy them. 

I plan to make quilts for donation and for family. 

I will participate in internet fun.  

I will remind myself its the PROCESS I love the most!

 

 My words for the year are ENJOY, FOCUS, and BALANCE!!

They have worked well for me, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"  I did add Focus and Balance to my words in 2016 & 2017 and I'm using them again in 2018.  I've learned a very helpful phrase--Just One Thing--JOT.  Even if you don't think you have time or don't feel like it, do JOT.  Wind bobbins.  Rip the mistake you laid to the side.  Press the blocks you pieced.  JOT can be locating a pattern, doing math, or making lists.  JOT is a task that might take 15 minutes.  Its a great tool, its used a lot.  I've been limiting my internet time and sewing more. 

 

 

These guidelines have worked well for me.  I have less UFOs.  More finished quilts.  And its been fun!   

 

Happy New Year!

 

~LORI~