Back Home and Gone Again

We took the kids on a Christmas Cruise.  It left on December 26th and we just got back home this morning.  The kids had so much fun, especially on this waterfall jumping trip we took in the Dominican Republic.  We all came back a little bloody and bruised, but WOW was it a lot of fun.  One of those once in a lifetime experiences that you are so glad you tried but never want to do again.  Kurt's brother and his family came along with us, so it was a nice chance to spend some time together.    

Unfortunately, while we were gone, be got a message letting us know that Kurt's mom had passed away.  She has been fighting lung cancer for the last couple of years, and had been in a lot of pain for several months now.  It is a relief to know that she isn't suffering anymore, but it was still a shock for everyone.  We are home for just enough time to do laundry and pack again.  Then we will head up to North Carolina to spend some time with Kurt's dad and visit with family who are coming for the Celebration of Life that she wanted to have instead of a funeral.
I have plenty of handwork ready for the car trip.  Maybe I will finally catch up on the 366 circles for my Leap Year quilt?  I'll set up next weeks ScrapHappy Saturday before we hit the road.  Hopefully I'll be able to check in with everyone when we are home again for good.  

Last ScrapHappy Saturday of 2016

Tomorrow starts a new year.  It is amazing to me how quickly time continues to zoom by.  This year will be back to basics at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  To start the year off right, we will welcome in January with PURPLE.  It should be a nice easy glide into the new year.  Hopefully that will allow everyone to finish up the last odds and ends of last year.  If you are anything like me, you might just have a few carryover projects to keep you sewing for a while.
So share your new projects with us if you have them ready to roll, or your old projects that are either done or not quite yet.

Merry Christmas

I fear that someday soon the kids will be too old for Christmas pajamas.  For now though, we continue on with the same traditions.  I think we are all holding on for as long as we can.  Another Christmas has come and gone, the kids are all happily camped out in the toy room playing with slightly more grown up versions of presents.  I hope that you all had a great holiday with time to spend with family and friends.  Next week is officially the LAST rainbow scrap challenge of 2016, but I will have a new color ready to roll just in case you all want to get a head start.  In case you are all still finishing up though, I'd love to see some bragging about all the great rainbow scrap projects we have all accomplished this year.  Until then, rest, relax, and enjoy the last few days of 2016.  

ScrapHappy Saturday - Winding Down

Merry Christmas Eve!  Or Happy First Day of Hanukkah if that is what you are celebrating today.  If it is neither of those, then happy third day of winter.  Hopefully you taken some time to finish up some of this year's projects to make room for something new next year.  If not, at least you have plenty to carry you over into the new year.  Next week will be the last Scraphappy Saturday of 2016.  Hopefully that means that you have some plans and schemes brewing for the new year.  Let's all plan on revealing our projects for the new year next week, and sharing our accomplishments for this year.

I have been quiet lately, but I'd very much like to continue the RSC for another year.  I think what I'll do this time is make a list of 10 colors ahead of time and then draw one out of a hat each month to keep the suspense going.  That will allow those of us who want to sort and plan to think ahead a bit.  So far I have strong votes for a multi color month, and I think I'll do one for light neutrals and one for dark neutrals.  So that is three problem children taken care of, add ROY G BV to that and we are almost there.  I don't know whether to separate the blue and indigo, or maybe split the reds instead into brights and darks?  Both of those are usually pretty big colors, so either could probably use two turns.
I appreciate everyones patience as my attention has been pulled in too many directions lately.  Hopefully the new year will be a new chance to refocus and reenergize.

ScrapHappy Saturday -- Counting Down

Just three more Saturdays this year!  Hard to believe that we are almost done.  The best part of finishing though, is a chance for fresh starts.  As I begin to plan for next year, I'd like to start collecting color ideas for 2017.  Just leave me a comment so that I can begin to compile a list for the new year.
First though, let us know how your end of the year is begining to wrap up.

ScrapHappy Saturday

Every week right now, I say the same thing.  Can you believe how fast everything is zooming right now?  I can barely keep up.  Just one week and three days until the first semester is done.  Maybe then I can breath again?

ScrapHappy Saturday

Everything is zooming by right now.  Just  few weeks of school before exams!  The kids are all excited and nervous and busy.  Last night we had a work Christmas party for Kurt.  His company has just been bought out so there was quite a bit of work talk at first.  It shifted over to more normal things later though, and it was fun getting to put faces and names together.  Both of the boys are off at a robotics tournament all day so it is just us girls at home.  

ScrapHappy Saturday - Wrapping up and Winding Down

For those in the US, I hope that you are all enjoying your extended Thanksgiving Holiday.  We've been driving quite a bit and handwork has been tops on my agenda.  Misterlinky is below, please share with us all.

Stringing Along

These string blocks have been hanging around in the background for ages and ages.  Every so often it is fun to pull out and sew mindlessly.  Someday they may turn into a quilt!  It looks like I need some more orange.  I think there is some laundry to be folder first.  Ah Sunday.  The girls want to make cookies and we are out of butter.  Ryan wants to go to the library.  Somewhere in there though, there are plenty of strings waiting to be sewn into more blocks.  

ScrapHappy Saturday - The Begining of the End

And so it begins.  November is the time for filling in loose ends and rounding our your rainbow.  Missed a month along the way?  Now is the time to fill in the blanks.  Let us all know how you are doing.  Misterllinky is below

ScrapHappy Saturday - Veteran's Day Weekend

For those of us in the US, Friday was Veteran's Day.  For the kids that meant a day off of school.  We all went to Universal Studios as a family.  We have annual passes and usually go first thing in the morning and leave when it starts to get crowded.  Yesterday that was just after lunch.  Even after just half a day of theme park fun, the kids were all fast asleep on the way home.  It's been a busy week!  I think staying up late to watch the election results did us all in.

Hopefully you will be able to spend some of your extra time off in your sewing space.  Misterlinky is below, share your projects with us all.

Slowdown on Sunday with Circles

At some point this year, my sewing slowed down to the point that it stopped.

 I had a bunch prepped and ready for long car trips, but there weren't as many of them this year.  Still, January and February are done.  March seems to be mostly done.

After that, it gets a little bit sparse.  June seems to be well represented, but there is plenty of sewing still to come.  I've got the stack sitting next to my spot.  I can get a few more in before it is time to take Sydney to lacrosse.
First though, I'll head over to Kathy's Quilts for slow stitching Sunday.

ScrapHappy Saturday -- November Already?

Feeling a bit behind?  November is just for you!  This is your chance to fill in the gaps, start the process of finishing, and generally get your ducks back into their rows.  No new colors are in store, but you are most welcome to add your own to fill in the gaps or use up the scraps.  That's what its all about here at RSC, using it all up.

ScrapHappy Saturday -- Halloween Edition

I hope you are all having a great fall.  For the US, Monday is Halloween.  Though our kids are getting too old to trick or treat, they are still looking forward to the festivities. Before that though, it is the weekend of the all school musical.  Just a few weeks delayed due to the hurricane.  Ryan is in the chorus and Anna is on the tech crew.  

ScrapHappy Saturday

Row By Row - October

 This month we will be making a 9 inch block.  Huge, right!?  It is made from 4 HST units along with a wide (2.5) inch sashing strip in two directions.  I'll be using an easy angle ruler to make the HST units, but you can use the favorite method of your choice.  Each HST is 4 inches unfinished.  Therefore if you are making them from squares cut in half or sewn on either side of a drawn line, then the squares should be cut 4 and 3/8 inches.  Honestly, I would probably use 4.5 inch squares and trim them us a tiny bit at the end, but there are so many ways to make HST units.  Choose your favorite.

 Using the easy angle ruler method, I cut 4 inch strips of fabric in light orange and background along with 2.5 inch strips of dark orange for the sashing strips.

 The sashing strips then need to be cut again into 2 4 inch strips and one 9.5 inch strip per block.

 Stack the background and light orange fabric right sides together and use the easy angle ruler to cut 4 HST units.

 Here are all the pieces ready to go:
4 HST units
2 rectangles 2.5 by 4 inches
1 rectangle 2.5 inches by 9.5 inches

 Sew the HST units along the hypotenuse, trim dog ears and press with the seams going toward the orange.

 The HST units will form the corners of the block.  Arrange them so that the orange corners face the center of the block.  Use the photo for reference.  Use the darker sashing strips to separate the corner blocks.

Sew one HST to either side of each short sashing strip.  Press toward the darker fabric.  Finally, one of these pieced subunits onto either side of the long sashing strip.  Normally I would press toward the dark again, but for ease of assembly of the final blocks into a row, you should press away from the dark and toward the pieced subunits.
For the large quilt you should make 8 of these blocks, and for the smaller version you should make 6.  This is the last block of the sampler.  Next step -- assembly of the rows!

Stepping Back

I've been procrastinating.  Part of it is that I'm not in much a quilting mode lately.  But part of it is that I just wasn't sure that I liked where this quilt was headed.  When I planned it last year, the goal was to minimize the use of background fabric and focus on color.  There are three blocks though, that have a significant amount of background fabric, and they seem to all be clustered together.  I think that spreading them out by rearranging the rows might help things out.  I also think that the original block that I had planned needs to have more background pattern.

This was my original block plan.  I'm thinking now though, that it is too busy.  I'm working on a simpler version though, one that has some background fabric.  If I spread out the four rows with predominant background fabric, I think that will balance things better.  

Here's my fabric, and my original plan.

This is the new block I'm going to use instead.  It is a variation of a hopscotch block, or a variation of a shoofly.  I'm not sure if it has a name.  I'll work on the tutorial as soon as LAX is over (DH out of town again).  For now though, the corner units are 4 inch half square triangles, and the cross units are from  2.5 inch strips.  More to come.  

ScrapHappy Saturday - Crazy Lazy Days

Hurricanes sure do upset the schedule.  After all the running around in preparation and then anxious waiting followed by putting the pieces back together, it all takes a lot of time.  So even though it is the 15th, I still haven't finished the tutorial for the October block or posted the fabric giveaway for the month.  Let me start by opening up the entry for the last fabric draw of the month.  Next, I'll head off and make the very last sampler block of the year so that we can all start the finishing process.  Just leave a comment on this post with the name of the next quilt you plan to finish and I will draw for a winner after the weekend.  Until then, be sure to share your progress with us all using mister linky below.

ScrapHappy Saturday

It is getting to the time of year when we all start to think about what we can finish up this year to make us feel better about all the new projects we will want to start next year.  November and December are finishing off months here at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  Hopefully so finishes are in your future.

Waiting on the Storm

We are prepared and waiting for the storm to arrive.  Fortunately, we live far enough from the ocean that we are not in an evacuation zone, and so we have decided to settle in and wait it out.  So far so good!  It should be arriving in the wee hours of the morning, so until then I will enjoy having power and lights and air conditioning.  After tomorrow.... hard to say.
I will go ahead and schedule the linky party, just in case.  Because honestly, you just never know.  Hard to imagine, looking out the windows right now, that 145 mile an hour winds could be here this time tomorrow.

ScrapHappy Saturday - Sunrise on a New Month

A new month begins as a new sun rises in the morning.  This is going to be a bright and happy month.  

Orange and yellow are the colors for October.  Don't be scared.  A little bit of sunshine makes any rainbow quilt happier.  

  

ScrapHappy Saturday

Really all I've been up to these days is plugging away on string blocks.  They are relaxing and mindless, and more than a little messy.  Lots of scraps put to good use though.  This is homecoming weekend for our school.  We don't have a football game, so it was the traditional powderpuff game on Thursday.  Tonight is the dance, which means I'd better get busy on finishing the hem on Anna's dress.  She has figured out that she can get really cheap dresses on Amazon prime with just a few minor alterations required.  At least the sewing machine will get some action out of that deal.

ScrapHappy Saturday - Raining Roses

Hope you are all making good progress on Rose Red.  This is a short month as far as Saturdays go, so just one more week to go before we reveal the last new color of the year.  Hopefully you are all still moving along nicely and making a dent in those scrap boxes baskets and jars.

ScrapHappy Saturday - Coming up Roses

I am feeling the need to begin to finish a few things.  Sometimes I get into a manic swing of productivity and make lots and lots of blocks.  

I have plenty of these orange peel blocks to make a quilt.  Could today be the day that they all come together?  Wish me luck.

Mister linky is below.  Please let us know what you are up to on this rosy Scraphappy Saturday

ScrapHappy Sampler - September Block - Staggered Steps

This month's block will be a nice simple one.  It isn't much on its own, but in a row by row quilt, it offers a nice resting row.  

Each block is just 3.5 inches unfinished.  If you were making just one block, you would cut a rectangle which is 2.5 by 3.5 and one which is 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches.
To make and entire row though, it is quick and easy to make in bulk from 2.5 inch and 1.5 inch strips.

 Sew a wide strip to a thin strip.  Go ahead and make a stack of these strip sets.  You are going to need quite a few.  84 linear inches to be specific.  I suppose you could get enough from four width of fabric strips total if you were cutting from yardage, but using scraps, you can mix it up a bit.  I used the accent color for the thinner strip and a variety of rose fabrics for the thicker strip.

 Press the strip sets and then sub cut them into 3.5 inch blocks.  You will need 24 blocks for the large quilt and 18 for the smaller quilt.

Take the finished blocks and stagger them so that the small strip is on the right in the first block, then on the left, then the right.  

ScrapHappy Saturday - New Month, New Color

Those of us in the US are enjoying a three day weekend.  I hope that means more sewing time for you all.  In celebration of a new month our new colors of rose red and gold, I have this beautiful bundle of hand dyed fabric from Vicki Welsh.  Just leave me a comment on this post with your favorite type of flower.  I'll draw randomly on Monday for the fabric.  Good luck to you all!

September Color Inspiration

I almost forgot that it was a new month!  Too busy watching the tropics I think.  So far the hurricane has caused a lot of downed palm fronds and a delay in the release of third period today.  Fortunately it  tracked to the north and we have only winds and rain to contend with.
So the inspiration for this month is a rose bouquet.  Deep claret to shades of pink with a pop of gold to mix things up.  Be sure to check back tomorrow for the September fabric giveaway.  

ScrapHappy Saturday - Pleasing Purple

Almost done playing with purple?  With my machine in the shop, I've been playing with strings lately.  Well, not so much sewing time really with the start of school, but all things in time, right?
Kurt is out of town for a week.  He had a business trip to DC and combined it with a visit to his parents while he was up that way.  His mom has been having some serious health issues lately.  He won't be home until next Thursday, so I'm doing the single mom thing.  Mostly that means a lot of driving.  Anna has her license now though! She still doesn't want to go far, but I'm sure that will get better with time.  Hopefully you have been more productive.  Misterlinky is below.

There really are a lot of shades up purple.  Hopefully you are all playing with some of the variations.  Misterlinky is below for all to share.  There is a play practice to drive to, but after that, things look calm maybe some of those shades will come out to play?

ScrapHappy Saturday - Smoky Purple

Anyone feel like playing with purple today?  We have just finished the first week of school.  Thankfully, we always start with a three day week, because everyone around here is SO tired.  Never too tired to sew though, so I hope to rediscover my sewing room today and spend some time playing with fabric.

Kathy E. is the lucky winner for the hand dyed fabric for August from Vicki Welsh.  She blogs over at Sparkles and Sprinkles..... Congratulations Kathy.
What are your purple plans this month?  Misterlinky is below so that we can all sew what you are up to.

August Fabric Giveaway

 These are my blocks for August.  They got a little wrinkled waiting to get sewn together into a row.  I should be able to get that done today.  Believe it or not, it is fairly calm.  We have a tax holiday for back to school shopping, the girls definitely want to take advantage of that.

In celebration of the new month, we will have a giveaway of hand dyed fabric from Vicki Welsh.  Just leave a comment on this post to enter the drawing.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge Sampler August Block

I love the fabric that Vicki designed for August.  I wanted a purples and silver, but she popped it up with an acid green instead.  She thought that the silver would turn out grey and be too dreary.  

 This is a nice simple block which can be cut from just 2.5 inch strips.
From the main color, cut 2 - 6.5 inch strips and 2 2.5 inch squares.
From the alternate color, cut 1 - 2.5 inch square.

 Sew the 3 squared together with the alternate color in the middle.

Take the pieced strip and sew it between to the two rectangles.

Your finished block should be 6.5 inches.
For the larger quilt, make 12 blocks.
For the smaller quilt, make 9 blocks.  

A New Month -- An New Color

Welcome to August.  I was out of town and almost forgot that a new month was already here.  Misty mountains are the color inspiration for this time around.  Think of the hazy purple of a dawn sky with hints of evergreens.  We've done the bright and happy purples already, so feel free to dip into the grey bin if you are low on the purples.  I'm always looking for an excuse to play with the neutral shades, but I know that a lot of you prefer the more colorful shades.

This will be our block.  A nice simple bullseye.  I made the blocks for the rest of the year already, but just need to write up the tutorial for you all.   I'd better get it done soon, because Wednesday is back to school for teachers.  Already!

We were lucky to be able to make a trip up to see Kurt's family in North Carolina and then swing through Atlanta on the way home to see mine. 

Last Pink Saturday

Just one more weekend to finish up the last of the pinks.  The new week will bring a new color.

ScrapHappy Saturday

Believe it or not, this isn't the last pink Saturday.  Next weekend will only be the 30th, so there is still time to keep digging in and catching up.

ScrapHappy Saturday - Pink

Hope that you are having fun with hot pink and lime green.  We are just settling back in after a trip to the Grand Canyon.  Anna had her wisdom teeth removed when we got back, so sewing still hasn't bubbled up to the top of the list.  Maybe today though.  It is going to be horribly hot outside and a bit of sewing time would be quite nice.  Misterlinky is below.  Please share your pink progress with us all.

ScrapHappy Saturday - Bright and Happy Pink

Pink is such a happy color.  Especially hot pink.  You may need to work in some other pinks to get enough contrast, but it is all about using the scraps you have after all.

Summer Sewing Craze

I love summer.  When it is OK to spend an entire day just sewing little zipper cases.  I've been on a bit of a cleaning spree, and these little zipper cases are just perfect for all those charging cables and earbuds that nobody can ever seem to find when they need them.  It isn't as if we don't have plenty.  Hopefully they will be easier to find now.  

All's Quiet on the Homefront

My dear husband has gone to Dungeons and Dragons and taken all the children with him.  It is lovely to have a little quiet time alone at home.  There are plenty of circles prepped and ready to stitch.  Such a nice way to spend the afternoon.  I have several spools of brightly colored YLI silk thread which I ordered ages ago before I figured out that neutrals were so much more flexible.  It is fun though, to find just the  right combination of thread and fabric.  Next I'm off to check out more slow stitching at Kathy's Quilts.  

ScrapHappy Saturday - Hot and Pink

Welcome to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge halfway point for the year.  July is a great time to take a breath and think about what you'd like to get done before the end of the year.  It is a great catch up month too, for those who have missed a color or two along the way.   The new color this month is hot pink and if you are feeling particularly adventurous, you can add just a dash of lime green.  

  In celebration of the month of July, I have this hand dyed fabric collection from Vicki Welsh to give away to one lucky Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilter.  Vicki and I worked together to plan the colors for this year and she was kind enough to send extra fabric to share with you. She has a new web site and fabric shop set up now.  Just leave me a comment of this post with the name of the next project you plan to finish if you would like to enter into the random drawing.  

I'm not sure how the weather is where you live, but summer in Florida is HOT.  Best to plan outdoor activities for the morning or the evening.  The only place to be in the heat of the day is inside in the air conditioning.  Combined with the school vacation, that makes it the perfect time to catch up and try to cross a few projects off the list.  Sadly I have a sick sewing machine and will have to work with my daughters until it is back from repair. Until I can dig out the quarter inch foot, these string blocks will be just right.  Luckily, the blocks this month uses flip and sew corners which don't need a quarter inch foot either, so I should have plenty to keep me busy and out of the heat for the day.   I think there is even some paper piecing hanging out in a project box in the closet just in case things get desperate.