What's Next?

Anna's T-shirt quilt can't go any further until more of the Farmdale Crosshatch 2009 arrives in the mail.  So I carefully stacked and labelled and pinned it.  Then I wondered what to do next?  Maybe to piece a backing for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge Sampler of 2014?  It has been done since last year, but waiting patiently for its turn at backing, batting quilting and binding.  I'm not sure if this one will be next, but if I go with the 10.5 inch square plan, I could work on cutting those between other things.  It will use up most of my stash of solids, which both makes me sad and happy.
I went into to work this morning after dropping Ryan off at camp.  I got my schedule and class list and started setting up my classroom for the new year.  I know that it seems early, but I'll be leaving for Costa Rica in just 2 weeks.  Missing all of preplanning and the first three days of school has me a little bit concerned, but I have the next two weeks to get all of my ducks in a row.
First though, Miranda's t-shirt quilt is so close to being done.  I think I'll eat lunch and settle in for just a bit more binding sewing.  I'll make a pillowcase to put it in and that one will be able to be crossed off the list.  One at a time, things are getting done.  

LAST ScrapHappy Saturday of 2014

It is hard to believe that another year has almost gone.  Despite all my scrap using efforts these past 4 years, I still have plenty left to use.  So if you are new and joining in for 2015, welcome!  We are happy to have you join.  Feel free to introduce yourself and let us know what you have planned for the RSC15.  If you are already part of the rainbow scrap challenge, please share your accomplishments from the last year.  Feel free to brag just a bit, we'd love to see your rainbow scrap projects and know what is in store for next year.  
I must confess that I have already gone into full preparation mode for 2015.  One of my new projects is going to be an orange peel quilt.  I do pretty well with applique as long as it is prepped and ready to go.  So as I've been finishing New York Beauty blocks lately, each fabric gets put aside for an orange peel.  I'm saving each color in its own little baggie, so as the colors come up, I can pull out a baggie and begin to sew.

Taking Stock

As the end of this year approaches and a new year gets ready to begin, it is time to take an inventory.  Quilts to finish this year, quilts to carry  over to next year, and quilts to start anew.  Here is my stack to finish this year.  I will carry over baby nine patches and little postage stamps.  Starting anew, well that is the fun list.  The new sampler of course, the new New York Beauty blocks which are just slightly started, some tiny split string blocks, and maybe an orange peel for hand work.  What is your list looking like so far?  The linky below is for any Rainbow Scrap Challenge related updates.  Let us know how your plans are progressing.

End and Begin Again

This is the week for one last push to the finish.  If you are at all like me, not everything is going to get finished this year.  I did dig out this one last project that I think is within reach for 2014.  I missed three blocks along the way, mainly due to lack of fabric variety in the scrap stash.  The light blue is almost done, I just need to add a black/grey block and one more in browns.  If I can find enough scraps in those colors, this postage stamp quilt will be pretty quick to finish.  Then I can jump back into getting ready for next year's projects.

I've been having SO much fun playing with my snack pack and getting ready for the challenge quilt next year.  I wish I could show you the beautiful blocks I have already made with Vicki's fabrics, but the January posts are already scheduled, and February is on the list for this weekend, so it won't be long now.

Add that to my new addiction to New York Beauty inspired blocks, and a plan for a new string project next  year, and you can see why I really should finish off some of the already started projects that are on my list.
Misterlinky is below so we can all see how the begining of the end is going for you.  It has been exciting for me to start seeing all the beautiful finished quilts popping up.  Great inspiration for next year and maybe a few more after that!

A Finish!

Look what I finished today!  I am so happy to have the flimsy finished and have started to contemplate quilting.  While contemplating though, I got started on the NEW sampler for next year.  It was so much fun to start cutting into my snack pack and start choosing colors for all of the months in 2015.  Oh my!  What beautiful colors.  I can't wait to start putting the blocks together.  

ScrapHappy Saturday - The End Begins

It is finally, officially, the last month of the year and so begins the time of finishing things up.  Have missing colors to catch up on, need just a few more blocks to make a top, ready to sew them all together?  Now is the time to start thinking of what you can finish up this year and what you will roll over to continue for the new year.  I am on to the border stages of my sampler quilt for the year and getting so excited.
To celebrate December, I have used Random.org to chose a winner for the last 2014 bundle of hand dyed fabric from Vicki Welsh.  And the winner is.... Sunny from Quilting Dreams.  I've sent Sunny an e-mail and will send it off as soon as I hear back.
So, as sad as it is to think about the last of the hand dyed fabric for this year going out, the idea of brand new fabrics for the new year should help ease the pain.  Have you checked out Vicki's December Newsletter?  She has just posted details of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge Snack Pack.  It is a special collection of rainbow themed hues that we worked together to create as the basis for next years challenge colors.  I'm designing a new quilt using these fabrics as well and will be posting tutorials throughout the new year.  I must say, I am pretty excited to be continuing our collaboration for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2015 (RSC15).
Let's not get too carried away with plans for next year though and forget to enjoy the projects we have all worked so hard on this year.  Use the linky tool below to keep us posted on your progress.

Last Light Blue Day

Today is the last official "light blue" scraphappy Saturday.  I know that a lot of us are already starting to finish things off though!  Yeah!  Feel free to post your last bits of blue, or the beginnings of the finishings.  There will not be a new color for December, so if you need a 12th color for the last block of your quilt, feel free to fill in with whatever you have the most of.  I've seen some lovely golds, lime greens, burgundies...... There are so many shades we have not had time to delve into this year.  We also didn't have a light neutral month this year, so that is always an option for people looking for a broader range of colors.
Because we are getting ready to start the LAST month of the year, I am also holding a drawing for the final RSC14 fabric giveaway of beautiful hand dyed fabric by Vicki Welsh.   To enter the drawing, leave a comment please with the name of one quilt block you would most like to see incorporated into next year's rainbow scrap challenge project.

I've already received the fabric for RSC15 and I am SO EXCITED to get started on the new challenge quilt!  Vicki will be posting more details about the fabric in her December newsletter for those thinking about joining in, and I'll try post some of the details and plans at about the same time.   I can't reveal everything of course, what fun would that be?  You are also welcome (of course) to use your own fabrics (hopefully scraps), but Vicki is going to have special packages available for those who are interested.
Don't forget to leave a comment to enter the drawing.  I'll check in as soon as I'm back from my turkey travels.  As I'm scheduling this to post ahead, I should be back pretty soon to see what lovely projects are starting to come together.  I'll draw for the fabric winner before next Saturdays post.

Tiny Bits of Blue

 I haven't gotten much done on my baby blues.   They are ironed now.   Just a few more bits to sew together though and I'll have enough giant postage stamp blocks for a quilt.

 Not a lot of sewing time lately though.  We had company last weekend.  Kurt's parents visited on the way home from a cruise.  We'll see them again next week for Thanksgiving.

The kids had another weight lifting match.  They both improved since the last match, so that was lots of fun.  Today is Lego Robotics.  It is nearby, which is good because it is also the middle school play.  Ryan will have to leave early because he is the prince in the first show and the frog in the second show.
On Sunday a friend from work is coming over to quilt a top on my frame.  She used to quilt years ago, but has just started to work part time and has taken it up again.  I've been helping her out a bit which has been lots of fun.
Just three days of work this week, with Thursday and Friday off for Thanksgiving.  We've had Wednesday off in the past, but the schedule has changed.  Lots of people are slow to change with the times though, and I think Wednesday will have small classes for sure.
I got a package in the mail this week from Vicki Welsh!  It has all of the fabrics for the giveaways and quilt along for next years Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  They are gorgeous!  Next year the fabric each month will be a gradient of the colors of the month, she will also have them for sale, just in case you don't win.  I'm working on a quilt designed around those fabrics and will post directions each month for anyone who would like to sew along with me.
How are all of your blues coming along so far?  I'm getting pretty anxious to finish off this years quilts so that I can start on the new ones without quilt guilt.
Use the linky below to share your progress with us all.

ScrapHappy Saturday - Lovin those Baby Blues

 These giant postage stamps have been hanging out since August.  The last block will be light blue.

 The leftovers are waiting to go into this chevron design.

These 1.5 inch strip sets are ready to go, they just need some ironing and a little bit more combining.
Kurt's parents and sister are coming to visit on the way home from a cruise, so the sewing room needs to be changed into the guest bedroom.  First though, I think I can find a little bit of time to finish up just a few blocks.
What are your scrappy scraphappy plans for the day?  Use misterlinky below to share your progress on blue or on the finishing of your rainbow scrap challenge projects for the year.  It is halfway through November already and I'm looking forward to lots of great finishes in the next few weeks.
First though, I was finally able to draw the winner of the hand dyed fabrics by Vicki Welsh for November.  Vicki just finished up a rainbow scrap challenge quilt top this week.  The fabric winner is Barbara at Cat Patches.  She is planning to finish off a Christmas tree wall hanging/table runner before the end of the year.  She has been quilting like crazy in the icy Oregon winter.  It is hard to imagine that snow and ice have already blanketed large portions of the country.  Looks like another cold winter, its a good thing we all have plenty of quilts to keep us warm.

Trial and Error

I saw a free pattern here, and thought it might work well for next year's RSC project.  The pattern was for a 16.5 inch block though, which is not exactly a scrap friendly size.

I thought I'd downsize it to a 12 inch size.  Obviously it isn't quite right yet.  I used a square in a square calculator that I found here.  I cut the inner squares to 2 7/8 inches, and then used the easy angle for the outer squares.  Somehow, instead of a 4.5 inch unfinished, it was 4 inches unfinished.  I also should have squared it up, and the corners seem to be bigger than the edges.

The girls both thought that the outer corners should match the inner corners, but I thought it might look nice with only the inner corners matching each other.  I'll keep playing with it, I think, but not tonight.  I have a stack of tests to finish grading and my students would be thankful if the grades got posted tonight.  

ScrapHappy Saturday - Pastel Side of Blue

I'm probably still at my science teacher convention, so I'm scheduling this ahead of time.  I'll check in as soon as I get back again though, and look forward to seeing lots of great final bits and blocks coming together.  I'll choose the fabric winner as well, so make sure you got your comments entered on last weeks linky party.

RSC Challenge Sampler - Quarter Log Cabin

There are so many variation on the Log Cabin quilt block.  This one is a quarter log.  You could make a block of course, and cut it into four sections, but when you only need one, this is the way to go.

Start with a 1.5 inch square for the first round.
Round 2 needs a 1.5 inch square and a rectangle 1.5 by 2.5
Round 3 needs a rectangle 1.5 by 2.5 inches and one that is 1.5 by 3.5
Round 4 needs a rectangle that is 1.5 by 3.5 inches and one that is 1.5 by 4.5
Round 5 needs a rectangle that is 1.5 by 4.5 inches and one that is 1.5 by 5.5 inches
Round 6 needs a rectangle that is 1.5 by 5.5 inches and one that is 1.5 by 6.5 inches

Start with the two 1.5 inch squares.  press away from the corner square and then add the 2.5 inch long piece.

You will continue working in rounds by adding the short piece to the side with a seam and the long piece to the adjacent side.

Here is round 3

Working on round 4

Ready for round 5.  Keep going until all the pieces are sewn together

Here is your finished block.  I alternated solids and prints for each round and tried to go from light to dark.  Go crazy and have fun with your scraps!

ScrapHappy Saturday - Dawn to Dusk

As the year starts to wind down, I've been thinking a lot about finishing things up.  Something about the start of a new year makes me want to have all the loose ends tied off.  Well, some of the loose ends at least.  With fall in the air, and Christmas decorations starting to show up in the stores, I'm feeling the urge to start the finishing process on a few things.
How are your rainbow scrap challenge projects coming along so far?  Now is a great time to take inventory and think about how many more blocks you might need.  November will be the last month with an "official" color, with December reserved for putting it all together.
Use the linky below to keep us up to date on your projects.

ScrapHappy Saturday - Delving into Dark

I've been playing a lot with brown, but today I feel like black should get a turn.  Now that I'm home again, with all my fabrics and supplies available, I feel the urge to jump in and play.  What dark plans do you have in the works?   Use misterlinky below to share your projects.

ScrapHappy Saturday - Brown, Black and Busy

 Barely a dent was made this week on brown and black.  Work is in high gear right now as the first quarter draws to an end.  

 Ryan has been busy with football and the school play.

 Anna is a goalie on the lacrosse team.  School has gotten busier too as she shifts from middle school to high school.  Even though her school didn't change, the expectations sure did.  There is a reason we've been rated one of the most competitive high schools in America.

Miss Sydney takes the prize for busy though.  She plays lacrosse in the same league as Anna, on a different team though, thankfully for Anna who wants some space.  Then there are piano lessons of course, and she has started viola.  She didn't want to be bored so she also joined book club and encore, which is the singing club at school.
So I guess I'm saying, there hasn't been a lot of sewing time lately.  I'm out of town this week and off school for three days, I'm planning to bring my machine and sew in my hotel in the evenings.  First though, I'm off to take Anna to an all day powerlifting match.  I'm going to grade papers while she isn't lifting.  Lots and lots of papers.
I'm looking forward to seeing lots of sewing related goodness today though, to hold me over until life settles a bit around here.

ScrapHappy Saturday - Walking on the Dark Side

I know that a lot of you are hesitant to include browns and blacks in your rainbow scrap projects.  Some people are using black backgrounds, which is why I grouped brown and black together.  But for everyone else, I urge you to give your darker scraps a try.  Often they fit in better than you might think and add a bit of solidity to your project.  Even if you end up not wanting to include your blocks in the final project, at least your scraps will be blocks that can be turned into something useful.  So I urge you to give it a try!
First though, it is the start of the new month, so I have drawn a random number from last week's comments.  The lucky winner of beautiful hand dyed fabric from Vicki Welsh, is...... Kate who blog at Life in Pieces.  She has a Dresden Plates Quilt on her someday list.  They would look beautiful in hand dyed fabrics, wouldn't they?  Vicki has some beautiful new shades packs for sale, that have been tempting me.  I feel pretty good about adding new fabric after using up so many scraps lately.
Use the linky tool below to share your plans and schemes for brown and black.

As the Leaves Turn

As we move from September to October, our scraps will be moving from orange into brown and maybe even black.  October has been reserved for the darker shades of the scrap bin.  I know a lot of people like to push these shadowy hues to the side and ignore them in favor of the bright and happy colors, but I urge you to dig in and see what you can find to play with this month.  Any shade of brown, black or even gray will work for this month.  

ScrapHappy Saturday - Orange Roundup

 

It is the last orange Saturday.  I've enjoyed seeing all the fall colors coming out this month.  A lot of block collections seem to be coming together right about now, which is good timing as the end of the year starts to peek its head around the corner.  Starting to see all the different colors come together is all part of the fun of the end of year.

 Last weekend I spent a good bit of time putting together baby nine patches with churn dash blocks.  These little guys have been brewing for quite a while, so seeing them turn into a quilt will be enjoyable.
Speaking of things that are enjoyable.  It is time to start taking names for the giveaway of Vicki Welsh's hand dyed fabric for the new month.  To enter the drawing, just leave a comment on this post with the number one quilt on your "someday" list.

ScrapHappy Saturday - Orange

Its been a long week and I am so glad to have made it to the weekend!  My husband was in Japan most of the week and being a single mom is HARD!  I'll be so happy to have help with the carpooling this weekend.  I like having him around for other reasons too, but carpooling is pretty high on the list.  I am hoping to find some time to turn these itty bitty nine patches into slightly bigger nine patches toady and maybe even make some churn dash blocks to alternate.  What are your scrappy plans for the day?  Use mister linky below to share your progress.

ScrapHappy Saturday - Orange you Glad its Fall?

I made these two orange stars last Sunday.  That was the last time I sat at the sewing machine.  Work has been keeping me busy these days, and with my other chauffeur out of town, I've spent time with my foot on the gas pedal instead of the sewing machine pedal.  He's home again now though, and I am sure he won't object to some sewing time before the cycle starts again.  The kids will be running around for the most part, so other than needing rides to practices, games and parties, we are somewhat unnecessary.
I am really enjoying orange!  Aren't these Mai Tai Stars happy?  They have partial seams which takes a bit of concentration, but I am going to love them in the finished quilt.  All of the split HST blocks are done, they just need to be put together.
How are your oranges coming along?  Use the linky to share your progress so that we can all come and enjoy.