Monkeys, Frog Legs and Zebra Butts

I've finished a 40x60 quilt top with my green scraps. I've challenged myself to see how many donation quilts I can make from my scraps. I've also been participating in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2013 at ScrapHappy's blog.  I didn't realize I had so many green scraps. I probably have enough left over for another whole quilt.

 The block is a 12 inch Bear Track I found at Quilter's Cache. I made 4 1/2 inch crumb blocks for the centers and then sewed all my 2 1/2 inch pieces into strips and combined with heavy muslin to make HSTs.

 My 4 year old grandson laughed at this block.  I laughed when I made it.  I used to love looking at all the different fabrics, usually old clothes, grandma used in her quilts.  So in that respect my grandson is a lot like me. He will study the fabrics in my quilts for quite some time and sometimes he will giggle when he discovers eyeballs, smiley faces or zebra butts.

When this one is finished it will go to Quilts Beyond Borders where I hope it will give another child a case of the giggles. 

I've also finished a 50x60 quilt top with my purple scraps. There are many variations on the Puss in the Corner quilt block. I made 10 inch blocks similar to a pattern at Quilt Index.   I made 6.5 inch crumb blocks with my purple scraps and used purple scraps for the corner 2.5 inch HSTs. The border strips were 2.5 inches in solid colors I had in my stash.

This quilt is for the Hands 2 Help Charity Quilt Challenge.  It will be a Quilty Hug for Happy Chemo.

This top used up most of my purple quilt scraps when purple was the color of the month at RSC 2013 where we link up and show off our use of scraps every Saturday.   If you've got a lot of scraps don't hesitate to join in.  Like I said, I love looking at all the different fabrics. The ideas are inspirational also. 

30s Baskets

My first set of baskets is finished for a basket swap. Baskets are to be full of scrappy flowers and backgrounds are to be solid white.  A set consists of 8 - 8.5 inch blocks so I made 8 to swap and one to keep.  I'm going to try to make another set next weekend.  The 30s repros remind me of grandma and her quilts.

I don't really have a design wall - just propped my cutting mat against a wall and covered with scrap batting - so I guess that means I can link up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.   Do check out whatever others have on their design walls - makeshift or otherwise. There's some inspiring work going on out in blog land.

I'm Hoping I Get It Together One of These Days Soon

I like making quilt blocks but don't necessarily like sewing them all together.

Today my goal is to work on getting it together.  First up are my 30 Puss In Corner blocks for a charity quilt challenge. Layout will be 5x6. I used up my purple scraps for the 6 inch centers. See Hands2Help link on the sidebar about this challenge.

Second project I hope to get sewn together today or this week ( if I'm not working too much overtime again this week) are my depression blocks that have been lingering for years in a UFO box.  This queen-sized quilt will stay around here should a family occasion arise where a quilt is needed.

Green Birds Attack!

Rainbow Scrap Challenge - Green for April

No crumby green bear paws blocks this week.  I tried something different with a few of my bigger green scraps - Birds! I used a pattern from Block Lotto.  Background calls for light blue but I used blue scraps in my stash.   Don't know what I'm going to do with them but now that I finally have the hang of them I think I'll be making some more.  Are you green with envy???

To see what others have been doing with their green scraps check out the linky party at SoScrappy. While you are at it get your green scraps out and join in and show us your stuff!

ABC x 2 +2= 4

I've finished two ABC I Spy happy block quilts.  One is for my grandson and another is for my niece's son.  They have been UFOs for quite some time.

Both quilts are reversible - one has a match game and the other has school themed happy blocks. The school themed blocks was also a UFO.

1. Quilted with a kind of concentric square pattern on my DSM. Binding is stripes. Happy blocks consist of swapped 6.5 inch squares bordered in 2.5 inch strips. Letters were ironed on...

 ...Back consists of school themed happy blocks. Some of the blocks were bordered by others in a happy block swap where you send centers to others to be bordered and you do the same for them.

 It's so cold and windy outside today so it was difficult to get good pictures. Here's a closeup of the ABCs. I had to show the E for Eyeballs since my grandson loves that fabric.

 And here's the reverse side. I haven't washed it yet to get the crinkly goodness. Out here in the country we only do our laundry on the weekends when the electricity is cheaper so I'll be washing them up tomorrow.

 2. Quilted with a kind of concentric circle pattern on my DSM. Binding is solid blue. Happy blocks consist of swapped 6.5 inch squares bordered in 2.5 inch strips. Letters were ironed on...

 ...reverse is a match game...what goes with an elephant? (Peanuts)...what matches with a pincushion? (Pins!)  These 6.5 inch blocks were also swapped.

Two quilts or four quilts 50 x 60? 

To check out other Friday finishes please visit the following links: 

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? 

Finish it Up Friday

Link a Finish Friday



To finish one alphabet quilt was my goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes. Now that I've completed it I'm linking up at the Lovely Year of Finishes Linky Party. 

At Least Fifty Shades of Green

Green is the color for April Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  I've made two more bear track blocks since last week which means I'm halfway to my goal of 20 blocks for a donation quilt and...

...15-3.5 inch spools.

Join in the fun or check out what others are doing with their green scraps at SoScrappy's Scrap Happy Saturday.  I think it's fun to see what green fabrics everyone has in their stash. Does our fabric choices say something about us?

From a WIP to a UFO to a WISP back to a UFO and now it's a FINISH !!!

 It started in November 2011 with a bunch of old embroidery transfers I accumulated over the years. 

And now it all has ended in a crazy quilt 55x62. I call it Crazy Basket Case. About 95% of it has been hand stitched. I added the red border (without the trim and rickrack which was stitched on by hand) by machine and I added the binding by machine but stitched it down by hand. 

I stitched a block a month as part of the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2012

Each block included a basket and seam embellishments - all washable since this will be put to use in the winters at our house which is only heated by wood. 

Evidently a quilt by most definitions contains a top, batting and backing stitched together, not tied.  By that definition this is a quilt.   After my top was finished I sort of free motion quilted it to the backing using red perle #8.   See that running stitch up on the white spot? That's what I did all through the quilt but most of the time it is not as visible because I ran it on top of or under some stitches on the blocks. 

 I splurged on the trim in the border and just love, love, love how it looks. 

I crocheted a little basket for each of the four corners. 

I haven't washed it yet. I'm anxious to see how it will hold up. I bought some color catchers to throw in the washer with it since most of the threads and fabrics are red and I don't want to take a chance on them running.  I'm hoping after a wash it will have that crinkly effect I love on quilts. 

The backing is red with baskets.  The red perle #8 I used to do the hand stitched "free motion" quilting blends in perfectly.   I bound it like a sane quilt - the binding is scrappy - different red fabrics. 

Now I just need to add a label and get up the courage to wash it.

It feels so good to be finally finished. 

Linking to: 

Can I get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. 

Finish it Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts

Link a Finish Friday at Richard and Tanya Quilts

Going Green

 Green is the color of the month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  So, I dug in my green scrap bag and pulled out the smallest of scraps...

 I first sorted all the 2.5 inch bits and pieces and sewed them into a chain. I then took some of the other odd sized bits and pieces and sewed them into 4.5 inch crumb blocks.

The 2.5 inch chain was then combined with muslin to make 2.5 inch HSTs.

And I then combined them into six inch bear track blocks and then sewed 4-6 inch blocks together to make 12 inch blocks.   I have plenty of green scraps so I think I'll get another donation quilt made of all the green scraps!  It's my own challenge to see how many donation quilts I can make from my scraps. 

To see what everyone else is doing with their green scraps visit the Scrap Happy Saturday linky party at soscrappy.   

ABC...Will I Finish the Alphabet?

I almost forgot to post my April goal for a Lovely Year of Finishes. 

I want to finish up at least one ABC quilt for my grandnieces and grandnephews and grandson Jacob. I've got 3 in the works and about 3-5 more to go.  They will be reversible -some with match games on the back- others with school themed happy blocks. All are UFOs - I've been in ABC charm swaps for several years.  

 

Check back at the end of the month to see how well I do on my goal.

Crazy Cravings - April 2013 CQJP 2013

 I've finished my April block for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2013.  Like last year's project, Crazy Basket Case, this is going to be a lap quilt.  I'm using mostly blues, pinks and browns and adding lots of those things I'm constantly craving.

I crocheted the brown pink cream colored edging and ran a ribbon through it. I kind of thought it looked like frosting. Ok, well, maybe if you stretch the imagination a little...

The edging pattern came from the book above that I picked up from the thrift store a long time ago. I'm not very good at tatting but I might try one of the tatting patterns one of these days too. 

Chocolate chips...I think the pistil stitches kind of echo the fabric it is edging. 

 Buttonhole stitch...one pointing up and the other down. They look kind of like a spiked chain stitch now that I see them in this picture. 

Speaking of chain stitch...two rows above the "coffee" in variegated DMC. I think it sort of looks like steam and echos the fabric above it.   "Coffee" was embroidered with one strand of brown and one strand of antique effects DMC. 

Finished?  This block is my finish for a monthly challenge, CQJP 2013.  So it's a finish. But it's only a part of a larger project that's not finished.  

Check out other finishes at: 

Finish it Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts

Link a Finish Friday at Richard and Tanya Quilts

and check out what else is going on at

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Izzy's Wedding Quilt Update

I'm still working on the arches for a double wedding ring quilt.  

I am making it for my granddaughter. Isabelle (aka Izzy, Belle or Bellarina) is only 8 so I have quite a bit of time to complete it.  Several times over the last couple of years she has told me I have to live long enough to attend her wedding.  If I'm not there physically I hope I'll be there in spirit with a quilt for her wedding gift. 

I'm linking to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.  Take a peek and see what other's are working on this week.