Dresdens - the Brown Addition

I'm winding up the brown RSC color of the month with some brown Dresdens.  

These use 4.5 inch scraps and are appliqued to 13 inch backgrounds. 

Each month I usually make 4 but this month the color complement for brown is unclear to me since it is not on most color wheels.  Some searches say something like cyan. Rather than worry about it I only made 3 Dresdens. 

My rules for Dresdens this year:

1. gray background fabrics

2. polka dot centers

3. gray rick rack around centers

4. one block entirely in the color of the month

5. one block in the color of the month plus black/white fabric

6. one block in the color of the month plus white/black fabric

7. one block in color of the month plus the color complement

Got Scraps?

Use them. Share your progress each ScrapHappy Saturday.

Postage Stamp Sunbonnet Sue: A Flimsy

Postage Stamp Sunbonnet Sue

Right now it is just a top.

I have to decide how to quilt it.I t will probably be quilted by hand. 

39 x 44

2184 - 1.5 inch squares

I used a pattern Martha (Q is for Quilter) drafted from a vintage quilt she saw on ebay.  Thanks, Martha!

Linking to:

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

Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts

Layouts

I've been swapping various themed six inch Chunky Churn Dash blocks with the Block Swappers Yahoo Group to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the group.    I thought it would be a fun challenge to figure out a different layout for each theme I decide to swap.   I think this is the layout I'll use for the fall themed CCDs (not yet swapped).  I framed some swapped fall looking four inch four patches with 1.5 inch pieces, made some 1.5x3 inch flying geese for sashing and plopped a swapped 3 inch nine patch in the center. 

Floral theme...I will add some 6 inch snowballs with butterflies and other fabrics of things found in a garden.  I just quickly made snowballs out of some 6.5 inch butterfly charms swapped long ago. 

Patriotic/red/white/blue theme...I'll use Twinklers for the alternate block. I took some Twinklers from my Rainbow Scrap Challenge pile just to see if I liked the block with the CCDs. I do. 

30s Theme...I think I will set them on point. 

Linking up to:

Quilting is More Fun than Housework

Blogger's Quilt Festival: Large Quilts

Bear Foot

82 x 98

Blocks finished at 14 inches. I used swapped four patches and then made HSTs in colors to match in each block. I used 2 inch sashing that just might pass for a bear foot. 

I've seen this block also called Bear Paw but I believe that is actually a different block. (I'm no expert). 

I quilted the whole darned thing on my plain Jane DSM...

...with leaves. (Yes, those are supposed to be leaves). After all...where does a bear poop? 

I'm entering this quilt in the Large Quilt category at the Blogger's Quilt Festival hosted by Amy of

 Amy's Creative Side.    You may want to visit! 

Blogger's Quilt Festival: Scrappy

Petunias

72 x 90

It was made from scraps leftover from...

...this Pickle Dish quilt I made for my granddaughter's hope chest. 

(She's only 10 and she's a pink lover!) 

The pattern was a free one from Anna Maria Horner called Spinning Stars. (I'd give the link to it but it seems to now redirect to her shop and I can't find the pattern there). 

I hand quilted it with regular quilting thread. 

I quilted alternate wedges with vertical and horizontal straight lines. 

I outlined each quarter section of the stars and then one section within that quarter got an extra "once around" 

For the back I pieced together a chevron fabric with similar color scheme. 

And why call it Petunias? Well, the colors and the shape rather reminded me of the Petunias I had on the deck last year. 

I've entered this quilt in the scrappy category at Blogger's Quilt Festival hosted by Amy at Amy's Creative Side.    You'll have to visit.  There's lots to ogle.  And there's lots to oooooh anaaaaawh. 

One Thing Leads to Another

Browns Three Inch Spools.  

I now have 108 brown spools. I don't think any of the fabrics are repeats, but then again...I've been making them as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge for three years so who knows. 

When I was cutting my 1.5 inch scraps for the blocks I guess I didn't notice there was not enough of a few fabrics for all four 1.5 inch corners.  So, I substituted.  I guess those spools are definitely unique. 

And while I was cutting for those little spools I remembered I had a pile of brown postage stamp blocks so I cut scraps for three more little blocks.  I have no clue why I decided on an unusual 49 patch (finishes at 7 inches). When I made the first one I must have only had 49 postage stamps.   Now I need to find the rest of the pile. I want to make an all brown/cream big sized postage stamp quilt someday.   It will be "Plain Brown Wrapper." 

And while I was sewing up those postage stamps I remembered I haven't finished my postage stamp girls from last year.  They need a "frame" around them.  And I needed to check my postage stamp collection to see if I had enough cut for frames before I go using up all the 1.5 inch scraps on a spider web quilt. 

So, that lead to all postage stamp girls now framed and ready for assembly into a top which may be very soon!  (I hope). 

Got scraps? 

Join us each ScrapHappy Saturday.  Show us what you do with those scraps. 

Spider Webs

The 1.5 inch scrap bin is full despite my use in a couple of Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects.  I haven't made a Spider Web quilt since 2012. I used multi-sized strings in that quilt, used spider webs for the center, made it twin sized,  put Spider Man fabric on the back, quilted it with spider webs and gave it to my grandson. 

 I thought it was time to try one again using pieces all the same size. I have lots of different spider web fabrics for the centers.  I'll make blocks until I empty the 1.5 inch bin and see how many blocks I have and go from there. 

I've lately been trying to rid myself of strips and strings and have several projects going. Maybe I will finish a few of them soon. 

Linking to:

Oh Scrap at Quilting is More Fun than Housework

Monday Makes at Love Laugh Quilt

Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times

Yes...

Yes, ....

...I'm still working on it. 

Hand quilting is slow stitching especially when the quilt is queen-sized. 

Slow Stitching Sunday at Kathy's Quilts. 

Brownies

Brown is the color of the month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I used my 1.5 inch scraps to make up four 9 inch butterfly blocks (aka Beggar Blocks). 

I then made two more blocks in white and cream because that is all I needed to bring my total blocks to 56. 

I've been making these blocks since last year.  I was inspired by a vintage butterfly quilt  I had seen at a blog called Nostalgia Cafe.  

This week I also got as far as cutting pieces for 29 brown 3 inch Spool blocks but haven't had a chance to get them assembled yet.  There's always next week...or the week after...or the week after that...or...

Got scraps?

Join us each ScrapHappy Saturday. 

Working on the Chain, Gang!

A few weeks ago I received the results of a 3 inch 9 patch swap - 60 blocks.  I've participated in this quarterly swap for several years and just love these little things. 

Every time I get a batch of 9Ps back I sort them into brights and darks and have been using the bright ones in a Jack's Chain quilt that will eventually go into the hope chest as a wedding quilt for my grandson.  The darks have been piling up but I did start another Jack's Chain with neutral background. 

I used the templates for the hex and triangles from Quilter's Cache.  I kind of followed the instructions with a few modifications which I never remember each time I sit down to add a row. 

I just added another section  and now the top measures roughly 70 x 70.   I need to make some more 9Ps - enough for one more section and I think I'll be finished with this top.  It's been a UFO for quite awhile. 

The challenge for this quilt? Not to cuss each time I get to a Y seam. There's been a whole lot of cussing going on around here. 

Connecting up to:

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

WIPs Be Gone at A Quilting Reader's Garden

Oh My Stars!

I made four 9 inch Twinkle Stars for this month's Block Lotto.  I used the Tri-Rec ruler that I rarely let out of it's drawer.  I will probably make 5 more before the end of the month. 9 entries is the limit. I hope I win these. I really like them. And although I won several times in the last couple of years I haven't won at all this year so it's about time my lotto luck changed.  And if it doesn't...I made good use of some 3.5 inch scraps for someone else's benefit. I'm fine with that too. 

And since I had the Tri-Rec rulers out...I made another Twinkle Star block...only this time it was 12 inches and used scraps from the 4.5 inch block.  I belong to a "Birthday Club" and we send each member of our club a block in their birthday month made according to their specs. Corinne requested any 12 inch block that used at least 5 pieces in the colors green, cream (on the yellow, not pink side) and purple (on the blue side).  

And, again, with the Tri-Rec rulers out...I made myself a 12 inch Twinkle Star. In a year past I had requested a 12 inch star block of maker's choice in 30s repro fabrics with a blue background. I've added to the pile myself since then but don't have quite enough yet for a big quilt.  I think I have a few other Star blocks in mind now that I know I can actually use the Tri-Rec rulers without cussing. 

Then I finished up some more 9 inch Wonky Stars for Alycia's 2015 Wonky Star Quilts of Valor Block Drive.   There's 20 in all and my husband put them in the mail this morning.  No design wall in this house...just some leftover batting wrapped over my cutting mat to stick a few blocks on for photo shoot so you get the following separate photos of four. 

I hate to say this but I sort of amused myself with that upper left star in the photo above...background is stars and star is tone on tone white with feathers.   And I thought...that's as close as I will probably ever come to a "Feathered Star".     (I said I "sort of" amused myself. Groan). 

56 Shades of Envy: A Flimsy

56 Shades of Envy

It's a Top! 

84 x 96

Last year when the color of the month was green for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge I discovered a lot of small pieces (or chunks) of green scraps.  So I made one of my favorite blocks (Dandy Quilt) with the green scraps and neutral scraps and ended up with this.  I tried to arrange them across the quilt from lightest to darkest. 

Now, I just have to figure out if I want to machine quilt on my DSM or hand quilt.  Oh, and I need to figure out what to use for a backing too. 

Now...I might have to make another using blue scrap chunks. 

Linking up to

  Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun than Housework. 

AND 

Scraptastic Tuesday

Got scraps? Both sites are full of links full of scrappy ideas. What can be better than that? 

This was my goal #5  (see post)

For 2015 Finish Along 

I Think I'll Need More Than the Power of Positive Thinking - Q4 FAL Goals

 

It's time to set goals for the Fourth Quarter Finish Along with Adrianne at On the Windy Side. 

I'm going to need more than positive thinking to get all of these completed because a lot of them involve hand quilting. 

1. I LOVE Cherry Pie...this king sized quilt needs some quilting. Backing is made, perle has been purchased for some big quilting. I just need to pin baste and then get to it. 

2. Which Way to the Chocolate? ...I need to order some variegated brown perle, figure out what to use for a backing, piece together some batting scraps...

3.  It's not all about foods I love around here...I also love flowers and birds.  This queen-sized quilt is in my hoop now. I'm maybe about 1/3 of the way finished and then I need to decide what to do with those flapping prairie points. 

4. Vintage Spin...another one waiting in the queue for hand quilting. What to use for the backing??? Hmmm...

5. 56 Shades of Envy.  I just finished this queen-sized top. I can't decide if I should hand or machine quilt. Stay tuned...

6.   Good ol' Sunbonnet Sue...This has been a top for ages and ages and ages. These Sues were from a swap ages and ages and ages ago.  They are fused and rather stiff. 

7. Jack's Chain.   This is one for the hope chest...a wedding quilt for my 6 year old grandson. He might be married before I finish it so I might as well add this to the list. 

8. STARZ.    These were from a swap ages ago.  I just found them when I was cleaning up around the sewing room. 

9.   Fall Orphan Quilt.  I've been throwing bits and pieces, scraps, odd blocks into a pile for long enough. Time to make a quilt out of them for donation. 

10. Feather Bed...a new wild string scrap project. 

11. Tulips.  I hate adding sashing to make a quilt top so I've been stalled on this.  I think I will like it if I get my butt in gear and get it done. 

12. Postage Stamp (1.5 inch squares) Girls.  I need to get those girls bordered and made into a top!

13. Rail Fence.  I originally made these blocks to use up some gray, white and blue scraps. They are kind of bland and boring so there they sit.   But, I think I'm going to add some Fireworks. 

14.  I need to make at least 3 sets of pillowcases for Christmas. It's a tradition. 

 15. I still need a new purse. 

2015  Q4 FAL with Adrianne at On the Windy Side