Some Things Old; Some Things New

 I've finished up enough blocks for a couple of quilts that are old projects. 

All of these Triangle blocks are finished now for what I call Out of the Blue that I started on January 1.   I promised myself I would not let this new start roll over into the new year of 2020 without at least reaching flimsy stage. So I've been slowly working on a few blocks each week. This is the ironed stack. 

 And this is the stack that needs ironing. There's 128 blocks total (if I remember correctly) that will make a quilt 83 x 90. I've been using blue tone on tones (TOTS) for the sides of the triangles and warm TOTS for the triangle points that form a star.  I blogged that I wasn't sure I would have enough blue TOTS for the triangles and then lo and behold I received a box in the mail from a kind and generous quilty friend that contained some. 

 Out of the Blue was inspired by a vintage quilt made by Minnie Lee Deakins and is a Quiltfolk pattern called Minnie's Stars.  Anonymous previously left me a blog comment that mentioned the block is known as Road to Florida and also lately named Smoothing Iron.  I can see how it could be called Smoothing Iron, a name I really like, but not sure about the road to Florida. 

 And now I also have enough Carolina Chain blocks made so I can begin assembly. I started these blocks last year to use up 2 inch scraps left from making Fractured Rainbows (aka Totally Demented). When I started making Fractured Rainbows I did not have a 2 inch scrap bin so I cut scrap chunks and bits into 2 inch pieces.  After that I had a 2 inch scrap bin so Carolina Chains was started.  I used blue TOT scraps left over from making those Out of the Blue blocks for the side setting triangles. 

 I figured I have finished blocks for two old projects so I deserve to start two new projects.  I have a lot of odds and ends of low volume fabrics plus I still have a lot of low volume 2 inch scraps so thought I would make some low volume Bright Hopes blocks that finish at 4.5 inches.   I was inspired by the Bright Hopes Quilt at Red Pepper Quilts. 

 These blocks are addictive, mindless and have a calming effect and who doesn't need that once in awhile? This will make a nice summer quilt I think. 

And turning up the low volume to loud...

I recently followed a link to a Strips and Squares quilt at Cluck Cluck Sew and decided to give it a try to use my 2.5 and 4.5 inch scraps instead of fat quarters as listed in the tutorial. I'm thankful for the inspiration and idea and tutorial but I'm not really following the tutorial for assembly either. I'm using up scraps.  The quilt combines Rail Fence blocks, Sixteen Patches, Happy Blocks and eight inch squares. 

But instead of eight inch squares I'm using 4.5 inch scraps to make some four patches to add to the mix. 

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun than Housework