Monday, October 31, 2022

Bear Paw Top #3


Bear Paw #3
42 x 60
It's a top!

Starting last year and continuing into this year I've been making 6 inch (finished) Bear Paw blocks as a Rainbow Scrap Challenge project and whenever I have leftover 4.5 or 2.5 inch width scraps. 
My intention was just to make blocks and at the end of this year to see how many donation quilts I could make from the blocks. 

For this top I used all of the blue and purple blocks. I had to make about 5 more blocks in order to have enough in those colors. 



Well, that's Bear Paw quilt top #3. 



I think I can make one more twin sized quilt. Most of the blocks I have left are florals in all colors so probably will be put to better use as a comfort quilt for an adult. I have to make more blocks though so it may be awhile before you see Bear Paw Top #4. 

And sew on...


** Thank you to all who wished me well with my cataract surgery. It did go well! There have been a few minor problems but I'm not complaining. All will be fine with time and a new pair of glasses. 


 

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

Buckeye Beauty Variation

 



I'm not sure of the name of this block. It is inspired by a vintage quilt. I'm calling it a Buckeye Beauty variation - it has nine patches in the corners instead of four patches.  I now have 82 blocks that finish at six inches. My goal is 130 blocks for a quilt layout of 10 blocks by 13 blocks.  I've been using '30s reproduction fabrics and plaids  just like grandma except that hers were original '30s fabrics and recycled shirts. 

I'm having cataract surgery on my left eye this a.m.  I had the right eye surgery on Oct. 11. I've scheduled this post and tomorrows so you won't miss me too much! 😍

Monday, October 24, 2022

When Autumn Leaves Start To Fall

I recently saw a  version of a Disappearing Nine Patch cut on the diagonals made with floral fabrics at Stitched in Color.    I have a little box of Autumn fabrics so thought I would make a few blocks to see how they looked and to see if I liked the process.  Well, I do like how it looks and the process so I guess this is a new start. 

I made five Nine Patches and cut all on the diagonals.  Now I think I will make about 40 more Nine Patches and then cut them up after that step is finished. 

Also in my box of Autumn fabrics I found 19 eight inch finished Broken Dishes blocks. They were left over from a quilt I made and gifted long ago. Might as well make more of these since they use the same sized width of fabric as the Nine Patches.   So when all is said and done I might have an empty box of Autumn fabric as well as two quilts.   

And now for a few pictures of my gardens in Autumn: 










Have a wonderful day!



 

Sunday, October 23, 2022

Bear Paw Top #2

Bear Paw #2
42 x 60
It's a top!

Starting last year and continuing into this year I've been making 6 inch (finished) Bear Paw blocks as a Rainbow Scrap Challenge project and whenever I have leftover 4.5 or 2.5 inch width scraps. 
My intention was just to make blocks and at the end of this year to see how many donation quilts I could make from the blocks. 

 For this top I pulled out the warm colored blocks -- reds, yellows, oranges. 

Well, that's Bear Paw quilt top #2. 

Wonder how many more I'll be able to make. Stay tuned!

And sew on...

 

Saturday, October 22, 2022

October Green Scraps Part III

Little Chips
3 inch finished. 

I'm working with green scraps this month. There's always a lot of green scraps. 

The Little Chips are made with 2.5 inch centers and two white on black 2.5 inch squares cut on the diagonal. Then they are trimmed to 3.5 inches. I have quite a stack of them but have not counted them yet. I'm sure I will continue making these next year. I'm aiming for a big quilt.




Monkey Wrench
10.5 inch finished

Still working with 2.5 inch green scraps...I cut any pieces long enough into four squares.   Then I dug into the green 4.5 inch width scraps and made a few HSTs to go with the green squares.  I'm also going to be making these next year and at year end 2023 will see how many donation quilts I can make with the blocks. 

I made a few Windmill blocks with 4.5 inch scraps. These finish at 8 inches and if I make a couple more blocks I will have enough of them now for a kiddo donation quilt.   I also made a couple of Broken Dishes blocks that finish at 8 inches just because...

And sew on...


 

Friday, October 21, 2022

Bear Paw Top #1

Bear Paw #1
42 x 51
It's a top!


Starting last year and continuing into this year I've been making 6 inch (finished) Bear Paw blocks as a Rainbow Scrap Challenge project and whenever I have leftover 4.5 or 2.5 inch width scraps. 

My intention was just to make blocks and at the end of this year to see how many donation quilts I could make from the blocks.  For this one I pulled out the green and aqua blocks. 

Funny thing happened when I was ready to add the final corner triangle....I could not find it! I looked all over the place for about 15 minutes and could not find it. How frustrating! Well, I had a piece of that same striped green fabric left that was  just big enough to cut another square. That night when I went to bed  and took off my slippers I saw a bit of green peeking out from inside. What the heck is that? Oh, that's where the side setting triangle was hiding!     I wore my slippers into the sewing room and I took one off when I was using the foot pedal. I slid it back on when I got up to sew or cut. The piece must have fallen into my slipper and when I slid it on that corner triangle went into hiding. 

Well, that's Bear Paw quilt top #1. Wonder how many more I'll be able to make. Stay tuned!

And sew on...



 

Thursday, October 20, 2022

Patriotic Mystery Quilt Clue #5




I've completed clue #5!

I'm using red and blue civil war reproduction fabrics and muslin. 

 

Monday, October 17, 2022

More From The 1.5 Inch Width Scraps


For several years I've been trying to empty out my 16 quart 1.5 inch width scrap bin. I'm starting to see the bottom of the bin now that I cleared out all those brown scraps making Soul Searching In The Chocolate Box.   I've vowed to completely empty the bin by year end so I made a few more blocks for the collections I have in process. 

These are 6 inch Eighteen Patch blocks. 

4 inch Windmills

3 x 5 Switch Plate Blocks



12 x 14 Soul Searching blocks

6 inch Potato Chip blocks

I still have a few more scraps to use but I think I will make my goal of an empty bin by year end!

And sew on...

 

Sunday, October 16, 2022

Soul Searching In The Chocolate Box

Soul Searching In The Chocolate Box
56 x 72
It's a flimsy!

You may or may not know that I've been trying to empty out my 1.5 inch width 14 quart scrap bin. I vowed to do just that by end of this year. Most of what was left in there were brown scraps. 

Earlier this month I made a quilt inspired by a Kathy Doughty pattern in the book Making Quilts called Soul Searching to use some of my rose print scraps. That top was made with 2.5 inch width scraps. I liked how that top turned out so I decided to do just a little Soul Searching and make blocks with my 1.5 inch brown scraps. I decided to also use cream, taupes, tans with the browns.  I have a drawer of bits and pieces of neutral scraps and as much as I didn't want to sort out and then cut most of those bits and pieces I did just that. 

I was just going to see how many blocks I could make from the browns in my 1.5 inch scrap bin and go from there.  I figured I needed at least 24 blocks for a good sized quilt. 

Imagine my surprise when I used up most of the brown scraps and counted up my blocks....24!!! 

And now I'm close to reaching my goal of an empty 1.5 inch width scrap bin. More on that later. 

And sew on...


 

Saturday, October 15, 2022

October Green Scraps Part II

Last week when I was working with my green scraps I left off with scraps 2 inches in width. I finished using those this week and used them as corners (along with four previously cut 2.5 inch squares in other colors) on Indian Hatchet Blocks that finish at 4 inches.   I also made a few Bow Ties that finish at 3.5 inches.   I then cut some 2 inch squares and anything less than a square or wider than 1 inch was sewn into a Chinese Coins strip.  That was the end of the green scraps that were 2 inches in width. 

I mentioned above that I cut 2 inch squares. I used the sets of four in some Monkey Wrench Blocks that finish at 7.5 inches.   In order to make these I had to dig into some green scraps 3.5 inches in width to make the HSTs (Half Square Triangles).   

I've been making Monkey Wrench blocks in three different sizes (5, 7.5 and 10 inch finished) as I sort scraps or when I have leftovers. I am going to continue with these into 2023 and at the end of 2023 will see how many donation quilts I can make. 

I also made Snowballs with the 3.5 inch scraps. I'm making these with light corners and they will alternate with 3 inch 9 patches with light corners. I've had the nine patches around for a long time and have made several quilts with them but now it is time to try to get them all used up. 

And also with the 3.5 inch width green scraps I made a few Switch Plate blocks. 


And sew it goes...