Green Scraps Chapter V

Yankee Puzzle

9 inch blocks

This week I started a couple of new quilts made with 4 inch width scraps.  I grabbed out all the green pieces in the box and decided on a plan to empty out the remaining pieces in the box. 

Yankee Puzzle is made with any 4 inch width scraps long enough for four 4 inch squares of two different fabrics. 

If you search "Yankee Puzzle Block" you will find that a lot of different blocks go by that name.  I used a super easy tutorial at Susie's Quilts to make the block; however, I used 4 inch squares to make the block instead of the 3.5 Susie used. 

I think I may make blocks for two different quilts - one with dark and neutral and one with two color blocks. 

Four Patch

7 inch

Made with any 4 inch width scraps long enough to cut two 4 inch squares. 

4 inch squares

Next I cut any remaining pieces of 4 inch green squares into squares. I'll figure out how to use those later.

Bricks and Stones

I already had these in progress as one of my blocks to clear out the 2.5 inch width scrap bin. They are made of 2.5 x 4 inch rectangles and black 2.5 inch squares.  So any green pieces I could cut into a 4 x 2.5 rectangle got made into Bricks and Stones.

And finally, any green pieces left that was wide enough for two 1/4 inch seams got made into a strip for a future Coins quilt. 

You may wonder where all the 4 inch width scraps came from. Well, I am the lucky and thankful recipient of scraps from friends!  Any time I receive fabric or scraps I sort the pieces larger than six inch width by color.  Then anything more than 1/4 yard goes on a shelf sorted by color. Anything less goes into "scrap chunks bag" on same shelf sorted by color. That leaves me with the pieces less than a six inch width. I get out my little six inch ruler and measure the width of each scrap and then they go into boxes based on scrap width.  Then I usually have several different blocks in the works for each box of scraps sorted by width. 

Last year for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) I started making several blocks with four inch width scraps and this year I finished up those block sets which have not yet been assembled into tops. 

Hollow Nines

Made with 4 inch squares.

Complete Block Set.

Shoofly

Made with 4 inch width scraps

Complete block set.

Broken Dishes

Made with 4 inch width scraps

Complete Block Set. 

So here is the box of 4 inch width scraps I'm trying to empty out. I recently sorted it into several different piles - the grocery bag contains pieces for Yankee Puzzle; to the left of that are pieces paired up to be cut into squares for Four Patches; below that is the bag of 4 inch squares and to the right of that is a pile of pieces to be cut into squares. 

I have found the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) a good way to sew up scraps and empty out boxes. Each month when the RSC color is called it is so much fun to go through each box to pull out scraps in that color to see what I will be working with. 

I'm wondering what the color will be for June!

And sew on...

RSC ScrapHappy Saturday

***

Finished a book - What The Silent Say by Emerson Ford. It is inspired by a true story of two brothers in the author's family who fought the Japanese in WWII. Knowing it was based on a true story I did shed a few tears in a very sad part of the story. 

“Sometimes courage looks like dying on a battlefield, and sometimes it looks like pressing forward when you have no control of the out-come.”

It's A Top! Harvest Baskets

Harvest Baskets

It's a top! 

64 x 84

In 2023 someone gave me the fruit and veg triangles.  I decided to put the fruit and veg into Baskets aka Cake Stand blocks.  I decided to use brown woven looking fabrics for the bakets and cream for the backgrounds.  I wish I had used something a little darker than that zig zag fabric. It doesn't show up very well when I look at that clothesline photo. But then I remember that this is a comfort quilt and no one is going to be hanging it up to look at it overall. 

I used the warm colored fruits and veg and still have some green and a few purple triangles to deal with but not sure how yet. 

I used basket looking browns for the side setting triangles. 

"Baskets" has been the theme in my sewing room this month to move UFOs forward. Even though I have spent most of my time in the garden this month I'm pleased with the progress I have made with "Baskets".  This is my third top of baskets assembled this month plus I have made 32 four inch Cake Stand Baskets for my collection plus I have used some Baskets as the center of a medallion quilt and added a few borders but need a couple more. 

And sew on...

Finished Or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

***

REMEMBER, TREASURE, GROW, READ (my words of the year)

Remember.    A lot of my husband's family were in town this week for my grandniece's wedding. We also had a sort of mini family reunion that included four generations. Every year family members camp at the county park down the road in cabins and campers. We reminisced about past reunions when our grandkid's generation were in diapers and find it difficult to believe our grandkids are now getting married and having kids. There's always lots of food, fun and games. We used to have an RV and go over and camp and take the kids and then in later years the grandkids. A few years ago we sold our camper because John is unable to drive. I'm glad the park is just a few miles away so we could go visit with everyone for a few hours each day.  Everyone was glad to see John in better health. Last time they saw him he was underweight, very weak, using a walker to get around and his speech was difficult to understand.   A few weeks ago the pulmonologist saw something "suspicious" on an X-ray. He prescribed an antibiotic and steroid and then ordered a CT scan for two weeks after that. Hopefully that spot has cleared up. We are waiting for results. John is always at risk for aspiration pneumonia.

Treasure. Donna sent me a box of fabric and scraps. It's all sorted and ready to use.

Grow.  Roses and peonies are going to be in bloom soon in the cottage garden. I've been spraying with Bobbex to hopefully keep deer away. One of these days I need to get out to take pics of some things in bloom.  I've been eating lots of salads of spinach, lettuce, mustard greens, green onions and radishes from the veg garden. I'm tired of eating asparagus and have given lots of it away. I have rhubarb to harvest and I think I will give most of that away too. I usually make a dessert or two each year and freeze a little but since John can't eat (he gets his nutrition via G-tube) I don't want to make a whole dessert just for me.   Soon I hope to have snap peas and potatoes and the strawberries, blackberries and raspberries are in bloom so I may be harvesting those things soon. 

I like butterhead lettuces the best! 

Little and Big Baskets

4 inch  (finished) Little Baskets (aka Cake Stand blocks). 

The theme this month in my sewing room to move UFOs forward has been "Baskets". 

I now have 61 blocks toward my goal of 110 Little Baskets. These will alternate with 4.5 squares in a quilt. 

In 2023 someone gave me a bunch of fruit and veg triangles - 10 inch squares cut on the diagonal. I decided to make the warm colored ones into 15 inch Cake Stand blocks. In 2023 I made 6 blocks. My goal is 18 blocks. So maybe in the next few days I'll complete my goal. Maybe...

And now I have 9 blocks toward my goal of 18 blocks. My cup is half full! 

And sew on...

Oh Scrap! at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

***

I have been spending most of the month in my gardens but I have recently finished a couple of books- Faulty Bloodline and Sin City Treachery. They are books 2 and 3 in the AJ Docker Series by Gary Gerlacher. The thrillers are described as M*A*S*H* meets detective Harry Bosch. 

 

Green Scraps Chapter IV

Crooked Rails

10 inch blocks

Green is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) color for May. 

Crooked Rails

10 inch blocks

I've been making Crooked Rail blocks since about the middle of last year. I'm using a dark and light scrap in the RSC color of the month. I'm using 3 and/or 3.5 inch width scraps and cutting rectangles 3 x 3.5. Each block uses 8 rectangles each of two different fabrics.   I have several of Kathy Doughty's books and she uses these stack and whack wonky units in several of her quilts; however, she doesn't have any Crooked Rail blocks like these in her books. I make the units and have used them in lots of different ways. 

Wonky Windmills

8 inch

For the geometric,etc. pile of blocks.

Made with 4.5 inch width scraps; 4.5 x 5 inch rectangles. These are the same type of units used in the Crooked Rails. 

I made a bunch of the blocks in the RSC color of the month plus gray scraps. Last year I made a big stack of them and then divided them into piles for different quilts. I have already made the Wonky Windmill top with the novelty blocks but I need a few more blocks for the geometric, etc. pile and a few more blocks for the floral pile and then I will be finished with these blocks. My goal to use up a lot of small gray scrap chunks has been already accomplished.

Wonky Windmills

8 inch blocks

For the geometric, etc. pile.

I had a few multicolor scraps cut for the blocks so they alo got made this week. 

Wonky Windmills

8 inch blocks

For the floral pile

Bricks and Stones

2.5 x 6 unfinished

I've been using 2.5 x 4 inch scraps in the RSC color of the month and 2.5 inch black squares to make these units. Intent is to use shorter lengths of 2.5 inch width scraps.

Bits of Bricks

made with 3 x 6 inch rectangles

Hollow Nine Patch

10.5 inch blocks

Made with 4 inch squares

These are the final two blocks needed to complete the goal of 24 blocks for a kiddo comfort quilt. 

And sew on...

RSC ScrapHappy Saturday

 

Grape Baskets

It's a top!

Grape Baskets

64 x 84

I found the block called Grape Basket in my Ladies Art Company Block Tool. I made 15 inch finished blocks. 

"Baskets" is the theme in my sewing room this month to move UFOs forward.  I can't believe I started making these blocks back in October 2019.  I used grape and wine themed fabrics I had collected to make a recliner quilt for my husband John who liked to make wine from our own grapes and other homegrown fruits like rhubarb and blackberries. 

Now John gets his nutrition via G-tube because he is no longer able to swallow food or drink. 

The blocks are a bit wild and I probably should have used sashing in the quilt to help blocks stand out from each other a bit more but I don't like adding sashing and rarely have enough fabric for sashing. I didn't even have enough of any one fabric to add for side setting triangles so settled on a few different green solids. 

Well, now the Grape Baskets have moved forward to flimsy stage but not sure when I will actually get it finished. I don't think it will be for John anymore and I'll give it away. 

And sew on...

Finished Or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts 

Another Border Added

I'm just popping in for a brief post.

I've been working in my gardens most days; however, it rained yesterday so I spent a little time in my sewing room.  My May theme to move UFOs forward is "Baskets".  Earlier in the month I showed the Wonky Baskets with the first border of Flying Geese. Yesterday I added the dark gray border, made some four inch finished Wonky Windmills and made them into a border.  I can never think of what to add for borders on a medallion quilt. I figured since baskets were wonky I would add the Wonky Windmills made with 2.5 x 3 inch rectangles of scraps (2 of background and 2 of windmill fabric) I pulled out of the 2.5 and 3 inch width scrap bins.   I still need to add another border or two. I plan on a larger sized comfort quilt close to 50 x 70 or 60 x 80 inches. 

And sew on...

 

Green Scraps Chapter III

Crossroads

7 x 9 inches

Green is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) color of the month. Most of this week of beautiful weather I've been working out in my gardens for 6-10 hours per day. I did spend a few minutes here and there working to use up some green scraps. 

Crossroads

7 x 9

I have 61 blocks out of a goal of 64 for a 56 x 72 inch comfort quilt. I do have a little baggie of pieces cut for more blocks so I know I will surpass my goal for one quilt. I think I will just keep making blocks with scraps until year end and see if I I can make a couple of quilts. It would take 48 blocks for a kiddo comfort quilt 42 x 56 inches. The blocks are easy to make from 3.5 inch or 4..5 inch width scraps long enough for four 3.5 x 4.5 rectangles. I've been using brown for the cross pieces in all blocks and red for the middle square. 

Cheerios

10 inch blocks

This is another block I will make until year end. I have 68 blocks and need 24 blocks for a kiddo comfort quilt and 48 blocks for a larger comfort quilt.  I almost have enough blocks for one of each.

Four Patch

5 inch

Made with 3 inch squares.

Last year (or was it the year before?) someone gave me a bag of 3 inch squares. I've added to it as I've processed scraps. I have used the squares in a couple of quilts and now I'm just making Four Patches to empty the bag.  I now have 65 blocks and will figure out what to do with them later. 

Do you remember that earlier this year I participated in the 2025 Stay At Home Round Robin  (SAHRR)? I made 5 kiddo sized row quilt tops. Well, all participants were entered into a random drawing for prizes and I won an Oliso Smart Iron. In order to try it out I was forced to clear off my ironing board so I could put on the new ironing board cover. For many years now I've used my $6 Black and Decker iron from Walmart and have had no complaints. If I need steam I have always used a spray bottle of water and have never put water in the iron. So, anyway, I tried out Oliso without water/steam. The iron sits in the position above raised on little legs up off the ironing board. When I touch the handle it lowers and is ready for ironing. When I remove my hand it raises up all by itself again. Well, it's not really all that smart because I still had to move it around to iron the quilt blocks. But, I have to say I'm one thankful and happy winner! I'm not quite sure I'm ready to give up my spray bottle if I need steam but time will tell. I may get brave and take a risk! 😏

And sew on...

RSC ScrapHappy Saturday

****

REMEMBER, TREASURE, GROW, READ (my words of the year)

** I was the lucky recipient of lots of treasure this week from some lovely friends.  Pat and Dawn sent me scraps and fabric and Teresa sent me batting. I am so thankful for such treasures. I love sewing with scraps and making comfort quilts and am so lucky and thankful to have several enablers!

Not sure how much sewing I'll get done the rest of the month.

     Hubby John is still struggling with health issues and is scheduled for a CT scan at the end of the month now that he has finished with an antibiotic and steroid to hopefully address something seen in lungs on an Xray a few weeks ago. He is also rather depressed that the recent swallow test showed that he still aspirates across all consistencies of food/drink. He had hopes that some speech therapy would allow him to start trying some pureed foods and such but for now that is on hold. There is too big a risk for aspiration pneumonia again.  

     Also, our grand-niece is getting married on the 22nd and a lot of John's family will be in town to celebrate. He comes from a family of 8 siblings (2 now deceased) and lots and lots of nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and grand-nephews and more recently a few great-nieces and great-nephews.

**Since last week's post I've finished reading a couple of books -

The Photographer's Secret  by Ellie Midwood. It is WWII historical fiction. The main character is a WWII war correspondent. I didn't even know there were women war correspondents during that war so did a little further research on that after I finished the book. One other underlying theme is how child abuse affects the lives of women. 

The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict. WWII fictionalized account of screen star Hedy Lamar who was known for her beauty but not recognized for her scientific discoveries. She and composer George Antheil patented a radio guided technology for Allied torpedoes that used frequency hopping technology. 

"Although she died in 2000, Lamarr was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for the development of her frequency hopping technology in 2014. Such achievement has led Lamarr to be dubbed “the mother of Wi-Fi” and other wireless communications like GPS and Bluetooth."...from National Women's History Museum.

** I mentioned earlier in my post that I've been spending a lot of my waking hours out in the gardens. You would think an old lady would reduce the amount of gardens instead of increase them every year but I love gardening and growing flowers and food and sharing the bounty with others. It is a amazing and miraculous to watch what one little seed can do. I have a veg garden, herb garden, cut flower garden, cottage garden with lots of roses, native wildflower gardens and a perky goth/moon garden. 

Green Scraps - Chapter II

Buckeye Beauty Blocks

8 inch finished

Green is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) color of the month.

This week I made Buckeye Beauty blocks. First I dug into my 2.5 inch width scrap bin and pulled out all of the pieces that were long enough to make into a Four Patch.  Then from green and neutral scrap chunks I cut and made HSTs. Then the blocks were assembled. 

 

If I make a few more blocks I will have enough for an all green/neutral comfort quilt. Or these can be the start of another collection of blocks in all colors to be made at year end into comfort quilts. If I go that route then I need to catch up on making Buckeye Beauty blocks in all of this year's previously called RSC colors. 

And sew on...

RSC ScrapHappy Saturday

****

Do you remember that earlier this year I participated in the 2025 Stay At Home Round Robin (SAHRR)? I made 5 kiddo sized row quilt tops. Well, I won one of the prizes and it arrived yesterday!

Can you believe it? A smart iron. Who knew?