More Blue Scraps

 

Rick Rack Blocks

10 inch

One 2.5 inch strip makes 2 blocks

Yankee Puzzle

9 inch

I have been trying to use up a small box of 4 inch width scraps and squares. One of the blocks I have been making using those scraps is Yankee Puzzle using the tutorial at Suzy's Scraps. Note that I am using 4 inch squares and not 3.5 inch squares used in the tutorial.

I started making these last year and made one small comfort quilt top consisting of blocks with two colors. This set consists of color plus neutral. I will make a larger comfort quilt with this set. 

Greek Keys

9 inch

Made with 1.5 inch scraps

And sew on...

Rainbow Scrap Challenge ScrapHappy Saturday

I see the RSC color for Feb. is green. I better get moving. I have a lot of green scraps and Feb. is a shorter month!

Round Two - Make It A Double

 

Orphan Block Center

Round one with 2.5 inch finished Hourglass blocks.

Round Two with borders and Double Four Patch cornerstones.

Now 28 inch square.

The round two prompt for the Stay at Home Round Robin (SAHRR) 2026 is "Make It A Double". I am makiing three comfort quilts using the SAHRR prompts. 

Raggedy Ann and Andy

Round One with 4 inch finished Hourglass blocks.

Round Two - Last week I used Four Patches for the cornerstones. This week I replaced the cornerstones with Double Four Patches. 

Both are 28 inches wide and 24 inches in length. 

And sew on...

Round Two Linky Party

***

The Raggedy Ann and Andy Quilts will go to Wrap-A-Smile (WAS) when finished. Where the orphan block quilt will be donated depends upon the size when finished. 

 WAS partners with Rotaplast International to provide quilts for patients.  

 

Rotaplast International, Inc. is committed to helping children and families worldwide by eliminating the burden of cleft lip and/or palate, burn scarring, and other deformities. Working with local professionals, Rotarians, and other organizations, Rotaplast sends multidisciplinary medical teams to provide free reconstructive surgery, ancillary treatment, and training for the comprehensive care of these children. Rotaplast supports education and research towards prevention of cleft lip and/or palate. Our aim is to help local professionals build sustainable models for the care of these children, improving their lives and those of their families.

I just shipped off 17 quilts to WAS. For significant cost savings I use free shipping software called Pirate Ship. I just weigh and measure my box, get cost, buy and print label and drop box(es) off at UPS. 

I have donated quilts to Wrap-A-Smile since 2013 (I think) and every once in a while it is fun to spot a quilt I made in use with a child or sometimes an adult. 

I spied this Wonky Log Cabin quilt I made...

...on this patient in Nagamangala, India. 

Brown Itty Bits

18 Patch in Browns

6 inch finished

Blocks 43-61

Goal 108 for a quilt layout 9 x 12

This month the theme in my sewing room has been "itty bits, fiddly bits".  I've been accumulating brown 1.5 inch width scraps for awhile to make these blocks.  I think I started making them in 2023.  I used up all the scraps long enough in the bag to make these 18 patch blocks and then...

...I decided to use the leftover pieces in a new start. I found enough neutral pieces to go with the browns in the 1.5 inch width scrap box. 

Greek Keys

9 inch

I was thinking I would use all colors of scraps in my 1.5 inch width scrap box to make blocks to add to the browns in a quilt; however, I think I may just make one in browns because they look like cinnamon rolls to me. I will probably make a separate quilt with all colors of the rainbow and add the block to my list of Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks. 

Then with any brown scraps left over that I could cut into 1.5 x 2.5 rectangles I made 

Potato Chip Blocks

6 inch

Blocks 21-23

Goal 70 for a layout 7 x 10

Looks like I started making these blocks in all colors back in 2022 to use 1.5 inch width scraps. 

And then I cut any remaining brown scraps into 1.5 inch squares. 

 

It's a Finish! Backstories II

 

It's a finish!

Backstories II

60 x 80

It is called Backstories II because most of the pieces in this quilt came from quilt back trimmings. A few of the other pieces came from duplicate fabric strips sent to me by others. 

 Backstories I was finished in 2022. 

This top was assembled in July 2024 and you can see it's backstory in that blog post. 

I quilted it on my sewing machine with vertical lines of blue thread.  The binding consists of different blue pieces that came out of the leftover binding box. 

I pieced the backing with two blue fabrics. 

And sew on...

Finished Or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

***

“Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart.”...Victor Hugo

And Now There Are 540 Little Blocks

 

Old Italian Blocks

3 inch 

I now have met my goal of 540 blocks!! 

I started making these in 2023. 

The Old Italian blocks are a "cut and shuffle" type block- stack up 6 squares (I'm using 5 inch), make a few cuts, shuffle around the pieces and then sew together. I used a tutorial found at My Joyful Journey that includes instructions for X blocks in other sizes as well as the 3 inch. 

The theme this month in my sewing space to move UFOs forward is "itty bits, fiddly bits".  These are itty and fiddly!

And sew on...

Now some assembly required! 

And sew on...

***

"Shut the door not that it lets in the cold but that it lets out the coziness" ...Mark Twain.

***

Finished a book! The Inconvenient Child: An Abandoned Australian Child Struggles to Survive and Find Her American Father by Sharyn Killens and Lindsay Lewis.  It is the biography of Sharyn Crystal Killens, a black child born to a white unwed mother in post WWII Australia. I like stories of survival, of people who overcome hard times and obstacles put in their way.  This is one of those stories.     I have to say that I liked the story; however, the writing was repetitive, redundant and rambling in some chapters. 

Gum Wrapper Chain Progress

 

I decided this month to work on my Gum Wrapper Chain quilt I started way back in 2022. It fits the theme "itty bits, fiddly bits" in my sewing space this month to move UFOs forward. 

 It was originally inspired by a postage stamp quilt I saw at the Q Is For Quilter blog. 

Well, I finished my first of six "panels" - 9.5  x 72 inches unfinished. 

Then I started on the other five panels that I need.  When all six panels are sewn together it will make for a quilt around 54 x 72 inches. 

And sew on...

Monday Musings at Songbird Designs

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Round One - Hourglass

Raggedy Ann/Andy

Round One with 4 inch finished Hourglass blocks.

The round one prompt for the Stay at Home Round Robin (SAHRR) 2026 is "Hourglass".  I am making three comfort quilts using the SAHRR prompts.

Raggedy Ann/Andy 

Round one with 4 inch finished Hourglass blocks.

Orphan Block

Round one with 2.5 inch finished Hourglass blocks.

And sew on...

SAHRR Round One Linky Party

***

I'm a lucky girl! I received a box with lots of thread from Donna and a box of scraps from Nann. Oh joy! That means I get to sew with scraps and make lots more comfort quilts!

The Raggedy Ann and Andy Quilts will go to Wrap-A-Smile (WAS) when finished. Where the orphan block quilt will be donated depends upon the size when finished. 

 WAS partners with Rotaplast International to provide quilts for patients.  

 

Rotaplast International, Inc. is committed to helping children and families worldwide by eliminating the burden of cleft lip and/or palate, burn scarring, and other deformities. Working with local professionals, Rotarians, and other organizations, Rotaplast sends multidisciplinary medical teams to provide free reconstructive surgery, ancillary treatment, and training for the comprehensive care of these children. Rotaplast supports education and research towards prevention of cleft lip and/or palate. Our aim is to help local professionals build sustainable models for the care of these children, improving their lives and those of their families.

 

More Blue Scraps

 

Bricks and Stones

2.5 x 4 inch bricks + 2.5 inch square black stones

Started last year. 

Blue is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) color of the month. I have so many blue scraps (scrap=<6 inch square) and chunks (chunks=>6 inch square and <FQ) so I don't think I will get them all made into blocks this month so will probably also work on my remaining scraps along with other RSC colors.  

Waffles and Rails

For two separate comfort quilts

5 inch finished

Both made from 1.5 x 5.5 rectangles and both started last year.

I have blue scraps for other blocks cut out so maybe I will finish up a few more blocks this week before we move on to another RSC color.  The theme this month in my sewing space to move UFOs forward has been "itty bits, fiddly bits" so I've also been working on blocks in all colors with itty bits. 

And sew on...

RSC ScrapHappy Saturday

More Old Italian Blocks

Old Italian Blocks

3 inch 

I now have 476 blocks toward my goal of 540. 

I started making these in 2023. 

The Old Italian blocks are a "cut and shuffle" type block- stack up 6 squares (I'm using 5 inch), make a few cuts, shuffle around the pieces and then sew together. I used a tutorial found at My Joyful Journey that includes instructions for X blocks in other sizes as well as the 3 inch. 

I hope to meet my goal of 540 blocks before month end. 

The theme this month in my sewing space to move UFOs forward is "itty bits, fiddly bits".  These are itty and fiddly!

And sew on...

***

Baby, it's cold outside! Inside too!

“The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house. All that cold, cold, wet day.”...Dr. Seuss

 

String Star Finish

It's a finish!

String Stars

48.5 x 65

I started making the Stars in 2024 to use up shorter strings.  I finished the top in February 2025.

I used Corey Yoder's templates for the Stars. 

I big stitch hand quilted it with navy perle cotton thread #8. 

The back.

And sew on...

Finished Or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

***

I forgot to mention that on Saturday I received some FQ winnings from the Stashbuster's UFO Challenge fourth quarter 2025 random drawing.  If you have a lot of UFOs like I do the UFO Challenge is a good way to get them finished and/or move them forward. Two FQs and $1 is the entry fee. Name gets put on a list. As people complete UFOs name goes to the bottom of the list and name goes into quarterly drawing pot. It is never too late to enter if you care to join us. 

***

I know it's going to be a crappy day today...colon prep day! Colonoscopy tomorrow!

 

Old Italian Quilt Blocks

 

Old Italian Blocks

3 inch 

I now have over 400 blocks toward my goal of 540. 

I started making these in 2023. 

The Old Italian blocks are a "cut and shuffle" type block- stack up 6 squares (I'm using 5 inch), make a few cuts, shuffle around the pieces and then sew together. I used a tutorial found at My Joyful Journey that includes instructions for X blocks in other sizes as well as the 3 inch. 

I now have gathered together several sets of six 5 inch squares and hope to make my goal before month end.. 

And sew on...

A Little Nine Patch Top

 

A Little Nine Patch Comfort Quilt Top

40 x 48

In my last blog post I was working with blue scraps I found in the 4.5 inch width box. I noticed I had some blue strips long enough for four or five squares. I also had some sets of four blue 4.5 squares cut from previously processing scraps.  I decided to make some Nine Patches for a small top. I didn't really have many long scraps of any one color in my 4.5 inch width scrap box so decided to look in my orange scrap chunks since orange is the complement of blue.   Then in order to make it a little wider for a Wrap-A-Smile quilt I found two border type print long pieces in my 2.5 inch width scrap bin. 

And I still have some blue 4.5 inch width scraps. So now I guess I will make some Four Patches or maybe cut some bricks. The goal is to have that box and a few others empty by year end. 

And sew on...

Monday Musings at Songbird Designs

***

I have started winter sowing. I start this time of year with seeds that need 10-90 days of cold stratification. Most of these plants will be added to my native wildflower areas. If there are a lot of seeds in the packet I sow them in larger round pots and cover them with clear shower caps with holes punched in. If there are only a few seeds I sow them in 4 inch square pots and cover the whole flat with a large clear bag I cut up and hold in place with clips.    I have sown Tall Thimbleweed, Prairie Coreopsis, Thalictrum, Rattlesnake Master, Perennial Lupine, Pearly Everlasting, Fireweed, Crazy Daisy, Cupid's Dart, Pale Corydalis, Amethyst Shooting Star, Pale Purple Coneflower, Stout Blue Eyed Grass, Prairie Blue Eyed Grass, Jacob's Ladder, Prairie Smoke, Gaura and several varieties of Columbine. 

More later!

And sow on...

More Blue Scraps

Crossroads

7 x 9

Last week I was working with scraps from the 3.5 inch width box. I pulled out just a couple of blues to make some Crossroads blocks.  Then I closed up my 3.5 inch width box of scraps and opened up the box of 4.5 inch width scraps. I found a few blues in there too that I could use to make a few blocks. I made these blocks last year and last September I assembled a child sized top with them. Now I only need a few more blocks for an adult sized comfort quilt and I will be able to cross this block off my RSC project list. 

Cheerios

10 inch

Made with 4.5 and 2.5 inch scraps.

I have been making Cheerio blocks for awhile now too. So far I have assembled a couple of small comfort quilts tops and now I need a few more blocks in blues, purples and pinks for a larger comfort quilt. I pulled out all of the blues, purples and pinks from the 4.5 inch width scraps and squares that I need to finish blocks for the larger top and will make the pink and purple blocks when the RSC colors are called. Then I will be able to cross another RSC block off the list.

1. Red and Yellow Cheerio top.

2. Green Cheerio top.

Buckeye Beauty

8 inch

Also made with 4.5 and 2.5 inch width scraps.

I was also making these last year. I need to take count.

Uneven Shoofly

10 inch blocks

Also made with 4.5 and 2.5 inch with scraps.

I am using scrap chunks to make these. I have a lot of small floral chunks as well as small chunks of thrift store shirts, homespuns, plaids, stripes I'm going to use. This combination of florals and shirts reminds me of my grandmother's quilts made of old clothes. 

While I was in the 4.5 inch width scrap box I pulled out all the smaller pieces in all colors. I cut a big pile of 4.5 inch width squares and anything left of the piece that would yield a 1.5 x 4.5 inch rectangle I cut for another round for my Pie Birds quilt.   I needed 120 rectangles and when I didn't meet that goal using the 4.5 inch with small scraps I dug into my 1.5 inch width scraps to cut the rest of the rectangles to meet my goal.

Then since I was in my 1.5 inch width scraps I went ahead and cut 120 1.5 x 5.5 inch rectangles for my final round for Pie Birds.

Slivers

Then I had some really small scraps (slivers) left over from processing pieces in the 3.5 and 4.5 inch width boxes. I sewed them all together to be used at some future time in a column or row quilt. 

And sew on...

Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) ScrapHappy Saturday

***

Finished a book! All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. A WWII historical fiction, I loved the lyrical prose style of writing as well as the story.