Crossroads Finish

It's a finish!

Crossroads

42 x 63

Since 2024 I have been making blocks from 3.5 and 4.5 inch width scraps as one of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) projects. All have brown sashings with red centers.

In September 2025 I assembled one of two tops. This is a child sized comfort quilt made from the blocks. The other will be larger. For this one I used mostly the novelties, geometrics and bright colors.

I quilted it with horizontal and vertical lines. 

The back.

And sew on...

***

A little quilting marathon is going on here in March . Soon I will have boxes of comfort quilts to send off to two of my favorite charities that provide quilts for kids  - Wrap-A-Smile  (WAS)  and      Quilts Beyond Borders.  (QBB).

Wrap-A-Smile (WAS) partners with Rotaplast International.

 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.

Quilts Beyond Border (QBB) quilts go to many different initiatives...foster care, refugees, Indian reservations, orphanages, women's recovery centers...you will just have to go read the QBB blog because I can't remember them all. 

Green Scraps

Snowball 9 Patch

9 inch finished

Made with 3.5 inch squares and 1.5 inch corners

Blocks with light and dark corners will alternate in a quilt

Crossroads

7 x 9 inch

Made with 3.5 x 4.5 rectangles. All blocks have brown sashing and red center.

I think I've been making these blocks since 2024. 

After I made blocks using what was in the 3.5 inch width scrap box I noticed I only needed a few more to reach my goal of 81 blocks for a quilt layout 9 x 9 (63 x 81).

So I made a few more blocks from scraps in the 3.5 inch width scrap box and met my goal.

Last year I assembled a child sized comfort quilt with these blocks.  Now I'm going to cross this block off of my list of scrappy blocks I make for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC). 

Buckeye Beauty

6 inch blocks

Made with scraps from the 3.5 inch and 2 inch scrap bins. 

Courthouse Steps

7.5 inch 

Made with scraps in the 2 inch width bin.

Rick Rack Blocks

8 inch

Made with 2.5 inch width scraps.

1 width of fabric makes two blocks. 

And sew on...

RSC ScrapHappy Saturday

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.

 

It's A Top! Crossroads

 

Crossroads

It's a top!

42 x  63

I have been making blocks from 3.5 and 4.5 inch width scraps as one of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) projects. All have brown sashings with red centers.

I decided to count up blocks to see how many comfort quilts I can make. 

This is a child sized top. I gathered scraps to make a few more blocks for a larger quilt with 63 blocks. 

And sew on...

RSC ScrapHappy Saturday

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. 

March Is For Yellow Scraps

Crooked Mile

(I've also called these blocks Fractured Rails)

10 inch blocks

They are made with 3 x 3.5 inch rectangles so either width of scrap can be used to make these. 

Yellow is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) color for March. 

"How lovely yelllow is! It stands for the sun." - Vincent van Gogh"

I finished blocks with pink scraps I didn't get to in January and...

... with blue scraps...

...which was February's color. 

I'm making them in dark and light in the color of the month. 

I first came across the way to make the wonky stack and shuffle units fom Kathy Doughty (Material Obsession) books. Sometimes I call these "fractured units" - Fractured is the name of one of Kathy Doughty's quilts that uses these units in a larger size than what I'm making. 

Crossroads

7 x 9 inch blocks

Made with 3.5 x 4.5 inch rectangles so either width of scrap can be used. 

All blocks will have brown crosses with red centers. 

I also caught up with making blocks with pink and blue scraps. And a few brown ones snuck in there too. 

And sew on...

RSC ScrapHappy Saturday

 

Singing The Blues Verse I

Cheerios

10 inch blocks

Made from 4.5 inch and 2.5 inch width scraps

The Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) color for February is blue. I have a lot of  blue scraps to use this month so got started right away making blocks. I actually use scraps to make my RSC blocks and usually have blocks going for any width size scrap I come across. I have a few folks who share their scraps with me and when I receive them I usually sort them by width size if smaller scraps that are less than a fat quarter. If larger than a fat quarter they are sorted by color and put with yardage of same color.   This week I worked mostly with the 4.5 inch width scraps and 2.5 inch width scraps.  I make blocks based on length of scrap - some blocks like the Cheerios take 4 - 4.5 inch blue squares.  If I can't make Cheerios from the scrap I will see if it is long enough to get 4 - 3.5 inch cuts for a Crossroads block. If I can't make a Crossroads block I will see if it is long enough to cut into 4 - 2.5 inch pieces for an 8 patch block. And so on...

Going where the scraps take me!

Cheerios

10 inch blocks

I now have 63 blocks. I'm making them the rest of the year with scraps in the RSC color of the month and at year end I will see how many I have. It takes 48 blocks for a 60 x 80 inch comfort quilt and 24 blocks for a 40 x 60 comfort quilt. So I already have enough for a quilt or two! 

Posies

8 inch

I now have 52 and my target is 63 blocks.

I have set aside a little box of floral scrap chunks to make these. I cut a 4.5 inch width strip or strips from the blue florals and 2.5 inch width strip or strips from the floral background to make these blocks.

Only 11 more blocks to my goal!! 

Crossroads

7 x 9

I now have 26 blocks and my target is 64. 

Made with 4 3.5 x 4.5 rectangles and 1.5 inch sashings of brown with red centers. 

8 Patch

8 inch blocks

I now have 27 blocks and my goal is 63 blocks.  35 blocks would be enough for a kiddo quilt 40 x 60 but I'm going for a larger comfort quilt 56 x 72.

I cut these from either 4.5 inch width scraps or 2.5 inch width scraps.

Floral Wonky Windmills

8 inch blocks

I now have 29 of desired 63 blocks.

All have gray scrap backgrounds.

Each Wonky Windmill takes two 4.5 x 5 inch rectangles each of gray and of blue scraps.

I've been making these blocks for awhile and last year made a kiddo sized top and divided the rest of the blocks into piles for two other 56 x 72 quilts - 1. florals; 2. geometrics, etc. 

Wonky Windmills

for the Geometric, etc. quilt

I now have 27 out of desired 63. 

Floral Happy Blocks

8.5 inch

This completes 37 blocks toward my goal of 63. 

5 inch center, 2.5 inch width frame.

Economy Blocks

6 inch

39 blocks. Goal = 70

I set aside some pastel florals - mostly pinks and blues - to make these blocks. Center Four Patch made of 2.5 inch scraps. Corners made of 4 inch squares cut on diagonal.

And that brings me to the little box of 4 inch width scraps I'll be working with next. 

And sew on...

RSC ScrapHappy Saturday

***

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

Remember 

Sow a few seeds and you will end up with a glorious flower patch.

Sew a few scraps and you will end up with a glorious quilt patch. 

Another sign for my garden from hubby -