Fishing Trip Around The World Is Finished

Fishing Trip Around The World

42 x 54

It's a finish!

6 inch squares of fish, coral and water in a Trip Around The World Layout.

Quilted on my DSM with squiggles and bubbles. 

(Someone without an email to reply to left a comment on one of my last posts asking what DSM I have.  I have a Brother PQ1500SL high speed straight stitch sewing machine. I love it.)

Anchors are on the back and binding is blue solid.

This one was not a UFO. I finished this top in January 2024. 

The theme this month in my sewing space is March Madness (Quilting) Marathon.  I'm going to concentrate on finishing up a lot of the small tops I have in the TBQ (to be quilted) pile.  They will then be donated to:

Fostering Crossroads

Wrap - A -Smile 

Quilts Beyond Borders

And sew on...

****

CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

March 3 -- Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. It twinkles different colors. Sometimes I can't sleep so I read. Sometimes on clear nights I get up and sit on the couch and look out the deck doors at the night sky for awhile. I'm always mesmerized by Sirius. After some time with the stars my mind is as clear as the night sky. 

 

A Fishing Trip and Surf and Turf

Fishing Trip

42 x 54

I'm still using fish fabric - some given to me and some I had on hand. I've been trying to get to the end of it but those fish seem to multiply. This is quilt top #5.   It's a Fishing Trip Around The World with 6.5 inch squares. 

I had to add some "water" to the mix. 

Surf and Turf

44 x 52

Surf is full of 8.5 inch fish squares and...

...turf is full of sandy beach 8.5 inch squares. 

I still have some fish fabric left. 

Anyone for fish and chips? 😀

And sew on...

*****

CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

Jan. 23 -a box of scraps from a friend arrived on my door step! Oh, the makes I can make!

(They weren't all small. There were a couple of big pieces in there too. I don't think I saw any fish, though!)

 

It's A Finish : Trip Around The World

Trip Around The World (TATW)

It's a finish!

54 x 72

I started making the blocks from 2 inch width scraps back in August 2021. 

In July 2022 I had made them into a top.

And now it is finally finished. I quilted it with spirals in lime green thread on my Brother sewing machine. 

The binding is scrappy and the pieces came out of the leftover binding box. The backing is plaid. I bought what was left on the bolt at a greatly reduced price back when Hancock Fabrics went out of business which was in July 2016. There was enough of it for the back of this quilt and another of similar size. 

And sew on...

Finished or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

 

I Stayed Home And I Made A Trip Around The World

Trip Around The World (TATW)

It's a flimsy! It's a top! 

54 x 72

I don't remember when I started making the blocks. I think it was last year when I was trying to empty out a 2 inch width bin of scraps.  I had a lot of darker pieces so thought I would use mostly darker fabrics.  To make the first few blocks I collected the darker fabrics from the bin that were at least 2 x 12.5 inches. At around that same time I was trying to clean up a box of quilt back trimmings that was overflowing so cut any of those darker pieces that I could into 2 inch width pieces. 

Then I made my blocks similar to Bonnie Hunter's (Quiltville) tube method and I ended up with 9 inch (finished) blocks. 

I didn't have enough blocks for a quilt top so those blocks and any other pieces left went into a project box (a very large shoebox). Then as I came across or made scraps that were dark or 2 inches in width I threw them into the TATW project box. 

Late last month I saw the project box was getting very full of trip strips so I made more blocks.  And to my surprise I was only a few blocks short of a quilt top.   As I was looking at the blocks I was afraid that the "trips" were not going to show up because the fabrics were so similar in value. I was afraid I was not going to like the finished result. I really didn't want to make the rest of the blocks necessary for a top only to be disappointed with the end result. But I went ahead and made 6 more blocks and assembled a top.

Surprise! Surprise! I was not disappointed! 

And I have an empty project box. Now what? 

And sew on...

 

Trippin'

9 inch (finished) Trip Around The World (TATW) blocks made with 2 inch width scraps. 

I've been throwing 2 inch width darker colored scraps into the TATW project box whenever I process scraps.  My box was pretty full of strips so I figured it was time to make a few more blocks to add to my collection. 

With this batch of TATW blocks I now count 42 toward my goal of 48. That will make a quilt 54 x 72. I was first thinking I would make a quilt with 7 x 9 blocks but I kind of wanted to keep the blocks in multiples of four. 

So now that I am so close to my goal I'm going to see if I can rustle up a few more scraps to finish up 6 blocks. I'll first go through my box of quilt back trimmings since I haven't sorted through there in awhile. 

I'm not at all sure I really like the very scrappy TATW blocks. Maybe I'll like them better when they are put together into a top. 

I made these similar to the way Bonnie Hunter makes them except my strips were 2 x 12.5. 

After I made the TATW blocks if there was a piece of the strip left over I made Broken Dishes blocks that finish at 3 inches. Aren't they cute?

And I added more Bow Ties to my collection. I'm aiming for 900 and have about 1/3 of them now. 

Then if there was not enough for Broken Dishes or Bow Ties I cut squares. The stack on the left has two identical 2 inch squares of each fabric. (There wasn't enough for the two little squares to complete a Bow Tie block).  I was thinking I would make Four Patches with those but couldn't decide what to combine them with. Neutrals would make the blocks look too much like the Bow Ties. Then I thought maybe I would combine with reds but then thought I would make Four Patches of complementary colors. Then I thought I would combine them dark and light of the same color. And then I thought I would put them aside for later.  The pile on the right are 2 inch squares. I have a box of different sizes of squares to use in future projects. 

And finally...if there was not enough left for a square but the piece was greater than an inch wide then it went into a strip for a future Chinese Coins quilt. 

And sew on...

 

Planning for Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2022

You have probably heard of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC). If not head on over to Angela's SoScrappy blog to read all about it. I've had fun for years making blocks from actual scraps in the color of the month. I'm hoping Angela will host again in 2022 because I've made plans for my scraps in all colors of the rainbow. If she doesn't host and declare a monthly color I guess I will pick one myself. 

So, anyway, let me tell you of my plans for RSC 2022. 

Most of my scraps are stored by color and are less than a FQ or 6 inch width piece. These blocks will be made from scraps in those scrap bags and not from yardage. If I don't have scraps large enough to make any RSC blocks I don't make them. My scraps are getting smaller and smaller so most of my RSC blocks are too. A lot of these blocks are rolling over to 2022 from this year because sometimes it takes awhile to accumulate enough blocks for a quilt when I only use scraps. 

Above is a new 12 inch block I will make in the RSC color of the month plus it's color complement. Above blocks is how they would look if blue was the color of the month.  The block is called The Dandy at Quilter's Cache.  I've made two quilts in the past with this block - one in thirties reproduction fabrics and one in all green scraps.    This block takes 4.5 and 2.5 inch pieces. 

5 inch scraps in jewel tones get made into Chips. Free pattern by Alison Glass

Sometimes that same 5 inch scrap can be cut into a couple of 2.5 inch pieces for some smaller Chips off the Old Block. 

If there are scraps 5 x 9.5 I will make Horizon Blocks. 

This year I've been making several blocks from 3.5 x 2 inch scraps. I completed block sets for Dove in the Window and Antique Tiles made from 3.5 x 2.5 inch scraps but a few will roll over into 2022. 

  Buckeye Beauties.

 The color of the month is combined with old shirts or dark red or black multicolor scraps. 

I currently have 84 blocks and have a target goal of 120.

X + blocks. Also made from 3.5 and 2 inch scraps this year and will continue to be made in 2022. 

Uneven Nine Patch or Puss in the Corner.  I've also been making these this year from 3.5 and 2 inch scraps. If I don't reach my target by year end these will roll over into 2022. 

I have 85 blocks and would like 130. I noticed there aren't a lot of blue blocks in the mix so will try to make blue blocks by year end and see how many are left to make and go from there. 

Next year I will start making QST Four Patches. I am inspired by a vintage quilt that alternates QST Four Patches and Four Patches.  I will use the Companion Angle ruler to cut the QST parts from 2 inch pieces. 

I don't need to make the Four Patches because I made a lot of them last year when I cleaned out my 3.5 inch width scrap bin. Plus I've been making them for the Parts Department whenever I have left over 3.5 inch scraps. At last count I have 62 Four Patches that finish at 6 inches. 

Bow Ties made from 2 inch scraps. I found a little baggie of these that I think was from a long ago swap. Might as well make more. 

Indian Hatchets.  I made a few of these this year but did not really make many of them or make them every month. I want to concentrate on making a lot of these this year. They are inspired by a vintage quilt.  They are made of 2.5 inch and 2 inch scraps and finish at 4 inches. I want to use a lot of bright colors. 

Rails. I made these when I tried to clean out my 1.5 inch scrap bin. They finish at 5 inches. For a 40 x 6o donation quilt I need 96. I have 51 so will make them until I reach my goal. 

Small Change.  Made from 1.5 x 2.5 inch pieces alternating lights and darks of one color. They finish at 6 inches. I have 23 blocks but will aim for 120 or 130 of them. 

So that's the plan for RSC 2022. If after I make the above blocks I have scraps from making scrappy blocks then I will use those in...

LEFTOVERS

These are blocks I make or pieces I cut any time I have scraps left over from making other blocks. I have been letting them accumulate in the Parts Department or project boxes. So if I have scraps left over after making the RSC blocks I may make some of the following rather than put the remaining scraps back in the scrap bag. 

Bear Paws made from 4.5 and 2.5 scraps. 

If there are four pieces of a 2.5 or 3.5 inch width scrap I cut four 2.5 x 3.5 inch pieces for the 8 Patch project box. 

4.5 inch width scraps may be made into 4 Patch HSTs. 

1.5 or 2.5 inch width scraps may be cut 1.5 x 2.5 for Lynn's Lego blocks. They go into a project box.

If there are dark 2 inch width scraps that are 12.5 inches in length I put them in the Trip Around the World ( TATW ) project box. 

Rainbow Scrap Challenge ScrapHappy Saturday