Strings and Scraps, Snakes and Snails, Sugar and Spice

 Four new small tops to add to the mole hill  mountain of tops that need to be quilted. 

 This one is made of quarter log cabins and 2 inch scraps. 

In December I received a small box of scraps and some blocks. There were 21 Quarter Log Cabin blocks that were about 8 inch square unfinished. They all appeared to start with a 3.5 inch aqua square surrounded by 2 inch scraps.  I later found some starter squares were four inches or so so I trimmed them all to 8 inch square usually trimming the starter square to 3.5 inches.  There were also three blocks of that 21 that were missing one side. I added a 2 x 8 inch scrap from my 2 inch scrap bin and made sure those blocks were also 8 inch square with the aqua starter square trimmed to 3.5 inches.  I then made 3 more blocks from my own scraps so I had a total of twenty-four eight inch square blocks.  Then I decided I wanted the blocks to be close to 10 inches because most of the small donation quilts I make measure 40 x 60  and that's easy to do with 10 inch blocks.   That meant I needed to add two more rounds to the blocks.  My 2 inch scrap bin didn't have enough long lengths in it for 2 rounds so I decided to cut what was in there for the outside round.  I went to my scrap chunks and found some aqua pieces and cut those for the first additional round I needed to add. 

 I originally thought I would join four blocks together with all four aqua squares together in the center but that didn't look right to me when I started down that road. I ended up setting them like a stair step and was surprised when the aqua strips I added to the blocks joined up perfectly with the aqua starter squares.  That was a happy accident. I think this definitely flows now. 

 Strings

40 x 60

 I made these blocks back in December.   I used paper for the foundation so this month I finally trimmed the blocks and removed the papers and assembled the top.  These 10 inch (finished) blocks all came from my string bin.  I used black strings for the centers and bright for the rest. 

 This is another top that came out of the string bin. And, again, blocks were made in December and this month finally trimmed, papers removed and blocks assembled for a top that measures 40 x 60. 

 For these 10 inch (finished) blocks I used pink for the center string, brown strings went on both sides of the center pink, then I added more pink strings and finally finished off the blocks with browns. 

 This Wonky Log Cabin also came out of the string bin and used mostly skinny and shorter strings in red, white and blue. It measures 36  x 54. 

 I made these 24 blocks in December too. I originally thought I would make 48 of these 9 inch finished blocks so I would end up with a larger top. I trimmed the blocks since they were in the same pile as the string blocks and assembled them into a top forgetting my original thought that I would make more blocks. I remembered my original thought this morning when I saw the quilts hanging on the line and noticed this Wonky Log Cabin was smaller than the rest.  But this size is still okay for donation if I ever get it quilted. 

Finished or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

It's a Finish! Cattywampus

 It's a finish! 

Cattywampus

42 x 56

 I started with a variety of cat themed 6.5 inch pieces with black backgrounds...

 Then I added bright strings all around until I reached roughly a fifteen inch block. 

 Blocks were trimmed to 14.5 inches. 

For the backing I pieced together several different green pieces that were trimmings from previously used quilt backings. 

I then quilted it with some spirals on my DSM and bound it with a lime green plaid. I was going to make a scrappy binding from leftover bindings in the leftover binding box but there weren't many leftover pieces in there. 

This was my goal #11

for

Q3 Finish--Along

and it will probably be donated to

Wrap-A-Smile

A Finish! Cattywampus

Cattywampus

45 x 60

A donation quilt. 

(Sorry pic is so blurry. It's snowing and too cold to go out for a clothesline photo so I pinned it to quilts on a quilt rack in the guest room and the lighting is not that good in there right now for a full sized photo.)

I used 6.5 inch centers of three different cat fabrics with a black background. 

 And I made 15 inch wonky logs with my bright colored strings. 

I quilted it on my DSM with big wobbly spirals in black thread.  I wish now that I had used a lighter thread that would blend a little better and not show all my quilting imperfections but I had a lot of black thread on hand. (I had a carpal tunnel flare up at the time  I was quilting this from too much hand quilting and my fingers and wrist weren't working very well. That's not to say my quilting would have been a whole lot better without carpal tunnel problem.) The binding came from the leftover binding box and I used bright pieces in warm colors. I normally sew the binding down by hand but the places where I usually donate quilts (Quilts Beyond Borders and Wrap-A-Smile) have requested that the binding be sewn down by machine. 

I pieced the batting and backing - leftovers from other quilts. 

Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop! at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

This was my goal #8 for  Q1 Finish Along

Autumn Glory

Autumn Glory

60 x 84

This will be donated for silent auction at my son-in-law's benefit September 24. He has acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and the medical bills are mounting and now the oncologist has said he will probably need a bone marrow transplant. 

I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a quilt that might not bring in as much as it was really worth in time and materials. I would rather just give that money outright  to my daughter and son-in-law and family(and have) than lose money on a quilt.   So, I turned to the scrap bin and have pretty much only my time invested in this quilt.  And I actually needed some mindless sewing therapy now so the time was well spent.  Win, win!

I actually keep an autumn box of bits and pieces of scraps.  I throw in browns, golds, reds, deep purples, yellows, oranges...well, you know the colors of autumn in all it's glory. 

I had a couple of 12 inch wonky logs already in the box so I just made more.  For the centers I used some swapped "charms" in an autumn theme that I swapped oh so many years ago. They have been in the bottom of the autumn scrap box for ages - it was time for them to see the light of day.

I pieced together leftover batting and then quilted it on my DSM with some sunflowers...

...with some leaves and three petaled flowers...

...with some pumpkins.

I've never really "doodled" like that on a quilt but it was actually kind of fun. 

I used leftover binding pieces in autumn colored solids (red, purple, orange, yellow) and a piece of autumn paisley for the backing. 

Oh Scrap!   at Quilting is More Fun than Housework

Log Cabin Loonies at Julie K Quilts

Two Wonky Log Tops

High as a Kite

Have a Heart

Two Wonky Log Tops

Back Story:

Carol who blogs at Giraffe Dreams offered up a box of scraps for free.  We both belong to the Sunshine Online Quilt Guild - a Yahoo Group that makes donation quilts for Wrap-A-Smile and Quilts Beyond Borders.   I usually have enough scraps of my own to sew with but thought I'd take her up on her offer. I told her it might actually be awhile before I used the scraps because all in one week I found out my son-in-law had leukemia, my granddaughter had lyme disease , my husband had a broken jaw and my oldest son lost his job.  She said that was okay- the scraps were mine to use when and how I wished.   Then last Friday the big box of scraps arrived and I dug right in and started sewing with them. Mindless sewing is just what the doctor ordered to take the mind off of all the family matters when I'm not working or watching grandkids or gardening.  Plus I challenged myself to see how many quilts I could make out of Carol's box of scraps (mixed with some of mine).  Even when mindless sewing I still like to have some sort of challenge going on.  So far the count is two. 

Have a Heart

40 x 58

 Carol sent some blue and purple strings so I combined those with mine.  I cut some 2.5 inch heart fabric centers from a red scrap and made some 9.5 inch Wonky Log blocks around the centers.  After I sewed the blocks together I added a 2.5 inch border sewn log cabin style all around to bring it up to the size I usually donate. 

High as a Kite

40 x 60

For these Wonky Logs I used the same kite fabric for the 6.5 inch centers and made fifteen 12 inch blocks. I sewed them together 3 x 5 and then added 2.5 x 12.5 inch strips to the sides to make it 40 inches wide. 

I hope to finish ONE of these quilts this month as my OMG (One Monthly Goal)

 hosted by Red Letter Quilts. 

For now I'm going to Whoop Whoop! at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

and 

Scraptastic Tuesday

and

Log Cabin Loonies

Log Cabin Lunacy

I find that if I quilt along with others in blog land I happen to finish more quilty goals than if I go it alone. Maybe it's the deadline of a linky party. (I like deadlines). Maybe it's because I like to see how others interpret a theme, or an idea, or use scraps. 

Julie is hosting Log Cabin Lunacy and I am joining the lunacy. 

I used my brown short scrap strings and just finished making four more 9 inch wonky log cabin blocks that will join the 9 I made in February when brown was the Rainbow Scrap Challenge color of the month. 

My goal is to make 30 blocks and then make a donation quilt.. 

Log Cabin Lunacy at JulieKQuilts

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun than Housework

Crooked; Off-Center; Askew = Wonky

Wonky Happies? Wonky Logs? Just Wonky? 

45 x 54

I used a pile of 5 inch (or were they 6.5 inch?) black & white squares I swapped quite some time ago...

...and framed them with some bright short strings 

I pieced together some leftover batting pieces and some leftover binding pieces...

...and pieced together a nice piece of cotton gingham I found at the thrift store long ago. 

I quilted it on my plain Jane Janome DSM with some free motion squares and rectangles. 

The quilting made it all poofy and cuddly. 

I improvised - used what I had on hand - leftover fabric strings, leftover batting, leftover binding, thrift store backing.    I get a good feeling using up what some others might give away or (gasp!) throw away. 

This quilt will go into the donation pile. I like to have a pile of donation quilts handy for any occasions that arise and at the end of the year I send any left off to their destinations.  This year I'm making some emergency car kits for Christmas gifts and including a small quilt along with some other survival items. So, some of these smaller quilts might go into those boxes.

Some Thoughts on Improv

 I'm afraid you will only see me doing what some others define as "improv" with scraps. Improv to me is short for improvise - use what you have on hand. (Well, on second thought...with that definition of improv alone most of my quilts then would be considered improv since I rarely buy any fabric these days and am using what I have on hand). I really have no desire to cut willy-nilly into my"good stash" paid for with hard earned money, to do without all the rulers and other tools I have at my disposal, to not do my best to match points or seams . I started out like that but now I love piecing - actually I'm starting to enjoy the more challenging blocks to piece more and more -  and have no need to go back to my old ways. I already feel "free" whenever I sew anything or work out in my garden or take off my bra and shoes and socks so no need to get liberated doing any specific type of quilting .  I'm happy just doing my own thing whatever that may be for the day.  But when there's scraps left over from doing what I want to do - then I might get a little wonky or do a little free piecing or some crazy quilting and I might even have some mismatched points.  I like it all. 

If you want to see some other improv interpretations and some Ad Hoc Improv Quilters you just have to visit Kaja's Sew Slowly blog  and Ann's Fret Not Yourself blog.  

Please note: I haven't gotten around to visiting my usual blog list lately to see what everyone has been working on or returned a thank you for each lovely comment because I have been feeling like the walking dead since Monday (as you can see from my Quilty 365 circle ) .  I'm hoping to be around to visit soon. 

What the Heck is the RSC?

Do you know about the Rainbow Scrap Challenge - RSC for short?

Each month Angela assigns us a color, we gather up our scraps and make stuff with that color, and then each Saturday we show off what we've made at a ScrapHappy linky party. 

Now it's time for a RSC mid-year update party. 

Above you will see my Wonky Logs top - 72 x 90.   I started making logs last year with my string scraps.  Good thing I finally have enough logs because I was dangerously low on neutral strings. 

I want to finish this up for my grandnephew. 

I also started making these "Vintage Butterfly" (or Beggar's) blocks last year from 1.5 inch scraps. I have 39 blocks and want 56. I will add sashing between blocks and a single border of butterflies.  Those red blocks are ones I made last year. This month's color is also red and I have some other scraps to make a few blocks this month. 

I also started making Dresden blocks late last year. I only made a couple of them last year but this year I've been making 4 each month.  These are made from 4.5 inch scraps. 

I started making these 8 inch Kaleidoscope blocks this year from 2.5 inch scraps. 

I also started making these 6 inch Twinkler blocks last year from 2.5 inch scraps.  I have 84 of them. 

Again, another project from last year - 8 inch Depression blocks from 2.5 inch scraps. I do have a LOT of scraps in the 2.5 inch size. 

I started these Pentland Cracker blocks this year after I participated in a swap of them. I decided I would add to the swap by making some of these Crackers each month. (I do like BIG quilts). 

I'm not going to stick my 3 inch spool blocks up on the cutting-matt-covered-with-batting design wall but I've been making these for a couple of years, I think. I know I have 524 of them. I am not sure how many I need.  (I do like BIG quilts).  These little spool blocks are a good use of 1.5 inch scraps. 

I'm also not going to stick my Lozenges (aka Suppositories) on the makeshift design wall. I have over 500 of them. These also use 2.5 inch scraps and will finish at 2x4.5 inches. For a twin sized quilt I figure I need 720 of them so that's how many I will make. 

So, now I've described how I'm using my scraps. What are you doing with yours? 

If you need ideas visit the RSC Mid Year Update and go see what everyone else is doing with their scraps.  Before you know it you, too, could have a Rainbow quilt made from your scraps. 

I'm going to go Whoop, Whoop it up at Confessions of a Fabric Addict and see what everyone else happens to be Whoop, Whooping about. 

And, since these are WIPs I'm going to go party over at A Quilting Reader's Garden for WIPs Be Gone.  (Actually, I'm working more on Scraps Be Gone. Maybe these are SIPs...Scraps in Progress. )

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun than Housework. (Yes, it is). 

And, how can we forget Scraptastic Tuesday???