Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2022

 I'm so excited about my plan for next year that I may get started early!  Here is my inspiration quilt.

It is one of my favorite quilts, currently hanging over the stair railing and visible every time I go into the kitchen.  There is a long and funny story connected with this -- my apologies if you've heard it before.

The pattern is Labor Day Madness from the book Nickel Quilts by Pat Speth and Charlene Thode. 

While the premise of the book is using 5" (hence nickel) charm squares, I had a large collection of 19th century reproduction fabric fat quarters that would work well in this pattern.  The blocks are made from "combination units" which produce a pair of blocks that "spin" in opposite directions.  Since my intent was to make a pair of quilts for the twin beds in the guest room, a particular attraction for making this quilt was a second quilt in the book, Pinwheel, that could use the second set of combination units.

 

However, I didn't discover until well into the second quilt that it wouldn't be the same size as the first quilt.  In fact, I would be 18 blocks short!  

So I had to make 18 more combination units which, of course, left me with 18 blocks that "spun" in the opposite direction ...  Those 18 went into a third strippy quilt (sadly, no photo).

Both Pinwheel Madness and Strippy Madness quilts were recently donated to the Waverly flood recovery.  But I could not part with Labor Day Madness.

In the Studio

 I've been trying to spend some time in the sewing room every day lately.  And here's what I have to show for it:

Clue 6 for Macaron Mystery -- thirteen square-in-a-square units -- done!

Plus, I re-made the flying geese from Clue 4 with the correct background fabric!

Though I still have some trimming to do on those geese.

And while this photo doesn't show it, all of the rows in RSC-19-20-21 Sister's Choice are assembled.

Just a few long seams to go and it will be ready for borders (my least favorite chore).

I also did a test run (no photo) for a class I will be teaching in February to be sure the fabric quantities I have listed in the pre-class preparations are correct.  And, in between, I've been stitching leftover 2.5" squares into 4Ps.

We had some delightfully warm weather last week which gave the contractors an opportunity to get closer to the finish line.  Since they worked long after dark on Thursday, they took Friday off and we were able to enjoy our afternoon libation al fresco.

After a very rainy Monday, we were rewarded with a beautiful sunset.

Late to the Party

I am disappointed in myself for not keeping up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (hosted by Angela at soscrappy) this year.  I have made some really pretty quilts with my challenge blocks in the past.  And I usually have had at least one, if not multiple projects, going throughout the months.  Some projects have carried into the next year until I have enough blocks to make at least a throw.  But I kept at it!  Not this year ...

I started Full Stop in January and it came to a full stop in February.

Maybe I'll whip those hashtags into a table scrap this week for a quick Christmas gift.

I was inspired by Scrap Magnet that I saw on Julie's Quilts and Costumes. But that lost it's "attraction" after the first block when I saw that my background choices didn't have enough value difference to make it worth the effort.

Though now that I look at it, maybe it ain't so bad.  I may try a second block.  I might even try some different backgrounds.  After all, it is a scrap challenge, isn't it?

To my credit, at the recent S'mores retreat I made some more Square Dance blocks (held over from 2020, I think) ...

... and assembled a rainbow of Masala Boxes.

So I'm a little late to the RSC party, but I'm getting there!  Monday I started thinking about what I want to do for RSC '22 when I noticed that I had started '21 with Sister's Choice (another leftover from 2020).  I had three blocks in the box; today I'm ready to sew blocks into a quilt.

Better late than never, right?

Check out other scrappy projects at ScrapHappy Saturday.

Finished!

 and almost finished ...

I was able to get the Advent Cross finished and installed before the first Sunday in Advent.

It appears to be a little saggy on the bottom right so might need some adjustment in the quilting, but it's not so obvious in person.

Screens were installed in the deck enclosure last week.

Gutters are going on the deck today, and the cable railing should be finished soon.

Nearing the finish line!

Star-Crossed

Have you ever had a quilting project that just didn't seem to want to get done?  When none of the stars (not those on the quilt but in the heavens) aligned ?

I committed to make another set of paraments for the church to go on the pulpit and lectern. (I should be committed, but that's another story.)  Several months ago I realized it was nearing time to change to purple for the Advent season and I was void of inspiration.  Then, when looking through some pattern books, this Peg Bingham pattern fell out from between the pages.

Talk about Serendipity!  BUT, the pattern is for a full-scale quilt and I needed to size it down considerably.  First I graphed it out on paper, allowing each square to be one inch.

That first iteration came to 29" and the pulpit is barely 23" wide! (It's a small church ...) I changed the scale to .75"/square and it was still too big.  So I eliminated a row of squares in each direction through the center (the squiggly line) and also shortened the sides and top by one row.  By now I couldn't tell heads from tails; I needed a better graph but couldn't find my composition book of graph paper. Off to Staples for a replacement.  

I let the design stew in the back of my mind while I searched for the "perfect" purple.  In my mind it needed to be close to the store-bought set we currently have or some individuals in the congregation might object (you know how that goes).  I finally found fabric I thought would work.

In the meantime I worked out a new graph based on .75"/square.

But life intervened; suddenly I'm weeks away from the first Sunday in Advent (November 28) and I can't find the pattern or my new graph.  I frantically sent out a call for anyone who could send me in the direction of a source for the pattern as Peg is no longer living. By the time a friend of Peg's responded, I had found my pattern and graph on the kitchen/bar counter (really???).

Not happy with my selection of metallic golds, but with time running out, I started cutting. I was very meticulous with my stitching because so much can go wrong with all those tiny pieces.  This is my progress to date.

I have all day tomorrow to finish!  I will layer with a lightweight batting, pillowcase style, then turn right side out and top stitch the edges.  I may put a few lines of quilting to highlight the cross ... or not.  At 22" wide it shouldn't need much.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I had the most wonderful day on Tuesday with part of the family (DH couldn't make it due to ongoing deck construction).  My SIL and I drove to Nashville Monday afternoon and spent all of Tuesday getting acquainted with the newest member of the family.

I was finally able to give Miss C her Tiny Tuesday quilt and it was much appreciated by everyone.

Grand DIL knew immediately what I had intended all along -- she spied the owl and the pig, talked about the shapes and colors, discovered the tactile feature in the bowties, all teaching tools for the baby as she grows.  It went immediately on the floor (as intended).

We had the whole day with nothing to do but visit with my son and DIL, as well as the grands (well, half of the grands; the others arrive today and we hope to see them at the end of the week).  We shared stories and pictures and laughs.  SIL and I were just glowing with the warmth of the occasion.  I wish the younguns lived closer, but I am thankful that both families are doing well where they are.

Construction update: Trex is installed on deck and dock, screens have been installed on the enclosure, underdeck (patio ceiling) is 3/4 done.  Cable railing to be installed next week, as well as the kayak launch/lift. We're slowly getting there ...

Pandora's Box

A couple of weeks ago I opened Pandora's Box, a/k/a Blue and Brown.  It contained an assortment of bits and pieces, pieces and parts, mostly reproduction fabrics in blue and brown. 

Among the treasures in the box -- a Franken-medallion:

... in that case, mostly brown.  And a set of finished Irish Chain blocks in blue.  At that time there was a stack of unfinished block pieces with a label attached that said 13 blocks.  I assumed that meant I could make 13 more Irish Chain blocks.  NO.  It meant I had 13 finished blocks and the pieces/parts would not make complete blocks without mixing the fabrics.  But I did have enough background fabric and brown strips to make some shoofly blocks and this is the result.

As is, it's about 34" square.  I will at least add another small border to make a baby quilt, or I might add another round of blocks to make it wheelchair size.

I love the combo of blue and brown, especially in  repro fabrics.