ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC20 - Week 9

Welcome to Week 9 of the 2020 Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  This week, my post has been released early.  I'm headed out of town for a day and won't be taking my computer with me.  I'll be too busy checking out all the entries at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival.  Look for me, if you will be there on Saturday!  I'll be wearing my "The Joyful Quilter" shirt, that is actually much whiter and a good bit brighter than the (nighttime) photo shows:

Here's how my week went...

SUNDAY - I released a new Sew Some Love Sunday post.  You may want to check out the #bushfireblocks that came in last week.  Here's a preview, as I worked on my own block:

Before that, but after last week's post, I released my Project QUILTING 11.4 post.

MONDAY - One job has gotten checked off the list. The backing for the Wedding Runner is ready:

Oh!  Guess who came home to a very happy mailbox today?  That would be me!!  These packages of #bushfireblocks arrived:

TUESDAY - Evening Quilt Bee met tonight.  I worked on trimming up HSTs for my niece's wedding quilt:

No ORANGE there, but Jean's project was dripping with it:

WEDNESDAY - Nails!! Sorry!  I'm off-cycle, again.  :o((

There's a wedding on the horizon and we're still several days away from the release of a new Color of the Month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  Sad to say, I don't have a dress yet, so my nails needed to be ready for anything:

THURSDAY - I was lucky enough to be able to attend my Weekly Quilt Group this morning.  I haven't been in what feels like AGES!! Take a look at this gorgeous eyeful of ORANGE that we got in the form of Deborah's latest quilt:

As it turned out, my friend Dee Dee was there, too.  She was SEW surprised (and more than a little confused) when I delivered this little Thank You gift to her:

The order of the afternoon was to find a dress for an upcoming wedding (next week!)  Also on today's agenda is sharing this month's Gallery Wire.  There is only ONE truly ORANGE quilt:

But...

There are bits of ORANGE all along the wire:

FRIDAY - Knit Group this morning and errands in the afternoon.  

Then, finally...

The weekend arrived and with it, the final #bushfireblocks.  More on that another day.  Right now, I have to get ready to go welcome my new neighbors.  That's right!!  "SC Sue" has officially moved to North Carolina.  Color me one happy quilter:

** Update:  The movers arrived too late, took too long, and she was still too tired from yesterday's drive to entertain an evening out at this juncture.  :o((

SATURDAY - It's LINK PARTY day for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  You'll find lots of scrappy ORANGE goodness over at Angela's So Scrappy blog.  I'll link-up and catch up with my RSC friends upon my return.  As I mentioned at the top of the post, I'm headed to the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival on a bus full of quilters today. We are going to have SEW much fun!

For those of you who sent blocks for Australia...

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!  DH is scheduled to take care of those while I'm away.  Watch for the wrap-up next week, as I've got a time-sensitive post ready for release this week.

Until next time...
Get Scrappy!!!

Sew Some Love - {Stand of Trees block and...} More #bushfireblocks

Welcome to the next edition of Sew Some Love Sunday!!  I am here to share the making of my Stand of Trees block and the #bushfireblocks that came in this week.

If YOU work quickly, there's still time to contribute!  Check out the information in my #bushfireblocks post.  I made my block in about an hour... and that included design time.

Stand of Trees block...

I started with inspiration from Bluewolfwalking on Ravelry who made her block using applique:

Did a "down and dirty" sketch:

Went up to the sewing room and everything changed!

The single trunk became this...

... With the use of a bit of Improv piecing.

Then a scrap chunk on the table gave me a "What If..." moment.

Now to address those tree tops:

This took me through a series of options, however, the photos weren't as clear as I had hoped.  I auditioned the following...

1. Raw Edge Applique
2. Traditional piecing
3. Finished Edge Applique

I opted for a combination technique.

I give you Stand of Trees:

This week's arrivals...

I'm SEW thankful that the quilters in my various circles of friends have jumped on board!  The Wollengong Modern Quilt Guild will be pleased to set these all into the quilts they are making for people who have lost everything in the Australian bush fires.

Blocks from...

Bitord on Ravelry:

A group shot, above (with one block turned sideways. Oops!)

Gumnuts

Eucalyptus

Boab Tree

And...

Joanne @ Cats in the Quiltorium:

Postage contribution from...

Libby @ Hillside Quilter

Thank you to all!!!  And just in case anyone wants to make a block today to drop in the mail tomorrow, I'm linking up with:

Cynthia @

Quilting is more fun than Housework

for

Oh Scrap!

Just add a comment (with your email address attached) indicating that you would like to make a block.  I will send my snail mail addy.  Any blocks just need to arrive at 27278 zip code by Feb. 29.

Until next time...

Sew Some Love!!

Edited to add in response to a comment:

The trunks were Improv pieced.

The tree tops were traditionally pieced.

On each of the sections, there were jagged edges because the pieces weren't all exactly the same size.

That left me with the challenge of deciding how to attach them into a quilt block.

First, I auditioned what a straight seam would look like.

The result didn't wow me.

Next, I thought about leaving the edges raw (cut or torn, but raveling.)

I worried that would look too messy and possibly be too unstable for the purpose.

Then, I decided that I would turn the edges (quarter or eighth inch turn under) for a "finished" edge.

I clipped a few stitches from the bottom of the tree top seams and top stitched the two block components together.

When I did the topstitching, I pivoted the piece at each seam, stitched up and then back down right beside the seam line (so it wouldn't come unsewn later) and pivoted again to continue along the bottom edge of the next tree top.

Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Done!

Project QUILTING Season 11 - Challenge 11.4

Birds in the Air

This week's Project QUILTING challenge is the fourth for the season and the fourth that I've come up with a way to participate.  The challenge was released on Sunday afternoon.

By Monday afternoon, I had design concept down on paper:

Between Monday and Wednesday, I thought about how I might interpret my design.  I didn't do anything to further that goal.

Early Thursday evening, my version of 11.4 began to reveal itself.  I started with a few Bonus HSTs to make the central block:

The "frame" was accomplished by digging through several of my scrap baskets, which are sorted by color.

The tree was easy:

The sunset over Bluebird Lake proved to be a bit more...  challenging.  That photo above didn't match my drawing.  I removed the sun and cut those pieces apart to audition a larger sunset in the center...

... Then puzzled a couple together to try a smaller scale:

It was so much of a challenge that I called in my Design Consultant.  Thanks for working through the issue with me, B!!  This mock up was the result of that conversation, but... 

... I wasn't certain that was the look I was going for.  While I was at it, though, I asked for her opinion about the ripples and reflection on the water, too:

Before bed, my challenge piece was all but done.  Only three questions remained:

1. Grass or no grass
2. Sun ray solution
3. Binding or facing

I ran these items past my quilting friends on Ravelry.  Emaleena chimed in on a couple of the issues and Sfgwife piped up concerning the other.  I'm not sure which suggestions I will or won't follow, but I certainly appreciate the input.

On Saturday afternoon, DS1 and the Resident Art Student voted for matching each of the colors or else a plain white binding (definitely NOT my 1st choice.)  I had hoped to bring out the ORANGE from the center to the edging (in honor of February's Rainbow Scrap Challenge Color of the Month.)  Decisions, decisions:

Here is the completed piece, which could benefit from blocking:

With the first three challenges, I had a reason for participation in each of the challenges.  I suppose this is no different.  This one is for ME!!  I will enjoy having a new "artsy" quilt to add to my Gallery Wire.  Yes.  PQ 11.4 is a gift for myself.

Oh...

For those of you who might be wondering about the finished size of this piece, it measures 5" across x 7" tall.  I like working small.

And...

I finished it more than 18 hours in advance of the deadline.  :o))

Until next time...
Challenge your Quilting!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC20 - Week 8

Welcome to Week 8 of the 2020 Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  For a brief moment, I thought I might be able to sew some ORANGE scraps this week...

And then I remembered that it is Challenge Week for Project QUILTING!!!  Prompt 11.4 goes live on Sunday afternoon.  Let's have a look at what that did to my scrappy plans.

SUNDAY - Bridal Shower with a freshly completed table topper:

This Pecking Order quilt was planned as a lap quilt, but reality revealed that time was not on my side.  The altered plan resulted in an 18.5" square topper.  The bride-to-be loved it (and decided to use it at her wedding on the table with the Bride's Book!!)

Look for today's Sew Some Love Sunday post HERE.

MONDAY - The Junior Quilter wallowed in cloth...

... As I attempted to sort through these two scrap bags:

Guild was tonight.  There was a short presentation from Sleep in Heavenly Peace and another about the Love Quilt Project, along with our regular business.  Members donated another 8 quilts for SHP.  This photo...

... And this one, show the rest of our donation efforts for the month:

Somewhere in the midst of all that, I forgot to release the latest edition of Mail Call Monday.  SEW... That actually happened on Tuesday.  (Whoops!)  Anyway, it outlines an opportunity to do good (and get a new-to-you book for your quilting library.)

TUESDAY - Toddler Time at the local library this morning.  Clap, clap, clap your hands:

WEDNESDAY - Rainy day found us back at the library for Preschool Story Hour.  Shake your hips:

THURSDAY - SNOW in the forecast meant that I had the afternoon and evening to myself!!  I spent it cutting, sewing, and unsewing little bits of ORANGE for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge:

This was the view off our front porch just before bedtime:

FRIDAY - A late start to the day gave me this beautiful view...

... And just enough time to create my Stand of Trees block for #bushfireblocks to send with the others I've collected:

There's STILL time for you to participate... if you act now!  Check out the info at THIS POST.  Your package just needs to arrive at zip code 27278 by Saturday, February 29th to be included in this block drive for Australian fire victims.

I also released a new Design Floor Friday post.  Check out the quilting adventures of my Monthly Quilt Bee, if you haven't visited recently.  We had a Sew Day, so there's LOTS to see!

SATURDAY - The weekend has rolled around, again.  It's time for the LINK PARTY over at Angela's So Scrappy blog.  I'm sure there will be lots of ORANGE scrappy goodness.  I'm heading there, now.

Until next time...
Get SCRAPPY!!!

Design Floor Friday - SECU Sew Day Style

Welcome to another edition of Design Floor Friday!!  I'm here to share my portion of my Quilt Bee's recent Sew Day at SECU Family House.  Our main focus was making blocks for #bushfireblocks to support our quilting sisters from Down Under.  Other projects were worked on, as well.  While the post may have better fit for Wonderful Wednesday, my week got away from me.  I'm SEW sure that you all understand.

I had a plan for the day, but first...

My friend Cheryl K. has been saving her fabric scraps for me:

Joanna sorted through her batiks and brought a bag full of scraps and larger pieces, too:

Here's the whole group, as we gathered around for Show and Tell:

The first part of my Show and Tell was this collection of #bushfireblocks from Dawn @ Quilting by Dawn to be mailed to Australia for inclusion in wildfire relief quilts:

I showed off Jayne's Heart mini quilt, which was the inspiration for my Project QUILTING 11.3 challenge.  Look!  ORANGE scraps for the RSC, too:

I also shared the Pecking Order table topper that I am making for a Bridal Shower gift:

Surprise!!!  SC Sue is joining us today:

Ruth S. brought these green scraps for members to use in making their Tree donation blocks for Australia:

At the end of the day, only the binding remained to be completed, thanks to Sue's quilting suggestions:

But, WAIT, Joyful, we SEW want to see what everyone else was up to during the Sew Day!!

OK, OK...

Here is a quick (wordless) run through of Show and Tell:

And... Our busy bees...

There you have it.  (Thread) tales of a wonderful day.

Until next time...
Quilt. Eat. Repeat!!