(Not So) Mini Monday - SAHRR22 - Round 2

Welcome to this week's edition of (Not so) Mini Monday... a little bit early!!  The timing of the SAHRR requires that I link up each round's progress no later than Sunday night or else link the previous week's progress in the link for the current round.  Monday is release day for each new round and its accompanying Link Party.  Does that make sense?

What's on tap for this week, Joyful???

Emily at The Darling Dogwood proposed with diamonds.

Here's what I had to say about that...

Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but SEW not this quilter's best friend!! Given the fact that you were thinking "outside the box" for your definition of diamonds, maybe I will, too. Thanks for helping me avoid a panic attack, Emily!

It's SEW good that she has us thinking outside the box!  I remember that from last year's event.  She "dumbs it down" for lack of a better descriptor, 

I started out this week with:

When popping in the photo above, I got an idea for this week's border.  I'm off to rummage through the scrap bins...

First...

I thought square in a square, but opted to continue with my quasi-improv technique by adding flip corner on bottom left and elongated HSTs for bottom addition!!!  :o))

Here's a closer look at the scraps I selected:

Next...

I cut my new border strips, a few appropriately sized squares and sewed up the new additions:

Then...

All that was left was to add them to my SAHRR block:

Here...

Is how Round TWO turned out with improv sew and flip diamond in the lower left corner.  Again, I used the corner that was already on my starting block as the starting point for this addition:

Until next time...

Sew aROUND!!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC22 - Week 4

Welcome to Week 4 of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  This week, I'm pleased to report that I'm pretty sure RED scraps will be involved.

Let's see if that's true...

But first, I'll show you what kept me busy yesterday morning.  Instead of shoveling snow, I was Zooming with Knittingsuek:

I'm wearing RED in honor of my RSC Quilter friends!

Lucky thing!  By the time we were done, our street looked like this:

Thank you, Mr. Sunshine, for melting the snow away and saving my afternoon for sewing!!!  :o))

SUNDAY - This morning, I released my PQ13.2 post.

MONDAY - A new SAHRR edition of Mini Monday went live late last night (so that I wouldn't miss the link-up.)

TUESDAY - Today's Tidy Up Tuesday post shared the results of my participation in the Declutter Challenge 2022.  If YOU missed it, you can start NOW!!  Karen @ Just Get It Done Quilts encourages us to pick up the challenge anytime we see the need in our space.

WEDNESDAY - It was a wonderful day, but no Wonderful Wednesday post was involved.  I am pleased to report that I enjoyed a day off work today and this afternoon I spent some time...

Zooming with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color:

While we were talking, I unpacked another studio box:

I spy some RED on those boxes.

That's right friends, only THREE boxes are standing in the way of the longarm being set up!!  :o))

Well, three boxes, a mucky lawn, frigid temperatures and more snow in the forecast for this weekend.  Not exactly the best conditions for opening the windows for the rails of the longarm to gain admittance to the studio.  :o((

THURSDAY - ZoomBEE was on the agenda for this morning, but I got involved in something and missed it.  :o((

You see...

It's a studio day today.  I'm RED-y:

I'm working on trying to finish up my entry for the January 2022 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge.  RED fabric scraps were involved:

FRIDAY - Today is the day!  It's the January 2022 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge LINK PARTY.  Will YOU be joining in?  There's STILL time for you to get on board!  The LINK PARTY will be open through Monday, January 31st @ 11:59 PM.

ZoomKNIT??  Nope!  Didn't happen.  I had an appointment that couldn't be missed.  Missed you, knitting friends!

SATURDAY - It's LINK PARTY day for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!  I hope you will join me in visiting Angela @ So Scrappy to see what RED scraps the RSC Quilters have been sewing up this week.

Until next time...

Get SCRAPPY!!

January 2022 - TABLE SCRAPS Challenge - LINK PARTY

Welcome to the January 2022 edition of the TABLE SCRAPS Challenge here at the Joyful Quilter!!  I'll start with a little backstory, in case you are new here.  (Apologies to my regular readers since you already know all about it.) I'm a scrap quilter who had been setting up individual challenges for several years in conjunction with Angela's (RSC) Rainbow Scrap Challenge @ So Scrappy.  Last year, I went global when I offered the 2021 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge.  There were participants from around the corner, across the country and around the world.  It was SEW much fun and we all have MORE scraps to use, so I changed the "rules" and am pleased to offer the...

Button credit to Susan @ Desert Sky Quilts, updated by me.

In 2022, we have a broader range of quilted items that are appropriate for linking to the Challenge.  Baskets and bins, along with pillows and pin cushions, are qualifying projects.  Not just the toppers, runners, and mug rugs we focused on during the 2021 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge.  This year, basically, ANY small quilted item qualifies.  The main premise is that you USE the (new or old) SCRAPS from your cutting table (or your friend's cutting table - since that's where the majority of my scraps come from!)

There will be a prompt each month to help get your creative juices flowing.  While you are NOT required to use it in your project, the guiding word will be revealed at the end of each month's LINK PARTY post.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see February's focus.  It, along with the RSC Color of the Month (as soon as Angela releases it - around the 1st of the month.) will also be added to the 2022 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge page at the top of the blog.

January's theme was...

SNOWMEN

Here's what transpired as a result...

The Color of the Month was RED so I brought out that basket as the basis for my entry:

Then...

I searched for snowmen in my fabric stash and found a fun sparkly snowflake fabric, too:

Whoops!  After laying out my plan, I discovered there was a need for MORE scraps:

Where did you go from there, Joyful???

Those RED scraps were transformed into free-cut letters which spelled out the word...

Once those were arranged, a few white scraps got turned into circles:

Can you see where this is going???

I'm not telling!  I will say that stitching soon followed.  :o))

Wait for it.  Wait for it!!!

This winter-themed soap dispenser might have inspired me:

OK, OK...  Enough with the suspense...

Here is the stitched panel and the scrap of batting it was layered with:

Now, with input from my Design Assistant (DS2), I will need to decide on the proportions that work:

Trimming was followed by quilting, and binding:

About that binding...

I opted to forgo that for a no fuss, no muss stitch and flip finish:

Of course, I just HAD to go get a picture next to the snowbank that remains from last weekend's snowfall, shown above.  Below, I brought you in for a closer look:

Something's missing, Joyful!!!

You spotted that, did you?  You are absolutely right.  The snowy yard is a bit bland.  Those snowballs really should be a snowman, kind of like this fun fabric that I intended to use for the backing of my little mini:

Ultimately...

... The too light bottom of my quilt meant saving the adorable snowman fabric for something else entirely and just when you thought I was done, I've got one more photo for you.  Why?  Because this little quilt is actually the latest mini quilt in my...

Words and Phrases series LINK HERE.

This is my completed entry for the January 2022 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge:

My little mini has been named Some Assembly Required.
10.5" wide x 15.5" tall
Who said placemats have to read horizontally?!  :P

What's next, Joyful???

Another month is rapidly approaching.  We'll have to wait to discover the Color of the month, but...

February's theme is:

IMPROV

Color of the Month was later announced as AQUA/TEAL, so dig in!!

And now...

It's time for YOU to link up your RED and/or SNOWMEN project in the LINK PARTY below.  All entries MUST be submitted by Monday, January 31st @ 11:59PM (EST).

Until next time...

USE those table scraps!!!

#tablescrapschallenge2022

Linking up with Alycia

for

Finished (Or Not) Friday

and

Joining Cynthia

for

Oh Scrap!

Let's not forget Wendy's Monthly Mini

@

The Constant Quilter

Tidy Up Tuesday - Declutter Challenge - The End of the Journey

Welcome to another edition of Tidy Up Tuesday!!  Because of Karen @ Just Get It Done Quilts and her Declutter Challenge 2022, I have gotten rid of a fair amount of clutter in my studio.  Is the space tidy and organized?  Not by a long shot!  Is it better than it was?  

Let's have a look at what happened since last week's post...

Day 17 - Scrap Management

I knew this was coming, but Karen was kind to us.  Today was about pulling out all the scraps and seeing just how big Scrap Mountain is (SEW not going there, as I only recently moved my entire studio!) and then setting up a space for our fabric scraps.  I've got that!

Before I show you the photos, which you may have seen if you visit my blog often, I have a confession to make...

You see, I am a Scrap Quilter with a Capital "S".  Almost EVERY project I make is made from scraps!  The boundaries I have set consist of going through each gifted bag when it arrives and pulling out the fabrics that I know I will not used in my quilts.  Those go into a reusable grocery bag to offload onto some unsuspecting quilter share with some other lucky quilter at the next guild meeting.

Here is the GIANT drawer that I have designated for scrap bag storage when we moved into this house at the end of the summer:

To give you a bit of perspective, it's 16.5" wide, 16.5" deep and slides into the wall nearly 2.5 FEET!!

And THIS is my Scrap Center - with many of my scraps sorted by color, as I participate in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge each year.  I am pleased to report that ALL of the magazines (left from Day 14) that I'm keeping (except for the 2 foot tall stack of Quilters Newsletter Magazines that I might NEVER part with!) stored along the bottom shelf:

You can find the tutorial for my Quilted Scrap Baskets HERE.

Day 19 - Fabric Scraps

Sorry, Karen!!  An artist doesn't declutter their paints and I'm not decluttering my scraps.  Scrappy is what I do!

I absolutely LOVE my fabric scraps (and the scraps that many of my friends pawn off on generously share with me!)  I use my scraps so often that when Britt and I packed up my studio a few months ago I joked that I should just GET RID of my yardage and KEEP the scraps.  I was only half kidding!  :o))

Strip drawers:

Square drawers:

Day 20 - Fabric

We moved house at the end of last summer.  I'm still in the process of sorting out the STUFF that came from the old house and organizing it into my new studio.  The unpacked stash fabric is stored in a few places.

Color drawers:

Color cubes:

And...

The fabric earmarked for donation quilting has been relegated to an auxiliary closet (or studio annex, if you will.)  It's currently a bit of a jumbled mess.  Let's not go there.

Day 21 - Containers & Bags

There are no containers to get rid of today.  I moved them out of the studio as I emptied them.  Bags?  That's a whole 'nother story!

Bonus Days - Longarm Area

While going through the Declutter Challenge, I was inspired to make further progress on my space.  Once the Challenge reached Day 21, I was ready to continue with the process.

Best laid plans...

I shared the following photo last week.  It shows the longarm area, NEARLY ready for set up:

I was pleased with my progress, but a few quilt challenges made it such that I didn't have additional time to devote to further decluttering (or unpacking.)  I did manage to put away some unpacked fabrics that had just been stacked on the cutting table.

Yay, me!  :o))

I cleared the space so that I could work on those project that kept me from getting that much closer to being ready to set up the longarm.  (The projects were totally were the delay of plans.)

Until next time...

Reclaim YOUR space!!!

Mini Monday - SAHRR22 - Round 1

Welcome to (Not so) Mini Monday... a little bit early!!  I shared the center of my Stay At Home Round Robin (SAHRR) last week.  It's Anja @ Anja Quilts taking the reins on Round One.

What did she call for, Joyful???

Curves.

I can do that!

Just have to figure out how...

Scraps and a previously unused ruler:

The side border was attached after a flip corner had been added:

First one, then the other heart top was cut and appliqued:

Those two pieces were sewn together and the remainder of the top border was added.  This is where I'm stopping this week:

Why, Joyful???

Simple really.  Pick from the following list of reasons:

1. It's Project QUILTING season and I don't have much energy left for the Stay at Home Round Robin.

2. I really enjoyed doing something unexpected last year by making something that wasn't exactly like everyone else's project.

3. I realized that I would (probably) miss the Linky Party deadline if I took the time to figure out how to make this symmetrical.

4. My family is starting to grumble that it's time for dinner (and I've been too busy sewing to notice.)

Until next time...

Sew aROUND!!!

Project QUILTING - Season 13.2 - In Silhouette

In Silhouette

Welcome to The Joyful Quilter!!  And... Welcome to the wonderful world of Project QUILTING hosted by Kim Lapacek @ Persimon Dreams!!  This is my 3rd year of participation in the Challenge.  Trish Frankland @ QuiltChicken is the creator of the crazy challenges that participants will face during Season 13.

Sassy @ Farm Quilter got me started at the beginning of Season 11 by inviting her readers to join in the fun.  I accepted her invitation and the rest is history.  As was the case last year, I will be dragging along my friend LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color again this season, as she enjoys having a reason to stretch her creative wings.  Would YOU like to join me in this creative journey, too?  

FAIR WARNING:  It's a wild ride, but oh SEW rewarding!

Challenges are given and start to finish you have ONE WEEK to complete your project.  PQ 13.2 can be found at THIS LINK.

Step One...

Read the instructions to see what is required of the first challenge.  Here's what Trish had to say:

... this week’s challenge focuses on contrast and design.

The word silhouette defines an outline of something: perhaps the shape of a landmark backlit against a dawning sky, or the traced outline of a child’s profile projected on the wall behind.

But it doesn’t have to be all shadow and darkness. Remember grandmother’s cameo brooch? I think that’s an interesting way to approach the silhouette without it being a dark form.

I’ll also recommend inspiration from multi-cultural papercrafting – look to Germanic scherenschnitte (#ad) and Mexican papel picado (#ad) for some ideas and techniques you could adapt. Kim and I also once took a class doing papercuts learning Japanese notan (#ad) – an artistic approach to balancing dark and light that has great application here.

You can interpret this challenge in many ways, but I’d like to see you explore the idea of a simple, contrasting image in your work.

Step Two...

Emit a LOUD groan!!

Why, Joyful???

Well, this challenge was going to be a challenge with a capital "C".

Step Three...

Gather supplies:

RED scrap basket here and hope for inspiration!!

Step Four...

Review the rules:

RULE 1 – YOUR PROJECT MUST SOMEHOW INCORPORATE A SILHOUETTE – THE OUTLINE OF AN IMAGE.

You have one week to meet the challenge. Every challenge piece must be a FINISHED project seen through from INCEPTION to COMPLETION during the challenge timeline – that is, started on or after January 16th, 2022, and posted by noon Central Time January 23rd, 2022.

Step Five... Wrack my brain to think of what to make!!!

I contacted my friend Kathy S., as I thought about her Ohio quilt, but that was a bit too involved for a one week turnaround time:

Photo courtesy of Kathy @ Kathy's Quilting Blog

Then, found a photo I took of the Junior Quilter and her big brother after a trip to the local-ish Science Museum a couple of years ago.  I would love to interpret it in fabric, but felt that I wasn't up to that detailed cutting this week:

Finally, I remembered seeing the "Insert Your State Here" HOME decorative items that were all the rage several years ago.  This MIGHT work!  When I googled it, THIS TUTORIAL by Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation came up.  I remembered contemplating a project back then, but never got around to it.

Here is a sampling of my construction process...

(Scroll down to the bottom of the post NOW, if you don't care to see a blow by blow of the making of my quilt.)

I started by searching for a map of my state, which I found at Sun Catcher Studio FREE for personal use.

Then...

I traced the outline of North Carolina:

Finally...

I decided a gray solid, opting to use spray adhesive to stick it to the printer paper over tracking down the fusible I normally use:

I cut our the "easy parts" with my small rotary cutter...

... And finished up with one of the only pairs of scissors I could find, cutting the heart freehand:

Next, I auditioned backing fabrics...

First, a gray on this gray dot:

Then, I considered upcycling an old pillow case:

(Even though the lighting in my new studio doesn't show it...) The gray dots won hands down:

It didn't take long to find a batting scrap to use:

Choosing an acceptable backing was a little more challenging:

After dropping in a few pins, my PQ 13.2 entry was ready for quilting:

Drum roll, please...

The Janome was powered up for the first time since the move:

The heart is RED, a scrap from who knows whom and a nod to my participation in the 2022 Rainbow Scrap Challenge:

 

With more 12 hours remaining until the deadline, all that I had left to do was apply and stitch down the binding:

Only 3 hours before the deadline, I decided on scrap of binding fabric and got to work on finishing my entry:

With just over an hour and a half until the deadline, I present my completed entry for PQ 13.2, displayed here in the powdery snow...

... And an indoor photo:

There is usually a reason that I participate in these challenges...

... And this time, it's because a special someone just bought her first house.  I thought this little quilt would be a nice housewarming gift.  Hopefully, she agrees.  Congratulations, L!

There you have it...

Process, product, and the REAL reason for accepting this Challenge.

Follow THIS LINK to the Season 13 overview.  Check back on the Challenge release days (or sign-up to be notified automatically) and there may be one that YOU just can't resist.

It's a SHORT turnaround time!

Depending on the size and complexity of your project, that doesn't HAVE to be insurmountable.  With a little creativity and a few evenings, you really CAN do this!  My project was begun shortly after the prompt was announce but was finished with only 2 hours until the deadline.  Even so, I will link up with only an hour or so to spare.  I'm SEW looking forward to checking out all the other entries.

Until next time...

Challenge accepted!!!

Remember:  If I can do this, YOU can do it, too!

(Plus, there's a spot to post your completed Project QUILTING inspired projects AFTER the deadline for any of the challenges.)

Sharing with Alycia

for

Finished (Or Not) Friday

and

With Cynthia

for

Oh Scrap!