(Not So...) Mini Monday - SAHRR22 - Round 6

Welcome to this week's edition of (Not so) Mini Monday... again, 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 party closes without me.  :o((

Well...

... My "completed" Round FIVE prompt of the 2022 SAHRR ended like this:

I opted to combine the prompts for a smaller end result...

That meant that when Chris @ Chris Knits announced the prompt for Round SIX, I was STILL back on Round TWO.

What did she have in mind???

Shoo Fly blocks.

My immediate reaction to that...

How on Earth am I going to make this fit?!  I am SEW not excited!!!

How will you proceed, Joyful???

As always, I started with a trip to my Scrap Center:

The Red basket and the pink basket came out to play...

But...

What to do?  What to do?  I briefly entertained the idea of shrinking the blocks (because that's what I do!)  However, the plan for this round remained a mystery.  Until... My friend LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color lamented about what she should do to make the blocks fit her theme.

My suggestion???

I recommended making low contrast blocks and that's when a lightbulb went off in my head.  That might be the perfect idea for my own 2022 Stay at Home Round Robin project!

Then, for my project...

Her suggestion was appliqueing circles to the centers to make more/different flowers.

I planned to put that idea into play, but when I dug for fabric...

Another thought came to mind.  What if the Shoo Fly corner could mimic a leaf for the flowers I made during Round Five?

SEW...

You KNOW that I had to give it a try:

Stay tuned...

Because that's as far as I got this week!  I'm hoping to have the top together for the finished quilt roundup.  That's not the point of that link party, but I know how other things (like the two commission quilts I'm working on) have a habit of getting in the way.

Edited to add...

I missed the linkup. AGAIN.  :o((

LeeAnna warned me, but I mathed out the hours and then forgot what time that meant.  If there's ONE THING that I wished would CHANGE about next year's event, there would be a STANDARD LINK ENDING TIME!!!  (If there's a second thing that I could change, the SAHRR "work weeks" would coincide with the "OFF" weeks for the Project QUILTING challenge and would skip the PQ work weeks.)

Until next time...

Sew aROUND!!!

Sew Some Love Sunday - CiL - Jan/Feb Block Drive

Welcome to another edition of Sew Some Love Sunday!!  It's been a VERY long time since I've been able to do any charity sewing.  When I saw Kat's announcement about the January/February Block Drive (during the 1st week of 2022!), I knew that I wanted to participate.  I'm a big fan of Covered in Love, but other projects distracted me until last week.

Last Sunday...

I found myself up in the studio waiting for the "workmen" to arrive, as this was scheduled to happen:

I decided that I had time to (at the very least) cut a background square (that's a whole story in itself!) and start sewing with some of the scraps scattered across my cutting table:

The photo below gives you a peek at what the foundation square looks like:

I was happily sewing along when...

For some unknown reason...

My needle broke:

I had recently put in a new needle.  My very LAST needle in the pack!  I found a couple of used ones to try, but one was crooked and the other one "thumped" too much, so I set the project aside after choosing the next few strips I wanted to add - once I got a new package of sewing machine needles:

Frustrated, I decided step back over the the cutting table to do some more sorting until the longarm set up (shown at the top of the post) began.  Here's what my table looked like when the job was nearly done:

The cavalry arrived to save the day... er... complete the longarm assembly.

Hours passed...

Before quilt guild the next day, I went to the local Big Box Sewing Store to buy some new needles.  It was my lucky day!  Sewing notions were 30% off.  :o))

Fast forward to yesterday...

After a lazy morning, I decided to head up to the studio to finish my Block Drive block:

Stitch, press, repeat.  Stitch, press, repeat...

Finally, the last strip was added.   I'm thrilled to have managed the following:

Lucky for me, the block was to be squared up when complete:

I braved the cold and took my block outside for a swing photo.  That was so you could have a better look at the true colors (You're welcome!  :P) of the bits from Diane H's scrap bag:

As an aside...

Only the last few "logs" came out of my own scrap stash.  Of course, the majority of "my" scrap stash is made of bags of fabric cast offs from friends (like the nearly empty bag in the upper right hand corner of the photo of my cutting table.)  Thank you, quilting friends!  I absolutely LOVE using YOUR scraps to sew for GOOD.

Be sure to check out Kat and Cat Quilts for the next Block Drive.  It will be released soon.  You just might decide you'd like to help, too.  If so, be sure to tell her Joy sent you.  :o))

Sharing with Cynthia

for

Oh Scrap!

Until next time...

SEW some Love!!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC22 - Week 8

Welcome to Week 8 of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  OK, you guys, I have NO IDEA what happened this week.  Normally, I have my post going by Wednesday at the very latest.  This week...

Not SEW much!!!

It's Friday and I'm going to have to rely completely on my phone photos to figure out this post.

Let's take a look... Shall we???

SUNDAY - PQ13.4

Zooming with Knittingsuek, while dressed in February's Rainbow Scrap Challenge Color of the Month:

I sewed a few scraps of AQUA/TEAL this afternoon:

Thanks for the scraps, Diane H!!  When completed, this will be headed to Kat for Covered in Love.

MONDAY - (Not so) Mini Monday

I spied the Color of the Month in this lovely quilt at Guild tonight:

Afterwards, I decided to stop in and see if Wegmans was worth all the hype it has gotten:

TUESDAY - I released a new Tidy Up Tuesday post.

Tonight I enjoyed spending time with these wonderful quilters:

Look for this to show up in a post later in the week:

WEDNESDAY - Don't miss this week's edition of Wonderful Wednesday to see what happened with these AQUA/TEAL scraps:

This afternoon, I went to pick up my new glasses (which I couldn't wear until tomorrow because my old prescription was so far out of date that it's best to just start fresh first thing in the morning!)

I got home just in time for this week's Zoom session with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color:

THURSDAY - Not ONE... But TWO new posts in the Guest Blogger(s) series went live on the blog today!!

FRIDAY - February 2022 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge Link Party

ZoomKNIT was canceled this week.  Just when I actually COULD have joined in!!  :o((

SATURDAY - It's LINK PARTY day for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!  I hope you'll join me in visiting Angela @ So Scrappy to see what the other RSC Quilters have been up to this week.  Some might even be releasing a month-in-review post.  I certainly don't want to miss out on seeing all the AQUA/TEAL scrappy sewing they might have accomplished.  Race ya there!!  :o))

Edited to add an FYI...

I have NO IDEA why Blogger is playing with the font size.  Random is NOT how I planned the post.

Until next time...

Get SCRAPPY!!!

February 2022 - TABLE SCRAPS Challenge - Link Party

Welcome to the February 2022 edition of the TABLE SCRAPS Challenge here at the Joyful Quilter!!  If you've visited before, welcome back.  If you're new here, welcome!  I'm a scrap quilter who has engaged in a variety of quilt challenges for several years.  This one is for YOU and I'm running it in conjunction with Angela's (RSC) Rainbow Scrap Challenge @ So Scrappy, again.  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.

This month's Color of the Month was AQUA/TEAL.  While you are NOT required to use it in your project, its a fun way for the RSC Quilters to USE their scraps and wrap it into this challenge.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see March's prompt.  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.

February's theme was...

IMPROV

Here's what transpired as a result...

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

Then...

Once those scraps were chosen for the top - back in January! - I decided I wanted to try to assemble this a different way than I've been seeing online.

Where did you go from there, Joyful???

Those AQUA/TEAL scraps reminded me that I had pre-pieced some little improv mug rugs during my New Year's Day Zoom-y Sew Day with my quilting friends and one was just the right color combo:

OK, it MIGHT be cheating, but...

Here's the stitched panel that I created that day and the scrap of batting it was layered with.  While the project doesn't APPEAR to be improv, it was definitely created in an improvisational way:

Britt was here scouring the purple scraps for pieces needed for her UnBegun Challenge quilt...

While she searched, I sewed:

Arcs along the seamlines:

The binding came from a scrap bag. I'm pretty sure this came from Katie @ Zana's Ninis or Deb @ Happy to be Scrappy.  The strip was almost exactly the right length and finished off this little quilt just perfectly:

By the time Britt had exhausted my stash of purple scraps, (AS IF!!  She decided she had gathered enough for now.) I had completed this little AQUA/TEAL delight:

Here's a closer look:

Shown here with a scrap of the backing fabric of another project:

Britt liked the mini, so I let her take it home:

Special thanks to Diane H for the random strip sets!!  I had fun putting then together into this little mug rug (and its scrappy friends.)

She was kind enough to send along an "in use" photo in her office:

What's next, Joyful???

March will be blowing in before we know it.  We'll have to wait for Angela to reveal the Color of the Month, but...

March's theme is:

FLOWERS

Pieced in, appliqued on, quilted in...

Or simply using some of your favorite floral fabric!

Edited to add: YELLOW is the March color.

And now...

It's time for YOU to link up your AQUA/TEAL and/or IMPROV project in the LINK PARTY below.  All entries MUST be submitted by Monday, February 28th @ 11:59PM (EST).

Until next time...

USE those table scraps!!!

#tablescrapschallenge2022

Sharing with Alycia

for

Finished (Or Not) Friday

The Guest Blogger(s) - Vol. 30 - Pat Plays with Improv

Welcome to another edition of The Guest Blogger(s)!!  Another post in this series, already?  That's right!  An email came in from Miss Pat this afternoon.  I'm always happy to hear from a returning TABLE SCRAPS Challenge participant.

She's here with her February 2022 entry...

Aqua improv piece:

My reply...

Very nice, Pat! Care to tell my readers a little about your process or motivation? I'm always happy to share the "low down" along with the photo of the TABLE SCRAPS Challenge projects. How are you thinking of using or displaying your AQUA/TEAL entry?

Thanks for playing along!

Joy

This is what she had to say...

I knew you would want more info, but I just couldn't figure out what  to say.  Try this:

Having not made a Table Scraps project since last September, I knew I had to get back in the saddle.  The theme for February was "Improv", not one of my specialties.  So I turned to Joy and LeAnna (Not Afraid of Color) for some input.  LeAnna referred me to books by Jean Wells and one by Jan Mullen called "Cut-Loose Quilts" which I actually owned.  I chose this wonky log cabinish block, intending to make a flower.  I stalled out after finishing the flower block.  Realizing I only had a few days to get it done, I took the easy way out and made a simple mat.  This will be used on one of two small round tables I use as plant stands.  Finished size about 9" square.

Pat

Give Miss Pat's project some quilty love in the comments below.  I know that you enjoyed seeing her pretty IMPROV table mat as much as I did!  Thank you for sending a photo for the blog, Pat.  I'm thrilled to post your project so that others may be inspired to look through their library of quilting books and try something new, too!

Link Party REMINDER...

The February 2022 TABLE SCRAPS Link Party starts on Friday, February 25th @ 12:01 AM and closes on MONDAY, February 28th @ 11:59 PM.  At this posting, you have the entire weekend to start your own AQUA/TEAL and/or IMPROV project.  I hope that YOU will join in the scrappy fun!

NOTE:  The Color of the Month will be added when it becomes available.  Check in with Angela @ So Scrappy, if you don't see it HERE by the first Saturday of the month.

Until next time...

SEW those table scraps!!!

The Guest Blogger(s) - Vol. 29 - Cindy J. Sews Improv

Welcome to another edition of The Guest Blogger(s)!!  I've got a treat for you today.  A new quilter has joined the challenge.  I was SEW pleased when I received the following email this afternoon:

Hi Joy,
I’m Cindy J., Lee Anna’s (Not Afraid of Color) friend. I decided to do the Table Scraps challenge but am not a blogger or on Instagram so I am emailing a picture of my project for February. Thanks for hosting the challenge.

My response...

Awesome, Cindy! Thanks for joining in. If you will write a few words about your project, I will do a Guest Blogger post for you. Who it's for, intended use, your motivation, or a snippet about your process. Anything you'd like to share, really.

Is improv in your wheelhouse? What kind of quilts do you make most often?

Her reply...

This was actually my first improv quilt but I’ve been heading in that direction in my beading and embroidery pursuits. The fabric I used had been cut for another project and had been in my UFO box for years.  I decided to jump into the challenge because I’ve been intending to make more seasonal table runners and mats and sometimes a deadline is good.

Give Cindy's project some quilty love in the comments below.  I know that you enjoyed seeing her lovely IMPROV runner made right out of her UFO box.  I certainly did!  Thank you for sending a photo for the blog, Cindy.  I'm SEW pleased to post your project so that others may be inspired to try something new, too!

Link Party REMINDER...

The February 2022 TABLE SCRAPS Link Party starts on Friday, February 25th @ 12:01 AM and closes on MONDAY, February 28th @ 11:59 PM.  At this posting, you have the entire weekend to start your own AQUA/TEAL and/or IMPROV project.  I hope that YOU will join in the scrappy fun!

NOTE:  The Color of the Month will be added when it becomes available.  Check in with Angela @ So Scrappy, if you don't see it HERE by the first Saturday of the month.

Until next time...

SEW those table scraps!!!

Wonderful Wednesday - TSC22 - The Kawandi Experiment

Welcome to another edition of Wonderful Wednesday!!  The project I'm sharing today has been in the works for more than a month.  The fabric pull had been sitting of the cutting table for inspiration to strike, as a gift needed to be made for a special thank you.  Since Angela called for AQUA/TEAL as the February Color of the Month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, I was pretty excited.  So much so that I got a wild hair a few weeks ago and I've been holding out on you.  Truth be told, though, I actually laid out the design on New Year's Day:

The idea came about after seeing THIS project by Linda @ Flourishing Palms, one of MANY she has done in the kawandi style since that time.  Traditional kawandi are sewn by hand from the outside into the center.  Her India Meets Ohio series (not necessarily her name for the series, but it's how I think of them) particularly appealed to me because of their fabric source.  Her grandmother's scrap bag, if I recall correctly.

The project waited...

And it waited...

Finally, after presenting the 2022 Guild Challenge to the board at Monday (2/6) the board meeting...

I prepped the backing:

And began to sew:

As per usual, I didn't review the technique before jumping in with both feet.  There just wasn't any way (that I could see) to do the stitching in concentric rings with the sewing machine.  The piece was Kawandi-inspired, none the less:

Trying on the completed mug rug/mini quilt for size...

I like it:

Here's the flip side:

This photo shows the quilting/applique that was done:

But...

This isn't FOR me and this (solid) space was driving me crazy.

Enter a quilt consult with Needleb...

I lamented:

Seems like it needs something else... But what???

She suggested...

One of the brighter fabrics in the center?

Followed by...

Are you trying to stay traditional Kawandi?  Or would you consider something figurative added, or a little bit of bright color big stitch?

My response???

LOL!  If I was trying to keep traditional, I would have done it by hand.  I thought about looking for more of the flamingo fabric, but hadn't considered big stitch quilting.  Not a bad idea!  Just not my style!

The next day...

I ripped a scrap paper and determined what margins would fit best and filled in the rest with one BIG, loopy "A" to fill the space:

That looks SEW good, but can I quilt it???

Personalized, although not exactly curvy as I'd hoped:

Wait a minute!!!

I noticed a raw edged seam and sent the following photo to Britt:

Her response was priceless!!!

Raw edge?  Um, who cares? The piece is held in place, you just added a bit of texture!

Me: You sure?

B: If you need someone else's opinion, ask Ms. (Deborah) Boschert ;)

B: She'd agree with me.

I guess that seals it.  (We took a class with Deborah a number of years ago and she is indeed for of raw edges for added texture in her work.)

Fingers crossed!  Hoping "A" thinks it's SEW perfect for her.

You may want to check out the following links...

In preparing this post, I watched a fabulous interview with Margaret Fabrizio.  Thanks to Joe the Quilter on YouTube.  That video ended with a fascinating demonstration by Margaret on how to make a kawandi.

I also found THIS fast speed Kawandi demo, as well as some of the footage that Margaret referred to filming of the Siddi women in India.  Don't miss this fabulous exhibit video!

I'm guessing I really SHOULD have reviewed, instead of doing my own thing based on what I remember Linda doing.  Alas, that is not always how I roll and the traditional way wouldn't have lent itself to my "modernized" technique of a machine made kawandi... Simply to see IF it could be done. I approached it in a different manner than some might.  From memory.  Not from studying the technique to make my quilt authentic.  I'm OK with that.

Best of all...

This little quilt is the epitome of AQUA/TEAL for February's Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  Every single fabric scrap and thread used in this project was the Color of the Month.  I am SEW pleased to have finally brought this project to fruition.

Sharing with Kelly

for her

Needle and Thread Thursday Link Party

Until next time...

Get SCRAPPY!!!