2023 Rainbow Scrap Challenge - Year in Review

Welcome to the 2023 Rainbow Scrap Challenge - The Year in Review edition from The Joyful Quilter!!

It's the final day of the year and this is where I break my RSC progress down to a monthly review of scrap use.  If you saw my 2022 Year in Review post, you might know what comes next.

I would like to start off by thanking Angela for her continued offering of the RSC by hosting the 2023 Rainbow Scrap Challenge this year, even though she was super busy at work.

I'm sharing this post

with

Angela @ So Scrappy

Now, let's take a look at my Rainbow Scrap Challenge progress for the year...


JANUARY - Dark/Bright BLUE

(Thanks to Chantal's nagging) I finished January's BLUE Scrap Jar Star block for our Sew-Along:

Then there was the little quilt made for PQ 14.1 to display my ONE 1st Place ribbon (circa 2010) on the gallery wire:

AND...

My entry for the January edition of the 2023 ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge:

AND...

I also submitted this mini runner:

Along with this gallery wire mini for the "Sew - It, Show - It" Challenge: Shades of Blue (Blog Hop) with Carla @ Creatin' in the Sticks:

What turned out as a transition project between BLUE and Pink months, I made this entry for PQ 14.2 with a sweet blue floral binding:

FEBRUARY - PINK

I made a PINK scrappy House block (inspired by Preeti @ Sew Preeti Quilts).  A project on the back burner for WAY TOO LONG:

Along with sewing together the 16-Patch portion of my Scrap Jar Star in PINK:

This Improv PINK entry for PQ 14.3...

And my February 2023 ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge entry that I dreamed up:

I also completed a Valentine UFO, my 2022 Stay at Home Round Robin project:

MARCH - GREEN

I made this pin cushion and presented it to Knittingsuek...

And made the tetrahedron pin cushion for myself during GREEN month:

I also made another block for my Scrap Jar Star SAL with Chantal:

I completed a UFO table runner (that came in a scrap bag from my friend Maggie some time ago) for March's TABLE SCRAPS Challenge:

Plus...

I participated in another "Sew - It, Show - It" Challenge.  This time the theme was Little Green Apples:

And this adorable Shamrock mug rug:

Along with my completed entry for PQ 14.6:

Welcome to the Neighborhood, 10" x 20.5"

APRIL - PURPLE

I abandoned my Scrap Jar Star sew-along in favor of an Improv Birdhouse block to share at Quilt Guild for our Neighborhood Challenge:

For this month's ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge entry, I made this mug rug for my friend Paulette @ The Way I Sew It and she shared the following photo with me since she has already put the mug rug to work at her desk:

MAY - ORANGE

This month, I was away for 2 week, but managed to use tiny slivers of scraps to make this little house to add to the random neighborhood quilt I'm making for this year's Guild Challenge:

AND...

I had an interesting idea for this month's ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge entry:

The pin cushion shown above, has a surprise on the flip side... It's a clip holder:

JUNE - Light GREEN or Blue

I did something a bit different with my Light GREEN and Light BLUE scraps.  I made this patchwork journal cover for an upcoming journal project:

My ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge entry for June:

JULY - RED

I finished up this RED block for my Scrap Jar Star quilt for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge:

And this month's ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge entry was this fun mug rug:

AUGUST - YELLOW

I used a handful of YELLOW scraps to make this small Quilted Scrap Basket:

AND...

This little Art Mark pin cushion:

Here is August's ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge entry hanging on my gallery wire:

SEPTEMBER - AQUA

This improv block was made with the few AQUA/teal/turquoise scraps remaining in my basket.  It was made to share with members of my Quilt Guild:

AND...

I completed this gift UFO for my friend Tracy:

For my ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge entry, I made this darling Pear for the gallery wire in my studio:

OCTOBER - Light NEUTRAL

Between packing for a retreat, being away for a week, and working, I only managed this QT quilt from sample blocks made during a class with Brenda Gael Smith.  It's my ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge entry, shown hanging on the gallery wire in my studio:

NOVEMBER - Assembly of Blocks

For the purposes of the ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge, I made an executive decision and called for Dark NEUTRALS.  This is what I made:

I used 90 HSTs in this 8.25" x 5.25" quilt!!

DECEMBER - Finishing and Quilting

For my final entry for the ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge, I called for RAINBOW and here is what I made...

Last year:

And another rainbow project to end this year:

It turned out ~9.25" x 6.25"

As you saw above, I sewed with the Color of the Month.  EVERY month and in ALL the things!  My RSC productivity was respectable, thanks in part to the 2023 ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge projects which were done in the RSC Color of the Month throughout the year.  I am enjoying pairing my participation in the two challenges while continuing to focus on sewing through Mt. Scrapmore!!

Speaking of the TABLE SCRAPS Challenge...

I'm SEW glad that Judy @ Busy Hands are Happy Hands, Deb @  Happy to be Scrappy and LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color encouraged me to offer it again in conjunction with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2023!  Next year, I am offering another updated version.  I hope YOU will play along, too!

Are YOU up for a TABLE SCRAPS Challenge???

Check out THIS POST to find out the particulars for 2024.  Visit last Friday's POST to discover what's in store for the January prompt.

Until next time...

Quilt SO scrappy!!! 

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC23 - Week 52

Welcome to Week 52 of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  This week is the final of Angela's challenge for the year.  Only one day remains in 2023.  My RSC year didn't pan out the way I planned, but I still got a LOT of scrap sewing done and I really appreciate the encouragement of the participants!

Here's how this week progressed...

SUNDAY - Zoom, Zoom, Zoom

The day started with a Zoom session with my artsy friends at Get Messy.  I worked on this winter-themed pocket page in one of my journals to preserve the adorable bag that DS2 brought home from work yesterday:

After lunch and a trip to the grocery store, I enjoyed my weekly Zoom with Knittingsuek:

MONDAY - Merry Christmas to all of you who celebrate!  It was a low-key affair at our house.  We cooked a Christmas Beast, had some cheese and crackers, and opened some gifts.  When all that was done, we ate some dessert and the day was done.

TUESDAY - Tidy Up Tuesday - A Gift for You

Back to work...  The 3-day weekend went by WAY too fast!!

I neglected to show you the gorgeous card I got from Linda @ Art in Search:

I feel SEW honored to be on her Christmas list and sincerely appreciate the works of art she shares.  Thank you SEW very much, Linda!!

WEDNESDAY - Best of 2023

Work

Zoom with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color has been postponed, as I was scheduled to work until 6PM again this week.  :o((

But...

Look at the special surprise that I got in the mail from her today:

Thank you for the beautiful personalized artwork, LeeAnna!!!

THURSDAY - Work was followed by more of a residual sunset than last week even though it was still late when I was leaving:

Then I was off to my Monthly Evening Quilt Bee:

Britt and I exchanged junk journals...

I feel like I'm the one who made out on the deal!

FRIDAY - ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge - Check out the link to see what Knittingsuek got last night.

Work and I got to leave BEFORE 6PM!!!  :o))

I've got MORE good news...

I hit the grocery store MUCH earlier than planned and managed to meet up with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color for a late afternoon Zoom session:

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 the RSC Quilters have been up to this week.  I played with a rainbow of scraps this week - well, technically last weekend:

Check out yesterday's entry to see what I did with them.  Please note, if any portion of this post seems incomplete, it's probably because I ran out of time before needing to leave for today's Mini Retreat.  My apologies, if that's the case.  I just didn't want to miss linking up.

Thank you, Angela, for THE BEST Link Party on the internet!!!

I also did a bit of rainbow art this week:

Until next time...

Get SCRAPPY!!

December 2023 - ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge - Link Party

Welcome to the December 2023 edition of the ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge here at the Joyful Quilter!!  Thanks for stopping by the Link Party to see what participants have made this month. I am having a hard time believing that this is the final challenge of the year.  I host this event in conjunction with Angela's (RSC) Rainbow Scrap Challenge @ So Scrappy.  It's been SEW much fun to offer the...

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

Since basically ANY small quilted item qualifies for this challenge, I scrounge through my scrap basket to see what I can come up with.  

Each month I offer a prompt to help get your creative juices flowing.  While you are NOT required to use it in your project, the guiding letters are revealed at the end of each month's LINK PARTY post.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the next month'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 2023 ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge page at the top of the blog.

December's letters were:

S, H, and/or E

I wanted to come up with a design that includes all three letters, as well as the (self-professed) Rainbow Scrap Challenge Color of the Month.  I designated December's color as RAINBOW.  There are always a multitude of those in my scrap baskets.  I considered using the Dark Multi that was in the running for last month:

I began without a plan, but as I thought about what I might do and looked around at some of my other rainbow projects...

Like this mini table runner:

And this mug rug:

I had a glimmer of an idea.  There has been a project on my list for quite a while, but I haven't managed to work it into my schedule.  This gift from my friend Carol sealed the deal:

I went stash diving for the fabrics I would need:

I drew up the design:

Stitched it together and pinned it for quilting:

Soon enough the quilting was done...

And...

It was time to select a fabric to represent the sun:

Which one would YOU use???

For me, that was a "phone a friend" selection process.  Thanks, Britt!

We'll get back to that, but let's fast forward to the binding stage...

This fun fabric presented itself.  I used this print recently and thought it might be perfect for the binding.  If my memory serves me correctly, I believe this was a gift from Mari @ The Academic Quilter:

Then came the question of backing...

I usually like to use something that "feels right" for the project, but this time, I went with something that was in the bin of multicolored scraps.  It was colorful and the right size.  I layered it up and moved on to the quilting... Even if it didn't include ALL the colors!  Diane's scraps (At least, I think that's where it came from.) for the WIN:

I can't believe I finished this before Christmas...

I'm pleased to present my completed ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge entry for December, shown below on the cutting table in my studio:

It turned out ~9.25" x 6.25"

How does the quilt fit this month's theme, Joyful???

Like this:

SHE = I stenciled the word with my fine tp POSCA pen.

Rainbow = I used a rainbow of scraps for my new RAINBOW themed gallery wire mini.

What's next, Joyful???

As the year draws to a close, I am thinking about how to play out the 2024 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge.  Follow the link to find out what I decided.  I certainly am hoping that Angela will be continuing her Rainbow Scrap Challenge!  I have enjoyed combining her Color of the Month with our Challenge.

I'll add the color here, once Angela has announced it:

Dark and/or Bright GREEN 

January's theme is:

SNOWFLAKE(S)

NOTE:  I'm excited to see what YOU are inspired to create, but remember, you are NOT required to use the suggested theme!!  I'm not sure what I will make, but I'm sure I'll figure something out before the end of the January!

And now...

It's time for YOU to link up your S,H, and/or E projects in the LINK PARTY below.  All entries MUST be submitted by Wednesday, January 3rd @ 11:59PM (EST).  I've given you extra time since the Link Party fell right between two major holidays!  I hope that will help you finish an entry... or at least start one.  :o))

Until next time...

USE those table scraps!!!

#ABCtableSCRAPSchallenge2023

#tablescrapschallenge2023

SURPRISE!!!

This was given to my good friend Knittingsuek at Evening Quilt Bee on Thursday night and she was beyond thrilled with her new "Joyful original" quilt:

Sharing with Cynthia

for

Oh, Scrap!