March 2025 - TABLE SCRAPS Challenge - Link Party

Welcome to the MARCH 2025 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.  Participants from around the corner, across the country and around the world have been having SEW much fun and we all have MORE scraps to use, so I am pleased to offer the...

In 2025, we have a broad range of quilted items that are appropriate for linking to the Challenge.  Baskets and bins, along with pillows and pin cushions, are all qualifying projects.  Not just the toppers, runners, and mug rugs.  Basically, ANY 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 the following 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 2025 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge page at the top of the blog.

The theme for March was:

SONG LYRICS/SONG TITLE/POETRY

ProjectQUILTING season ended on Sunday...

That means that I didn't have a moment to think about my project until the final challenge was complete.  No worries, though!  Inspiration struck a week and a half ago during an art session, if you can believe it.  I was inspired by this journal entry:

I was so excited that I got right to work...

On a background using the same paints on fabric when Curiosity Collective was done:

Yes, those are art supplies.  Why do you ask???

I used my smallest gel plate and a brayer to create the following background for my entry:

I worked on the scene during Friday's Get Messy Open Studio time:

A swing set?!  What's THAT about???

I wasn't sure where I was going with this, but then I recalled a recent journal spread that began with a similar landscape.  I added a seesaw to that one so that it met the BALANCE prompt for Day 14 of Junk Journal January.

What song have you chosen, Joyful???

Somehow, I found myself reaching back to grade school days.  The lyrics to the song, Sing, by The Carpenters brought memories flooding back to me of the song being sung at the top of our lungs during recess in 3rd grade.  The year was 1973.

How did we even know the song???

It was just released that year.  Susannah's big sister must have heard it on the radio and bought the record at our local Kmart.  That was the only place to buy music in our small town.

Enough of a walk down memory lane, let's get on with the construction.  I didn't mean to make another addition to my Words and Phrases Series...

But the theme insisted on it so I added some "chalkboard lines" to insure somewhat straight lines of song lyrics, but would I pen and ink write the words to the song?  What do YOU think?!

The next step in my process was stitching out a sample of my phrase...

Which was quickly followed by the real deal:

Once the threads were trimmed and the binding was selected, I found a way to add a few YELLOW scraps for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and set to finishing the quilt....

Here is my completed March 2025 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge quilt...

On my cutting mat, immediately after it was finished:

Then there was the traditional front porch swing photo:

These are a few closeups for you...

The quilted words:

And the artists - The Carpenters, 1973:

What's next, Joyful???

I'm guessing that Angela will announce the Color of the Month for March on her Rainbow Scrap Challenge post tomorrow.  I'll post an update as soon as she has made her choice:

TEAL

April's theme is:

RAIN

NOTE:  I realize it might be an odd prompt for a quilt, but there are so many directions it can be taken.  I'm looking forward to seeing what you are inspired to create!  While I look forward to seeing what you might make using the prompt, you are NOT required to use the suggested theme!!  The main goal is using up some of your scraps.  I have to say, I don't have a clue what I'm going to do yet!

And now...

It's time for YOU to link up your SONG LYRICS/SONG TITLE/POETRY and/or YELLOW project in the LINK PARTY below.  All entries MUST be submitted by Wednesday, April 2nd @ 11:59PM (EST).

Until next time...

USE those table scraps!!!

#tablescrapschallenge2025