Wonderful Wednesday. . . and the Guest Blogger(s) - Volume 1 - Jane from Australia

Welcome to a new twist on an older series of posts, Wonderful Wednesday and the Guest Blogger(s)!!  This came about as a way for non-blogging participants in the 2021 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge to be able to share their work.  I made the offer and Jane from Australia reached out to me.

Follow along the path this took...

I was checking my email last week and found this note:

Hello Joy,
I’ve been reading you for ages - I always check Rainbow Scrap Challenge and DWM even though I don’t have a blog, and I look at quite a few sites on a regular basis.
Being from Australia, I rarely join anything because of time and postage constraints, (and being blogless) but would love to join in the Table Scraps Challenge for as many months as I can.
Firstly I am checking that this email works (!) and then asking can I attach a picture of my entry to send to you each (any) month I complete the challenge?
With thanks,
Jane

My response to Jane, which I extend to any of my non-blogging friends who wish to participate in the Table Scraps Link Party:

Welcome to the challenge, Jane! Please feel free to send along a photo of your entry. Tell the story of your project and I'll featured it in a post the weekend after the current month's link party.

Happy Quilting!

Joy

Here is Jane's story about her January TABLE SCRAPS Challenge entry:

Hi Joy, 

Hopefully attached are pics of my Table Scraps for January. I sewed a lot of squares with circles for days of the year- very late starting something I saw on the web somewhere. For “special” days I used something to represent the meaning of the day, others were just fabrics I liked, obviously all blue.

Each row has a “special“ block, blue lines drawn on pic to show rows. The closeups show -New Years Day (fireworks in the sky), Australia Day (think 4 July), our son’s first real home purchase and our granddaughter’s first day at school. The other closeup shows my hubby’s birthday (road signs) and Anzac Day (think Veteran’s Day) - Slouch Hat added.

Table Scraps has nudged me into using some of the blocks (didn’t want another quilt) and my sister now wants one too. Luckily I have enough blocks.

Thanks for the Challenge Joy, and also for the help in entering.

Jane

One last email when I realize the error of my original plan...

Love it, Jane!! I will post this on my blog sometime this week. I had originally thought next week, but that doesn't get you in the Link Party (THIS weekend). Thanks for sharing your work. so that I may share it with others.

Enjoy your beautiful runner (and now I want to make one like it!)

Joy

Share the quilty love for Jane's project in the comments below.  I know you enjoyed seeing her table runner as much as I did!  Thank you for sharing, Jane.  Readers, if YOU have a Table Scraps project to share, but no blog to share it on, drop me an email.

A note to all others...

For your convenience, January's TABLE SCRAPS Link Party will be open from 12:01 AM on Friday, January 29th - 11:59 PM on Sunday, January 31 (EST).  I'm SEW looking forward to seeing what everyone has made with their "table scraps."  Please join us the LAST WEEKEND of each month for the Link-up.

Until next time...

Quilt to COVER (those tables!!!)

(Not so) Mini Monday - SAHRR - Round 1

Welcome to (Not so) Mini Monday!!  I signed up for the Stay At Home Round Robin (SAHRR) last week. It turned out to be a rather busy week for me.  Alas, that means...

... I'm lagging one round behind the other participants.  :o((

I started off with this (partial) block:

Is it 21.5 wide x 7" tall or 7" wide by 21.5" tall, Joyful???

I haven't decided yet, but I did pull a coordinating scrap bag...

... In order to do a quick mock-up of piano keys.  That was BEFORE burning my finger while cooking dinner tonight:

Nothing more was accomplished, as burn cream and fabric don't mix very well.  I'm hoping to catch up in the next few days.  Feel free to add suggestions for me in the comments below. Something feels a bit "off", but I haven't been able to figure out what might help.

Just so you know, completing the star is NOT an option.

Until next time...

Stay home and SEW!!!

Project QUILTING - Season 12 - Challenge 2

Fussy Cut

Welcome to Challenge 2!!  And... Welcome to the wonderful world of Project QUILTING hosted by Kim Lapacek @ Persimon Dreams!!  This is my 2nd year of participation in the Challenge.  Trish Frankland @ QuiltChicken is the creator of the crazy challenges that participants will face during the next 12 weeks.

Sassy @ Farm Quilter got me started at the beginning of Season 11 by inviting her readers to join in the fun.  Will you come alongside me in this creative journey?  It's a wild ride, but oh SEW rewarding!  I'm dragging my friend LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color along this season.  She ROCKED the first challenge!  You can see it HERE.

Challenges are given and start to finish you have ONE WEEK to complete your project.  PQ 12.2 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:

The term “fussy cut” means “to target and cut in order to feature a specific motif.” In quilting, we use the term to describe the situation when you selectively use parts of a fabric’s design in a block or swatch to enhanced effect.

It’s a fun way to highlighting a favorite character in a kid quilt. You see it where a special fabric is used in the center of a pieced block. Also, it’s used to amazing effect in English paper piecing projects.

This week, I’m asking you to give that a try. Fussy cut some beloved fabrics and feature the best parts!

Check out this awesome post at Quilting Daily with the Top Ten Fussy Cutting Tips.

Step Two...

Whine and cry, while lamenting that I can't think of what to do.  (Maybe not SEW helpful!)  Then I followed the link Trish provided, once I reread the rules for this challenge.  This calmed me down a bit.

Why, Joyful???

Well, I just happen to have a HUGE stack of novelty prints:

I had hoped to play with them some weeks ago.  I even have a glimmer of an idea about what I want to do with them.  Let's hope they want to be fussy cut!

Step Three...

Gather supplies:

Step Four...

Review the rules:

Rule 1:

Some part of your project must be fussy cut.

Rule 2:

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 17, 2021, and posted by noon Central January 24, 2021.

Rule 3:

Each piece must stand alone as DONE to count toward prizes.

Rule 4:

Your project does not need to be a traditional quilt, but must meet at least one of these requirements: include patchwork, include appliqué, have 3 layers stitched together by hand or machine.

Rule 5:

Incomplete or unfinished does not qualify. Every challenge piece must be a FINISHED project seen through from INCEPTION to COMPLETION during the challenge timeline.

Rule 6:

To qualify to win prizes, link up at the bottom of THIS PAGE by Sunday, January 24th at noon CST (here’s a link to time zone converter to calculate for Central Standard Time: www.thetimezoneconverter.com)

• Add to the linky the URL of your project’s blog post, public instagram picture, or public facebook posting.  This post – How to Link Up a Link Up may help  you.
• Alternately, by 11am on Sunday, January 24 you may email a picture and description to {lapaceksorchard@gmail.com} with PROJECT QUILTING in the subject line. Yes – that deadline is one hour earlier because it requires more work for Kim.

Step Five... PLAY!!!

My inspiration was (yet again) January's Scrappy Nine Patch Challenge and the cover of this book:

I still thought I might like to make a "twofer" quilt.  I have visions of a quilt big enough to suit that challenge, but using the parameters required for this one.

Here is an in-depth look at the construction process...

(Scroll down to the bottom of the post NOW, if you don't have time to basically watch me make my quilt.)

I started again with a completely different stack of scraps:

Here is the fabric...

... Which I decided to use for my fussy cutting:

I played with the layout to determine the best one:

At the same time, I tested some border options:

Ultimately...

I ended up with this quilt top:

Then I went a step further...

... And worked on a fussy cut backing, as well:

A bit of minimal quilting came next...

What will you do for the binding, Joyful???

With 2 days remaining until the deadline, I decided on a POP! of red:

With little more than 3 hours left until the 12 noon (Central time) deadline, I present my completed entry for PQ 12.2, displayed on the Gallery Wire in my studio:

The front:

And this is the back:

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

... And this time, it was because I felt obligated, since I had dragged LeeAnna into it.  It wouldn't be right to abandon her only one challenge in!

There you have it...

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

Follow THIS LINK to the Season 12 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 long after the prompt was announce but was finished with days until the deadline (yet I waiting until the last minute to release my post.)

Sharing with Cynthia

for

Oh Scrap!

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.)

Sew Some Love Sunday - LWR - Eight is GREAT!!!

Welcome to another edition of Sew Some Love!!!  Today, I'm here to report the latest quilt finish for the Lutheran World Relief Mission Quilt Drive here at The Joyful Quilter.

This one was a real team effort...

Nann @ With Strings Attached donated the fabric.

Joy assembled the squares into a quilt kit:

Candy selected this packet of squares...

... And pieced this quilt top:

Suzanne in Alaska provided the backing:

Britt took the top and backing and did the quilting:

Nann provided the binding fabric:

Britt bound the quilt with the fabric that I dropped off...

... And delivered it here when she was done:

Here is LWR Mission Quilt Number Eight...

The front:

And the back:

Thank you to all who participated in the making of this quilt!  Many hands make light work.

Until next time...

Sew some love!!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC21 - Week 4

Welcome to Week 4 of the 2021 Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!!  Our hostess, Angela @ So Scrappy, is expecting the RSC Quilters to sew with our PINK fabric scraps this month.  I may or may not have been thrilled with this selection, but I will comply.

SUNDAY - Trish @ Quilt Chicken released the PQ12.2 challenge prompt over on Persimon Dreams.  I am feeling clueless as to how to approach it.  :o((

MONDAY - I got a slow start to the day, but released a new Mini Monday post before Needleb stopped by at noon to do a quilt swap:

She traded a completed LWR quilt for the batting and backing needed to complete her next one.  More on these items at a later date.

After lunch, I made my Hashtag block for Angela's RSC21 Sampler:

And consulted with Preeti on fabric options for my Picket Star block in PINK:

Later...

I loaded the next quilt on the longarm:

TUESDAY - Another quilt swap with Carol:

And...

Zooming with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color:

After dinner...

I got started on Nancy's quilt:

WEDNESDAY - Yippee!!  It was grocery processing day.  To counterbalance that nastiness, it was Inauguration Day here in the US.  Momentous in that our nation's FIRST female Vice President was sworn in.  It was also the day that I finally got a start on my PQ12.2 challenge entry.

Fish to Fussy Cut:

THURSDAY - ZoomBEE...

... Was followed by DH and I driving around the neighborhood trying to decide on the color for our new roof.  Ugh!  We have a hard enough time deciding on a paint color.  A roof is WAY more permanent (since you can always just repaint, if you don't like the wall color as much as you thought you might!)

During an impromptu Zoom call with LeeAnna...

I worked on loading the next quilt on the longarm, but neglected to get a photo of it.  The bright quilt was on and off the rails in no time:

FRIDAY - ZoomKNIT...

... Was followed by a quilt pick-up of the blue one below:

That quilt pick-up was followed by a little bit of this...

... And a little bit of that, along with a new Design Floor Friday post:

SATURDAY - It's LINK PARTY day for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, already?!?!  At least, I had a (TINY) bit of PINK to share during the week.  Once I visit my RSC Quilter friends, I'm going to make a judgement call and decide on a binding from among the following PINK options:

Until next time...

Get SCRAPPY!!!