Sunday, January 8, 2023

Project QUILTING - Season 14.1 - The First One

The First One


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 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.  I accepted her invitation and the rest is history.  As I have for the past two years, 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?  


BEWARE:  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 14.1 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:

PQ14.1 The First One

Let’s revel in the “firstness” of January 1 for this week’s challenge theme and look at the number one.
  • Number one could be the winner. The “first” to reach a summit or achieve a position.
  • But sometimes one is the loneliest number; a single with no one around.
  • And sometimes it’s just math. In any event, let’s carry the one this week!




Step Two...

Put on my thinking cap to come up with an idea that meets the challenge.

Why, Joyful???

It's an obscure prompt.  I had NO IDEA where to go with it.

Step Three...

Gather supplies:


I reached for my Dark/Bright BLUE Quilted Scrap Basket, as Angela from the Rainbow Scrap Challenge called that for January's Color of the Month.

Tutorial for these baskets can be found HERE.


Step Four...

Review the rules:

RULE ONE: Your project this week must somehow use the theme of “one.”

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 1, 2022, and posted by noon Central Time January 8, 2022.

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


Step Five... Any ideas?

1. A quilt to serve as a backdrop for my 1st Place quilt show ribbon.

2. A new quilt for my Words and Phrases series.


Step Six...PLAY!!!

I needed a background, so I dug into these scrap baskets:


Here is a bit 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 came up with this background:



OK, but what are you going to DO with that, Joyful???
 
That's a good question.  Just wait!  With 4 days remaining until the deadline, I was ready to layer (with a batting off-cut) and quilt this background:


Then, as the clock ticked down...

The applying and stitching down of the binding was all that remained:


With little more than 36 hours until the deadline, I present my completed entry for PQ 14.1:


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

... And this time, it was because I gave away my bulletin board over the summer.  Say what?!  That might sound like a strange reason to participate in a challenge.  But with my bulletin board gone, I didn't have a way to display something important to me.  While I could have simply attached my ONE 1st Place ribbon (circa 2010) onto my gallery wire, I thought it might be more fun to have a little quilt to display it against:


There you have it...

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

Follow THIS LINK to the Season 14 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. I'm pleased to have joined the Link Party with 4 hours remaining until the deadline.  Yay, me!  :o))

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 36 hours until the deadline.  Even so, I will link up with only a few hours to spare.  (I just couldn't stay up until midnight in order to join earlier.)

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.)

Saturday, January 7, 2023

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC23 - Week 1

Welcome to Week 1 of the 2023 Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  This week, our hostess Angela gave us January's Color of the Month...

Dark/Bright BLUE

Well, I've been sewing with my blue scraps for Carla's upcoming Shades of Blue Challenge ( Blog Hop ) and haven't stopped, yet!  Let's see if any more creeped into this week's work...


Happy New Year!!!  I started the New Year with my weekly Zoom call to Knittingsuek:


After our call, I had some lunch and went back up to the studio for some inspiration:


As part of the 2023 Declutter Challenge with Karen of Just Get It Done Quilts, I also did a little clean-up of the scraps from my December TABLE SCRAPS Challenge entry:


Did a fun spread in my 5-Minute Art Challenge journal...


... And prepared the cover of my Junk Journal January magazine journal:


MONDAY
- Fall 2022 (Ravelry) UFO Club - The Results

Today, I did a whole lot of NOTHING, as last night I tested positive for what I'm guessing is a case of Rebound Covid.  It is a bit more bothersome than when I had Covid three weeks ago.  This time, I was stuck in bed watching videos and napping all day.  :o((

Amy Maricle from Mindful Art Studio has a new FREE workshop coming up.  Botanical Book Binding along with Ali Manning of Vintage Page Designs.  The photo below shows one of Amy's decorated pages:


TUESDAY
- It was another stay-in-bed kind of day.  I didn't mind being surrounded by some of my favorite quilts, but I did drag myself upstairs to the studio for my journals and a set of markers.  The spread you see below was added to my 5 Minute Art Challenge journal for the POSTAGE prompt:


WEDNESDAY - I was feeling a little better so I called to schedule...

A Zoom call with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color:


As we chatted, I glued in the components for the journal spread shown here:

The prompt was RED.  The background image came from my 2022 studio calendar.

Once we finished our call, I got busy piecing a background for this week's Project QUILTING challenge:


After dinner, I joined a Zoom call.  Sending out a BIG thank you to Nann @ With Strings Attached who invited me to be her guest at the Northern Lake Counties Quilters Guild (Illinois) meeting for a (virtual) presentation by Elizabeth DeCroos of Epida Studio.  

Participants listened raptly...


 As Elizabeth spoke about her time in Korea...


And shared a myriad of pojagi.  I thought the rainbow window (and door) hangings below would be of particular interest to my RSC Quilter friends:


THURSDAY - I overdid it yesterday and spent today resting in bed and watching a few videos, including these Bonus Lessons from Get Messy Art:

Claudette Tags It...


And Char Tags It...


Both provide a sampling of the following class:



Knit group did a ZoomKNIT, but I wasn't up and functioning early enough to join them.  :o((

Eventually, I got out of bed, showered, dressed, and went up to the studio.  The first thing I did was create the following journal spread for the prompt ROUTINE:


While waiting for dinner to arrive, I quilted the background that I assembled earlier in the week:

BLUE binding.  Perhaps, not SEW dark or bright, but I didn't have the shade I wanted.

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.  The good news is that I tested NEGATIVE for Covid last night!  I may be able to resume regularly scheduled activities (such as work!) next week.

Check back tomorrow to see what I did for the PQ 14.1 Challenge.

Until next time...
Get SCRAPPY!!

Friday, January 6, 2023

Winter 2023 (Ravelry) UFO Club - The List

Welcome back to The Joyful Quilter!!  The Winter 2023 (Ravelry) UFO Club is now OPEN for sign-ups!!  Participants MUST list (at least) FIVE quilt projects. Photos should accompany the list. Sign-ups end at midnight EST on January 7, 2023.


NOTE: All qualifying finishes must be posted BEFORE midnight (EST) on March 31, 2023!!!

What's your game plan, Joyful???

Given the "at least FIVE" project requirement for participation, I tend to err on the side MORE is better because I tend to be a moody quilter.  That means I have to "be in the mood" to work on a particular project!  By varying the size and style of the items included on my list, I give myself options.  Having choices increase the chances of finding projects that I want to work on during the quarter.

Here is my project list for the WINTER 2023 (Ravelry) UFO Club:
1. Blue and Green for Parrish (2016)
2. Panel Twin #1

3. Panel Twin #2

4. Snowflake Blues (2019)


5. Bright Eyes (Faces Workshop 2021)
6. Noah's Grad Quilt (2020)


7. Stay at Home ROW Robin (2021)

8. Rainbow Picnic (2017)

9. Kaffe Runner/Topper (2022)


10. Valentine SAHRR Hearts (2022)  2/14/23  DONE!!!


11. Maggie's PURPLE Runner (2022)

12. QFK Challenge (2022)


13. Batik Skinny Runner (2022 on Right)


SEW...

I added a few extra selections this quarter and have 13 projects listed for the Winter 2023 UFO Club which gives me PLENTY of options from which to choose.  My goal is actually only ONE finish for the quarter.  More than that is a bonus!
Remember...
There's still time for YOU to join in the finishing fun!  Sign-ups are open through Saturday, January 7th @ midnight (EST), so head over to the Quilters Knitting group on Ravelry today.  Email if you need help with the process.
Until next time...
Wish me luck!!

Monday, January 2, 2023

Fall 2022 (Ravelry) UFO Club - The Results

Welcome to The Joyful Quilter!!  I'm here to report on the results of the Fall 2022 (Ravelry) UFO Club.  Hold onto your hats, people, as this quarter was record-breaking!

The FALL 2022 UFO Club is now CLOSED!! Participants MUST have listed (at least) FIVE projects. Photos should have accompanied the list. Sign-ups ended at midnight EDT on October 7, 2022.

NOTE: All qualifying finishes must have been posted BEFORE midnight EST on December 31, 2022!!!

Membership (28):

Send (0):

No Send (28):
monicarose51: 2 completed projects
sheepless
djaquilter: 1 completed project
fairfaxknitter: 4 completed projects
BethCtoo
gathersnomoss: 2 completed projects
basketcase9702: 5 completed projects
MorganLaFey
jrnylst: 2 completed projects
needleb: 1 completed project
CascadeKnitter
tjsayers: 5 completed projects
dzirin
montricot
robobeagle: 3 completed projects
mstffmom
peregrineknit: 2 completed projects
mehitabel: 11 completed projects
sk2p: 4 completed projects
amalberti: 1 completed project
Larushka: 1 completed project
siberspinner: 2 completed projects
BillieX3: 6 completed projects
mairG: 4 completed projects
Circes
doris7264: 1 completed project
orooni: 1 completed project
FrostyBrooks (was Kat872): 2 completed projects
CorgiNole

Session Totals: 20 quilters have completed 60 projects!!!

Congratulations to ALL of our finishers and THANK YOU to all of our participants. YOU make this Club a success!  Twenty (20) quilters completed SIXTY (60) projects surpassing our all time record by SIX (6) UFOs.

Our Rock Star for this term was Mehitabel who finished ELEVEN (11) projects from her UFO List!! Jrnylst earned the title of Queen of the Last Minute for the quarter by submitting her two finishes not long before the midnight deadline. Cconratulations, you two!


Thanks to a late-October Quilt Retreat, I contributed the following finishes to the session totals:

1. PositivityQAL/Block Drive #1 (2021)  DONE!!!  11/6/22

2. PositivityQAL/Block Drive #3 (2021 only PURPLE)  DONE!! 10/26/22

3. PositivityQAL/Block Drive #2 (2021 with GREEN)  DONE!! 10/25/22

4. Grand Illusion (2014)  DONE!! 10/24/22!!!


5. Pale Blue & Green Topper (2022) DONE!! 10/22/22!!!


NOTE...

The quilts above are shown in the order they appeared on my UFO List.

The BEST news...

... Is that those donation quilts have been sent on their way to Mercy Hospital to do their good work!!  I didn't piece any of these quilts.  Maggie was the mastermind behind each amazing setting, as well as the sister-quilt that went ahead to pave the way.  Thank you again to the members of the Quilters Knitting group on Ravelry, and friends of The Joyful Quilter, for contributing to this worthy cause!  Thanks also to Stacy @ Over the Moon Quilts for beautiful quilting on the green and purple ones (along with my Grand Illusions quilt.)
REMINDER...

The Winter 2023 (Ravelry) UFO Club is OPEN for sign-ups HERE.  YOU are invited join in the finishing fun. Sign-ups will close at Midnight (EDT) on Saturday, January, 7th!  

Until next time...
Mark another UFO off the list!!!

Sunday, January 1, 2023

RSC23 - The Plan - {Rainbow Scrap Challenge}

 

Happy New Year!!!


Welcome to my planning post for the 2023 Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  Welcome to a new year.  Welcome to another year of using my scraps down to the very last inch.  It may take a lifetime, but it is SEW much fun!! With that goal in mind, I am beginning my 9th year of participation in the RSC.  Angela hosts this colorful monthly event to encourage us to sew up ALL of our fabric scraps, one color at a time, by assigning each month a color of the rainbow.


What's on your project list for the coming year, Joyful???


Last year I followed along with Rachel @ Stitched in Color for her Pas De Deux BOM.  Registration opened Monday, January 3, 2022 with a SALE and I signed up for my 1st paid BOM ever! Something just clicked for me when I read the words "scrap-friendly and skill-building" in Rachel's newsletter post describing the BOM.


SEW...


My focus was just ONE project for RSC22:

That was to simply color in my planning sheet for the QAL and if that was all I could manage, that was totally fine.


However, as I sewed for the 2022 TABLE SCRAP Challenge...


I kept Angela's RSC Color of the Month prompts to create a small quilted project for the 2022 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge here on The Joyful Quilter as a way to use some of my fabric scraps during the last 12 months.




NOTE:  Click THIS LINK to read about this year's Challenge!


What's the plan for this year, Joyful???

During 2023, I  plan to focus on the ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge in Angela's RSC Color of the Month.  YOU are welcome to join me!  Click on the LINK to find out more about this year's Challenge.  Everything else will be secondary (and I'm not going to beat myself up about it.)

If time allows...

I would like to revive my Scrap Jar Star project from RSC17 (?!) for a "block-along" with my friend Chantal @ At the Corner of Scraps and Quilts for the quilt that I'm working towards.  "Cover Wars" can leave a body out in the cold.  As a result, a king sized quilt will be required.  I have a 21-block head start toward that goal:


If I'm feeling REALLY ambitious...

I would like to make the BOM blocks from last year, but I will continue to focus on my TABLE SCRAPS Challenge entries in the RSC Color of the Month.  

Beyond that...

Preeti's Picket Star blocks (shown below) were neglected in 2022.  If I can lay my hands on the collection of fabrics that were gathered in 2021, I will make enough blocks to finish up a small donation quilt:


Here's hoping the 2023 Rainbow Scrap Challenge 
will provide me with yet another opportunity to complete some additional blocks.


Let's take a look back to 2022 in Joyful Quilterland...


Since we KNOW that I didn't make blocks, just what DID I do with my quilting time???

I worked toward getting my studio back up and running.  While NOT engaged in that activity (or art-ing), I worked on sewing small scraps for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  The studio is fully functional, but in 2023 it needs additional storage solutions in order to be MORE organized.  Some decluttering probably needs to happen, as well.

Those scraps made the following:

9  Mug Rugs
1 Table Runner
1  Placemat
2 Pin Cushions
Table Toppers
7 Mini Quilts
2 Wall Hangings
1 Lap Quilt
2 Other Quilted Items

For a total of...

Twenty-one (21) scrappy projects that I completed as part of the 2022 Rainbow Scrap Challenge (in conjunction with my own TABLE SCRAP Challenge offered here on the blog.)

You can see all of these in my 2022 Year in Review post.  I did my best to sew with the assigned Color of the Month throughout the calendar year.  These small scrappy projects kept me grounded while I worked (sporadically) to get my "new" studio back in order!!!

Aside from my scrap usage...

I also completed TEN (10) UFOs over the course of the year.  My list changed each quarter and I didn't stress which items were (or weren't) completed.  I had 2 "client quilts" to keeping me busy once the longarm was (finally) up and running.  I managed to keep the number of chasing "squirrels" to a minimum (and maximized my time at Quilt Retreat) so progress on the UFO List was much improved.

In spite being slow to "right" the studio in 2022, it was still quite a productive year for my Rainbow Scrap Challenge endeavors.  Wish me luck for a productive 2023!

A new LINK PARTY will be posted on each Saturday of the year.

Until next time...
SCRAPPY New Year!!!