Sew Sunshine

I think my goal should be to bite the bullet and get this quilted. Since it is a scrap quilt there should be nothing to be afraid of and I should try some fun freemotion quilting on it! Okay I will give it a go. The month is already flying by so I better get on the stick!  Suggestions welcome....  Linking up  HERE

  I did it! I completed the top for the DYO Sampler from SewMamaSew Summer SAL designed by Sarah from Sarah Quilts HERE . I followed quite a bit of her block size layouts because I had quite a few orphan blocks that fit those sizes.  This top is made up of some orphan blocks from the 2012 Craftsy BOM and some old blocks I learned how to make from my mom. Other blocks are just scrap pieces I put together in an improv way.  I tried to get the balance of colors to play across the quilt top. Not sure I succeeded....BUT,I did use a lot of scraps and blocks. However, like most scrap projects, I still have lots of scraps from this.   sigh.......     My goal for June was to get the top done and maybe the backing. I have a couple leftover blocks for the back that I will work into the scrappy back.  I have to wait for a bit to tackle the back because this is so much bigger than I thought it would be. It is going to be a monster for me to quilt so I might have to think on it

  Section 3 of my DYO Sampler hosted by SewMamaSew  HERE  and Sarah from Sarah Quits blog. I can't believe I have made it this far. It is a huge jumble in itself with so many colors and scraps.   I was able to use up the hexi applique orphan block and the churn dash orphan along with some old half square triangle blocks. I know you can't quite see the pile of scraps next to this but it is there ...trust me!   Before I started this sampler quilt I was thinking of using up some of my little scraps from making binding. I have stacks of 2.5 " squares cut out of white and so I decided to use this as a leaders and enders quilt. In only a short while I have over 200 2.5" blocks sewn and pressed up for a scrap quilt. I am really surprised how fast you can use those little scraps. The problem is...I keep making more, especially with the above scrap quilt. :)     Next in my jumbled sewing and even more jumbley sewing room is my Super Nova Friendship Block S

....And that is saying something! :P I have to let you all know I am just glad to be saying or showing anything at all. I have been so blah lately. Too many things going on and not enough going right or what have you. I hope this is the start of something good!! I have wanted to do the DYO Sampler quilt posted by Sarah Schraw @Sarahquilts to SewMamaSew Summer sew along HERE . I used Sarah's layout because I already had some orphan blocks in mind and they fit into a couple of her size places. I also dug into my scraps and found strips and bits to piece together for more scrap blocks that fit pretty easy. It is hectic and I like it. I am just so (sew) happy to get through some scraps and use up these orphans. Super old orphan - school house block. I found it in an old sewing box I had and thought I could make it work in with my others. I don't even think they are cotton fabrics in that block???  I am pretty sure, if memory serves, that my mom was trying to show me

Slow and steady....  I have worked a little bit on my Polka Dot Bikini QAL. I made half of all the surrounding blocks (20 blocks) and now need to make the scrappy blocks together so that I can cut them in a curve and sew on my finished part. whew! Lots of piecing and curves for me. It is starting to come together and I think all the scraps will be Kaffe Fassett fabric scraps. I have truly been hitting my stash piles this year. Woop Woop!     The 16 center blocks were finished last week I just have not put them together. Waiting for any adjustments I might need.  And because it is not enough to have at least 3 other projects in the works on my table, I decided to tackle an idea for these color scraps.   Most are less than 3/4ths of an inch wide. I have an idea I think I want to do with the rainbow colors and gray. Giving it a go. The scraps came from some gals that were at my guilds sew day. The use of these in something is a challenge so we will see what I come up wit

  So excited that Kim over at  Persimon Dreams is hosting Project Quilting again this year. It was so fun last year and I accomplished a lot.  This year I had so many ideas for this first Challenge. I wanted to do something more arty but when it came down to it I really need to make lap or baby size quilts for some of the charities I contribute to. I am sure I will do something more artsy before the challenge is over but for today I am going with a version of a scrap quilt.  The Challenge is "String Along with Me" I used the same strip quilt as you go as I did in a quilt I made last Oct following Maureen Cracknell and her Herringbone QAYG quilt tutorial.  This was is called Scrappy II  it is 43 x 45. All scrap strings, scrap batting pieces and scrap binding. It might not be very creative but my scrap box is looking so much better!  (notice the fun fabric I found for the back...lovely dotty diamonds!) Simple quilting since each strip was quilted right to

Thank you Maureen Cracknell for your QAYG Scrappy Herringbone quilt tute!!!  HERE . I saw it at the end of September when she posted it on her blog and I knew I had to give it a try. My scrap boxes were overflowing.  "Happy Scrappy Time" QAYG quilt 56 1/2" x 61 1/2" -miscellaneous scrap strings including scraps from cut off backings -various cotton batting leftovers that I cut down to approx 7 1/2" x 64" -several leftover pieces of binding scraps were sewn together to use up -many misc. odd colored bobbins were emptied while piecing the strings  -on each strip I did straight top-stitching, a feather stitch and a cross-hatch (Those turned out so great I wish I would have used several colors and done more of the decorative stitching.) Since it was bigger than I thought when done I used these two beloved green prints. They seemed to work well with all the scrap strings.  I used an orphan block I had hanging around in my

Two Finishes today!  This is my Creamsicle version of this 'block in a block' quilt.  And here is the Stained glass window version.... ( My Stargazer lily wanted to be in this picture) It was an overcast day...thunderstorms all night so the ground was wet. Sorry pics are kind of dark) These were made for the Lincoln Child Advocacy center. My neighborhood quilting gals got together one Saturday this month to work on these quilt blocks. I was not able to sew there so I made these two at home. I did go to the sewing day and ironed for others. :) I am so happy I was able to work on these and get some finish mojo going here!!!

It has been a strange week. I got really motivated to get going on things in some challenges I have been in. I knew the Memorial weekend was coming up but that I would have time after to have a nice month of finishes at the end. Wrong! I totally forgot about the  Persimon Dreams  "My Favorite Block Quilt Along" which is due May 25th.    I made 12 of the 20 blocks. Two of them I made twice so I figured why not go for a finish. One of my blocks is not exactly what it was supposed to be ...it was a paper pieced fiasco but the others turned out pretty well. I have 13 blocks on the front and one of my favs on the back.  Close up of my spiral quilting. I now know there is a wrong way to spiral. Let's hope I remember that for next time. :) I am happy for the finish! I think it turned out pretty cute. 

Wow! Another challenge -  Project Quilting -5 This one was called "Print Publications" page 28 My magazine stash consists of my moms collection of Quilt magazines. I didn't realize how hard it would be to come up with something from a Quilt magazine for a quilt but it really was....too many ideas in fact! My page 28 was from Quilter's Newsletter 2000.    The article is called "Heart and Soul" and it is a challenge in itself for people to come up with wearable art with the theme Heart and Soul. Well ???  In quilting, I feel my Heart and Soul goes back to the beginnings. I learned from my Mom and she believed in quilting, first, to be utilitarian. She used every scrap and item of clothing that was good enough to cut up into a quilt to create warmth and comfort for her family. Later she bought fabrics and created quilts she felt were to keep and used for special occasions.  I started my project thinking I would use scraps. Somehow I wanted to inco

I joined in on the Lovely Year of Finishes late in January. I was doing quite well on my own according to my Jan. Report card.  However....it is so fun to see what others are doing and it really makes you want to get more done.  It works for me.... A Lovely Year of Finishes l I finished a project I started in Jan. already this morning.  My Scrappy Trip A Long as seen on Bonnie Hunter's site.  I am pleased about that but that really was only keeping me from working on what I must try to tackle this month...The Relay for Life silent auction quilt for my niece's fundraiser.  Pattern is Birdbath by Elizabeth Hartman I have the backing done and just need to make the sandwich and decide on the quilting design. There lies the problem.........hm??? I WILL figure it out and get it done this month! There I said it so it IS going to happen.