hunter star

I started hunter's star this year as a rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. Each month, I cut the pieces in the color of the month. When I started, it was new to me, so, I was just going to cut this year, and sew next year, according to the colors as they are announced. But, I couldn't stop after cutting. I have pieced all the months to this point this year. They are just so fun.

Since, I want them all scrappy, it was a few months before I had a variety of colors, to ( I just had to try) sew them into blocks.

I am thrilled with how it looks. I have already been poking around on my rainbow projects list to see what I want to do next year. I am not sure this will be a rsc quilt for next year as planned. I think it will drift off to the UFO vacation closet for a spa day.

We have collected swiss chard and lemon grass from the garden. Hubby likes lemon grass in his herbal tea. We will dehydrate some of the swiss chard for later. 

I  am linking to:

midweek makers  

wednesday wait loss

My quilt infatuation

stitch and sew

put your foot down

oh scrap sunday

rhododendron mystery progress

I have been working on the easy short rows of the rhododendron mystery. I have the top left 3 rows together. And, now, the bottom right 2 rows together.

 And Saturday I finished the 3rd bottom right row. I have been making the long sashing rows as leader/ enders as I work on my 5 quilts or the rainbow scrap challenge projects. It makes it seem like it is going quickly.

I have a binding to attach, some scraps to cut, and a section of boho heart quilt to sew.

We have our fingers crossed that this pumpkin plant will have a pumpkin in time this year. It had a slow start and is in no hurry.

you can do it

I am linking:

Monday Making

design wall monday 

oh scrap

this and that Monday

Monday sew and tell

to do tuesday

wednesday wait loss

hole in my scraps

I am barely finishing these hole in the barn blocks for the month of August and the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy.

I think I have nearly all of them that I need for the quilt.

I have a few zipper blocks ready to go. I just don't have many orange scraps. I like orange in quilts, but it isn't an often used color.

still canning from the garden

I am linking to:

rsc21 super saturday
oh scrap
put your foot down

wednesday wait loss

I am linking to:

TGIFF

TGIFF different     here  and here

creations

peacock party

from bolt to beauty

put your foot down

oh scrap sunday

patchwork and quilts

mystery quilt

I am finally plugging along on the missing rhododendron mystery quilt. I am still not sure I have the  hourglass blocks turned right. So far. it is fitting together pretty well. I can still see some staining, but, the worse parts are gone. The staining effected the setting triangles the most. I soaked them in a solution of dawn dish soap and a color catcher in my kitchen sink, just to see if it was going to work. I made sure they were not touching each other. I swished the water around them gently from time to time. It took about an hour, and then, I could see a difference. I spent the day getting them soaked. I did use the spin cycle in my washing machine to wring them out, and I hung them to dry.

I added row 3

I sure never thought, I would do an inch sashing in a quilt. It isn't as fiddly as I thought it would be. The long hard rows are still ahead, but, little by little it will get finished. I may not iron any of it, until, I can wash it again. I don't want to set the stains.

I still have violets growing, and thyme, and coreopsis.

just a bit cute added to my garden

I  am linking to:

midweek makers  

wednesday wait loss

My quilt infatuation

stitch and sew

put your foot down

oh scrap sunday

5 quilts August 22, 2022

 last  report August 5th

1. Rainbow scrap challenge - orange- playing catch up on my star and crown blocks in purple. I don't think I will be making any of these blocks for the orange month, although, I haven't looked in my stash. There may be a cheddar or a smokey orange. We will see.

2. rhododendren mystery - hunter -    I have found the blocks. But that is another story here. I soaked and washed the stained blocks, and, I have started with the short rows. I am having a hard time with the directional blocks.

it's a beginning

3. Boho heart -Nothing new here. I am at a part that intimidates me. I can't just pick up something and quickly sew it together, so I procrastinate.

4. maple leaves - I found a fabric I liked for another border, but, there wasn't enough for a big border. I found a back, and, I am looking for the binding fabric.

yellow is always a good choice

5. fair and square -The top is pieced and ready for borders. The borders are made with 2 inch squares. I have 2 borders almost pieced. I will add to them after I add the inner border.

MY  next on the longarm of my own quilts in the 'to be quilted' closet. 

1. EPP green - need back and binding - ironed - frame - changed my mind

customer quilt time pause

2. lotus flower? I don't remember this -my notes say it is in the upstairs 

customer quilt time pause

3. blue ridge beauty - This month's one monthly goal so I better get to this one this month.

4. scrappy twirl

5. ugly I spy

I am linking:

Monday Making

design wall monday 

oh scrap

this and that Monday

Monday sew and tell

to do tuesday

wednesday wait loss

stash report August 14, 2022

I have added a few more charm packs.... just because

Stash report  August 14, 2022

fabric added: 3 yards

fabric added year to date: 80 3/4 yards 

fabric used: 36 yards of fleece sent to goodwill

fabric used year to date: 170 3/4 yards  

90 yards used more than bought. 

I sewed 3 days last week. 

I have a little more done on my witch rug which I started here in March. I have started on the moon of my witch rug - spooky

scaredy cat

I am linking to:

Slow Sunday Stitching

Oh scrap

sunday stash at quiltpaintcreate
patchwork and quilts

wednesday wait loss

15 min to stitch at life in pieces

candy

 I have orange cream candy ready for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. They look yummy. I think I am nearly done with these blocks. I still need a bit of licorice and chocolate. I have certainly enjoyed making these this year, and I had PLENTY of strings I needed to use. I am looking for a string project for next year or maybe 100.

This tiny little squash plant taking over the garden was a volunteer from outside the garden, and we weren't sure what the frankensquash would be. It looks to be a regular zucchini. We lost most of our zucchini to vine borers so it was a welcome visitor.

He jumped the fence

I am linking to:

rsc21 super saturday
oh scrap
put your foot down

wednesday wait loss

english paper piecing

I was able to trim and add borders to my English paper piecing project at open sew, except the upper left hand corner that was not complete with the diamond EPP shapes. I was technically missing 3. I would have to add them at home. sigh..... I have tried to make this a goal for 3 months, now. I think not knowing how I wanted to finish it was the reason it stalled.- getting closer

I started ( 2009) English paper piecing with this quilt. I was sure I didn't want to do hexagons ( what did I know?) And this seemed simple enough to be a starter project.

I added the 3 missing pieces at home and then, could finish the border. I am ready to find the back and make the binding before it takes a vacation in the "to be quilted" closet, where it will meet old friends and have a great time.

sun was too bright

We are enjoying home grown beets this year. I canned a few pints of pickled beets for the pantry.

I am linking to:

TGIFF

TGIFF different     here  and here

creations

peacock party

from bolt to beauty

put your foot down

oh scrap sunday

patchwork and quilts

fair and square

Sometimes progress just takes time. A little bit here and there makes a difference over time. I have to remind myself of that often, as I grow impatient. I pressed and trimmed fair and square. And, I cut and added the black inner border. I had hoped to get the final border on the quilt, but, it didn't fit. That will be the next little bit of time I can find. I think it looks great. The end is in sight.

It has been harvest season for our little garden. The tomatoes are starting to ripen and a BLT sandwich is something I look forward to every summer. yum ! We canned a few for the winter.

I  am linking to:

midweek makers  

wednesday wait loss

My quilt infatuation

stitch and sew

put your foot down

oh scrap sunday

moving projects

It is time to say - see you later- to an old friend. I am retiring this project to the the UFO closet. I have enough pieces cut, I think, but, all shirts go well together. I was hoping for 80 blocks and I have 52 finished. I need to concentrate on some "other" languishing projects to get a bit of organization and less chaos. I  want to move some projects out of easy to reach areas and spread out my current projects. I keep misplacing parts and pieces and really need to clean up and assess where I am. So, anvil is moving to the closet. I like sewing it.

And, this project is moving to the empty drawer after moving anvil. It has been on a tray all year as I am working on this project as part of the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. But is is hard to keep organized on a tray anymore.

blossom time

neat and tidy

It looks like a mess, but, our beans are a new variety growing on a trellis, and, they are doing well, and, so is the squash that is taking over the garden, paths and all. In front of the raised bed are peppers.

I am linking:

Monday Making

design wall monday 

oh scrap

to do tuesday

wednesday wait loss

blossoms

Pretty orange blossom time blocks are finished here for the  rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy.  I have had to cut and make more parts for these cuties. I ran out of stems and 4 patches. I think I am closing in on the goal for this quilt. I think I have 128 out of 140 needed.  I may just go rogue and finish up with oddball fabrics I find laying around.

I harvested chocolate mint, since the dehydrator is empty. It is not my favorite herb tea - I like spearmint the best - but, it smells so yummy. I may make a flavoring extract with it. It can only add to chocolate chip cookies or cake - not that I would ever eat any of those unhealthy things. haha

choc mint

I am linking to:

rsc21 super saturday
oh scrap
put your foot down

wednesday wait loss

quilt hit list

I am frustrated with the scrap piles again. A little bit here and a little bit there, can really add up over time. I have let a lot of time pass since the last time I have been sitting to cut scraps. I dumped all the bits into a container, and started cutting. This time, I  made a hit list. I have several projects, that I still need pieces cut to finish. When I pick up a scrap, I check to see if I could use the color in any of the projects. If so, I start cutting the sizes I need. If there is anything leftover, I cut the usual sizes, 3 1/2, 2 1/2, 2, 1 1/2 and so on. So far, There isn't much I can't use in the hit list quilts. I enjoyed the process and we will see if it confuses me too much LOL

Most of the time, I just cut biggest scrap saver sizes to smallest, and, then, I have to have to find a home for them. Most of those homes are full. This way, I am actually moving projects along. True, I probably have enough already cut in the scrap saver system, to do each quilt, but, they are already in their home, and happy, and aren't going anywhere, if I need them. I am trying to clean up the new accumulated scraps, not pulling for each quilt.

The inspiration came from a discussion at open sew about taming the scraps. My quilting friend said that she had a pile on her table that she decided was getting cut and made into patches, into a quilt, until it is all gone. I didn't want to cut to just start a new quilt, when I have so many I still want to make or finish. So, I looked through what I had and needed, and am doing the same thing. When the pile is gone, we will see if it worked and they are truly gone.

It is okra time. We tried some purple okra this year and they were yummy.

I am linking to:

TGIFF

TGIFF different     here  and here

creations

peacock party

from bolt to beauty

put your foot down

oh scrap sunday

patchwork and quilts

blocks found

My Granddaughter was here for a visit and decided to reorganize my extra room. I had no idea what she was doing, until it was too late. I use that room for a holding cell of blocks ready to make into tops and tops ready to be quilted, and unfortunately, as storage for whatever I don't know where to home them. I knew that this little set back, for me, was probably the reason I had lost my rhododendron mystery blocks. This week, when it was raining, I asked my hubby to accompany me to that room and make a serious search for those missing blocks since it was a "mystery" haHA. He was dear enough to do that. And there was no way to work in the garden.  His job was to work from one end of the room putting like stuff together, and hunt for any blocks that might show up. I started sorting at the other end. I finally needed a rest and sat in the middle of the floor.

We were about to give up, then, I saw a corner of my blocks peeking out of a basket. It was buried in a container with scraps on the bottom, my blocks, and scraps on the top, and two pillow forms on top of that. It was back behind my ironing board, which I can never reach. But, they were hoping I would save them. Happy dance all around.

Did I mention a freak rain with crazy wind and rain? well, I noticed everything in the basket was wet. yes, wet. We looked up and there was a new leak in the ceiling and staining my blocks and the reds were running. sigh. On the plus side, we wouldn't have known about the leak, if, we hadn't been looking for the blocks.

So, if I wash them, they will shrink and not match the unstained blocks. If I just make the top and wash it, the stains may not come out, and I will have wasted the whole process. I will have to think about this for a bit for sure. Here are the pictures of the weird cloud/ front coming over our barn from the north to the south. It was fascinating until it leaked on my blocks.

strange

There are about 20 blocks affected. Most of them are the setting triangle blocks with red.

Only one of the pieced blocks is stained.

I  am linking to:

midweek makers  

wednesday wait loss

My quilt infatuation

stitch and sew

put your foot down

oh scrap sunday

bow tie

Bow tie blocks were the 2011 quiltville mystery leader/ ender challenge, and Bonnie's first. She did hers with cheddar fabric, I believe. I wanted something a little brighter. At the time, I had a bunch of scraps that were polka dots, and so, it began.  With the 2022 announcement, I realized I didn't have a great finishing success record. I think 2 out of 12. But, I started all of them. I decided to try finishing one this year instead of starting a new one...... so far. It was an easy choice, start with number one. Remembering my plans is the hard part. And my notes are cryptic, even mysterious. I have 200 + made and I need a few more. Once I went down this rabbit hole, I remembered that they are a lot of fun to make, really. Mine are finishing at 3 1/2 inch squarish. I am hoping for a top this year.

and an easy breezy to boot

 

In the center of this bed are my beets. And they are doing very well. To the right is swiss chard  (yummy), and, to the left, is green beans that are actually purple. I have grown beets before, but, usually, we don't get a good harvest. I think this one will be great.

I am linking:

Monday Making

design wall monday 

oh scrap

to do tuesday

wednesday wait loss

Stash report August 7, 2022

 Missourri star had batik 10 squares that I liked the colors. But what I really needed were the sewing machine needles. 

Stash report  August 7, 2022

fabric added: 1 1/2 yards

fabric added year to date: 77 3/4 yards 

fabric used: 0 yards

fabric used year to date: 134 3/4 yards  

57 yards used more than bought. 

I sewed 4 days last week. 

I have a little more done on my witch rug which I started here in March. I dyed the wool for the  creepy moon background for my witch rug. I am excited to hook the moon next. 

We have had great success in our garden bed growing swiss chard. It has been a real treat. I like it better than spinach and it doesn't mind the sun or heat. It grows back if I cut it, and has been yummy. I have not been successful with spinach. And because it grows tall it is keeping weeds down and moisture levels up. - a great combination.

red vein and green vein varieties

I am linking to:

Slow Sunday Stitching

Oh scrap

sunday stash at quiltpaintcreate
patchwork and quilts

wednesday wait loss

15 min to stitch at life in pieces