Rainbow Scrap Challenge Month Eight AKA A Little Yellow--post 9

Green strings

Angela chose yellow as the color of the month for August. In June, I sewed yellow blocks as my pastel color. Last month, I determined that I needed another green and another yellow block to balance the blocks that I had already stitched. 

First of four rectangles stitched into a diamond

To that end, I started piecing the green blocks with the assistance of my four year old "helper." If the string she chose fit, I stitched it. Over four days and with a little time at the machine for me while she "rested" her eyes, we stitched enough green strings to complete one additional green block.

One more green block

Between the RSC blocks and the green strings for my book club quilt, I had few strings remaining when we finished! There are a few; but, not enough variety to piece together for another project!

Remaining strings

Last week, my helper flew home to London with her mama. I was  on my own to pull my yellow strings to stitch one more additional yellow block. 

Four yellow rectangles sewn together

Since my helper and I had pieced some of the outer sections of the rectangles, this process went rather quickly. I missed my helper when it came to the paper removal step, although I will admit to having less bits to pick up from the floor and adjacent surfaces!

One more yellow block

Again by the end, I had a limited variety of yellow strings remaining which is GREAT! The string bag looks like there is a lot; but, it is mainly one fabric.

Remaining strings

I did lay out all the blocks to see what they look like together. Next month, I plan to piece purple blocks to fill in those two blank areas. My original plan was to orient the blocks vertically to resemble diamonds. One day, I put the blocks on the design wall horizontally and saw the 3D effect. I liked this orientation much better because the blocks look faceted. 

Once I piece all the blocks, I'll play with the layout. The layout below is a 72 x 96 configuration. Originally, I was planning  a 60 x 72 "ish" configuration. Borders will be added. These will likely be pieced rectangles using the gray and black strings. Gertie, my inner squirrel, and I will work on the border challenge another day!

Blocks 

Piecing the strings was goal number four on my August list. Linking to Scrap Happy, 

Sewing with a Granddaughter

Contents of the bag of "lettuce"

Goal number five on my August list was to sew strings with my four year old granddaughter. I brought out the string bag which she immediately found interesting. Her words were, "Gran, why is that bag of lettuce in here?" 

I had to laugh because I could see the image of prepared salad represented in that bag. Before I could snap a photo of her holding the bag, she had dumped the contents on the table to inspect the scraps. She is one busy four year old. Some part of her body is in motion at all times. She liked sorting the "lettuce" (AKA green scraps) into piles of like fabrics. 

Ready to reverse stitch

She found threading the machine and changing the foot on the machine interesting. She thought it a hoot that the foot of the machine was called a foot. At first, she thought I was joking. She pointed to her foot and said, "Silly, Gran, this is a foot!"

She liked choosing the fabric to sew to the strip; but, she quickly lost interest in sewing the strips to the paper. Even a short seam took too long to stitch! No way did she participate in pressing as she said the iron was too dangerous for a kid like her! She did find the stitch lever fun to use. There are a few strings with reverse sewing in the middle of the string because she liked seeing how the lever worked while I stitched! She lost interest after stitching about six strings.

Ripping the paper from the string rectangles

I left the strings out and got out the papers to stitch an additional green block for my Rainbow Scraps Challenge. She liked using Elmer's glue stick to adhere the constant strip to the paper. Again, she chose the fabric and we stitched enough rectangles to make the center of one block. Another day, we added the gray and black strings to the block.

Ripping the paper fro the string strips

She watched while I trimmed the blocks. I told her it was time for the paper removal step. She LOVED ripping the paper from the back of the blocks. She used a special wand to loosen the paper from the stitching. The wand is a cuticle stitch with a bead attached that I use as a stiletto. She could rip the paper as quickly and as cleanly as I did! She did let me know it took way too long to get to this step!

During periods while she"rested her eyes." I stitched more strings for the RSC and my book club quilt. Over about four days we actually sewed quite a few strings. At the end, I had a small bag of green strings remaining! 

Leftover strings

In another post, I'll share the progress I have made on my book club quilt as well as the progress on the Rainbow String Scrap Challenge. Linking to: Oh Scrap,  Sew & Tell and To Do Tuesday.

Marbeling

 

Fabric ready for dying

Goal number 11 on my August list was to document my marbling experience. Rosanne had prewashed the fabrics weeks before our dye date. The day before, she soaked the prewashed fabric in an alum solution and hung the fabric on the line. The fabric is 14 inches by 22 inches. The fabrics are cut that size because that is a little smaller than the size of the tray.

Dying station

Rosanne also set up her garage with three marbling stations. The thought that she put into organizing the station shows how much she has learned from her experience with marbling.

The bucket on the right had a solution in it to dip and rinse the marbled fabric after it was printed and before it was hung on the line. The bucket on the left contained the solution that you float the paint. The best part of the photo, is that garbage bag. I used that often as it was so convenient!

Clearing the tray of bubbles

Once the solution is poured into the tray, there are a lot of bubbles. Using a piece of folded newspaper, Rosanne demonstrated how to scrape the bubbles to the end of the tray and into the garbage bag.

Adding color to the train

Adding color to the tray is fun. It is fun to watch how the color changes in the tray. Sometimes, it bullies or takes over the color. Other times, the color doesn't move at all!

Adding more red

After adding the color, it is time to make a design. There are pieces of wood that have metal spaced evenly across the wood called a rake. Sometimes raking in one direction is all the design one wants.

Design after raking in one direction

Sometimes, raking in both directions is a better design.

The rake at the end of the pass

Sometimes, jiggling the rake is the design.

Using the rake once again

The challenge is stopping as you can't go back if you liked the previous design better!

Design made after "jiggling" the rake

Once the design is made, In one gentle motion, lay the fabric on the surface of the medium. Let the fabric soak up the color.

Fabric absorbing the color

It doesn't take long for the fabric to absorb the color. To remove the fabric, slide it over the lower edge of the tray. 

Removing the fabric from the try

Place the fabric in the bucket and gently rinse. Hang on the line to dry. Let cure for a week. Wash in a machine that doesn't agitate. Dry.

One of my prints before removing it from the tray

Unfortunately, during the last wash, a lot of our paint came off of the prints. The fabrics lost so much of their vibrancy that we decided that we would over dye the prints. In other words. we would try again! We determined that the reason for the paint coming off the fabric was because the acrylic paint was old and had been stored in an environment of hot and cold temperatures which made the paint unstable.

One of my prints after curing and washing

It was a fun activity and I look forward to giving it a go again. I did order some new paints which will be shared between us! Linking to Finished Or Not Friday and Quilts and Patchwork.

A Mug Rug

Braid for a table runner

In my friend Rita's temperature quilt was a started braid for her temperature quilt and a length of braid in Christmas fabrics. I thought the started braid would make a good mug rug. I thought the length of braid would make a great table runner. I didn't know how to handle the started end of the braid so that it looked like the finished end.

When I'm stuck, I take the project to one of my small groups and ask for input. This project went to my Mavens group. Susan took a look at it and said that she would add more squares to fill it in. Not impossible, but fiddly. Pat said that she had just completed a similar table runner and showed me how she trimmed that end of the braid. It was a brilliant solution. I asked her to hold her hands in the "trimming" position so I could take a photo to remember the solution!

Mug rug back

I decided to try out my knowledge on the partial braid and make a mug rug. Cutting the end of the started braid worked great. I looked through my scraps to find a suitable backing and binding. I had a scrap of warm and natural batting that used when I layered the little mug rug. I quilted straight lines using a ruler and continuous curves in the squares using a neutral thread. 

Finished mug rug

I bound it and had a finish. It is headed to be in a basket that our small group is putting together for people to purchases tickets to win it at our guild quilt show. Rita would be pleased! Documenting this finish was goal number eight on my August list.

Linking to Oh Scrap, Sew & Tell, To Do Tuesday.and I Quilted This.

Two Swimsuits

Swimsuit #1

Goal number six on my August list was to sew two swimsuits for my four year old granddaughter. She chose the fabric. These fabrics were leftover from stitching previous suits. I found I needed to alter the butt area a bit because she didn't have enough butt to fill the fabric! She had fun modeling her suit. She wasn't excited about me taking time to alter the butt as she said it was fine as it was!

These days, showing most of one's backside seems to be the fashion. I can't imagine how uncomfortable that must feel. These suits provide comfortable coverage!

Swimsuit #2

The second suit I made longer in the body. She may be four years old; but she is a size five around and a size seven in height! To make the fabric work, I pieced the front and back to get enough length. The pattern is busy enough that the pieced line is not easy to see. The pattern that I used was one I used to make swimsuits for my girls when they were that size! 

I did buy five yards of beige swim lining fabric as suit number one had a light background and the black lining I have on hand would have shown through when the suit was wet. I used a yard and a half of fabric to make these two suits. 

Unless I have another finish or two this month, I'm going to end up with a positive three and a half yards added to my stash. This isn't bad; but, I'm working to reduce my stash by 100 yards this year. Currently, I have a net loss of 73 and a quarter yards. I'd better get busy!

Linking to Finished or not Friday and Patchwork and Quilts.

Floral Baubles--post 1

Floral baubles #1

 I need to have my head examined. For months, I've been able to talk Gertie, my inner squirrel, out of beginning a new project. Last month, she twisted my arm and I started THREE new projects. This post is about the second project that I started. 

Melisa at Pinker n Punkin Quilting and Stitching, showed her start and I thought it was super cute. Melisa designs the cutest little stitchery projects that she offers free to her readers. Check out her blog. There is always fun items to see!

Star points, sashing and corner stone fabrics

At any rate, I went to the link that Melisa shared and was introduced to Floral Baubles by Days Filled with Joy. It is a free sew along with nine designs coming in nine months. Joy, the designer, released the first design in June. I downloaded it and thought it would be a great design to collect to stitch at a later date.

Gertie, wasn't having any part of waiting! I traced off the design after adding stabilizer to the back of the square. She even convinced me to trace the second design. Eventually, the redwork becomes the center of a sawtooth star.  I did stitch the first design. 

My granddaughter was visiting and we selected fabric for the star points, sashing and corner stones. All fabrics came from stash and scraps! She helped me prewash each one which she thought was a lot of fun. She was surprised to see a fabric bleed red and other bleed green. Although she did tell me that the water was way too hot!

How often I will post about this project is a mystery. I don't have many plans other than down loading and stitching the rework as I have time. The project will come together. . .eventually!

Selecting the supporting fabrics for this project was goal number two on my August list. Linking to To Do Tuesday.

Lala's Irish Chain Sew Along with Melva--post 1

 

The project

Melva from Melva Loves Scraps is hosting Lala's Irish Chain Sew Along. Last month, she released the yardage, schedule and cutting instructions and a couple sewing instructions. There is time if you want to play along too. Melva released the first clue July 16. Eight more weeks of clues will follow. The link will take you to a special section on Melva's page that she has devoted to this sew along.

Lala's Irish Chain Sew Along

The fabric sans the white 

This looked like a great opportunity  to use a lot of stash as well as some precuts from my scrap saving system. I'm having trouble closing the lid on the precuts so it is time to use some! I decided to play along with Melva. I like Sew Alongs because of the camaraderie. I plan to use the novelty print fabric as the large white squares. The green is my main print fabric. If I decide I want borders, I may be making a fabric purchase. For now, this was good enough to start!

Squares cut

I spent time cutting squares and am ready to sew those! Melva had us sew cornerstones on to some strips first. I had cut those out of the white scraps; but, I wanted to use the novelty print. I wasn't sure I had enough fabric.

Background fabrics cut

I forged ahead and cut the background squares from the novelty print. Melva's second set of sewing instructions were sewing the 6 1/2 inch strips with corner stones to the background squares. Now, I could cut the background 6 1/2 inch strips. My fabric is directional so I wanted to try to cut the strips in a way that preserved the fabric orientation. I had about a third of a yard remaining which might find its way to the back!

Laying out a block before stitching

I laid out my blocks like a nine patch and stitched away. I only wanted the orientation of the print going in the same direction. Otherwise, I stitched the pieces as they were. A kid will have fun finding the birds and bicycles in the blocks!

Completed blocks.

I pulled colored squares at random and added them to the mix. This is a scrappy project. It didn't take long to complete the step. Melva will post week four directions tomorrow. I'm ready! Although with my London four year old granddaughter visiting, the time spent stitching is super limited!

Documenting my progress on this project was goal number three on my August list. Linking to Finished or Not Friday, Patchwork and Quilts and Sew & Tell.

July Recap and August Goals

Rug weaving progress

My July goals were:

✔1. Make progress on Triple Treat.--Update:I cut more blocks, pieced and assembled them into a top. I also pieced the back. It is off to the longarmer!

✔2. Piece the string blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. This month the color is aqua. I've pulled my scraps which aren't many!

✔3. Spend a few sewing sessions piecing string blocks. The 4 1/2 inch and 6 1/2 inch string bags need emptying!

✔4. Layer and baste butterfly quilt number four. It was on my annual list last year.

✔5. Document finishing the sashiko project.

✔6. Make progress on my rug weaving.--

Quilting on the 250/50 year guild challenge

Update: I worked on the rug between four and eight hours each week. It now is 20 inches in diameter which is five inches bigger than it was last month!
 I have used about a third of the bottom flannel sheet. It has become a little less round; but, it is still mostly flat. I plan to continue using Sundays as "weaving day."

✔7. Make an apron for the youngest granddaughter.--Update: I made two!

✔8. Begin quilting the guild 250th/50th anniversary challenge quilt.

✔9. Figure out what to do for the next book club quilt. Our book is "By Her Own Design" by Piper Hugely.

Fabric selected for Melva's Sew Along

It was another great month in terms of meeting the goals on my monthly list! Writing the list at the end of the previous month, working toward meeting the goal of each item during the month, has helped me move projects toward a finish. Using blog posts to share my goals has increased my success rate.
Looking back at the progress report posts shows me that I am slowly chipping away at having less stash and fewer unfinished projects! It's a total win!

Fabric Accounting:

Current Month:

Redwork Floral Bauble Sew Along

Fabric in: 0 yards 

Fabric out: 2 yards

Net loss for the month:  2 yards 

Year to Date:

Fabric in: 42 3/4 yards

Fabric out: 118 1/2 yards 

Net loss: 75 3/4 yards 

Best Book of the month: The Island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto. I had no idea of the influence of the Dutch on building the area around New York as well as the city itself. I learned why we eat cookies instead of biscuits and why we eat coleslaw. It was an interesting listen!

My August Goals are:

1. Select fabric for Magnificent Mystery. Begin piecing the clues.

Marbling 

2. Select fabric for Redwork Baubles Sew Along that Days Filled With Joy is holding. Work on the redwork embroidery, It began in June; but, Gertie was insistent! I did begin the embroidery.

3. Document progress for Melva's Sew Along.

4. Piece the string blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. This month the color is yellow. I've stitched the yellow blocks so I will stitch one more yellow and one more green block instead!

5. Sew strings with my youngest granddaughter.

6. Make a couple swimsuits with and for the youngest granddaughter.

7. Make progress on the book club quilt.

8. Make progress on my rug weaving.

9. If the longarmer has quilted it, finish Triple Treat.

10. Document a mug rug from Rita's braid scraps.

11. Document my marbling experience.

12. Make progress quilting the butterfly.

Linking to Sew & Tell and To Do Tuesday,