Sweet Tooth Mystery--post 1

February 14 was when Bill and Weeks of Modern Quilt Studio dropped the first clue. We were to make different recipes for the size of top we selected. The recipes should illustrate transparency. I struggled with this step. I rejected some options and wasn't sure about the options I chose!

A rejected option

The directions were to stitch the recipes together so we would remember which fabrics we chose to group together. We were to press the seams open. I generally press the seams to one side; but, I decided that I would give pressing the seams open a try. What I learned was that I needed to sew an exact quarter inch rather than a scant quarter inch. Pressing the seams to one side takes up some space!

The recipes

We were to make two different units using the fabrics from our recipes. On my first go, I didn't get the transparency effect that I had envisioned. I should have chosen a green that was closer in hue to the blue and yellow fabrics to have made the transparency effect work.

A failed recipe

Back to the fabrics, I decided to try to get a brown transparency. I had better success. It was also better to layout the fabrics and step back. Viewing the fabrics that way made it easier for me to see if I achieved transparency or not.

Better attempt at transparency 

I continued with the process until I had made all the blocks in the first clue. There are some additional blocks to make. I haven't felt like playing with these fabrics to make the blocks. I want to enjoy this project so I'll likely wait until I finish quilting my temperature quilt before I work more on this project.

More blocks. . .some blocks are subtle transparencies

These blocks are better. These will work. I didn't take a photo of the second set of blocks. They are stitched and labeled, however! Stay tuned. I'll post about as I work through the clues. Goal number one on my March list was to document my progress on this project. 

Linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday.

Quilting the 2021 Temperature Quilt--post 2

Quilting the month strips close up of the stipple

I greatly underestimated the amount of time it would take me to finish quilting the strip of fabric containing the month and the spacer strip at the end of the month. Part of the underestimation came from my left knee. 

View of both the top and bottom strips. . .lots of pebbles

Since the day it took me 2.5 hours to drive home from work because of the snow, I've been experiencing sciatica pain in my left leg. Some days, I can't sit to quilt because my leg goes numb! Piecing is okay because after stitching a seam, I stand up, walk a few steps and press. UGH!!! I am so over the knee and now sciatica issues!!!! Am I improving? Maybe, I'm doing the exercises from physical therapy and have had several acupuncture treatments. I don't have the extension of my knee that I had before that drive; but, I'm working on getting it back!

More pebbles. . .these are part of the legend

After I had completed the month strips, I moved on to the legend sections. I stippled around the temperatures. I pebbled the open areas as well as around the rain and snow section. It took me half an hour to quilt a seven inch by three inch section. It took me about three minutes to stipple around the temperatures. 

Then it was back to the invisible thread and stitching in the ditch. Stitching in the ditch is necessary; but it is also so boring!!! I chose to take on this task during a couple zoom sew sessions. Doing a boring task while people are talking and laughing is so much better! Goal number two on my March list was to continue the quilting of this temperature quilt. I've made good progress so that is a win!

Quilting the legend

I've about half of the months to complete the ditch stitching. What will be left is the free motion squiggle around the circles and the straight lines in the border. I had hoped to finish the quilting this month; but, it may not happen. 

The sciatica pain in my left hip/leg is causing me a lot of discomfort. Sitting is uncomfortable. Walking to begin is hard; but, after a minute or two gets easier and a few minutes after that walking gets hard again. The pain radiates from my hip to the middle of my thigh, to the outside of my knee and down my shin to my ankle where the pain pulsates! If I don't stop and rest, that pain moves to throbbing. Tylenol or Ibuprofen don't even take the edge off of the throbbing. I quilt in short stretches and not more than an hour in total.

Friday, physical therapy gave me a few more exercises to do for pain relief. The session itself was painful and all day yesterday I still felt the effects of the session. I've decided to give physical therapy one more week. If I don't feel better, I'm giving it a rest. Perhaps, my body will heal better using massage and acupuncture. I know that I will get better. I have to find what will work and I need to be patient. . .sigh!!!!!

I did work two and a half days this week. At the end, I wasn't as exhausted or in as much pain as I was last month so I know that I am getting better. 

Linking to Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts and Cynthia at Oh Scrap.

2025 Rainbow Scrap Challenge Yellow--post 2

Daffodils blooming in the yard

Angela chose yellow as the color for March in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Honestly, when I think of the color yellow, I think of daffodils. These are such happy flowers which always make me smile!

Sewing the yellow selvage squares

For the scrap challenge this month, I was ready! I pulled my yellow selvage squares and began stitching them into blocks. Finishing the blocks was goal number six on my March list.

Yellow blocks completed 

Now that I'm organized, in no time, I had finished piecing the blocks.I wanted to see the yellow blocks with the pink and blue blocks. I arranged them all on the design wall. I liked what I saw.

The finished blocks

Then my little squirrel, Gertie, began swishing her tail and chattering. She wants to know how these will be set because she thinks there aren't enough! I told her that I didn't know what layout I would use. I told her that I was okay with making more blocks . . .maybe next year. . .well. . .She harrumphed me big time!! She obviously wants to see this finished sooner rather than later! LOL

Linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday and Angela at Scrap Happy!

2025 Temperature Quilt--post 2

Patterns for the blocks

Ever since I "determined" the house and tree block pattern, I had doubts. My math was wrong and the finished quilt was going to be larger than I had envisioned. I try to keep the size under 100 inches wide and 110 inches long. I spent more time on places like Pinterest; but, I didn't find any other patterns that I wanted to make.

I tried to draft a pattern which was a fail. It wasn't a fail in that I was unsuccessful; but, I couldn't get on board with making 365 houses using that one pattern. January was morphing into February. I was still stuck. I decided a five inch block would be a better size. Good decision although I still hadn't settled on a pattern.

First two days of January

My calendar, which contains quilt block patterns, had a house block pattern that measured five inches. There were two tree patterns that accompanied the house pattern. I decided to go with those patterns. The blocks are paper pieced. 

I liked that there were two different tree patterns. The squatty tree will represent the space in the month where there are less than 31 days. The tall tree will be the space when a month has 31 days and as the start and end of the year. 

Tall tree

This house pattern has windows. I decided I would use a solid yellow from my stash.  I cut a piece of a solid yellow fabric. After auditioning that strip, I decided I didn't want that much yellow in my quilt! I decided that the roof, windows and door would represent the high temperature of the day. The body of the house would represent the low temperature of the day. The background would represent rain, snow or dry!

The first two days of January, the low and high temperatures were almost the same, hence the same color used in the block! I considered using the background as the house; but, in the end, I went with my plan. As I pieced, I realized that I will need to add sashing between the rows so that I don't have to deal with trying to match the vertical seams because these seams won't nest well. 

Stitching some days together

I contemplated purchasing another shade of brown from the Superior Solids line from Benartex. In keeping with reducing my stash, however, I had plan to use a solid brown fabric from my stash for the inch sashing. I reconfigured the number of blocks per row. I'm now planning 19 blocks in a row and 20 rows. The quilt will finish at about 95 inches by 110 inches. Then I realized that the yard of brown is not going to be nearly enough and I likely can't by another like it as I purchased it more than a year ago. So. . .Gertie and I will be considering some other options.

While I pondered what to do about the sashing, I moved on to piecing the trees. I had considered making the trees different shades of green as well as making the trunks a different color. I did not consider what to use for the background. Rather than purchase another fabric, I used a light solid green from my stash. Whew! What a lot of bumps and twists this project has encountered and it is barely off the ground! Maybe this week, I'll piece a few of the trees that will hold the space at the end of the month for those months that don't have 31 days in them.

I'm going to stitch the next row and test how much of a challenge piecing the rows together will be. Then, I'll decide if I'm purchasing more fabric! I hope I've thought through the issues. I hope that the rest of the project will piece into place as I saw it in my head! It is time to piece the blocks. I'll likely not post often about this project other than noting if I'm keeping up with making the blocks. 

Goal number seven on my March list was to piece an average of two blocks per day. It is early; but, I'm on track for meeting the goal..

Linking to Frédérique and Patchwork and Quilts and Cynthia at Oh Scrap.

Old Town Mystery--It Is A TOP!--post six

Old Town center complete

Goal number five on my March list was to continue to make progress on my version of Bonnie Hunter's Old Town mystery. At the end of February, I had managed to sew the center of the project together.

My friend, Alvera, added an aqua skinny border to her quilt. I liked how that border brought out the blue color in her quilt. I decided to follow suit. I had to dig around in my stash for another piece of blue because I used up all the larger chunks of my aqua and blue fabric on the center. 

Center with the first border

Stitching the skinny blue border was not easy. My center measured within a quarter of an inch of the width measurement versus the length measurement which was about half an inch less than Bonnie's measurement. I didn't measure the outer edges; but, I did need to ease all four sides!

The fabric I used I purchased years ago at a stash bazaar. I pre-washed it. I was surprised that it was only 36 inches wide! I cut the border strips lengthwise and carefully stitched them to the quilt top. I like how blue the top reads!

Pinned and ready to stitch

Next I stitched the four patch border. It was tricky because it was important to begin with one color of the four patch on the sides and the other color was used to begin the top and bottom borders. If there is a way to create a different pattern, I will find it! 

Second border stitched 

The sides went on easily. I had to ease the top and bottom borders a small amount. My four patches were too large. I pinned the borders in place and stitched them. Again, I liked how the top still read blue.

Last border in progress

The final border was red and white squares alternating each other. Just like with the four patch border, it was important to begin with a certain color for the sides and another color for the top and bottom borders.

Finished top

Once I had stitched the borders to the project, the top was finished! Hooray! I will be ordering blue fabric to back the quilt. I plan to use a light wool batting and I will be paying a longarmer to quilt it. I plan to gift the finished quilt to my oldest daughter whose favorite color is aqua/turquoise. 

Linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday.

February Recap and March Goals

Sweet Tooth Mystery

My two annual goals are:

1. Have a net loss of 100 yards of fabric from my stash.

2. Finish six UFOs

✒ a. Temperature 2021--pin basted and ditched quilted started in January,  progress made in February.                                                            

b. Temperature 2022-2023

c. Martha's House blocks

Quilting the 2021 Temperature quilt

✒ d. Positively Grows--pin basted in
February

e. Maze top

f. Butterfly number four 

Fabric Summary:

Fabric in this month: 0 yards    

Fabric in year to date: 8 yards

Fabric used from stash this month: 0 yards

Fabric used from stash year to date: 6 yards

Net loss/gain this month: 0 yards

Net loss/gain year to date: +2 yards

No change from last month. At least, I didn't purchase any fabric. I consider that a win!

Begin quilting this project

My February goals were:

✔1.Catch up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks.

✔2. Document layering and basting the Positively top that I made in 2023.

✔3. Write a tutorial about how to pin baste a quilt.

✔4. Get the "Love Makes A Family" project to a top.

✒5. Catch up with the 2025 Temperature blocks--I'm contemplating a block size change. --I did change the block. I managed to sew a few blocks. These will be time consuming so it is going to take me awhile to catch up.

✖6. Figure out a legend for the 2024 Temperature quilt.--I thought about it; but, didn't do more than that. I plan to take this project off the list until I finish some of the projects that I have in process.

✔7. Cut out the Santa tree skirt.

✔8. Continue progressing with clue nine of the Old Town mystery. --After the post, I stitched the center together and added the first border. Two more pieced borders remain to be stitched before it is a completed top.

✔9. Piece the leftover batting chunks together.

Center of Old Town

✖10. Complete the August bonus lesson and the September embroidery lesson.--I still have issues with sitting so trying to work on this project is uncomfortable. I will try again next month. When I have better range of motion with my knee, I expect to make progress. 

✒11. Continue with the PT for my knee. --I had hoped that
I'd be a couple weeks away from ending my PT regime. We had a snow day a couple weeks ago. Getting home was a trek. The normal 25 minute drive took me two and a half hours. Sitting in the same position for so long set my knee recovery back a couple months. I'm progressing again; but, progress is slow! Friday, I was told that I could, on my own, extend my knee to neutral and flex it to 120 degrees. That is the cut loose parameters for leaving PT. Unfortunately, I am experiencing a lot of pain and stiffness. . . again! I was told it is nerve related. I'm doing some specific exercises to target the nerve bundles. Fingers crossed that the exercises will make a difference!

✔12. Continue quilting my

Yellow selvages for the RSC

2021
Temperature quilt.

My March goals are:

1. Document my progress with the Sweet Tooth Mystery.

2. Continue quilting my 2021 Temperature quilt.

3. Baste and begin quilting "Love Makes a Family."

4. Begin piecing the Santa Tree skirt.

5. Continue making progress on the Old Town mystery.

6. Continue making progress with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks.

7. Paper piece an average of two blocks per day for the 2025 Temperature quilt.

8. Figure out what to do for the next book club quilt.

9. Complete the August bonus lesson and the September embroidery lesson.

10. Continue with the knee PT.

Linking to Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts and Cynthia at Oh Scrap. Pour yourself a cuppa and enjoy reading interesting posts that will inspire and entertain you!

Updated house blocks for 2025 temperature quilt

2025 Rainbow Scrap Challenge Blocks--post 1

Selvage squares with the background

I'm behind with this project. I had good intentions. I purchased the background fabric in January. I even pre-washed it; but, didn't move further than that! 

Pink squares laid out

Last year for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC), I made selvage squares. At the time, I couldn't figure out a background fabric so I decided that year I would make the squares and the following year I would sew the squares into the blocks following the monthly color.

Pink blocks

Now that it is the end of February, I decided I needed to make some progress!!! Pink was the color for January and blue was the color for February. Surely, I could put together eight blocks before the end of February!

I cut a two yard piece of the background fabric and starched it. I let the starch dry and then I ironed the fabric. I cut strips; then squares and finally half square triangles. I laid out the block parts and started stitching.

Layout blue block

It didn't take long and all of my pink blocks were stitched. The blocks are supposed to be 10 1/2 inches. These were right on the mark. Starching the background fabric helped! I pulled the blue squares and stitched those. Again, the process went without one hiccup!

Next month, the color is yellow. I will make a few more blocks. It feels good to get caught up with the RSC! 

All the  blocks went together easily. I like the blocks in the straight setting. The pattern, however, had them set on the diagonal!

Blue blocks

Catching up on the RBSC was goal number one on my February list.

Linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday and Angela at Scrap Happy.

Love Makes a Family--post 2

The two red fabrics

Goal number four on my February list was to get this project into a top. In my first post about this project, I had pieced the words for the project and had placed some scraps on the design wall. I needed a few days to noodle options. The red hunk that I wanted to use, while a generous sized scrap, wasn't as large as I had hoped! I did pull another solid red fabric from my stash that is similar in value. While I considered purchasing fabric, I decided to use what I had on hand.

Frame in place, words and some scraps
auditioned

First, I removed all the pieces from the design wall. Next I made a frame that was 40 inches by 40 inches for the size of the project. I used selvages to mark the space. I allowed myself to narrow the width to save on the amount of background fabric! I placed the words where they felt "right" to me. I added some scraps. I walked away. I wasn't happy with the large area of background.

Auditioning skinny yellow strips

I decided to build the quilt from the bottom up to conserve as much background fabric as possible. I added a few skinny yellow strips because it brightened the project. Also, Riel, the character in the book, "Before We Were Yours" by Lisa Wingate, showed a lot of courage and initiative to keep her wits about her. The pieced horizontal strips represent the happiness she felt living on the river boat with her loving family. The vertical pieced skinny strips represent the chaos she and her siblings experienced. If she hadn't had the foundation of a happy family, she couldn't have survived the crap that happened at the Tennessee Children's home. The red represents the high alert under which she lived.

Progress at the end of the sew session

Once I added the yellow strips, I felt like the piece was coming together. My goal was to keep the length about 40 inches. Making the piece narrow would conserve the background fabric.I auditioned a narrower project. The words still looked balanced.

Progress at the end of another sew session

I continued filling in the spaces with the vertical bits. As I constructed, I laid background fabric in the open areas. This was a good way of ensuring that I was getting the most possible coverage out of the background fabric. As I completed each section completed, I was inspired to keep making progress.

Leftover background

In the end, I had enough background fabric to complete the top. I even had a few pieces leftover! I placed these in my solid scrap bag. Maria Shell is going to have a Zoom workshop in July about using scraps. This bag will be likely be used then. . .unless, they are "needed" for another project before then. My inner squirrel, Gertie, is always telling me about possibilities and she loves playing with scraps!

Finished top

The finished top measures 33 by 39 inches. I did look in my stash for a backing fabric. I found a red batik that I had purchased a long time ago. I actually had purchased three different red batiks. I made a shirt out of one of the fabrics. I can't remember how I used the second fabric. At any rate, rolled up in the backing fabric were the scraps. I made the shirt well before I had a scrap saving system.

Backing fabric

After processing the scraps, I found that I had enough two and half inch strips to make a quilted facing. I haven't made a quilted facing in a long time. I looked back in my blog. . .it was 2018!! Let's see if I remember how to make one! 

Ready to be basted

In March, I will layer the top, batting and backing to pin baste it. This won't take long because it is a smaller project. Next, I will quilt it. I'm thinking a lot of straight lines in the background. I might heavily quilt the background on the words; but, that is just a thought for now. Once the piece gets under my needle, then the conversations begin!

Linking to Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts and Cynthia at Oh Scrap.