2025 Temperature Quilt--An Oops to Fix--post 5

Oops the windows are in the wrong spot

Goal number six on my February list was to make more 2025 Temperature blocks. I was showing a photo of my top to my Monday Mavens when one in the group mentioned that I had a "wonky" house. Gosh, I'm glad Tomme caught that error so I could fix it before I had added more rows!

Last of the yellow background sewn and more house bodies

Fixing the oops was the focus of my day yesterday. I've also sewn all the yellow background for sunny days so I need to wait for my order to arrive before I make more sunny day blocks. If possible, I will make more house bodies. February is an extra busy month for me so likely this is all the progress on this project that I make. I am okay with that fact. Progress has been made and I've not abandoned the project! For me, this is a WIN!

Same view as before except the house next to the tree is in proper order

While I had planned to spend more time on this project, Gertie, my inner squirrel had other ideas. She mentioned that IF I wanted to work on piecing the back for my improv challenge quilt, I needed the design wall. Right now, my Lupine and Laughter blocks are on it. I see her point. 

Lupine and Laughter blocks ready to sew into rows

Today, my focus will be sewing the blocks together for Lupine and Laughter.

January Recap and February Goals

House bodies waiting for assembly

Wow, the last day of January was yesterday! Goodness, the time has flown!

My January goals were:

✔1. Make more parts for the Lupine and Laughter Bonnie Hunter mystery.

✖2. Bind Grassy Creek which is at the longarmer.--it is still at the longarmer; but, I'll pick it up on Monday!

✔3. Make more 2025 Temperature quilt blocks. I've pieced up to September 9 in the body of the top and I've pieced up to September xx as house bodies.

✔4. Make a few RSC blocks

13 rows complete

--the color for January is blue.

✔5. Work on my challenge blocks.

✔6. Bind the RSC selvage quilt from 2025.

✔7. Work on my sashiko project.

✔8. Make progress quilting the 2023-2023 Temperature quilt.

✔9. Document more sourdough baking.

I even made a second scrappy chain block that is our charity block for a virtual retreat that begins on Friday. I do love the color red!

 2022 through 2023 temperature quilt quilting

I made great progress and even had a finish to show for the month! Honestly, the quilting on the temperature quilt while not difficult, is so time consuming with little to show for the effort spent! I am making progress. I have 14 more rows to quilt. In February, I'm attending a virtual retreat. I will make this project my focus.

Best listen of the month:

The Tree Collectors by Amy Stewart. Amy shares 50 short excerpts of people who collect trees. Why they do it, how they started, how they maintain their collections and their plans for their collections make her book one interesting read/listen.

Fabric accounting:

Current month:

Fabric in: 11 yards

Fabric out: 12 1/4 yards

Net loss: 1 1/4 yards

Year to date: 

Fabric in: 11 yards

Fabric out: 12 1/4 yards

Net loss: 1 1/4 yards

Another charity block

My February goals are:

1. Make progress on Lupine and Laughter.

2. Make a few RSC blocks--the color is green. Angela suggests focusing on the darker green if there is a lot. I will use whatever green will stand out against the gray and black backgrounds.

3. Work on the back for my challenge quilt.

4. Make progress quilting the 2022-2023 Temperature quilt.

5. Work on my sashiko project.

Lupin and Laughter blocks

6. Make more 2025 Temperature quilt blocks. I need to purchase more fabric to have enough to finish the blocks. 

7. Bind Grassy Creek--I'll be picking it up from the longarmer on Monday.

8. Attend and enjoy a virtual retreat.

Linking to Oh Scrap and Sew & Tell.

Virtual Retreat Fun

Yummy orange ricotta cookies

Last weekend, I attended a virtual retreat. The schedule was similar to an in person retreat. I made Jeanna's orange ricotta cookies as a sweet treat. I usually make hummus and slice up vegetables for my treat. The cookies were delicious. Jeanna's blog is Slammin the Screen Door. She posted the link to the recipe. I had the right amount of ricotta on hand. It seems the stars had aligned so I baked a batch a couple days before the retreat. Please visit Jeanna and leave her a comment. She shares her quilting, cross stitching and life happenings in her posts.

First retreat block

We had four days to sew. We were encouraged to make two blocks "retreat" blocks. These blocks will become a Quilt of Valor (QoV). A shop owner donated fabric for the center square of the star and the pattern. The corner squares are four inches, the star points are three inch blocks, the star center is five and half inches and the background for the goose is four inches by five and half inches. I love that the star floats.

It didn't take long to stitch two blocks which measured 12 1/2 inches. I mailed mine to the retreat chair as I don't plan to attend the February guild meeting in person. I used a quarter yard of fabric for these blocks. That makes a 1 1/4 yard net loss from my stash this year. These would be fun to make in different sizes. . .Gertie, my inner squirrel, was ready to play. Instead, we lived through those that actually made different sized blocks. Gertie decided we could make ours when the math was charted so she could focus on the fabric choices!

Second retreat block

My plan was to make progress quilting my 2022-2023 Temperature quilt and making blocks for the 2025 temperature quilts. For a diversion, I planned to start sewing rows together for the Lupine and Laughter mystery. What actually happened was that I spent all my time quilting the temperature quilt. . . .I did have a number of diversions. .  .

Retreat bag and contents

    For example, there was a tissue paper holder kit, which I stitched. These seem to be popular to make; but, do people actually use them? The mystery gift I received was a kit to make a jar opener. It is two layers of cotton fabric, two layers of fusible interfacing and one layer of shelf liner. It is an eight inch circle. I also stitched it.

I did participate in the Altoid container challenge. The tin that received the most "Ahhs" was the one that contained a dental pick, dental floss, breath mints and ibuprofen! I put some mini HSTs in my tin.

Progress at the end of the retreat

At the end of the retreat, I had quilted at total of 19 rows of the blocks. I was a little past half way. Gosh, this quilting is taking forever! Making progress on quilting this project was goal number eight on my January list.

Linking to Finished or Not Friday and Patchwork and Quilts.

2025 Rainbow Scrap Challenge (Hidden Seven) Is Finished--post 21

View of the back

The quilting on the 2025 Rainbow Scrap Challege (RSC) is a design with crayons. When I saw the pantograph design, I knew it would be perfect for this project! The crayons are about six inches long by 7/8 inches wide. The design is stitched with green thread so it blends well with the background.  My friend, Tomme, quilted it on her longarm. The quilting is terrific!

Quilting on the front

I made a label. This one has been hanging around for a long time. I'm gifting this quilt to a kind, generous and supportive couple in the U.K. Ali is a vibrant person and she would like the contrast of all the colors! Maybe when the quilt is gifted, they will allow me to post them with their quilt.

The quilt measurers 60 by 70 inches. 

Label

I sewed the binding on the 2025 Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I wrote a lot of posts as I documented my progress with Angela at So Scrappy. In 2024, I wrote the posts as I made the selvage squares. Block Sample (1); Green Selvages (2); Red Selvages (3); Purple Selvages (4); Yellow Selvages (5); Pink Selvages (6); Blue Selvages (7); Aqua Selvages (8); Orange Selvages (9) and Brown Selvages (10).

View of the back

In 2025, I stitched the color of the selvage square as Angela released the color of the month. I posted my progress: Pink and Blue blocks (11); Yellow blocks (12): Red blocks (13); Green blocks (14); Orange blocks (15); Purple blocks (16); Aqua blocks (17); Green and Orange blocks (18);  Brown and Black blocks (19) and Piecing the back (20). 

Finish

Hmmm. . .after looking back at that list, it reminded me of a Tootsie Pop commercial of a kid asking a wise old owl how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. The owl takes a Tootsie Pop. He counts as he licks.. . One, two, THREE! At that point, he bites the hard candy outside to get to the gooey center. 

My question, though, was how long does it take to make a quilt? Just 21 blog posts. LOL!!!! I added the sleeve and presto. . .a FINISH!!! Thank you, Angela for hosting the RSC. I used up some selvages for this project!

Finishing it was project number 2u on my annual goal list and goal number six on my January list. I used 12 yards of stash to complete this project. Earlier this month, I bought 11 yards of fabric so I have a net loss of 1 yard!

Linking to Oh Scrap, Scrap Happy and Sew & Tell.

Fabric In and a Sashiko Project

Fabric purchase

The first weekend in January, one of the quilting shops had a 20% off sale as well as a 50% off sale off one cut of fabric. Wide backing fabric, which I could use soon, was included in the sale. Buying a back for Lupine and Laughter came to my mind. I went. 

Sylvia Pippen's book

I did buy a wide back for a QOV that I'm planning to stitch later in the year. There was a wide back fabric I liked even better; but, there was only two yards remaining. I threw caution to the wind and bought it. My fingers are crossed that I will be able to use it as backing for my 2023 RSC. There may be minimal piecing involved to make it large enough. I decided I was okay with a little piecing!

Sitching Lupine and Laughter has exhausted my white neutrals. I bought a half hard of two fabrics. I also purchased a mini cone of piecing thread. I'm starting the year with adding 11 yards of fabric to my stash. My goal is to have a net loss of 100 yards of fabric from my stash. This week, I'm working on a finish which should counter my purchase!   

In other news, our book club is reading and discussing the book, "The Stories Clothes Tell/Voices of Working Class Japan" by Tasuichi Horikiri. Horikiri documented clothing that he collected from the working class of Japan. Most of the clothing in the book includes a short story about the owner and or how Horikiri collected it. it is an interesting read.

Sashiko progress 

While reading the book, I thought about using some denim scraps I saved long ago for a braided rug. I thought about pairing a piece of the scrap with some decorative stitching. Several pieces could work into a book project.

Then I remembered I had a project started in a class. At least ten years ago, I experienced Sylvia Pippen, a Washington state quilt artist, teach a sashiko class. I remember doing the prep work and stitching a small portion of the design in class. At the end of class, I packed up the materials into a zip lock plastic bag and didn't open the bag again until late last month.

Since I try to use what I have when I make a book club book, this project was the ONE! In addition to reviewing the instruction in her book, I needed to watch her YouTube video about how to complete the stitches. I hope that the design, when I finish will be pleasing to the eye. It is challenging to take "even" stitches. I'm far from perfect; but, I'm enjoying the process.

This is a small project about 14 by 14 inches. Small is good since I have several large projects currently at various stages in the pipeline! Making progress on the sashiko project was goal number seven on my January list.

Linking to Finished or not Friday and Patchwork and Quilts.

Challenge Block--post 3

Goal number five on my January list was to work on my challenge blocks. This challenge was to use three Kaffe large scale prints in a quilt. There were no other rules. In my December post, I shared how I was making the blocks. 

The three Kaffe prints

Earlier this week, I finished stitching the blocks for Bonnie Hunter's Mystery Lupine and Laughter. I'd like to lay them out; but, my challenge blocks are on the design wall. It was time to make progress on this project! I cut more block parts, made more blocks until I had sewn enough to create a top. 

Friday evening I began to web the rows. I like to web my blocks; but, somehow, the blocks will twist and I end up sewing rows together in a different design than I had intended. If you web, how do you keep that from happening? After my webbing fiasco, I started sewing the bocks together two at a time, then four at a time until I had a row. Then I stitched rows together.  Of course, I made mistakes; but, perhaps today, I'll finish and have a flimsy!

Sewing the rows together

Once I figured out how, the block was simple to sew. I like how slicing the blocks tamed the large scale prints. The solid fabrics sometimes stand out more than the print fabric. The solid dark skinny strips are a purple grunge. This fabric unifies the design. The blacks play together. They look like they are having a party! The top has a modern vibe. I'm happy with my solution to the challenge!

The layout

It needs a name. Gertie, my inner squirrel, has been calling it "Dash." I teased her that she was naming it after herself because she is always dashing about the studio. She only swished her tail in response! This is an 18 block by 10 block layout. The top will be 48 by 65 inches. I'm not planning to add a border and likely will use the purple grunge as binding. I have some leftover parts, chunks and strips. I hope there are enough leftovers to create a backing; but that is a project for another day!

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

Lupine and Laughter (Clues 6, 7 and a little of 8)-post 3

Clue six

I had help with clue six. My youngest granddaughter, who will be four in March, chose the fabric combinations. She liked the puzzle of laying out the parts to stitch into a block. She followed the printed pattern layout which shocked me! Together we did make one unit; but sewing was boring. Her favorite parts of the process were clipping the units apart and clapping the seam after pressing it. It was so fun to have her play in the studio with me. She thought I was "funny" when I talked about us playing in the studio. She told me we were "working!"

Clue seven AKA kitty ears

Clue seven had me cutting neutral rectangles and ice blue squares to make as Bonnie wrote, "kitty ears." I made these the traditional way and created a ton of bonus triangles. I have plans for those triangles which might be a project I start next year. 

Clue eight was the reveal. This clue is like four clues in one. There were two different blocks to make, the center to construct, the borders to construct. I started with making the block with the kitty ear blocks. There was matching so four points came together. Sometimes I was right on and sometimes I was super close.

Block A

After making the first set of blocks, I cut sashing and cornerstones for the second set of blocks. There was still matching.  . .but, the matching wasn't as precise. I have a quarter of the second set of blocks to make. Once I finish making the blocks, I'll be taking a break.

Currently, my design wall is holding blocks that I've constructed for my group challenge. I need to sew more of those blocks and set them into a top before I will have the space to layout the blocks for the center of this project. 

Block B

Making progress on this project was goal number one on my January list. Linking to Finished or Not Friday and Patchwork and Quilts.

2025 RSC Blocks--post 1

Sorting the blue strings

Goal number four on my January list was to piece a few blocks in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) color of the month. I have pondered the block for the RSC for months. A few leftover gray string blocks along with a lot of leftover gray fabrics from the Grassy Creek project had me thinking about using string blocks as my RSC. Since my bag of strings is packed so tightly that it can't hold more, string blocks seemed the obvious answer!

Constant fabric

Often, I will make a sample block before the year begins. Sample block making didn't happen this year. My little inner squirrel Gertie, kept coming up with options and what if questions! She is such a busy little squirrel!!! 

First four pieced rectangles

We had many, many consulting conferences. She wanted me to search my stash for a constant fabric to use in the blocks. I rebelled. She talked some more, I relented. I wanted to add black to the outer edge of half the blocks. Right away, Gertie loved this idea. She also let me know that I could have been more supportive of her idea to use the constant fabric! 

Four rectangles stitched together into a diamond shape

This week, I pulled out the newspaper and began cutting the 4.5 x 6.5 inch foundation papers for the blocks. I cut some strips of the constant fabric. I decided I would cut these strips at one and one quarter inch. After I stitched one edge into the block, it looked too wide so I trimmed the strips to an inch. The idea behind that constant fabric is for it to act as a stopper between the color and the dark fabric at the outer edge. For example, if I had a dark blue strip next to a black strip, the contrast would not be enough for the eye to see a difference.

Strings remaining

Using the color of the month, blue and to test my plan, I stitched eight string rectangles. I liked the effect that the one constant fabric provides. I stitched four rectangles together making the diamond pattern. I stitched a second crop of four rectangles together so I could get an idea of how the grey and black strings would play together. I liked what I saw.

The remaining blue strings; more black and gray strings

What I learned was that I need to make four rectangles at a time so that I can be sure that I have the orientations as I planned. Those orientations being two uphill rectangles and two downhill rectangles with the gray and black strings alternating. To not confuse myself, I marked on the paper the sides for the gray and black strings! 

Eight blue diamond blocks.

I stitched enough rectangles to make eight blocks. After I finished the block, I stitched around the perimeter to ensure none of the seams unsew! It took me a while to clean up. First I organized the blue strings which are no longer crammed and spilling out of the top of the bag. I've room to add strings to the bag again! I didn't not use the dark blue strips. I'll save those for another project.

I organized the black strings too. A lot of these strings, I had shoved into the bag. I took time to trim to a string size. I will need to dig into my chunks to cut more strings; but, I have enough to start blocks next month. I cut more gray strings and more foundation papers. I am ready to work on whatever color Angela chooses for February.

Making the blue RSC blocks was goal number four on my January list. I do enjoy stitching with strings even though it is a messy endeavor!  Linking to Rainbow Scrap Challenge, Oh Scrap, Sew & Tell, To Do Tuesday.