Blue String Blocks--Month 4 Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC)

Foundation ready for black strip

The Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) color this month is blue--light and bright. I started out with a crammed and over flowing quart size zip lock bag of blue strings. I ended up with a barely closable quart size zip lock bag. I can cram a lot of fabric bits into a quart bag! 

I had a question about how I prepare the foundation. I cut 8 1/2 inch squares from newsprint. I mark a placement line on the foundation that is one inch from the diagonal center. For purposes of taking the photo, I marked the center line. In reality, I line up the one inch mark ruler on the diagonal corners of the block and draw the line. 

Neutral strip ready to stitch

I arrived at the one inch mark because the black strip that is in each block is two inches wide. The placement line will help me have a better chance of lining up the black strips when I stitch the blocks together.

Next, I lay a black strip in the center of the foundation paper. I use the drawn line to help me position the strip on the paper and I pin it in place right side up. I choose a neutral strip and stitch right sides together a quarter inch from the edge.

Strip assortment and blocks in process

I will chain stitch four blocks with the neutral strip. Then, I'll cut the chain and begin stitching on the other side of the black strip. This time, I choose a color of the month strip--this month it was blue and place it right sides together on the black strip. I stitch l/4 inch from the edge. Again, I stitch four blocks and cut the chain of three blocks. Then I press the strips and repeat stitching the neutral strips and the color of the month strips until I have filled each foundation with fabrics. 

For the corners, I have a bag of triangles at the ready. If I have a triangle in the right color and size, then I'll use that piece instead of a strip. Some of the triangles were gifted to me, some were from Martha's scrap stash and some were actually bonus triangles of mine!

Blocks before trimming

Once the foundation is covered, I turn the block with the paper side up and trim the block. I'm mindful to carefully align the ruler so that the corners of the black strip are at the 0 and 8 1/2 inch markings. I trim the blocks and remove the paper. I have little waste! The blocks, before trimming, look ragged and uninteresting. Trimmed, they look neat and they sparkle like gems!

Over a couple afternoons, I pieced the dozen blocks. I'm ready for the release of the color for May! I'm linking to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and Oh Scrap/Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework.

Regarding COVID:

Worldwide: 146M cases; 3.1M deaths

United States: 32.1M cases;  deaths 571K

Oregon: 180K cases; 2,496 deaths

Trimmings after squaring the blocks

Worldwide, COVID cases continue to rise. India has been in the news this week because there are so many cases that there isn't enough oxygen supplies for the people who need it! 

In the United States, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is again approved for distribution. Fifteen women developed blood clots and three died after taking the vaccine. The CDC (Center of Disease Control) stopped the distribution of the vaccine to research the issue. The CDC determined the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risk involved. Millions of Johnson and Johnson dosages have been distributed. 

About 40 percent of the population has received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine. Twenty five percent of the population is fully vaccinated.

The Oregon governor said this week, that all of Oregon should be vaccinated by the end of July. Twenty seven
percent of Oregonians are fully vaccinated. My husband had his second Pfizer shot on Wednesday and is now counting the days until he is fully vaccinated. The governor stated that the number of cases and deaths will continue to rise if people don't continue to social distance and wear a mask. Monday, she may move some counties back into the extreme risk category.

Trimmed and "depapered" blocks

Also this week, the George Floyd murder trial ended in a guilty verdict for Dereck Chauvin. Sentencing will occur in about eight weeks. In Portland, violent protestors responded to the verdict by continuing to break windows, to spray graffiti on wall and to start fires on storefronts to wreck havoc on area businesses. Protestors now wear all black attire so it is more difficult for police to identify lawbreakers.

The Portland mayor now states it is time to take back the city and to clean it up. Between the homeless camps and the nightly destructions, city officials estimate it will be at least two years before all the trash can be cleaned up. Clean up plans could involve paying the homeless a living wage--$20/hour--to pick up trash. In the meantime, businesses board up their windows while other businesses close their doors. 

Partially because of the pandemic restrictions but mostly because of the boarded up business, I no longer have a desire to travel downtown. I haven't been downtown since February of 2020. I used to drive 20 minutes to a park and ride and then enjoy the 45 minute train ride downtown one to two times a month. I'd shop, grab a bite from a food cart and eat my lunch in a park. I'd take a coffee break in Pioneer Courthouse Square and enjoy people watching and listening to the entertainment. I'm glad I have had those experiences. I hope that when ordinary returns, some semblance of what was returns too.