August Recap: RSC, Cross Stitch Summer Camp, A Favor for a Friend and More FMQ Inspiration

Re-Visiting the Rainbow Scrap Challenge

After a busy July, things did not slow down for August!  My plans for the month started off with pulling the number for my American Patchwork and Quilting UFO Challenge  list.  In the piecing category (this year I made a separate list for projects that need to be quilted), the number that came up was for my "Twisted Ribbons" project which is one of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects.

I checked in with Angela's So Scrappy RSC information page and the color for the month was Orange.  What was good is that I needed that color in my other ongoing RSC projects as well so I pulled together pieces from stash and scraps.

Unfortunately, in order to work on "Twisted Ribbons",  I would have needed my design wall and as noted in my last post, it was still filled with the layout for the Christmas Scrap Squares project so that was not possible.  

However, I took the time to review all the RSC projects and I saw that my Log Cabin Hearts is probably the closest to getting to a finished top.  So I did cut the strips needed for an Orange block for that.  I had already cut sets for colors called earlier this year.  Since the RSC page now also had the color call for September, I added added more color block sets for that too.  

Now I will be taking this project with me on our upcoming trip to visit my MIL as one of the projects for our mini quilt retreat. 

Cross Stitch Summer Camp

Every August, Sheri the Colorado Cross Stitcher hosts Cross Stitch Summer Camp.  For the months of June and July she will give prompts which guide stitchers in choosing a project to work on for it.  For August the prompt is always the same:  "Try Something New".   For me that was the perfect excuse to start a project I had come across after viewing Flosstubes discussing the new patterns that debuted at the Nashville Needlemarket in early March.  

I saw a kit for a pattern that was said would be stitched in wool.  Having made wool quilt projects, I was curious about how that translated into cross stitch.  

The wool floss is on the left.

I admit I started on this late so by the end of August had not gotten far with it.  I've continued to work on it after August and here is where it is now. 

Commissions, Commissions.....

That month I also got a quilt commission request.  A long time friend of mine called to ask if I had an "African themed" quilt I might part with.  She had a co-worker who would be traveling to that country and wanted to give a unique gift for an upcoming birthday party for her.  I admitted I didn't have one but that I did have a fabric stash as this is something on my quilty wish list!

We put our heads together and came up with the idea of me making a jewelry roll like the ones I'd made her and another friend of mine.  She picked out the fabrics she liked and I made it up.

Unfortunately, this gift was not as well received as my friend expected.  So I had to have the "Quilt Gift Reality Check" conversation with her that we quilters have come to understand:  just because you like quilts and handmade items doesn't mean that others do or appreciate them.  I even passed along a number of links to her to articles that would let her know that this is a situation that is not as uncommon as she would think:

https://www.reddit.com/r/quilting/comments/ew94tv/how_do_i_recover_from_gifting_quilts_and/

https://www.epidastudio.com/7-things-to-consider-before-giving-a-quilt-as-a-gift/

https://www.badassquilterssociety.com/stop-giving-quilts-as-gifts/

https://scissortailquilting.com/finished-projects/giving-quilts/

Although I was able to calm her down a bit,  she was still a bit miffed and at least I got something out of it too:  she has vowed to never ask me to make a gift like that to give to someone again!  That has not however, freed me of the obligation to finally get to work on the memory lap quilt she has commissioned from me for herself, LOL!!   

The other thing I was able to do was to remake a tote bag I had made for her a while back.  She was carrying that one when she went for a mammogram.  Leaving the facility, she was on the elevator with a woman who was visibly upset, having received a rather grim diagnosis.  The woman asked my friend if she could take a picture of the encouraging saying on the front of the bag.  My friend felt so bad for the woman that she gave her the bag and then wondered if I might be able make another to replace it.  

Fortunately, the panel it came from -- Ruby Society's "Pep Talk" is still readily available so I got another panel.  I still had more of the original backing fabric that I had used for her first bag and shopped for a new lining fabric.  I was also able to upgrade the bag straps to cotton webbing which I think is sturdier than the nylon webbing I used the first time.  The best thing was that I was able to deliver both to her in person, making for a nice opportunity for us to meet up as well!  

Free Motion Summit

As I had in July,  I got the opportunity to attend another virtual workshop series: "The Free Motion Quilting Summit".  Hosted by Mary Davis of Mary Go Round Quilts, this was a free three day event (although you could pay for extended access to the videos) that introduced me to many quilting teachers I was not familiar with and re-introduced me to a few I did know.  

What was a big help to me was a workshop by Adria Goode on her "Big Flower" FMQ motif.   

This is an interesting stitch pattern in that it can be used either in blocks or in borders.  If you like it too, she has the free workshop available on her website as well!  

This was just the inspiration I needed to attempt to try to finish another quilt!  I had pieced "Heartland",  a 3 yard quilt back in Fall 2023 and had tried to longarm it when I visited my MIL back in May.  

I had picked out a computerized design and sized it on the quilt but wasn't able to figure out how to get my MIL's machine to stitch it out.  Since that time I think I've figured out what I did wrong and had planned to take it back to my MIL's when we go down to visit her.  However,  I felt the "Big Flower" motif would work well on it so I decided to instead quilt this one on my DSM.  I started that quilting in September and it is currently in progress:

The longarm instruction at the Summit made me also think about my plans for the next time I get a chance to use my MIL's longarm.  To that end, I pulled out another project long over due for finishing.  Looking at it for the first time in years, I could see a new plan for quilting it on her machine.  Armed with that and a new understanding of how her machine works and how to approach longarm projects in general,  I think I'm ready to take a stab at trying to get it done.   It is now packed up to go with us when we leave at the end of the week.

A Big Loss In the Quilting World

Towards the end of August,  I read that another light went out in the quilting firmament:  I learned about the passing of Freddie Moran on Jennifer Sampou's blog.  

For most of my quilty years, Freddy Moran was always talked about for her vibrant use of color and pattern, particularly polka dots.  I gained a new appreciation of her belief that "Red is a Neutral" when I worked on Red and White quilts these past few years.   

There is another tribute to her on the C& T Publishing blog.  Two more tributes to Freddy's work (done while she was still alive) can be seen in two videos by The Quilt Show here and here.   

In honor of her passing, I picked up a copy of her book "Freddy's House".  What's cool is that the used copy I got is autographed! 

She was also well known for her collaborations with the also dearly departed Gwen Marston.  I still want to try to get at least one of the books they wrote together.  

So that's it for August!  Last up will be a summary of September!