To Do Tuesday: Focus on the BOM Blocks

It's time again to join the group over at Carol's Quilt Schmilt, the hot spot for "To Do Tuesday" reporting!

The goal for my quilting this past week was to get back to working on blocks for a UFO challenge project, a mystery quilt and a raffle quilt.  I only managed to get some work done on two of those. 

UFO Challenge:  Scrappy Figs 

I had started making the "Christmas Figs" sampler quilt using a scrappy mix of Fig Tree fabrics back in 2020 as a personal BOM project.  Pandemic projects disrupted that along with the projects that followed in the subsequent years.  I am hoping to finally bring this one to a finish this year and had eight more blocks to piece before I could make it into a top.  This week I got to a little under half of them done with three more blocks finished.

Each of these involved fairly intensive piecing so I was thankful that I was able to put my Accuquilt Go! cutter into service to help cut parts for the blocks.  The "Bow Ties" block on the right isn't true to the pattern.  The patterned block consisted of 4" finished Bow Tie blocks in a 4x4 set for a 16" finished block.  

Joanna Figueroa designed her version of the blocks to be made with the "sew and flip" technique to form the center triangles of the Bow Tie.  I am not a fan of "sew and flip" and avoid it whenever possible.  Usually, I would rather cut an angled edge off of a square using either an "Easy Angle Ruler" or a "Folded Corner Ruler" and then stitch an appropriately sized HST triangle to it using a regular 1/4" seam.  This is exactly what I did to make the points of the "Star" block and for the tree trunk center.  For the Bow Ties, I didn't even need to do that!  

I have Bow Tie die sets for 6", 4-1/2" and 3" finished blocks purchased on clearance some years ago.  The closest I could get to a 16" block was to use a mix of 3" and 6" blocks which left me with three less blocks to make than patterned and a 15" finished center.  To bring it up to size, I then added a 1/2" finished coping border in the background fabric around it.  There are other blocks in the original quilt design that also make use of those kinds of borders (such as the "Tree" block also made this week) so it won't look odd among the sampler set.  

Since this block in particular is effectively 13 blocks in one, being able to die cut all the parts and then just sew seams -- as opposed to marking sewing lines and trimming off bonus triangles after -- was a time saver!    

Leader/Ender Mystery and Other Project Blocks

With all the sewing I had to do for the BOM blocks, I was able to use the "Log Cabin" blocks I need to make for Quilty Girl Alycia's new Quilts of Valor Mystery called "Stars Like Spaghetti" as leader/ender piecing.  

The Log Cabins are for the first clue of the mystery and I still have four more to make.  Clue #2 has already dropped and Clue #3 drops tomorrow.  

With so many seams to sew, it still took throwing in a few more blocks to get everything through the machine.  So I was also able to make another "Striped Squares" block for a really old UFO project I have wanted to make since the very early days of my quilting.  The scrap blocks with the diagonal strip in the middle are made from a free McCall's Quilting pattern called "Scrappity-Do-Dah".  So four projects for the work on one!    

Related:  Charity News!  When I went over to Alycia's blog, she mentioned in a recent post that details for the 2024 Block Drive for the Quilts of Valor Foundation have been posted.  They are looking to receive "Ohio Star" blocks and you can pick up the pattern for them here.  Additionally this coming Saturday, February 3 is a "National QOV Sew Day".  If you have a local group or shop that hosts these events, you may be able to go there to submit or even make blocks for the cause. 

No Love For the Raffle Quilt

The plan for this had been to stitch down the applique flower motifs that I had added to three of the basket blocks when I last worked on this a year ago:  

However with all the work on the other blocks, I didn't even get to that.  What I did do however, was to take a good look at the top and consider whether to add more.  The more I looked at the layout I found that I wanted to keep it as symmetrical as possible and adding more just complicated that.  So the good news -- given that I haven't made any progress on this so far -- is that I am okay with settling for what I have.  Ironically, I also have another applique project that will be a "New Start" but didn't get to that either.  So I guess February will have to be the month for applique!

And Let's Not Forget Cross Stitch!

Oh and last but not least, I did make progress with almost daily stitching on my latest cross stitch project:

Last week....

As of Today!

I'm hoping to finish stitching this one up by the 31st or at least by the end of the week!  

As always I will be heading back over to Quilt Schmilt to check out what everyone else is working on.  Hope it's been a good week for everyone!

To Do Tuesday: From Cross Stitch Back To Quilting

Checking in for another "To Do Tuesday" with the crafters who gather over at Quilt Schmilt!

Diverted by Cross Stitch Finishes

So I mentioned on last week's list that I had finished stitching a Valentine's cross stitch project and purchased the finishing supplies.  Well now that project and another cross stitch piece for Thanksgiving are "fully finished" as the cross stitchers say!

"My Heart Is Yours" and "Give Thanks"

So while the good news is that these two are now done (and way early for their respective holidays for a change), the bad news is that meant I didn't work on anything else.  Well, during the day that is.  In the evenings I've continued with my next cross stitch project: the "Year of the Dragon" piece.

Now that the project slate is a little clearer, maybe it will allow me to focus on some quilt projects!

Now Back To Quilting

So first off, I will be finally getting back to the blocks and finishing one of the tops for the two raffle quilts I need to get done by April.

I still have to stitch down the edges of the applique motifs for the blocks already prepared.  I had debated about adding flowers to more of the baskets but looking at the layout, I may try to make a few motifs to go in the half rectangles on some of the row ends instead.  

Since I have to stitch down the motifs for this one, I'll also finish stitching down the motifs for the applique blocks for the second dark quilt as well.  However, putting together that second top will have to wait until this one is done. 

From the UFO list, I was also supposed to work on my Fig Tree BOM project using various lines of their fabrics.  Funny thing though: when I pulled out the fabrics I had purchased on the Shop Hop back in October and looked through them to catalog what lines they were from, I realized I had made a mistake!

Unfortunately, these are not all Fig Tree!

The fabrics on the left are definitely Fig Tree and all but one is from the "Strawberries and Rhubarb" line.  The ones on the right are from another designer entirely:  "30's Playtime" by Chloe's Closet which I believe is a "basics" 30's reproduction line from MODA.  They had all been sitting in the same area in the shop so I guess this means I don't know the Fig Tree "look" as well as I thought, LOL!  Fortunately, I do have a stash of 30's reproductions that these will fit in nicely with anyway.

I did take one of the new Fig Tree prints and put it with two others already in stash to use in the next block.

I already had the deep burgundy print picked out for the trunk of the tree block and I've been using the "Fig Tree Cream" solid on the left as a background in all the blocks, interspersing it with other light prints depending on the block design.  Joanna Figureoa did this with the book's cover quilt which seemed to make the blocks "float" in the layout.  I'm hoping to achieve the same effect with mine.

That's Not to Say New Stuff Doesn't Come In....   

Another reason I got so off track this past week is that the "squirrels" have been coming in hot and heavy!  I have two new things I hope to begin working on, the first of which can be stitched as a leader/ender as I put the raffle quilt top together:

1.  Alycia of the Quilty Girl Alycia blog and who hosts "Finished Or Not Friday" has a new mystery quilt being released.  It starts off with Log Cabin blocks which have been an obsession of mine for the last couple of years.  Alycia's designs these to encourage people to make Quilts of Valor tops which is something I still want to do in my community so I just had to join in.

The strips for the first blocks are already prepped.  Well, the lights came out of the box where I put scraps for making LC blocks so they were already cut to size.  I had to mine the red strips from the stash of fabrics I have leftover from making red and white quilts for the holidays in 2022.  

2.  Pat Sloan's Breakfast Club is one of her current mystery sew alongs.  I've always wanted to make a quilty wall hanging for the kitchen.  When she started it, I liked the first block and saw I had a place to display this one with one caveat:  I'll be making mine a mini!  This will be an applique sampler and since I had really liked the fabric line she was using and found a good deal on it, I scooped it up.

I will also have to pull bits from my stash for some of the food motifs.  This is a "block a week" sew along so I hope I can both space out the work and keep up.  At least for right now, this is another one where I can stitch down the motifs along with the raffle quilt blocks.  

But Wait There's More!

Added to all of that there is also a lot of fun stuff I'm following.  While I was tempted to join in, I think I'll just watch these from the side lines.  Are you checking any of these out?    

Project Quilting - Season 15:  Challenge 1 has already been completed and the winners chosen.  Challenge #2 was just announced yesterday.  Will you be joining in?

Stay At Home Round Robin (SAHRR):  I've followed this one for a few years now and hope to do it one day.  I even have an orphan block I could have used but it's applique so I wasn't confident about being able to interpret pieced rounds with it.  I know I should have just dove in but with so many other things on my plate I think it's better to just watch and learn again this time.  The first Round has been announced on this one so go check it out if you think you might want to participate!

It sounds like a lot but with some focus it should be doable.  Or is that "famous last words"?!?  In any event, I'll head back over to Quilt Schmilt and see what everyone else is up to this week!

And So Ends April....

Boy this year is moving fast!  I only wish my projects were moving at the same speed!!  

The Raffle Quilts Go Away Again

Once again the late start on the raffle quilts meant I didn't get them done.  Two weeks out from the opening day, I was still waffling about whether I could really make a push to finish them.  Unfortunately, our community garden was hit hard when we lost two of our Steering Committee members in March.  One, our events coordinator, suddenly passed away.  Then our Vice President (and local government liaison) was diagnosed with a serious form of cancer and had to undergo surgery and chemotherapy.  The remainder of the Steering Committee reached out to our garden members for help in coordinating and finalizing the day's events and picking up the supplies for the day's activities.  

My DH and I volunteered since we usually worked with the Event Coordinator to set up the event on the day so had some idea of how she usually approached it and what needed to be done.  My husband had also already put in for the day off from work the day before the event.  That allowed us to further help by going to pick up all the supplies needed.  Once that all came forward, the plan to try finishing the quilts had to be packed away again!

The good news is that I did get to move them that much further forward.  All of the basket blocks for both are done and the border print strips for both are cut and ready for layout.  I was still debating on whether to add more applique to the pastel version (I've put flowers in three baskets but should I do four?).  I was also waiting to get the light version off the design wall so I could figure out which of the butterflies in the border print fabric of the dark version I would cut out and applique for the remaining three border cornerstones (I already have one prepped and made two applique squares for the center).

What this really means is that I must, must, must get this started early next year (perhaps right after the New Year) in order to get them done on time.  So there is still hope for this project.

Made Another Sash

In addition to helping coordinate the event, I also volunteered to make the Grand Marshal sash again.  We found out at the last minute that the scheduled speaker wasn't going to be able to attend after all but was sending someone from their office to officiate.  That freed me to make this year's sash a little less elaborate than last years. 

I scaled back some of the ideas I had planned to use for it (so ditched the canning jar blocks) but was still was able to have some fun with my little Bernina Deco embroidery machine and Accuquilt Classic letter dies.  Pictures from the event can be seen on page 5 in the latest edition of our community paper on the Issuu.com website here.

Progress on the Accuquilt QAL

The week of the garden opening, I was also supposed to finish up my Rainbow Log Cabin blocks for the Accuquilt and AQS quilt along.  Needless to say that didn't happen until after the opening day!   Then I had time to finish up the blocks and sew them together for the center of the top.

Up to that point, I had not given any thought to what I was going to use for the borders for this top.  I wanted to carry on the rainbow theme but didn't have anything in stash so a shopping trip was then in order.  I found a pretty bold and busy print that picked up all of the colors used in the blocks.  

Both the pattern and Erica Bottger of Accuquilt put their borders right up against the blocks.  With my dark print, I felt it "choked" the center that way so added an additional light inner border pieced together from the unused 12-1/2" light strips I had die cut.  The blocks in the top finish at 11" although the BOB* die itself cuts enough strips for a 12" finished block.  Now I have to think about how to quilt this and (fingers crossed) bring it to a finish this year.  

*BOB = "Block on Board" meaning all the pieces for the block are cut with the one die.

April APQ UFO review

Once again, I wasn't able to make time to work on the American Patchwork and Quilting UFO pick for the month.  The number pulled was "4" and on my list that is my "Make It Scrappy" project:

This one was started back in 2019 when I made a wall hanging version of a MODA Bake Shop design as a gift for my MIL.  When I made the letters for hers,  I also made letters for a lap quilt version for me.  I had finished all the letters and put the center of the top together but I still have to put borders on it.  

Well, that didn't happen this month but some good did come from thinking about working on this!  I had pulled out the storage bag for it at the start of the month so now needed to take a picture of what I have for it for this report.  Lo and behold, I also found a piece of this print bundled up with it:

It was the fabric I had used as the background for the word "Scrappy" in both quilts.  Well, it just so happens that I had recently bundled another cut of this same print with fabrics for my next string quilt project.  I had been lamenting that I was just short of what I needed of that print for that project.  I thought I was going to have to find another print to use because I didn't think I could get more of it.  So I guess it does pay to pull out that UFO project even if you don't get to actually work on it!!  

I have a note in my planner that in July there is a "World UFO Day".  Yes, there is a day for everything although quilters will be celebrating that one differently than most people, LOL!!.   Maybe I can make a plan to try and catch up on all of the ones I haven't gotten to this year when that day/month comes.

Fabrics are in for the next Angela Walters FMQ Challenge

Angela Walters has another of her Free-motion quilting challenges starting in May.  It's called "Floral Frames" and this time she will be doing stitch patterns that can be used in borders.   

Since about 2019, Angela has designed panels for demonstrating the designs she will show how to stitch out.  This allows quilters to literally stich along with her without having to be in an "in-person" class.  I liked the colors of this year's panel (Blue, White and Lime!) so decided to splurge on getting the panel this time since I will be able to display it with my other Blue & White quilts when it's done.  

I purchased the panel, coordinating threads, border and backing fabrics.

I'm also hoping to stitch up the quilt top I made last year in order to do her "Fillers" challenge.  

If you've been curious about Angela's challenges, in her last weekly chat she reviewed the history of the challenges she has offered, all of which are still on You Tube.  Additionally she is offering a discount on the purchase of the prior year panels if you are interested in getting any of them to try out her challenges.   

Cross Stitch Update

My plan for the month was to get my "Maybe Wine" cross stitch project done.  After re-starting it by ripping out work previously done on the top flower,  I felt I made good enough progress on the re-do to finish it up.  Unfortunately, all the changes in plans for the garden opening left me too pooped to stitch most days.  

I started the month here....

...and ended it here.

Luckily for me, there is a special cross stitch event starting tomorrow so continuing work on it is already on the agenda for May!

So that's it for April!  The month didn't "Shower" me with finishes but hopefully some finishes will "Bloom" in May!!

Work(s) In Progress Wednesday

Raffle Quilts:  The blocks for the pastel version are done and the layout is in process.

I need to play around with the layout and balance the color placement.  I also think I will make a few flower applique motifs to add to some of the baskets.  

Now I can also start back on making the basket blocks for the (original) butterfly version.

APQ Scrap Happy:  As of yesterday, the blocks have all been sewn into columns

The wall is so full, I had to overlap the last two columns in order to fit them all on my design wall.

They are now down off the wall and sitting on a chair waiting to be stitched to each other.  Going forward, I will sew these looong columns together as a leader/ender.  With all the seams to pin, it may take awhile though! 

Accuquilt and AQS Log Cabin QAL:   Today, Accuquilt and AQS are starting a quilt along  for Accuquilt's Scrappy Log Cabin pattern (the introduction is on their blog here and Part 1 of the QAL is here).  This is great news for me as I had started one back in 2021 for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.   So for once, I am ahead of the game!

I figure this is a good time to play some catch-up.  They discussed die cutting the fabric today, but my strips are already cut and I have a few blocks made already.  I figure when the "Scrap Happy" columns are done, this will take its place as the primary leader/ender.  

As usual, so much to do, so little time......

Make A List Monday: What's In Store For March

With the month underway it's time to assess what's in the quilting queue for March.  

National Quilting Month

First up, it's time to celebrate!  March is National Quilting Month and every year, the third Saturday is National Quilting Day which is on the 18th this year.  

Check out the websites of your favorite quilt designers, museums, industry companies and vendors as most will probably be offering special projects, programs and sales in honor of OUR holiday!  

My DH has a vacation coming up later this month and we have already made plans with my MIL to go down to North Carolina to visit her.  That's doubly good news for me because it means an opportunity to have another mini Quilt Retreat with her that week.  

March Block A Day with Pat Sloan

Pat Sloan's March Block-A-Day series continues this year.  She is offering a block called "Cheerful".

I have enjoyed doing these the last two years, each time with my own twist on what block I piece.  I really wanted to do this year's blocks but couldn't choose between a couple of fabric themes I could see myself doing them in.  So once again I decided on a pivot:  since I already have blocks for two projects that I need to finish up and both needed about an additional fifteen blocks each, I decided to make those the blocks I will sew up daily for the month.

So for March Daily Blocks sewing I will finish piecing the blocks for "Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll" in the first half of the month and continue working on my APQ "Scrap Happy" QAL blocks for the second half.

This will keep the "RRCB" project on the front burner for another month thus improving the possibility that I will finally get it to a top this year.  We'll be down in NC for part of the period I work on the "Scrap Happy" blocks.  I'll be returning to the scene of the crime with them since I had worked on them down there last year too.  It's also another chance to dig through my MIL's scraps to help "fund" the remaining blocks.

In other related Block-A-Day news, I also hope to quilt my "String Beans" quilt (that used a Log Cabin variation block) this month.  It was last year's B-A-D project (pun intended!) which I basted together last month.

Top and basted bundle showing the pieced backing.

Focus projects:  Raffle Quilts and a Memory Quilt

I have two projects that I also need to focus on this month: first is to resume work on the basket blocks for the two quilts I want to make to raffle off at my community garden's opening day.  

Technically, I can see this being another "block a day" project if I am going to have any hope of getting this done by the end of April deadline.  

The second quilt I really need to work on is a photo memory quilt for a long-time friend of mine.  This is a project that has been in discussion for at least three years now.  Last year she gave me the last of all the pictures I can choose from to put in it.  I found a pretty fabric line for it that had colors I know she'd like.  I also purchased some additional coordinating fabrics and novelty fabrics related to her life and interests.  

I did a preliminary layout in EQ8 but that's as far as I got.  I know I have procrastinated on this because it's such an important quilt and I want to really do something special for her.  It's time to face the challenge and get on with it!  

APQ UFO Challenge

This month's number to work on for the American Patchwork and Quilting UFO Challenge is #11.  On my list that is to finish quilting my "Modern Twist" project.

This is an oldie but a goodie that was a one of the three Planet Patchwork mystery quilts I worked on years ago.  They had been in the process of closing the website down around the time that I made this  one and it looks like the domain name is being used by another company now.  

This is not the first time this one has been picked for the UFO Challenge and in recent years I've frequently considered working on it.  The hold up has been that I always saw the piecing as "pipes" and the blues in it reminded me of water so I wanted to use various "flowing water" motifs in the "pipe" sections.  I only did so in one and then got stumped on additional motifs to use.  Over the years I've found a few more but have been working on transitioning to using different machines to quilt with so really haven't focused on getting back to this one.  Now that I've gotten a little more comfortable with my machines, I think I'm finally ready to resume quilting this one.  

Finishing up the Christmas Quilts:  Quilting Christmas Ribbons

Yet another on the "To Be Quilted" March wish list is to work toward finishing up the last of the Red & White Christmas quilts by quilting my "Christmas Ribbons" project that now also includes the bow applique I added.  

You can see the full top here.

The backing is ready and I also have the batting so at the least I'd like to get the next step done this month which is the layering and basting.  I also have already sketched out a preliminary quilting plan.  I'm actually thinking about taking this one down to North Carolina with me since I think I could quilt it on the Featherweight.  We'll see if that happens.

So what will you be working on in March?  I hope you also get to celebrate National Quilting Month and Day with some fun quilty projects or special things from your quilt supplies Wish Lists!

Summer Recap: May

I hope you had an enjoyable Labor Day weekend!  Now that we've finished celebrating the end of Summer, it's time for me to start looking back on what I did during those very hot months!

May was definitely packed full with many plans, much quilty eye candy around the web and many competing quilty aspirations.  The heat also caused a lot of garden guilt.  I only went out to our community garden on the two days my DH and I worked the opening shift and one other day that month.  It was so hot, I preferred to stay in the cooling A/C whenever possible.    

Thank goodness there were bright spots though:  it was my birthday month and on the Memorial Day weekend DH and I went up to the town where we camped last year to see the opening of their  Transportation History Center.

I also finally took the cover off my terrace table and finally got my terrace planters set up.  

Never did get around to hosing down the deck though.  It was just too hot to sit out there!  

With all that staying inside, there were a few quilty things accomplished:

Back in April, I had talked about the Harry potter quilt I was making for my son.  I did manage to finish the last two paper-pieced blocks I wanted to add to the quilt center.   

PP Block Designs from Fandom In Stitches 

While I liked the stone print I used for the castle block,  the scale of it was too large for the five inch size of the block.  I had used some gradient fabrics for the Sorting Hat block but the effect didn't really translate --- again due to the scale of the block.  

However, I'm still happy with the overall look of both so was prepared to just move on.  I had hoped to complete the layout of the center of the quilt before taking it down from the design wall but eventually realized that it sitting there wasn't encouraging me to work on it or anything else for that matter!  

That month, I also managed to finally get started on the "Realigned" blocks that I want to set up for quilt-as-you-go free-motion quilting practice.  The idea was to do this as a daily practice but making and then layering the blocks was a lot slower going than expected....

Figuring I could "kill two birds with one stone" when I pieced the blocks, I leader/ender-ed them with my RSC Rainbow Log Cabin blocks that I also wanted to get done:

Needless to say that neither set was completed that month.  So I switched tasks again and got the "Quick Strippie" backing for my "String Beans" top made up.  I am still trying to finish up my version of this Pat Sloan "March Block A Day" QAL project.

Backing Plan: Free Pattern from MaryQuilts.com

I had to widen the back design....

....to fit the top finished in April.

This keeps up with the trend this year for pieced backs.  I had hoped I'd then get right to quilting this but I couldn't decide whether I cared if the quilting complemented the front more or the back.  So that debate stopped all progress on that project. Okay, that's the danger of pieced backs!

The biggest disappointment that month was that I had really hoped to layer and quilt "On Ringo Lake".  I didn't get to it and of course now I'll have to edit the label I pre-printed whenever I do get it done.  

Won't be the first time I did that! 

I had a feeling that pre-printing the finish date would bite me in the butt and I wasn't wrong!  Once again, this comes back to needing to focus.  I can't do it all even if I really, really want to!

I had also hoped to restart work on my 2020 Scrappy Figs BOM as well as start on two new ones I signed up for:  Quiltfolk's "Patchwork & Prose: A Bookish BOM", and Minick and Simpson's "Blue Pear" (the link is for when they announced it on their blog at the beginning of the year).  Of course none of that happened either, sigh!  I will say though, if you are on Facebook or Instagram, check out the blocks made up so far for "Bookish".  People have really been doing some wonderful work on their improv book cover quilt blocks!

Turns out I'm actually glad I didn't get started on the "Blue Pear" because since then, I've decided to change it up a bit and add touches of red --- using M&S fabrics of course!  I got that idea as I watched Pat Sloan's daily videos.  Until recently, she had her "Hometown Charm" quilt hung up on one side of her studio so I often saw it behind her onscreen.  There was something about it I liked but not enough to want to make it.  Then I realized that what I am attracted to is the color combination she used:  Red, White, Blue and Lime!  Well, why not add red to the "Pear" and make that happen!    

Can I give this one a little of the "flavor" of that one?

That hasn't happened yet and I'll have to see if any thing comes of that bit of inspiration in the coming months.

I saw that the RSC color for the month was Blue and since I did that last year, I didn't need it for any of my continuing projects --- well maybe I could have made more of the scrappy hexagons.  

However, I didn't really stress about not keeping up on that.  Yes, the Summer started off with a bang!  Believe it or not, there is more to come in the next Summer Recap which I'll post next week!