RSC Saturday in blue

I finally got to have some quality time with the sewing machine this week and played with some of my blue and purple fabrics!
Six Twinkle stars got made using Angela's pattern. This will be for the row along... but would make a super cute quilt on their own!

I made a couple of 8 inch blocks to add to the ones I found in the drawer earlier this month. I think that dark blue one might be too dark to go with the others.... Unless I make some in all colors like Sheila of Sew Cook and Travel does and use 48 colorful blocks to make a nice size throw..... ?

I am so glad we have one more week to play with blue...as I have not had too much time this month to play with my scraps. Too many hand work projects I am trying to get to a complete status this month for time with the sewing machine (midget appliqué into a top, UFO - quilt as you go, trip blocks into a top with a rework on yellow).

Head on over Saturday morning to the RSC Challenge to see what others have been doing with their scraps this week. This is the first year I have not picked 3-5 blocks to make and I am feeling a bit lost. I may have to rethink that and make a block or two...... Maybe houses? Those have been on my to do list for a while....

Weekend post...

I have been enjoying a bunch of hand work the last few days.
I added a few rounds to the aqua trip block - mostly yesterday on the back porch while watching the kids with their play date. One little girl went home for a nap but her brother stayed to play for the afternoon. Lots of running around outside - trips on the playhouse as a boat (watch out for the whale!) and hikes through the back woods as settlers to the new world. Time to prep more squares for this - 28,24,20, etc down to 4 to finish this last block off. I do wonder if on this last one I'll actually remember not to sew on those corner white triangles? I've only remembered twice the whole year!

Last night I added another 1.5 hours of hand quilting on Hugs and Kisses and have the fist border completed. Now the challenge - hand quilting that last edge. I got the blue peel quilted inside and out and started the orange before I decided to stop for the night.

When I need a change of pace - I have a little binding to add onto the twinkle star quilt that I machine quilted earlier this week with a wiggle stitch. This little guy is 40x40.

For the sewing machine..... I plan to add a few alternate blocks and maybe start sewing my blocks into rows. I have most of my parts sewn together - just need to finish the red four patches and cut some more 4.5 inch squares. I kept forgetting to change one part of 4 blocks of Angela's pattern to help my last border to connect those chains. Must find the yellow and light blue fabric to cut a few more squares for four patches. Of course... those are the alternate blocks I have already sewn up!

Linking up Saturday with the RSC Challenge and Sunday morning with Slow Sunday Stitching.
Greg has taken the kids to Grandma's so I get a little time of quiet in the house. My Daisy's are ringing the bell as part of their community service today so I'll be checking in and making sure someone is there. We have 3 hours to fill in at the end - I had Em signed up for the last hour but will try and have her do 2 and I'll cover the other hour by myself with the cadet scout. Too bad I can't bring hand work with me =). Sunday..... Greg and I will toss a coin and see who gets to work the short day. I hope I win - as he'll get the kids and I'll work before he heads to Clearwater Sunday night for a couple of days of training (recertification of CPO - certified pool operator). I'll hit the recertification at the next training session usually in Feb/March time frame.
Our elf has learned what the kids want for Christmas this year and I'm sure he has reported that back to the big Boss. Emily wants a police rescue helicopter to round out her rescue team (fire trucks, ambulance, police cars). Aidan wants a blue sewing machine. So nice the kids only really ask for one thing from Santa instead of the big lists I've heard other kids ask for.
Ok - must go shower and dress so I can sew a bit before Greg gets home.

Tiny Tuesday is a twinkle star almost finish....

I decided I needed a sewing reward this morning so I pinned, quilted and made a binding and attached it to this little guy. It is 40x40 and has a nice snuggly blue dot flannel on the back. Just needs to have the binding sewn down.... and I'll have a nice finish from my RSC2015 twinkle star blocks.

Wednesday - another midget block done....

 This is Overall boy. He got stitched up yesterday. I am out of prepped blocks... must go prep some more!

I decided to go with the 4x4 setting and added a light purple block to the mix. I wonder if I'll be able to pin this one in the afternoon after kid pickup? Only time will tell....

Design wall Monday....

After dropping the kids to school and popping into work to open the store (just until Greg gets there after his Dad's eye appointment) I plan to come home and play with these twinkle stars.

I think I can get them to a top stage today... with hopes to quilt it up and finish it this week. Do I go with 3x5 setting for a 30x50 little top or 4x4 for a 40x40...which would need one more block to finish it off?

This is the cake the kids and Greg made yesterday.

RSC in brown.....

I started off my Monday with a Kick! A kick sampler block that is.

I also cut out a bunch of 2.5 inch squares for my twinkle star block and made up another 16 patch while I was sewing. That gives me three in brown.

That leaves the Dresden... which I managed to put together on Wednesday afternoon while the kids were playing school in the play room! I have 13 of these now... so I pulled out paper and pencil and drew up a setting. I think it will be on point and I just need 13 so this one is 'done'. Just need to calculate the yardage needed for the background (2.5 yards includes wiggle room) and see how big I want this one. Do I go with cream or white? Hmmmm We'll have to see what is on sale in the next few weeks. Thank goodness a birthday is coming up and there should be some birthday $...

This was the sunrise as I was going home from dropping the kids to school on Thursday.

Head on over and check out the RSC Challenge blocks on Saturday morning.

RSC - Finishing off orange

September went by much too quickly for me so I am doing a recap of the orange I was finally able to sew up this week. All three of the sampler blocks were finished off along with a twinkle star and the black and blue dresden plate.

I made the orange dresden plate and the 16 patch on Tuesday. Oops, forgot to get a shot of the 16 patch... but I might need to rob it of some blocks .... see the next sentence!

The trip block is still in progress but is past the halfway point - I seem to have gotten the count wrong on the going down totals and need to squeeze another round out of my fabrics.... which are sorely lacking in orange. I also need to figure out 4 more of that really light orange.... Oops! They might be stolen from the 16 patch or the twinkle star block as nothing I have is even close to that shade.

Head on over Saturday morning to see what others RSC Challengers are finishing off in orange and starting in browns. I can't wait to put the orange away and start in on brown... I love the calming contrast it gives to the rainbow block quilts. There is also something fun about playing with fabric that has such great names as chocolate and java!

Today (Friday) will find me playing in the dirt with a tiller! I am finally home and the housework is going to have to wait as I really need to finish the garden prep and plant the fall garden. With any luck I can get the last half tilled, weeds pulled and prepped and planted so I can pop the fence up on Sunday (enlisting the help of the rest of the family whether they want to or not on Sunday!). Tomorrow might be a work day but will be a travel to the girl scout store to pick up some things for Monday as well. 8:20 AM... too soon to start the tiller so I'll make some phone calls and then move outside to play with some brown.... dirt that is! At least the corn is up and the zucchini and cucumber plants are looking healthy. =)

Catch up Monday.

I decided to sew a bit this morning before I did the necessary paperwork (girl scouts and the business). I finished cutting some orange squares and made the twinkle star block. I cut the flying geese and sewed them up to finish off the two sampler blocks and made the third sampler block as well. I also had dresden twosies on the ironing board (for about 3 weeks!) in blue and black so those got sewn together in between sewing other things this morning. Not too shabby for a couple of hours in the sewing room.

This morning I also cleaned out the fridge a bit and used up the last of the ham, some onion and pepper along with some eggs. I found some flour tortilla in the pantry that needed using and made my version of McDonalds breakfast burrito - 5 of them are in the freezer. They will just need a little microwave warm up and breakfast is ready in under 2 minutes!

Hmmmm 11AM. I suppose I should grab a shower and do some paperwork and then pop out and get some milk. Maybe if I hurry I can get a little more sewing time in today before a rainy day pickup of the kids. (Extra hand work time as I'll need to get there early for a one line pick up instead of two lines.)

This was my view yesterday afternoon while doing some slow stitching....I do love candles burning in the fall. I just have about 8 more white squares to add to the trip block so I guess I need to prep more orange squares for that as well. The daisy also got finished off yesterday all set for a post tomorrow. The house smelled heavenly with the pumpkin spice candles and the pumpkin pudding we decided to make yesterday afternoon after our movie. If only we had cooler temps and changing leaves down here in florida... it might feel like fall.

A wrap up post!

I seem to be off a little this week but I have managed to get a little sewing in. It will take me a little bit to get into the routine of school. My Dad also had knee replacement surgery on Tuesday - he got through surgery fine and is now in the process of working on the therapy. Hopefully this will eventually get him walking with no pain. Emily finally lost a tooth last Friday and proceeded to lose another one five days later. The tooth fairy knows our house well! I have gotten 4 walks in this week and the other day was over an hour moving around in the pool. My walk this morning was with my friend Deb who is watching this little 2 month old baby boy. Oh he is a sweetie and I had fun pushing his stroller and holding him this morning.

I did my midget appliqué block - cherry branch #2 - or something like that. It is very similar to one I just did but it is indeed different.

I spent a little time sewing together some black blocks for the RSC Challenge. I made 2 -16 patch blocks and one of the twinkle star blocks. Dresden and BITA's will be next week I guess.

The big news... I finally got the wedding quilt machine quilted, a binding made and attached to the front and I need to start the process of hand stitching this down to the back. I've had a e-mail conversations with Kathy aka Nana this week about this quilt..... this poor quilt is not happy with me at all! It seems it really wanted some special quilting on it but as this has a deadline, it just got some wiggly squiggle lines on it. It is now pouting but it seems to be very happy with the black flowered binding. At least I did something to make it happy! I know... the quilt is talking.... well, your quilts talk to you, don't they? Come on, admit it, they do! I made these blocks a few years ago with the RSC Challenge.... and will probably add some dark blue and black birds in the air blocks next week to the new pile for another one. I plan to work on the binding this weekend at night so I'll link up Sunday with Kathy's Quilts for Slow stitching Sunday.

I also finally did some walking foot stitching on two place mats this week and got the bindings on.... they are waiting for a stitch down on the blue and the green got stitched down last night. The green and blue are all from the scrap piles. There is a red strip one waiting for a backing and quilting.... that one is Emily's... I think she even sewed the strips together last month. I think I need one more so a purple strip one will be added to the mix. So glad I have been cutting scraps into 2.5 inch strips this year.

Front side

Back side.

As I was going through my 'take with me bags' (yes I have two with multiple baggies of projects in each!), I found the outer triangles of green that I took off my 2.5 inch trip around the world block when I redid that a few months ago. I pulled some more dark forest greens from the pile on the floor and started making the middle. I got these put together in the car line yesterday and finished off this part last night. I need to go find some more fabrics to cut and prep for my round of 16, 20 and 24 squares and then 28 of the white and then I'll have 7 blocks complete. Just waiting on orange and I think the last one will be teals. It seems this will end up at 90x90 with 9 blocks.

I'll link up Saturday morning with Angela for the RSC Challenge. Head on over to both links on Saturday and Sunday morning and get inspired. 

Mom - I'll be working Saturday but I think I'll be home Sunday and will rent a tiller and get the garden tilled for the fall =) I'm going to figure out gardening down here if it kills me!

Scrappy Saturday in indigo....

This week I added a couple 16 patch blocks and my twinkle star 25 patch in indigo.

Next week will be the dresdens...... =). The kids are back in school as of Monday so maybe a set of black blocks (16 and twinkles) will get made as well!

Now to go clear off the sewing table so I can pin the wedding quilt. The top and bottom are pressed and rolled onto the boards and the batting is cut. Just need to pin her up.

Head on over to so scrappy on Saturday morning and see what other RSC challenge projects were played with this week. As for me... I will be breaking the rules and wearing sandals to work this weekend. I injured my big toe toenail a little over a week ago and wearing socks and sneakers for the whole day would not be comfy - even with a band aid on it. I hope to resume walking on Monday after dropping off the kids though.... wish me luck! If the socks are still not comfy then... there is always walking in the pool for another month!

RSC Mid year wrap up - and some recipes.

It is July already and time to evaluate how the RSC Challenge is coming along. I am doing pretty good this year - I have dropped some of my planned monthly projects (Hexie surround by black and the scrappy strips) and added others. Oh well, there will always be scraps to use up in something!

The RSC Sampler is coming along. I need to finish cutting my alternate blocks for light blue and sew up the red blocks. It looks like two rows can be sewn together at this point...not sure if I will do that this month or wait until the kids are back in school next month and I have more time =).

I have the dresden plates and the added 16 patch blocks. I have done the 16 patch the last two years and made them into stars 1 and stars 2 but this year I think I'll make a colorful 'Goodnight Irene' quilt with X blocks adding some interest to look like a cube in a cube. I think I need at least 18 of the patch blocks and then the alternate so I'll make a bunch more this year for that project or maybe it will go into next year's challenge! I need to grab some paper and colored pencils to plan that one out before making the alternate blocks.

The hand pieced Trip around the world blocks are finishing at 30 inches each. That should make a great twin size with 6..... or queen size with 9. Still debating if I attempt one with red or not.... I frogged (unstitched Mom) a bunch of the green and replaced the outer edge and I am much happier with it. That leaves those previous corners... which could be done up in forest deep greens at some point if I attempt red, orange and then another color - maybe an aqua? Thinking on that one. These will be hand quilted as blocks eventually and set together once I decide on 6 or 9!

After watching the twinkle stars over the last few years I decided to take the plunge and have been making them this year. They will finish at 10 inches.

I did head to the doctors this week and my summer cold is so lovely that the cough will last for another month! At least my energy level is coming back to normal this week as you can tell by all the cooking I did yesterday! I made homemade hamburger buns, pulled pork in the crock pot which was loved by all and then I put the bread maker to work last night making up some cinnamon rolls! They were oh so yummy for breakfast this morning. I just used the recipe from the break maker instructions. 

Head on over to the link party and see a recap of the other RSC Projects!

Ok - one more picture - I need to vacuum the sewing area so I can start laying these birds in the air blocks out to make a wedding quilt for September. I made these blocks with the RSC Challenge a couple of years ago. Very fun to make in a 6 inch size.

RSC Saturday in red.....

I pulled out my red fabrics and sorted them into red and maroon. I cut strips of 2.5 inches off some stacks of fabric on the shelf and had enough to make my 16 patch, twinkle stars and cut some 2.5x4.5 wedges for the dresden plates. I got a lot done on Wednesday so all the resting on Monday and Tuesday paid off! The kids even cooperated and let me have some sewing time in the afternoon.

I also cut some forest green while I was in there and made a 16 patch and a twinkle star of that shade as well. Yes... it looks like Christmas in July on my cutting mat!

Halfway through the year and this is the results of one a month with the RSC Challenge.......

16 patches with 2.5 inch squares.

Twinkle stars with 2.5 inch squares

The dresden plates and trip around the world will be next week.

Not too shabby. Thanks so much to Angela for hosting the RSC Challenge again this year. Head on over Saturday morning to see what other half year reports are in. I checked back and it looks like I have joined in since January of 2011!

In fact - here is a finish this week from some blocks made a few years ago! I did the snails trail block in light/dark for the color chosen each month. I quilted it this week and made and added the blue binding. This finishes at 48x72 and just needs a spin through the washer and dryer.

Saturday in light blue...

I started a green 16 patch last month and with the kids playing and entertaining themselves on Friday morning I pulled all those 2.5 inch strips I have been cutting down from scraps this year and made some for the previous months. I still need to pull medium and make one from that but I don't seem to have ready made strips of medium blues... I did find the bin of blues so I'll pick out of there and make one to be all caught up.

While I was cutting for the 16 patch I did the twinkle star and when I went to put it with the others look what I found! Yup - I had made one back in January when we did medium blue. The one I made today  is next to the green and appears lighter than the top one so maybe they'll all work in the quilt!

I'm hooking up with the RSC Challenge on Saturday morning.  I'll be home with both kids again and we are headed to Orlando to 'Build a Bear'. Emily will be with her girl scout group and I'll be with Aidan making one for him. Daddy has to work for a few hours that day or he would have been dragged with us!

While there, I am dropping off this colorful quilt to be gifted to one of the girls in Emily's troop.

 The day after the Frozen on Ice show, she lost the ability to move for a little bit and a trip to the ER found an inoperable tumor on the base of her neck. The prognosis is not looking good but hopefully this will make her smile while she is in the hospital getting treatments. She was at the last meeting on Monday night and was walking but as she said 'I'm a bit tippy' as she was holding onto things as she walked along. I made this quilt a few years ago with the RSC Challenge and I think it is just the thing for Maddie to make her smile.

While checking my UFO list I decided to pull my snails trail quilt and attempt to make a backing for it. It is next on the list for machine quilting and hopefully will be finished this month. The top is 48x72 with these 12 inch blocks. I am planning to FMQ circles in each of the blocks - wish me luck! I'm shooting for two finishes in my head (my 16 patch from last year) but will be happy with one.

The thunder in the distance put the pool time on hold so it is board game time this afternoon.  Maybe they'll let me have a break and I can take some time to go pull parts to make a backing for this quilt. One can hope!

RSC Purple....

I was attempting to FMQ the borders of my Celtic Solstice quilt on Wednesday morning.... and with all the issues I decided the machine needed some TLC so off to the spa for a cleaning it went. It is a good thing I got some purple sewing in on Monday this week.

I made the dresden plate in purples.

I made the twinkle star block.

I started the scrappy strip...

and made progress on the hand work Trip around the world. For the second month in a row I messed up the row after the white - same number of squares (28) for the white but... none go on the four corners. Yup - I added three before I figured out my mistake, again. Looks like I have two more squares to pull out - those top two corners.

Now to make the two sampler blocks for the RSC that have been posted... next week after I get my machine back.

I think I'll have to work on the tension on my Singer 301 today and let her get some exercise. I know Aidan wants to play a bit with it so that is my goal today while they are at school - get the tension working. Of course, lots of errands to run with garbage and recycling and then getting some more potting soil to transplant Aidan's pepper plants - he planted them from some pepper seeds I had put in the bowl for the composter last month! I need to move a bunch of the lettuce out too - one whole bag into a planter was a wee bit too much =). At least the wild bunny has not gobbled it up.

Hop on over the the RSC Challenge Saturday morning and see what other purple projects were worked on this week. I'll be heading into work both weekend days again for all of this month. We skipped spring and went right to summer here in Florida!

This is Emily and Greg from her birthday on Tuesday. We went in and had lunch with her and I got this shot outside for our picnic at school. Yes, she asked her teacher if she could wear her crown for her birthday at school and she said yes. One happy little six year old girl.

Monday night was awards nights at scouts. Aidan got a bunch of belt loops that he has been working on over the last few months. 

Off to take my walk before it gets too hot.

Scrappy in yellow.....

I got a few minutes here and there in the sewing room this week and got a little yellow fabric played with.

I made my twinkle star block. Don't look too close at those seams.

I also got the dresden plate block picked out, prepped and sewn together while waiting for Mom to get ready to go shopping on Wednesday.

Next was pulling the fabrics and cutting out my 2.5 inch squares for the trip around the world block. I drew my lines on Thursday morning and got this much done in the last two games of bowling that morning. I do love those bumble bees =) Did you know Deborah means Bee in Hebrew?

I also made the decision to frame my midget appliqué blocks with a 1.5 inch yellow strip. I'll keep this one hand pieced I think and add them as I finish them up. I'm thinking a blue strip will go in-between them to tie it all together at the end. I draw the 4.5 inch line around on the back when I prep the hand appliqué on these so I have a guide to attach those frames already =).

A very productive week of scraps! I'm linking up with SoScrappy for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on Saturday and also Oh Scrap! on Sunday. Head on over and visit the links for some great inspiration.