Last Saturday in Pink

This is the last scrappy Saturday in Pink and I wanted to do a recap. Thanks Soscrappy for hosting this challenge. I am having fun playing with colors each month.

This month I have finished the top of the pink x string quilt from last year. The pattern is from Bonnie Hunter but I put a sashing on the side last year and realized when I was done that the blocks would not make an X anymore. Oops.


Three more of the scrappy pinwheel blocks. The pattern is from Kim Brackett's book Scrap Basket Surprise. This is a picture of all of them so far.
Some are from the blocks I won a couple years ago from my guild BOM that didn't make it into the quilt I made from them. It can be found here.

Twelve more of the Birds in the Air blocks...I really need to make two more of the red ones so I'll have 12 of each.

This pattern is from Sylvia's Bridal Sampler from Elm Creek Quilts by Jennifer Chiaverini.

I could not sleep Thursday night so instead of tossing and turning, I got up and cut some fabrics. I cut the strips of pinks into 2 inch squares and some into 2.5 strips for a scrappy binding for the pink quilt above.


Then I had to make a couple of birthday cards to send up to Vermont. My niece and SIL have birthdays right around Em's... one is the 4th - when my niece turns 17 and the other is the 9th. Emily will turn 3 years old the 7th... she didn't want to share her birthday I guess!
These are in the mail and hopefully will arrive in time.


Go on over to SoScrappy and see what others are doing on this pink challenge

Late night cutting fabrics

I was unable to sleep for a bit last night so I got up and decided to cut some things out.
I had done the Rocky Glen block yesterday but the paws were not going the same way as in the picture. I started to rip it out last night... and decided I'd just redo it. I cut the itty bitty squares (14 each at 1.3/8) so that I can redo this block. If it still doesn't come out correct.... I'm going to leave it as is.


Then I pulled fabrics for the next 3 Midget blocks so I'll be set for the next few weeks before printing out some more.





I also grabbed the pink strips I had cut when finishing the borders of the pink quilt and cut them into 2.5 inch strips and 2 inch strips. One set is put together in a pile to be sewn into the binding for the quilt and the other was cut up into 2 inch squares for the basket of colorful squares for next years L&E quilt.


Then.... I remembered it is getting to the end of the month and I have not done the quilt square along block from Jo's Country Junction. We have an extension this month as she is away at a retreat this weekend. The reveal will be April 4.. my niece's 17th birthday. I really need to make her card today and get that in the mail. These are the squares needed to make the pattern for this month - Small Quilt #4 from Lori Smith - Quilt Squares #1 pattern.


How much do you think the kids will let me sew today? I got the two Midget blocks done yesterday and got the final bit of the 5 yards of garden dirt placed into the new garden beds - two 8x8 beds for the veggie garden and then some dirt on the side of the shed for the herb garden and then the remainder of the pile placed by the fence in the back yard so the kids and I can plant some sunflowers and maybe some cutting flowers. Now we need to adjust to gardening in the south... lots different from gardening in the north! Oh, the kids loved to play in the dirt over the last few days..... why we have so many toys when a pile of dirt kept them entertained for hours over the span of this week..... Think I can convince them to rake the remaining soil into the bare spots on the lawn so I can put some grass seed down? It would be fun... really!

Midget Block 33

#33 is Merry Go Round.
This is paper pieced and I still got the middle parts off a bit. Oh well... I am not redoing this one.
This one has 52 pieces in it. I did forget to put the orange in between the blues... I guess my O for Orange looked like the C for cream...



#34 is Rocky Glen... and I worked on it this morning before heading out to story time. In my hurry I did an oops when putting it together. I may just redo this one..... we'll have to wait and see. This one has 64 pieces in it.

Progress and a package...

I made some progress and a decision on the Starburst quilt for the graduation girl. I have the diamond borders on.... and you'll see from the picture that yes, I didn't have enough of the diamonds and did not want to make more of them. So.... there are 4 black squares in the corners. I am just going to add one more outer border and call it ready for quilting. I am going to do the sides of the quilt about 2.5 or 3 inches and then the top and bottom at 5.5 inches. The binding will be about 10 or 11 inch lengths of each of the bright colors going around the quilt. That's the final decision! Here is the quilt so far without the outermost borders on.

I also got a package in the mail...from Connecting Threads.



Yippee. I got a lot for my $56 dollars. 3 different colors with 3 yards each - blue, chocolate and a pebble. These will be used in the Sow along quilt that Randy is hosting. I'm a little late joining but will plan to start that one next week after I wash the fabric up. I also got some single yard cuts - a chocolate floral that goes well with the sow along quilt, a blue cornflower leaf pattern that coordinates with the above and a brown pioneer marble... that could also be used in the quilt. I'd like to keep it solids and see how it turns out with just the three colors above.... we'll see once I start looking at the patterns. I also got two threads..... and need to decide which one I'll use to quilt up the green Jacobs Ladder quilt. I think either would work well.

All in all a very productive day last Friday.

Pink birds in the air...

It is getting to the end of the month so I had to get started on these birds in the air blocks for the pink rainbow challenge. Having company come back Friday.... I had to get this cutting done today. I was also able to actually sew these 12 blocks together too! I guess having 2 kids with fevers I'm letting the tv limit slide a bit today. The medicine finally kicked in and they are starting to act more like themselves now.

I also had cut extra strips while making the scrappy borders for the pink top, so I can cut the extra 4.5 strips into a 2.5 and a 2 inch strip. One for the binding and one for the 2 inch square drawer for the next years L&E colorful quilt. I really like that I am making progress on my rainbow scrap challenge this year and am prepping projects for the future as well.

I should also do some quick seam sewing of the two backings so that maybe I can pin the green and pink quilts while my parents are here this weekend sometime. That will get them ready for quilting and I can just use a day when Grandma daycare is in play at her house - drop the kids and drive the 40 minutes home and sew for a few hours and get some things done next month. I can see myself out on the porch at night (since is it rerun time soon on tv) and hand sewing the bindings on while enjoying the nighttime noises and watching my solar lights in the back yard. I may need to move my little waterfall out to the porch so I can listen to the water while I sew.

Tiny Tuesday #32

#32 Arrowhead Star

Ta Da! A completely hand pieced block...made by ME! Yup, I am pretty proud of myself and am having fun with the hand quilting and hand sewing that I challenged myself to this year. So far, applique, a hand pieced quilt block and a little quilt square hand quilted. Not too shabby if I do say so myself.

I was able to make a quick template of a manila folder and cut the pieces out on Friday. I started sewing it on Friday afternoon and finished it off on Saturday afternoon. It does take a bit of prep time with the drawing, adding the 1/4 inch around each one and cutting them all out but it was a fun little block to put together. I do think I need to iron as I go next time as it was a bit of a bear to iron down after. It does measure 5 inch unfinished so I did pretty good!

The next two have the fabrics all pulled and are ready to sew.

Starburst progress...

I was able to get a few more of the diamonds sewn this afternoon and also conned... I mean convinced Aidan that if Mommy got to sew the blocks into rows today, I could start putting his together that much sooner!

So - here are the rows and some of the diamonds around the edge. I am thinking a small black border on each side of these guys so they will frame the quilt. Then..... I have something in mind but want to see how it looks once those borders are put on. I don't think it will be long enough so it will need another outer border... just not sure on a single print or a pieced border right now.


I also was waiting around for them to pick up the play room so I was able to cut out my next midget block and get that all set for hand sewing.

This afternoon while they were riding bikes in the driveway I started putting it together and have one corner completed.


I should be able to get this done for Tiny Tuesday so will stay on track for one a week this year. I also pulled the fabrics for the next two blocks.... the kids fiddled about for 2 hours before they finally picked up the play room so I hope to stay on track with these guys this year.