Playing with four patches

As I mentioned the other day, I've started playing with some of the four-patches that I've been making for leader/enders for the last couple of years.

(And look!  If that worked, I've learned to make a collage!)  (Next step will be to learn to make a good collage!)

Four-patches are the ideal leader/ender for me - I just keep a box of 1.5" squares close to the machine and the little blocks pile up.  And up.  And up.
When I first started making them, I also started collecting ideas for what to do with them when I had 'enough' (whatever that means...)  The problem is, there are way too many gorgeous quilts made with four-patches.
What's a ditherer to do?

That's when I thought of "The Great Four-Patch Project."  I'm going to make ALL the four patch quilts.
In small versions, of course.  (Even I can see the pitfalls there)

So, I'm starting with this one:

Of course, there will be the traditional dithering over a border -

I like that one, so I'll try another purpley one.

Maybe a nice pinky-red?

Why not both?

I really like that one.
But I'll give brown a chance, just to see what happens if I tone it down a bit.

I'm not so good with the toning down, it seems.

That's better.  But I still like that red/purple combo from above.  Maybe with a blue binding?

Eventually I'm going to need some four-patches on point, so I've been framing some with triangles now and then.

Here's the latest one, posing with another of the  nine-patches that I'm making for the Burgoyne Surrounded sashing.

 Wait!  What's that?

Does anyone else hear the theme from Jaws?

I thought those monkeys had been entirely too quiet lately.  Apparently at least one followed me to my daughter's house.

Oh, dear.  We'll probably have to spray for them again...



Sharing with Linda and Julie at the Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHARE linkup.  Come see all the beautiful projects!

Itty Bitties and more Itty Bitties

It seems most of my sewing lately has involved itty bitty pieces.  Like the second block in the Temecula Monday Mini QAL, for instance.

That whole block measures 4" unfinished.  The little block in the center?  That's a tiny 1.5" finish.   Itty bitty HSTs.  Itty.  And bitty.

And more itty bitty HSTs turn up in the 6" blocks I'm doing for the 365 Challenge.  Those little half inch triangles involve a lot of breath-holding.  And occasional swearing.

Those two put me at only a month behind in that Challenge.  Well, a year and a month, but who's counting?

For a bit of relief, I managed to sew another Burgoyne Surrounded block together.  (That's #10!)  These finish at 15", so practically feel like circus tents after all those bitty blocks.

I haven't pressed any of the above blocks, yet.  Need to get out the iron and ironing board and do a major flattening session, as you can see.

And look who turned up while I was shuffling through my scraps -

Just when I thought I'd thrown them off the trail, here come those monkeys again...



Linking up with ScrapTastic Tuesday.  Come see what everyone is up to with all their bright happy scraps!

If I could think of a title, it would go right here

This isn't much of a year-end post, I admit.  I'm not one for setting goals, and I never make resolutions.  (My last New Year's Resolution was years ago - it was to never make another New Year's Resolution, and it's been the only one I've ever managed to keep.)
That being said, I'm trying to get a little bit more organized by investing in some bins.  And some labels.  (I'm told that labels are very important for organizing.  I'm testing it out and will report back later.)

The monkeys said that bright light hurts their eyes, so they prefer to live in the shoebox.  Privately, I suspect they just like to plot their shenanigans out of sight.  I'm willing to play along, but if they get too rowdy, I'm getting the duct tape.
Most of the blocks I made for RSC2016 will continue into RSC2017 - the Jacks & Sixes, the Buckeye Beauties, the Whatchacallit Star, the Rainbow Regatta wee ships, and Chantal's Pinwheels.  I'm also making Centennial stars, which caught my fancy in October and clamored to be included.  Since I'd planned to stop making piglets after Higgledy Piggledy was done, I figured I could add another block to my rainbow tsunami.  But, I'm probably going to just keep on making piggies, since I have almost enough left over to make another quilt anyway, and besides, I'd miss making the little rascals every month.
And my beloved Kaleidoscopes...

Angela says purple is the color for January, so since I have all those purples out for En Provence anyway, I decided to go ahead and make a purple kaleidoscope.
So, this is either the first block of RSC2017, or the last block of RSC2016.  Tough call.

Linking with So Scrappy for ScrapHappy Saturday.  Come see all the fun!
And that kaleidoscope means I can link to Kaleidoscopes of Butterflies over at Sane, Crazy, Crumby Quilting.  Come see!

This can only mean one thing...

I checked my camera's memory card and found these -

Huh.  The monkeys are now taking selfies...

Wrapping up Red!

As September really is gasping its last, I managed to get a few more red blocks done for RSC.

A Jacks and Sixes (or Hovering Hawk) (or Anvil) (or whatever.  I think of them as 'Charlie', myself)

And a few Buckeye Beauties,

with some blue ones thrown in using some of the Gwennie medallion leftovers.

Pay no attention to that photo-bombing monkey.

 You know what camera hogs they can be.

And obviously I had to do a few more piggies -

though let's take a closer look at that little guy on the right, shall we?

Yep, he seems to be farting 'meows'...



Linking with So Scrappy for ScrapHappy Saturday.  Can't wait to see what October's color is!

September has a couple of gasps left in it

Now that I've finished (finally!) both my Gwennie medallions, I can spare a moment for other things.  Like, you know, things I can actually post about while I'm waiting for the last Big Gwennie Reveal.  (Can't wait!)

I pulled out some reds and yellows and tried to get a bit more than the occasional piglet done.  Since Gwennie came into my life, I've sadly neglected the RSC.
Kaleidoscopes were clearly called for, and luckily I'd packed my trusty kaleidoscope ruler.  (Don't leave home without it!)

And a slightly artsier shot -

Yep, there are pigeons in the kaleidoscopes, too...

A few of Chantal's Pinwheels also perked things up. 

Since I'm making these as 6" blocks, I'm going to need a bunch to make a quilt, so I think this block will continue into next year's RSC as well.  Not exactly a hardship, since I love making them.  And the block Chantal is making this year for RSC - Peace and Plenty - is also pulling me in.  I think I'll end up copying her again next year. 
And if you add in all the blocks Cathy has been making that are also drool-worthy, that I also want to make, it's starting to look like I'll be taking on even more blocks than I've got piling up this year.  Especially when you consider how many of this year's blocks are going to roll over to 2017...
Oh, well.  I just won't think about it until I have to.  Or until I run out of fabric.  (Ahahahahahahaha!)

And just as I was putting away the camera, I heard a familiar sounding giggle coming from under a stack of fat quarters...

Apparently there are monkeys in Maryland, too.

Looks like she's got a flower tucked behind her ear, doesn't it?

Almost no purple at all...

The end of the week just flat out snuck up on me, and I've got precious little purple to show for this week's Rainbow Scrap Challenge linkup.  On the days I could whip up enough enthusiasm to go out in the heat and head down to the studio, I tended to focus on the projects I'm most trying to move forward.
There were log cabins for Log Cabin Lunacy at JulieK's.

There's a little purple here and there, but not much.

And I was playing with lots of color for another project -

(You can probably guess what project...)  Not much purple turning up there, either.

Even the monkeys weren't flashing much purple, and they're usually happy to oblige with any color I want.  Or don't want.  They're not picky.

My daughter sent me this the other day -

That explains a lot...



Linking with So Scrappy for ScrapHappy Saturday, Oh Scrap at Quilting is More Fun than Housework, and Log Cabin Lunacy at JulieK Quilts.
Come share the fun!

Multiscrapping

It's no secret that I always have a lot of projects underway.  I'm just not a straight-line kind of person, who makes a clear goal and then diligently works to accomplish it.  It's a wonderful strategy for a lot of people, but I just can't do it.
So, here's a peek at my cutting table where I'm cutting 3.5" strips into useful bits.

The rectangles at upper left will be cut into background pieces for Glitter.  The large triangles are for Storm at Sea.  The squares at lower left are for Quilty 365 (which is currently bogged down and in hiatus, but that's no reason to stop cutting squares for it) and for my new Bonnie Hunter leader/ender hourglasses.  You can see where I've stacked and marked some squares at lower center and have some completed blocks at lower right.

I'd been wanting to make hourglass blocks since I saw them on a couple of other people's blogs, and then when Bonnie announced it as her yearly leader/ender challenge, I was sooooo in.
You can see I've already started to accumulate a few as I work on these whole other blocks.

These star blocks are made with scraps of 2.5" strips that were left over from a couple of other projects.  Because I'm all about the scrappy here.
Speaking of scrappy, a couple of these little guys turned up today.

Lately they've been hanging out down at the creek, trying to beat the heat.  If it doesn't cool off soon, I may join them...


Linking with Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun than Housework.  Come see all the fun we're having with scraps this week!
And also linking with Scraptastic Tuesday with Mrs Sew & Sow.  Even more scrappy fun!

Pulling it together

My sister-in-law, my cousin, and I got together a couple of days ago to (finally) assemble the blocks for our town fundraiser quilt.

The three of us had fun arranging and rearranging these blocks on the design wall.  Trying to balance colors, value, and pattern made for an interesting puzzle.  It was especially fun considering that in order to reach the blocks on the top row, one of us would have to climb up on a table.  Unsurprisingly, the top row was the first one we agreed was perfect the way it was...

The blocks were made by many different contributors, at many different levels of experience, so it was a bit of a surprise that they were close enough to target size that they went together easily.  

Sashing was on, and the borders were cut and ready to attach when I had to head out.

It's now on its way to the quilter and will be ready to be raffled.  Hurray!

Meanwhile, this afternoon I cheered over this:

All the Allietare blocks are now together, and I've already got some strips cut and ready for the inner border, and some fabric set aside for the outer border.  Another hurray!  Close enough to done!

And these little monkeys kept hooting at me that I hadn't taken their picture yet.  I tried to tell them that I was pretty sure that I had, but they said nope nope nope, take one now now now.

So I did.  Can't argue with monkeys.
Well, you can, but they just ignore you.  And swing from the ceiling fan while they do it...


Linking with Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun than Housework.  Come see what everyone's doing with scraps!

Finally home again

My visit ended up being a bit longer than originally planned, but finally I'm home and reunited with my stash.  Oh, and with my folks, of course.  And the cat.
Now that I'm back on my own computer, I'm going to try to tie up a few loose ends for June as July bears down upon us.

First, the last of June's piggies, which I would have posted on Saturday for ScrapHappy Saturday...

 And I think these are all the rest of the May 365 Challenge blocks I've made, including some I'd forgotten to show.

I think I'm caught up through the 15th of May, which sounded pretty good to me until I remembered that it's nearly the end of June...
Though it wasn't all sewing while I was in Maryland.  There was another trip to the botanical garden (I could go every week, I think, and enjoy each visit just as much as the last!)  I did a lot of stopping to smell the roses,

while my grandson took a more active approach to the day.

There's a terrific maze next to the Japanese Garden, which most people walk.  Our young Mr C preferred it at high speed.

Back at the ranch, there was an interesting foray into the realm of rhubarb cocktails -

though I stuck with beer.  Pink is real nice and all, but not what I want in a beverage.

There were several monkeys, but this is the only one who stood still long enough to get a picture.

And I completely missed the boat on Log Cabin Loonies.  I did manage to get a few thrown together.  Though you'll notice that one of them is one log short of a cabin.

That may be my new favorite euphemism...