Good Fortune, now with more Sand Castles

Woohoo!  Bonnie did the Good Fortune Big Reveal on Friday, and am I relieved!  Trying to figure out how all those different sized pieces were going to go together was making me dizzy!
I got a few of the blocks put together and up on the design wall.

I was going to lay out some of the multi-borders that she's calling for (which is where some of the really puzzly pieces are going to end up) (and I gotta admit I never saw that coming), but -

it's already getting a bit crowded up there.
I've got some of my Squared Away blocks laid out across the top and down the right-hand side, and my Sand Castles are lining up on the left-hand side.

Here's the first of my RSC Sand Castles in January red.

I've got a couple more kitted up and will try to assemble them over the course of the month.  My plan (and understand that I tend to use the term 'plan' rather loosely) is to cut squares and triangles for three or four blocks each month, but be happy if I even get one put together.  I can always return to them later, if I have a productive month or two further along in the year.  Or, you know, there's always next year.

So here's my sample block and my first January block laid out side-by-side, to show how they'll be set in the quilt.

And I've found that my little strippy strings (or is that stringy strips?) are really good leader/enders as I cruise along with any of the umpteen projects I usually have in active process.

I'll be building more Good Fortune blocks over the course of the week, and maybe even get some border bits put together so I can better visualize the final size.  I had thought at the start that I'd make a smaller version, but now that I've seen the reveal, I really like it enough to go ahead and make a full-sized one.  Or, you know, that's the plan.
It's good to have a plan...


Linking with SoScrappy for ScrapHappy Saturday and with Quilting is more fun than Housework for Oh Scrap!  And when the next Good Fortune linky party goes live, I'll be linking with that, too!  Come see all the fun!

Squared Away is getting (slowly) (but surely) squared away

My method for making Squared Away blocks this year was to make one of each every month, then decide at the end of the year which ones to make more of.

Since the blue block (September) wasn't as symmetrical as the others, I figured that if I made four of them and put them in the corners, everything would balance out.  I got two of them made, then stalled when I got side-tracked with finishing Long Time Gone and On Ringo Lake.

So, getting back to work, I cut some pieces,

and taped a model block to the wall so I wouldn't get confused,

and made a third block (pretend you don't notice that I lost one of the light squares and had to replace it with a almost-close-enough square since I couldn't locate any more of that particular fabric)

and then a fourth one.

They made wonderful leader/enders as I continued to pursue some holiday sewing.

Somebody's getting a new lunchbag for Christmas!

Linking with SoScrappy for ScrapHappy Saturday.  Come see all the fun!

It's almost like y'all know me

Yeah, I tried the orange.

I'm still going to try lime green, but it looks like it's now a tossup between the yellow and the orange.

Which do you suppose will win?


Linking with Quilting is more fun than Housework for Oh Scrap!  Come see all the scrappy goodness!

A Tale of Two Dots

I'm on a roll with borders lately.  Since I'm using a multi-colored dots on black background for my setting blocks for Squared Away, I jumped on this giant dots print for the outer borders the moment I saw it.

Now I've got big dots and little dots!  I'm really enjoying the contrast between all those squared blocks and all those circles in the setting blocks and borders.

Naturally I had to make a mock-up.  First I tested a narrow stop border in red,

then blue,

and then a yellow one.

I tried out pink, but disliked it enough that I didn't even bother taking a picture.  I might give lime green a test before I make a final decision. 

While I was fiddling about with the blocks, I tried out setting them with sashing and cornerstones that continued the Irish chain alternate blocks.

Naw.  I think I like the right-up-against-each-other look better.

I don't know when I'll get it to flimsy stage.  There are a couple of big projects in the pipeline ahead of this one, so I don't know exactly when I'll get it put together.  (Maybe I should plan to give it as a gift - that usually motivates me to finish things...)

Linking with SoScrappy for ScrapHappy Saturday.  Come see what everyone is doing with their rainbow blocks as the year winds down.

October is squaring up (and away)

I finally got one of September's Squared Away blocks done.

I'm still eyeing it, though, since it's not as symmetrical as the other blocks in this sampler.  Though it occurs to me that I could make four of them and use them in the corners, which would solve the problem neatly.
Ever since I started this sampler way back in January, I had it in the back of my mind to use a Single Irish Chain to set it with.  This week, I gave it a test, whipping up four quick chain blocks.

I think it's going to work!

I've also noticed that I have an inexplicable urge to finish my Centennial Stars.  (It's particularly inexplicable given how seldom I actually finish a quilt...)

A sale on batiks got some auditioning-for-alternate-blocks going.

A dotsy butterfly -

A flashy swirly one that contains every color in the blocks -

And this colorful dotted wonder that makes my stars look like they're bursting out of a night sky.

It's going to be a tough decision, but I think I'm leaning toward that last one.  Well, at least at this particular moment as I'm typing this.  It's hard to pass up a good dither.

Time to count the stars again, so I can decide how many more I need.

Any excuse to make more stars...


Linking with SoScrappy for ScrapHappy Saturday.  Come see what we're up to with our scraps!

October Green

It feels a bit funny to be hauling out greens in October, when the world outside is trying very hard to be not-green as fall erupts around us.
But green is always a happy choice to play with, so I made up a block for the Squared Away sampler.  (Have I mentioned how much I've enjoyed these blocks?  Every one of them is tempting me to make a whole quilt out of them.)

When I added this one to the Squared Away stack, I remembered that I hadn't made the blue block for September, so I pulled out my notebook where I keep a record of the patterns.  (I can't get wifi in either of my studios, so I have to transport information the old-fashioned way.)

Well, that explains why I haven't done the September block.  I'll have to revert to an even more old-fashioned way and scrawl the pattern on the back of an envelope...

In the meantime, in between my log-cabin-building efforts, I'm still putt-putting along with my demented project.  I sew HSTs until I'm sick of them, then sew together those little four-patch butterflies until I'm sick of them, then I switch to sewing a light butterfly to a dark butterfly to form a half block until - well, you get the picture.

And when I have a sizable stack of half blocks, I finally start sewing them together to make more full blocks.

And when I get tired of that, I go back to HSTs.  Little by little, the stack grows.  (The fact that I'm spinning every one of those seam intersections as I go helps contribute to the tedium factor.  I know it's making everything easier to sew together, but wowzers it's a pain in the butt.)

When I get to where the count is over 200 (out of the 256 I need) I think I'll start sewing these blocks together into sets of four.  Just to break things up, of course.  (By that time, the seam spinning will be epic.)
I can do this, yes I can.

Linking with SoScrappy for ScrapHappy Saturday, and with Quilting is more fun than Housework for Oh Scrap!  Come enjoy all the scrappy fun!

Getting August squared away

I've really enjoyed the blocks that Angela and Mari have come up with for this year's RSC Sampler.  Every one of them has been something that I want to eventually make a whole quilt from.
This month's orange block is no exception -

I think it would be a lot of fun to play with - maybe set on point?

Flushed with success, I went back for May.  Somehow I hadn't gotten around to making the block for pink month, so I pulled some pinks, then quickly cut and stitched this whirligig of a block.

My goal has been to get at least one of each block made as we go along, and now I'm caught up.  My ultimate plan is to set the rainbow blocks with alternate Irish chain blocks.  I've got a black fabric with multicolor polka dots that would be perfect for the chains. 
Unless I change my mind, of course.  Like that could happen, right?

Linking with SoScrappy for ScrapHappy Saturday, and with Quilting is more fun than Housework for Oh Scrap!  Come enjoy the scrappy fun!

I'm naming this one Potato Chips

Because nobody can eat make just one...

And I've got a bunch more triangles cut and standing by, because these are too easy to throw together.

It occurs to me that the only way I'm going to get this particular squirrel under control is to just make a small quilt and declare myself done.  (Shhhh.  It could work.)

I started assembling groups of four hourglass units with center squares of dotted b/w prints, just to see what they would look like, then laid them out on a light background.

There are two distinct ways of setting these little blocks -
this way,

and (rotated 45 degrees) this way.

Cathy (the one who set me off on this squirrel chase) is making hers like in the second photo, in what's basically an Ohio Star block.  I'm undecided which way to go.
Clearly, I need to make more blocks.  You know, just so I can make an informed decision.

I did manage to tear myself away from the potato chips long enough to make a couple of Squared Away blocks for the RSC2018 sampler.

With all the 2" squares and triangles I'm cutting for Totally Demented, it was easy to pull some bits together for these blocks.  (I'm doing the 7.5" size blocks, which in hindsight was a very sound plan!)

I still lack the pink Squared Away block, because I missed it along the way, but once I get that done I'll be all caught up.  I've loved each and every one of the blocks we've made so far this year, and I'm looking forward to seeing what's next!

Linking with SoScrappy for ScrapHappy Saturday and with Quilting is more fun than Housework for Oh Scrap!  Come join the fun!

For the rows are long, and the points are many

Long rows.

Extremely long rows.

And points.

Many, many points.   Points of extreme pointiness.
It's slow-going with this part.

And as if the rows weren't long enough, when I got them mostly assembled and all laid out,

I had a terrible thought.  A truly terrible thought.

"Wouldn't it be great if this quilt was a little bigger?"

Or at least longer.
So I slid down the blocks at one end and opened up room for a row in the middle.

Yeah.  I'm going to be a whole lot happier with that.  (My granddaughter is tall.   Not like tall-tall, but tall-for-our-family-tall.)

Luckily I already had some already-assembled bits left over, and I've got a bunch of triangles and diamonds all cut and ready to go.

Easy peasy.  Right?  (Or should that be 'famous last words'?)

And since I've got scads of turquoise/aqua/blue-green all over the cutting table, I can carry on a bit with the June RSC color.  Here's my Squared Away block,

and a Jacks and a Buckeye.

Then, since I'd somehow overlooked making a Squared Away for March, and there was a ton of green still out for Sea of Tranquility, it was short work to get that block done.

(Now I just need to figure out what others I've missed.  Not to mention figuring out where I've put the blocks I've actually done.  I'm sure they're in a perfectly safe place...)
And just for grins, and because I had green to play with anyway, I threw together another Jacks block.

You can never have too much green in your rainbow!

Linking with SoScrappy for ScrapHappy Saturday, and with Quilting is more fun than Housework for Oh Scrap!  Come join the scrappy fun!

It seems like forever...

In the spirit of catching up -

Though I didn't get much done for March's RSC light green sewing, I'm trying to do better with April.  So far, all I've got is a block for Squared Away, but hey, I'll take it!

When I went to save that picture, I noticed that I only had photos of the January and February blocks for Squared Away - no March.  Now I'm trying to remember if I even made that block.  (March was one of those 'the days are just packed' months)  This is further complicated by the fact that the Jan and Feb ones have disappeared into some sort of safe place.  (You know, that "I'll just put these in a safe place" so you don't lose them?  Yeah, that one.)

I took a moment to play with Libby's Mystery - I'm way way behind on that one.  The reveal is really interesting, and I'm going to sit down with all my bits for some big fun.  She also gave us a really intriguing bonus block that I'm eyeing with great interest.

My big push right now is Sea of Tranquility for my granddaughter.  I'd done the math for the number of blocks I needed, both for a good-sized quilt and for a wimpy-chickenout-can-this-be-big-enough-please quilt.  Last time I counted, I was still quite short of the number of blocks that I needed for the wimpy one, and was feeling guilty about even considering settling for the smaller version.  That resulted in the project going back into its box while I chided myself.  It's really a struggle for me to work with a limited colorway - this Storm at Sea pattern I'm making is all just blues, greens, and blue-greens, and while it's probably good for my soul or something to work outside of my comfort zone (my comfort zone being the use-all-the-colors zone), it's damn hard.   And since there was no real deadline, I could just blow off my foot-dragging.
Periodically I've pulled out components and pieced more bits and stuffed them back into the box without counting.
I finally decided that my desire to make the quilt was stronger than my desire not to work with the limited colors, so I pulled it all out and started counting the blocks I had finished.

And woohoo!  I found that I'd pieced enough blocks that I'd blown right by the wimpy count and was just short of what I need for the size I actually want to make!  I spent a good part of today making more diamonds and squares, and enjoying the process again.
Next thing I know, I'll be crawling around on my design floor, laying out the blocks.
Dithering about setting triangles can't be far behind!

Linking with SoScrappy for ScrapHappy Saturday, and with Quilting is more fun than Housework for Oh Scrap!  Come join the fun!

Squaring Away some purple bits

I squeezed in a bit more sewing time yesterday and finally got a Squared Away block for February's RSC SAL done.  I'm hoping to make a few more before I run out of month, both for the SAL itself and the fact that it's a fun block to make.  I stuck with just two colors for the first iteration, but I've got plans for throwing lots of purples into the next one.

This little Jacks block was made as a leader/ender while making the SA block. 

True confession - I found it already cut out and ready to go while I was shifting stuff around.   I'm not sure when I actually kitted it, but there's enough purple in it that I'm claiming it for February.  There were a couple more on the same plate, so apparently I'm now cutting blocks in my sleep.  Not dangerous at all, I'm sure.

And ta da!!!

That's Burgoyne Surrounded #20 - the final block!  (No, seriously.  I mean it this time.)  (Except for the problem I'm having with my fabric sorting/organizing project, where combinations keep landing next to each other that make me say "Oh, that would make a great Burgoyne!"...)  (I may have to make a second BS.)  (Help me, someone.)

All the Burgoynes are laid out and I've started stitching them together.  This is so exciting!
I've already started the dithering about borders!


Linking with SoScrappy for ScrapHappy Saturday.  Come see all the rainbow fun!

Late breaking rainbows!

January has been a bit more interesting a month than I could have wanted, but here we all are.  I finally managed to squeeze in a sewing day, hoping to get a bit of light blue rainbow sewing done, since this is the last Saturday of the month.

So, something old, something new, nothing borrowed, but all is blue!

First up, the old blocks, starting with Centennial Star.  It had been so long since I'd made one of these that I had to pull the instruction sheet out and have a look.  (Luckily, I had tucked it into the Centennial bin with the finished star blocks.) 

Each time I make one of these, I'm reminded how much I love them, but I seem to forget in the interim between blocks.  This one makes number twenty-two, so I still need lots for a quilt.  I think I first started making them last year, so they're only a once-rolled-over RSC project.

My Jacks blocks, on the other hand, are twice-rolled-over.   I started them in 2016, continued last year, and will keep right on chugging this year.

I counted these blocks, too, and found that I only have twenty.  Since they, like the Centennial stars, are only 6" blocks, I can make lots and lots more.

And, because I hadn't started a new project yet this week, I made one block for the RSC Squared Away SAL.   (The background isn't quite as blue as the photo makes it look, btw.  My camera insisted that the bluer the better, and I couldn't convince it otherwise...)

I'm not committing to Squared Away as a full-tilt project, but I enjoyed making this little blue beauty, so I'm in until I'm not.  This is the middle size of the three options offered.  I almost went for the 5" size (and might yet anyway), but I have tons of 2" strips and squares on hand, so this size seemed an easy way to go. 

So, since I finally have some rainbow scrap news to report, I'm linking with Angela at SoScrappy for ScrapHappy Saturday.  Come see all the rainbow fun!