Progress Reports - "All Stacked Up" and Aidan's Quilt

Don't you hate it when you have a really vague idea in your head of the fabric you want when you go into your LQS (local quilt shop), and they don't have it?  Then, don't you love it when they have the perfect thing, and it isn't what you had in mind at all?  Funny, but that happens to me all the time.  I found this perfect gorgeous batik to use for the background in my "All Stacked Up" blocks.

Even though there are some HSTs in this pattern, it's a nice change from the projects I've been working on lately, because of all the straight-line stitching.  I added a few more batiks to the mix while we were in Middleton, Wisconsin recently at Blue Bar Quilts .....

..... so they made their way into some of the blocks.

This top will be ready to go to my quilter's soon.

Meeting my September goal (getting Aidan's quilt top finished) is looking good, too.  I found this great Bernartex print, Tonal Squares by Ann Lauer .....

..... and now 120 String Block HSTs are ready to go up on the design wall.  

More later.  I'm headed to my sewing room.

September Goals

My grandson needs a new quilt.   It seems he has outgrown all the quilts I've made for him.  It's no wonder.

 

 

Look at this child!  I think he gets taller every day!

He wouldn't give me any ideas about the style or colors I should use.  He wants to be surprised.  I bet that would be risky with a lot of 16-year-olds, but I'm pretty sure he'll like whatever I do.  I've decided to use the "Cartwheel" pattern by Stephanie Sheridan.  It was featured in the Aug/Sept 2016 issue of McCall's Quick Quilts magazine.  This is what I have done so far .....

..... 60 string blacks partially made, and a huge mess in my sewing room!

The plan is to turn the string blocks into HSTs with a navy or dark blue monochromatic print.  My September goal is to have the top finished and ready for quilting.  

I'm all set up and ready to get back to work!

Linking up with One Monthly Goal and So Scrappy

Strings Galore

Another one of my goals for 2018 is to set aside a week out of each month to work on donation quilts.  Kat's Covered in Love project provides comfort quilts to the families of East Texas hospital patients who have passed away.  For this year's block drive they are asking for 10.5" string blocks with no restrictions on colors or prints.  (If you're interested in sending a few blocks their way check out the details HERE.)

For the foundations I'm using up some fabrics I doubt I will ever use for anything else.  You know - those fabrics you don't know what you were thinking when you bought them, or those mystery pieces you don't even remember having at all.  Starting with a center strip and then using the flip-and-sew method I added strings working towards the corners.

They look like a real mess, not only from the fronts .....

..... but also from the backs. 

Until they're trimmed.

I finished ten blocks this week, but I hope to have more made before the end of next month when I mail them off.

I'll try to incorporate some not-so-bright pieces in the rest of the blocks.  Oh, who am I kidding?  No, I won't!

I'm getting my Whoop Whoop on and linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  Check out some of the other bloggers' work there!

Also linking up with Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More fun that Housework.

Teal Update (Alright......Purple, Too)

I may have bitten off more than I can chew with this Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  Well, that's only because (as with all things quilty) I have to do it my own way.  The challenge is to make one or more blocks of the color chosen for each month then put all of them together into one big rainbow quilt.  The goal I have set for myself is to make an entire charity quilt each month using that month's color.  That's a big challenge, but I'm excited about it.

Last month's teal blocks are now in a top and it's basted! 

I tortured myself with this quilt, trying to make it more interesting.  I had the whole first row put together with half-inch sashing strips .....

..... then decided it would be too much work, plus it really didn't make that much difference, and I ripped them all out.

It's times like this that I'm happy I have my trusty tool made by my friend Jack the Seam Ripper.  I want to buy a bunch of them just because they're so pretty!

I used a print from my stash for the backing.  I had bought three yards of it from The Fat Quarter Shop a while back, and forgot I had it.  It's from the Dim Dots collection by Michael Miller.  

(That stash really does come in handy sometimes!  Please tell Hubby that!)

As you know the January color was purple and I made string blocks.  I have made some progress there as well.  Hmmm, I didn't realize until I started typing that I also tortured myself trying to make this one more interesting.   I wanted to make a piano key border (really just want to use up every bit of purple I can!) ..... 

..... but it was just not working.   Someone suggested it was the orange border that wasn't working.  Not so.  I love the way it looks.  Plus it brings out the orange in the white print.

I decided on a final border using one of the purple fabrics and called it done.

This one is basted, too!

The March color will be announced tomorrow, so I need to get busy quilting or I will end up with a ton of UFO's at the end of the year.   You know what?  That is so not gonna happen!

I am linking up with So Scrappy's Linky Party.  Check it out.  There will be a bunch of teal projects there.

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