WIPS - Twinkle Stars Under Cloudy Skys

It's been one of the rainiest springs we've had in a long time.  Tropical Depression Bill is scheduled to reach us this evening.   We aren't expected to get the highest rainfall amounts here, but it won't take much to push the river that runs through town over it's banks.  We live on high ground so flooding isn't a worry for us.  But if the river gets high enough, it will flood the roads that cross the center of town and the main highway out of town.  Hopefully it won't get that bad.  

With all the rain you'd expect a lot of progress in the sewing room.  Not so much.  Between report deadlines at work and a pretty icky migraine that started late in the weekend, there hasn't been a lot of progress.  I did finish off all the green Twinkle Star blocks last week.  

Twinkle Stars, Tutorial by Andrea Feldbush of Soscrappy

Before the green blocks got put away, I pulled out all the other blocks and played a little on the design wall. 

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite scrap projects.  I've made a start on the teal blocks, the color I'm doing as this month's Rainbow Scrap Challenge color as I've already used light blue.    

Due to some upcoming work and family commitments, there won't be much stitching going on around here.  So there won't be much to post about over the next couple of weeks. Hopefully, I'll still have some time to follow up on what every one else has been up too.

I'm linking up with WIPs on Wednesday, WIP Wednesday, and Needle and Thread Thursday.  Check them all out to see lots and lots of eye candy.  

Monday Review - Grand Illusion Progress

It was another soggy weekend and looks to be another soggy week. Not that it matters much since I work all week anyway.  I worked a bit this weekend trying to get some reports finished up.  There will be more of that this week as I have four to finish.  

I did manage some time in the sewing room this weekend between the report writing and laundry. All the blocks and sashing for Grand Illusion were finished up and stitched together. 

Grand Illusion, A Bonnie Hunter Mystery

Now all that's left is to add the borders.  I included one option in yesterday's post. After assessing how much fabric is left from making the blocks, I had to come up with a new plan.

There wasn't enough green to do three of five borders in the green.  When I really thought about it, why would I want to add five borders anyway?  Three borders is much faster.  

That's what I'll be working on this week, work load allowing.  I'm linking up with Design Wall Monday over at Patchwork Times and Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt. 

Stash Report Week 24 of 2015

We've had a pretty soggy spring with more flash flood warnings than tornado warnings.  I'm not complaining about the lack of tornado warnings.  All the rain has made for a really green spring.

  
There is more rain on the way today.  I really wish today could be a "play in the sewing room day", but there are reports due at work this week.  That and laundry are on the agenda for this morning. I'm hoping there will be some time this afternoon for a bit of sewing.  

I didn't have a lot of time in the sewing room this week, but I made good use of the time that I had.  The last block is stitched for Grand Illusion and the sashing is almost all done.  After playing around in EQ, I finally made a decision about the borders. 

Grand Illusion, A Bonnie Hunter Mystery

The plain borders do more to calm down that busy center than the pieced borders I was playing with earlier. It always takes longer to get the borders done than I think it will so I doubt that I get all of these done before the end of the month.  Adding on those borders should really help next week's stash report.  Here's this week's.

Used last week:  1.1 yards
Used in June:  1.1 yards
Used year to date:  16.36 yards
Purchased year to date:  0 yards  

Still nothing in, so I'm in the black as far as fabric usage.  Hopefully the out numbers will jump by a couple of yards next week as I work on those borders.  I'm not on track to break my fabric usage record from a couple of years ago, but I have used more than I had at this time last year.  I'll take that small victory.  

After linking up with Patchwork Times for this week's stash report, I need to get back to the report writing.  Hopefully I'll have some time to check out everyone's stash reports later today.  

Rainbow Scrap Challenge - 2014 RSC Sampler

I've been MIA for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge the last few weeks. Last month's green blocks still aren't finished so there are no light blue/teal blocks to show for this month. The only progress has been on last year's RSC sampler.  I've been showing hints that last year's RSC sampler project was nearing completion.  The label showed up on a post back in May. 

The 2014 RSC Sampler is now Flame Test, named for a classic elemental analysis test that can produce a rainbow of colors depending up the chemical elements exposed to the flame.  The name was Drama Teen's suggestion.  I finished sewing on the binding a couple of weeks ago but didn't get photos until this week. 

The fabric for the binding came from the scrap pile.  This rainbow stripe fabric was used as the backing on a quilt for Drama Teen a few years ago.  It was absolutely perfect against the black border.  

 Rainbow Scrap Challenge Sampler, By Angela Feldbush of Soscrappy

I'm really happy with how this project came together.  The black border and sashing really makes those brights just glow.  Trudy Lindemann  did a beautiful job with the quilting.  She matched the thread color to the color of the blocks.  You may have to blow up the picture to see the color differences between the blue, purple and black.  

Drama Teen requested something swirly for the quilting and Trudy nailed it.  Speaking of Drama Teen.  I'd no more than gotten the pictures of the binding when she grabbed the quilt and put it to use in her favorite spot so far this summer. 

It's warmed up a lot this week, but last weekend it was still cool enough in the morning to be covered up a bit.  It's nice to know that Flame Test is likely to be just about as well loved as the rainbow quilt that's on her bed.  

Thank you Angela for such a fun challenge project. I've been following along with Angela's monthly color choices since 2012.  Flame Test is the first RSC quilt that I've finished.  There are still three sets of rainbow challenge blocks that need to be set together (not counting this year's Twinkle Star project). One of these days I need to get busy with those.  For now, I'm going to go check out all the other rainbow pretties posted over at Soscrappy.    

WIPs - Slow Green Growth

It's hard to believe it's already June, the half way point in the year.  I've limited my efforts to just 4 WIPs so far in 2015.  One of those is finished, but I still haven't gotten the photos taken.  Grand Illusion lacks just one block, four sashing blocks and the borders.  I've been playing in EQ trying to come up with borders that will tie that quilt together, but not be as busy as the border Bonnie designed to go with it. So far I've come up with a couple of options.  

Grand Illusion, A Bonnie Hunter Mystery

My working images aren't perfect, but this approach at least gives me a quick visual to decide if I like the direction or not without taking all the time to create blocks and sashing in EQ.  I'm leaning towards the blue and white border on the left at the moment.  

Most of my sewing room time has been focused on Grand Illusion because I'm ready to get it off the design wall.  Consequently, there hasn't been a lot of progress on the Twinkle Star Blocks. I've only finished one block in the last week.  

Twinkle Stars, Tutorial by Andrea Feldbush of Soscrappy

The last of the green Twinkle Star blocks are in various stages of construction over by the sewing machine.  I should have all 6 done by the weekend.  Then it will be time to select the teal fabrics for this month's stars.  

For more works in progress, check out Esther's Quilt Blog, Freshly Pieced and My Quilt Infatuation.  

Wordless Wednesday - Summer Sun

Design Wall Monday - Nearing the End

It's going to be another manic week.  Thankfully there was a chance on Sunday to reinforce my sanity by spending some time in the sewing room.  Bonnie Hunter's Grand Illusion is the current focus project.  I finished off almost all the sashing pieces, just a few more to stitch.  

Grand Illusion, A Bonnie Hunter Mystery

The pieces for the remaining three blocks are up on the other design wall.  I should be able to get those last three blocks finished this week (assuming I can find some time to stitch).  I've been considering possible border ideas.  Nothing firm yet, but hopefully I'll have that nailed down by the time I finish the blocks. 

I'm linking up with Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.  Hopefully I'll have some time after work to check out what's up on all those design walls.  

Stash Report for Week 23 of 2015

Where did the last week go?  It was one of those weeks where there was lots to do, but nothing seemed to get done.  Since mid-year is almost here, there is lots to do at work.  It was a week of going in early and staying late.  After being on the computer all day at work, the home computer wasn't something I wanted to mess with.  That explains my absence in blogland, no posts written, none read.  I'll make up for that some this morning.  

I didn't do a lot of stitching this week either.  The long days at work made it really hard to get myself up the stairs to the sewing room.  All that went out was stitched last Sunday. 

Used last week:  0.14 yards
Used in May:  2.62 yards
Used in June:  0 yards
Used year to date:  15.26 yards
Purchased year to date:  0 yards

I'm not using fabric at a blinding clip, but at least the incoming flow has been has been very minimal this year.  Nothing in for 5 months. Since I've been working on UFOs that have all the fabrics they need, it's been easy to just delete the emails and stay out of the quilt shops.

While Drama Teen and I were clothes shopping yesterday (both of us needed shorts), My Guy went to the local Lowes and came home with a few flowers to brighten up the back patio.  The daisies were my favorite.  

I'm not sure why but the red makes me think summer.  The temperatures were in the 90's yesterday, so maybe that's why. 

After ditching chores for the shopping expedition yesterday there is lots to do around here.  I do hope to get in some stitching this afternoon, before I have to buckle down this evening and get some reports finished for work.  

Have a great week.  You can see more stash status reports over at Patchwork Times.