Rainbow Scrap Challenge: So Blue There Is No Orange

Work held some surprises this week. Nothing bad, but stuff that's going to add to the work load over the next few months.  Life is definitely interesting these days.  Unfortunately interesting means more home work in the evenings and less stitching time.  

I'm still playing with my blue scraps this week.  That bright pile of orange fabrics just sat by the sewing machine.  The last large blue fan block did get finished.  So that set of four is done. 

These are the last of the big fan blocks.  The rest of the blocks for this project will be the 3.5" squares.  I've gotten a start on the small blue squares, but it's hard to make a lot of progress in just 15 minutes a night.  Weekend's have been busy too, so things are probably going to stall a bit.  It's just one of those phases, it too will pass at some point.  

Linking up with Soscrappy for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge today and with Oh Scrap on Sunday.  

September One Monthly Goal Wrap Up/2017 Finish Along Progress

Just two days left in September!  How does that happen?  Well now that it has, it's time to check in with the One Monthly Goal over at Elm Street Quilts

The goal for September was to get a start on a new quilt for the Scientist in Training's dorm room.  My start date for any quilt is when I start cutting the fabrics.  And that has happened, there are even a few blocks up on the design wall.  But I can't show any of these as the SIT follows my blog.  So you'll have to just take my word for it that there's been a start. 

There is one more day in the quarter, but not enough time to get another finish in for the 2017 Finish Along.  

I didn't do too badly for the quarter.  There were 4 quilts on the list to be finished. I managed to finish two. 

 It's a Mystery (Meadow Mist Designs Mystery)
By Cheryl Brickey of the Meadow Mist Designs Blog

It's a Mystery was last year's Meadow Mist Designs Mystery.  The first clue in this year's mystery came out in September.  So for once last year's mystery was finished before starting this year's.  

The second finish for the quarter was Blooms and Butterflies.

Blooms and Butterflies
 Back Porch Bloom block by Lea Anne Brummett, 

Another quilt along from Lea Anne Burmmett who blogs over at Podunk Pretties.  This one wasn't a mystery, but a challenge to come up with your own pattern using her Back Porch Bloom block.  This is my new snuggle quilt.  
  
The other two quilts on the list for third quarter didn't make it to the finish line.  But there was good progress on both.  Scrappy  Coffee Cups made it to finished flimsy stage and has been sent out for quilting.

Scrappy Coffee Cups

Block patterns from Karen F. Srebro and Janet McCarroll

published in Block Magic and Block Magic Too by

Nancy Johnson-Srebro

Actually, I heard from Trudy last night and the quilting is done.  So these coffee cups will definitely be on my list to finish before the end of the year.  

The last quilt on the "to be finished" list for third quarter was Christmas Angels.  Though it didn't get close to being finished it went from just block units to finished blocks.  

 Christmas Angels
Pattern by Kate

Actually all the blocks are finished, but I don't seem to have a photo of all of them up on the design wall.  So even though I didn't get this one all the way to the finished stage, it's ready to have the blocks sewn into rows.  That's pretty good progress.  

It's been a good year for finishes, there have been six.  My record is seven finishes in one year.  I'm likely to tie that for sure.  As far as working down the UFO list, I'm pretty much where I was when the year started.  But at least it's not getting any bigger.  I'm finishing up my new starts, just not getting to the older projects on my list.  but I've moved a few along this year.  That should make it easier to get a few off the list next year. 

Now to start thinking about what will be the October One Monthly Goal and what's going on the list for the fourth quarter of the 2017 Finish Along.   

Weekend Stitching - Vintage Dresses Back on the Design Wall

We had a nice visit with the Scientist in Training this weekend.  We spent yesterday morning drinking coffee and hanging out.  She probably won't be home again till fall break later in October.  

After the SIT left, I headed to the sewing room for a bit.  On the agenda was to get started on setting the Vintage Dress blocks together. There are three different dress blocks in the set.  I'd forgotten that one of the dress blocks is wider than the other two. That became obvious when I started pulling the blocks out of the project box.  

The only way to get all of the blocks the same size is to add coping strips.  So my original plan for how to assemble the sashing wasn't going to work.  But after a few minutes in EQ, a new assembly plan was worked out and I started adding coping strips to the blocks.  

Vintage Dresses
by Charise Randell

I didn't get very far, but two blocks are completely done and cut to a consistent 9.5" x 12.5".  I made a start on the next two.  There will be some other changes to the sashing pieces to accommodate the larger size of the blocks, but that will actually simplify both the pieces and the overall assembly process.  But since the "framing" of the blocks is added with the sashing, the final placement of all the blocks will need to be worked out before the sashing strips can be made. It's doubtful that this UFO will get finished this month, but at least all the assembly problems are worked out.  The plan for this year was to move each UFO forward.  Finishes would be great, but I'm grateful for any progress on these projects.  

Linking up with:
Monday Making
Main Crush Monday
Monday Design Wall 
BOMs Away

Stash Stuff for Week 38 of 2017

The Scientist in Training has been home this weekend, which has been fun.  This weekend was our company picnic and she's always enjoyed going to that.  She got to hang out with some high school friends who were also home from college and see some of the scientists that have been mentors to her when she was in high school.  It was a nice afternoon. 

With the SIT home, there was no sewing time yesterday unless you count the time I spent in EQ working out how to assemble the sashing for the Vintage Dress blocks.  The only thing of note I did was spend some time coloring while the visiting with the SIT in the kitchen.

I don't color very often, preferring to sew instead.  But I finally finished these two pages.  It was fun to just hang for a bit.   

I've had to bring work home with me several times the last week and that really cut into my sewing time.  I did manage to find 15 minutes to stitch every day but one.  For 2017, I've managed to find at least 15 minutes to stitch 89.5% of the time.  My goal is to get this above 90% for the year.  It's going to be a struggle the next month with all the work stuff going on.  

The lack of stitching time didn't help with the stash usage this week.  

Fabric used this week:  0.33 yards
Fabric used year to date:  47.50 yards

At least being busy means that I don't have time to hit any buttons on those sale adds.  No fabric in always makes for a good week.   

We'll hang out with the SIT for a while this morning.  She's got to be back at the dorm by noon today, she has to cover an event for the school newspaper this evening, plus she needs to study this afternoon.  She gets paid for each article they publish, so it's how she's making a some spending money this semester.  I'll get in some stitching time after she leaves.  

Linking up with Quiltpaintcreate for this week's stash report.  

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Playing in Orange

Sewing time has been at a premium this week, I've gotten to the point where work's been coming home more evenings than not.  So there's not been a lot of stitching time.  That makes it hard to make much progress on this year's Rainbow Scrap Challenge project.  I'm still working on the blue blocks from July.  But I did find time one night this week to pull out all the oranges and decide on the pairings for the 16 small fan blocks. 

These are going to be bright blocks.  Not sure when I'll be able to make a start on them, it may not be till October at the rate I'm moving.  The Scientist in Training decided to come home for the a bit.  She has to head back before lunch on Sunday, but we'll get to hang out for a bit today.  My Guy is going riding, but I think the plan is for the SIT and I to go get breakfast at the local coffee shop, hang out there for a while this morning and study/work.  The annual company picnic is this afternoon, so I doubt much stitching happens in my sewing room today.   

Happy stitching this weekend.  There's more bright and fun stuff over at Soscrappy.  And linking up with Oh Scrap on Sunday.