help! i've fallen and can't get up...

I'm faithfully working on completing some of the MANY tops/blocks that I've started with my RSC piecing- from RSC14, RSC15 and RSC16. I love the soothing repetition of sewing, sewing, sewing blocks together... so the limited focus of one color a month really works for me.

 

many of my quilts have been pieced from my suitcase of squares, and I have ALOT of blocks left over. since they've all been pieced from 3" squares, they should play together nicely.

I put some of them up on my design wall, and the (pleasing) image that I had in my head is not what I'm seeing on my design wall...

tell me what you think... any suggestions?

should I toss out the plus blocks in the middle? the next round out is the 4 patch blocks, then various 9 patches... they probably need a spacer (solid white? low volume?) in-between each round, right? should I piece this quilt much like a round robin, with a solid/resting place between each round? I'd like to use most, if not all of these blocks. and: if it helps, I'm planning on it being a donation quilt, so it it's a bit crazy and bright, that's all the better...

I have a nice little stack of more (mostly) monochromatic 4 patches...

and a stack of 12+ red 9 patches, and a few odd-ball colors, too.

so: chime in with your suggestions: I'd like these blocks to go to a happy home, rather than sitting in my drawer!

PS: I hope you don't kick me out for "cheating" - I know the quilt is not finished, but I'd really like it to be!

pretty purples, pleasing as punch...

I've been busy trying to get 2 new dresses sewn for my girls this week, so not as much time piecing on the purples to show for this week....

 

somewhere I saw that one of the RSC quilters was making a 5X5 block, with the low volume plus in the middle. ( I made a low volume plus quilt last year, too, and really love it...) my suitcase of 3"squares is not getting any less stuffed with colorful squares, so I decided to add this block to my RSC17 line up.

for RSC15 one of my projects was to use my 2½" strips to make a zig-zag quilt. I've since changed my mind, and plan to make a pinwheel quilt instead. (free pattern here)

 

 

I plan on piecing this quilt on-point, and making the setting triangles with some of my neutral (low volume!) 2½" strips. if there are any little parts left over, I might make a lap size zig-zag quilt after all...

 

it's been a long month, and I'm all done with my purple RSC17 sewing (is that a first, or what?!) so I'm looking forward to see what the new color is for February...

 

be sure to stop by angela's at soscrappy to see what everyone else has been sewing on this week!



they always say the third time's the charm....

this is Judy's 3rd (but not consecutive) year of doing a UFO challenge. I've participated all 3 years now, and love the camaraderie and extra motivation to get some long neglected UFOs completed.

 

this 9 patch TATW quilt has gone through a few variations after making it onto the 2011 UFO list, (#12) and the 2012 UFO list. (#9)

this quilt-in-progress even made it into my (sole) linkup of Design Wall Monday way back in 2014! it's always been my intention to actually get it done, obviously!

 

BUT: the good new is: it's done! I've actually had the blocks pieced for ages, and just needed the final motivation of the end of the month creeping up on us all, to get it done.

it's a whopper of a quilt- it finished at 97" X 107". yikes! the pattern is a 9 patch- 5 different homespuns (3½" squares) and 3 constant background squares. this quilt goes off to the quilters this morning; we plan to send it to one of the MCC auctions later this year.  

 

can't wait to see what number Judy picks for February!

 

 

insert clever and witty title here...

I had some time to work on my purple projects this week- it's relaxing (and soothing) to be in the sewing room steadily piecing away...

it's interesting how the fabrics look purple by themselves, but when you put them all together, they can look blue, red OR brown. I have one more color family of purples to piece this week, and then that's it for the 6" crumb blocks for this month.

I'm a Kona snob, and it's showing! I just love the 16 patches- I've done them for a couple years now, and was seeing them pop up on other RSC17 project lists. originally, I thought that I'd do some more 16 patches this year with grey- but my RSC16 column along is using the Kona grey (I'm piecing that in solids as well, and will catch up and complete it as Angela calls each color this year.) and white is such a predictable choice, so: INDIGO it is!

can I just say I'm LOVING it? I know some of the purples lean heavily towards pink, but I had lots of purples/pink cut (3" square) for my granddaughter's plus quilt.

speaking of Kona and grandchildren: above and below are my two little grands- baby C and baby E. Kona cotton solids for both of their baby quilts, and I love them all. (the babies AND the quilts!) they were born 6 days apart, and I'm LOVING being a grandma!

I love, too, how the mommies are using their quilts in the monthly see-how-I-grew shots!

 

be sure to stop by so scrappy to see more RSC17 inspiration!

And they're off!

I got a bit of a slow start on RSC17 this year, but I think I'm finally ready... purple is the color of the month, and I've had a pleasant infusion of purple scraps the last couple months, so I'm happy to work with some new fabrics...

a new project for me this year will be some modified 16 patches, using my 3" squares. ( I can't remember where I saw another RSCer doing these blocks. if I figure it out, or if you give me a shout-out, I'll be happy to link back to you!)

 

there is only 1 (or maybe 2?) repeat in the above purples, I believe. I plan to make as many blocks as necessary each month to use *almost* all my different squares in each color of the month. the low volumes will continue to be scrappy. (they're left over from previous RSC years that I pieced a low volume plus quilt, as well as many 9 patches and 16 patches...)

(sorry for the sideways picture...) I'll continue to piece my crumb blocks (6½" unfinished) and add them to the pile from RSC16.  I particularly enjoy piecing the crumb blocks- and they make a pretty cool looking quilt when they're done, too! I've made several crumb quilts, using wildly different layouts and they're some of my favorites!

 

my other projects for RSC17:

• complete the RSC16 column-along
• piece 16 patches in Kona solids (COM) and grey
• finish piecing the RSC16 tops: pinwheels, 16 patches, granny squares, 4 patches, ect...

 

and a big SHOUT-OUT and HAPPY WELCOME to you if you're new to RSC17! we're glad to have you! this is my 4th year participating in RSC, and I've loved having the camaraderie, direction and accountability for the monthly sewing. I get lots done- and I'm happy to share all the quilts with my family and MCC.

 

also: don't let the RAINBOWY-NESS throw you off! we don't all make quilts that are ALWAYS IN RAINBOW ORDER! I know that can get a bit tiring sometimes.... it's just so nice to have ONE COLOR to focus on each month, and have a nice, colorful and scrappy pile of blocks at the end of the year. RSC has worked really well for me, and I hope it will for you, too!

 

click back to angie's  blog to see more beautiful quilts, and get LOTS of inspiration!