Pretty is Pink!

life gets so busy: tasks, responsibilities, jobs, relationships, to-do lists... i really appreciate the direction, creativeness and camaraderie of my RSC friends and sewing! 

13 (Kona) framed 9 patches were completed for April's pink. (a few of them definitely lean toward salmon. there may be a few more salmon blocks lurking in the orange jar; i'll find out when we get there in a few months... 

18 more "two step" blocks joined the party, too. 

crumb blocks: 

Where  I Started (January 2022)

How It's Going (April 2022) 

i discovered Angela's RSC monthly colors in January of 2014. i've been piecing crumb blocks ever since: RSC14, RSC15, RSC16, RSC17, RSC19 and RSC20, only taking a break during the years of RSC18 and RSC21. 

somehow, the jars never get empty! (they do look pretty, though, don't they?!) you can see that even though the colors red, aqua and yellow have already been done for RSC22, there's still some seeds of colorful scraps in there to grow for next year! 

also: looks like i'll be very busy in the months of green, grey and blue! and i didn't even get started on pink yet. maybe this week... i had a {commissioned} wedding quilt to finish, and grandbaby #7 {a girl} will be here in a few weeks. i have her fabric, the pattern and a date with the long arm quilter. i plan to start that quilt today... 

if you have eagle eyes, you'll notice that there are no browns or blacks in the gallon jars on my shelf: TOO MANY! i mentioned in my last post that i had decided to get a head start on Novembers brown/black colors. good thing i have a head start! 

44 crumb blocks of tan, foxy brown, inky browns, black, chocolate and golden browns and this isnt' even a quarter of the scraps, i'd guess! 

when i'm ready to piece the crumb blocks, i sort the color from the jars into monochromatic piles on paper plates. (no picture, sorry. it turned out terrible. but here's how Julie does it, which is exactly how i do it. after the initial sorting of colors, it makes the mindless piecing of the crumb blocks mindless and relaxing.) i had 16 plates of different tans, browns and blacks. if i remember correctly, these crumb blocks are from 4 or 5 of the plates...

thanks for stopping! thanks for looking! thanks for commenting! i read every comment, and *sometimes* even reply! and i'm a faithful, lurky visitor to most of the RSC linkups every weekend! 

use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.

PINK! i think June was pink for RSC? i made about 30+ crumb blocks. (they're trimmed at 6½", finish at 6" and not all of them are pictured.) 

even though i made granddaughter E a starry crumb quilt for her Christmas present, there were still lots of bits of pink in my jar. 

i've been making crumb blocks in the COM for years now, and i've made lots of quilts with them.

if you really want to go down a rabbit hole, you can click here, which is all of my posts about crumb blocks and crumb quilts gathered in one spot... 

i'm borrowing some of the suggested layouts from the ScrapSnappers quilt along.  last week was a good week for my girls A & B to do {homeschooling} art and lay out some quilts with my large stack of crumb blocks.

B especially got really into it! and i'm pretty thrilled too, with how they turned out.

right now their quilts are in the flimsy stage, hanging in the sewing room closet. maybe we'll finish them this winter. 

we actually did 4 quilts with the crumb blocks (forgot to take a picture of the fourth, which was diagonally arranged rainbowy rows.) the above one will be for donation- location/recipient still TBD. 

and believe it or not, after doing 4 quilts, there is still a stack of crumb blocks about 10" high!

don't forget to go see all the other RSC goodies this week. thanks for stopping! and keep scrolling down- i added a few more posts and pictures that you might have missed.

STOP hoarding and START sewing, the quilter says to herself...

I've been plugging away at my RSC18 projects. I guess I'm a slow learner, since I'm just now realizing I have ALOT of projects started, and I'm not too good at getting them finished....

 

the soothing and mindless sewing is a good thing, but then at some point I need to buckle down and get some of those blocks sewn together!

 

this week I did 12 of my kona indigo 9 patches. 11 colors, 12 blocks. I think I might have done papaya twice....

canary, curry, yarrow, school bus 🚌, buttercup, daffodil, banana 🍌, papaya, butter, maize, corn yellow

between watching the 3 littles 3X a week (our family babysits 3 little girls- ages 5,3 and 1) and grandchildren who visit very regularly, I was realizing that we didn't really have enough small quilts for naps, snuggling, floor time, ect...

 

"didn't really have enough small quilts"

 

can you even believe I just typed that?!

I have a HUGE stack of the crumb blocks- a RSC project from 2016 and 2017. ( I did crumb blocks other years, too, but used them all. or most.)

 



the above 2 rainbow quilts were based on patterns/photos I found here and here. I've had them pinned for awhile; glad to finally get something up on my design wall!

I chose a 7X7 layout for these quilts so I could choose a backing without having to piece it. they're nice and small for the littles to use, and not too heavy or bulky. (the crumb blocks will finish at 6")

 

the purple and yellow quilt above is for my granddaughter to use. she and her family live across the country, but it will be here for her whenever she comes. I did rearrange the  color columns, and they look much tidier now.

although the pictures show the quilts just laid out on the wall, as of this typing, they are all sewn together, pressed and have backings picked out. 2 are even quilted! I'm anxious to get them done and washed so we can start using them!

 

plus, with the changing weather (although we DID have snow 3 TIMES this week!!!) it's time for me to be making some spring dresses for my little (or really, medium sized) girls! they've also requested some nightgowns.

believe it or not, the above photo is AFTER I used nearly 200 crumb blocks for the 4 quilts! and the black/brown/grey/cream crumb blocks aren't even pictured!

 

I'm thinking of making another crumb quilt, similar to what's pictured here.

 

anyway, if I want to get these quilts done, I guess I'd better get off the computer, and up to the sewing room! thanks for stopping by, and I hope to have the quilts done and ready to show off next week. meanwhile, click on over to Angela, the hostess (with the mostest!) of RSC18 and see what every one else is working on.

red scraps- they're breeding like rats!

one of the amazing things about sewing with scraps is that they never seem to get any less!

i pieced 88 red crumb blocks this month, and my red scrap jar is still nearly full! once the blocks are pieced and pressed (sometimes starched) I trim them to 6½". I have a ruler this size, and it's just easy to do it the same size as the ruler. plus, it's a handy size to work with: not too big, not too small...

anyway- it took me nearly the whole month to get organized and piece these blocks. i really enjoy making the crumb blocks- it's mindless and relaxing! plus- it's fun to touch all the fabric!

i keep my crumb scraps in gallon jars on a shelf in my sewing room. since i didn't make any crumb blocks during RSC18, they're all stuffed to overflowing! 

88 blocks, and still it's almost full! how is this even possible? *the blogger mutters in astonishment*

these crumb blocks will go in the stack with all the other colors- waiting for inspiration to hit...

although, to be fair, i did make a set of 4 small quilts for the littles at my house- pictured here.  these quilts get loved, used and washed often! 

and another crumb quilt that's not quite done yet, or blogged about, was (is) my crumb flag quilt. i hope to get that done soon....

i've accomplished my goals/projects for January and the reds- i'm looking forward to the new color for February! (does anyone else feel a bit at a loss at the end of the months, wiating for a new color?) 

i'm linking up to RSC red at Angela's blog on Saturday morning- remember to click over and see what everyone else is working on. if you're working on the string-a-long over at Lori's blog, or would simply like an infusion of red strips and scraps- send me an e-mail! i'm hoping to share some of my "extra" red scraps! 

Prolific Pinks!

aside from a few notable events of going to the beach  (OCNJ) in October. (during the tail-end remnants of Nora. such is the life of a farming family...) and making 3 memory quilts for a friend, I don't have too much to show for RSC17 pink. but I'm still working on a last few blocks....

11 kona cotton solids blocks in pinks with the indigo. just the browns and tans to go, and then I can start putting this one together.

watermelon, azure, candy, bubble gum, azalea... those are some of the colors that quickly come to mind that make up this batch.

31 pink crumb blocks, too! (only 25 shown) when you've been doing the RSC as long as I have, word gets out that there is a crazy quilting lady who doesn't live too far away and will use all those ridiculous scraps. scraps come from far and wide-

 

and these pinks are no exception! a few of these pinks are mine (as in, leftover from another project, or fabric that I purchased) but the majority of these pinks are from a scrap bag from my LQS. how fun is that! and I'm not even done! there are still about 15+ pink blocks to piece, I'd guess.

they'll join a stack of crumb blocks that was, at last estimate, about 14" tall. wow! (2 years of piecing- RSC16 & RSC17 for the crumb blocks) when finished, I trim the crumb blocks at 6½" and they'll finish at 6".

looking forward to getting lots of these blocks into quilts. click over to Angela's on Saturday morning to see what everyone else is working on !

all sewn up!

my 7 (seven!) RSC14 quilts are finally done. funny thing, though- I still have LOTS and LOTS of crumb blocks left! how did that happen? i'll be making a couple more quilts to get them used up- and then i'll be ready to start fresh for RSC15.

 

 

Rainbow Rows (42" X 54") I just used the crumb blocks, stacked according to color and value. Kona White in between the rows.

 

 

2 Stars ((42" X 51½") I used the crumb blocks again, making HSTs with the Kona White. the second star was an afterthought- since I still had SO MANY crumb blocks left over. I wanted to use the rainbow colors again, but in much, much duller tones.

 

 

(Modified) Bottled Rainbows (45 X 52") I used Rachel's bottled rainbow color chart. lovelovelove this one. with some of my leftover crumb blocks, I plan on making a small table topper. (for me. to keep)
 

Baby Soduku. (39 X 51") my own original design. I did a couple others with 9 colors, all the same, and I liked those much better. this is a bit muddled. but still fun, since I chose some of my favorite fabrics from my 3" suitcase.

 

Neutral Squares. (48"sq.) the inspiration was taken from Cheryl and AmandaJeans's book Sunday Morning Quilts.  that book was definitely the inspiration for me to start sorting and using my scraps. I was lucky to stumble upon RSC14- that gave me a direction and more inspiration for those scraps. and now the rest is history!

 

 

Color Wheel (42"sq.) made from a pattern purchased from Rachel. I plan to hang this finished quilt in the sewing room. (I made it a bit bigger than the pattern, and that 1" sure made a difference! i'll trim it down, and bind it in a dark color- I know that will make it look better) despite the curved seams (the wheel is pieced, not appliqued) this quilt was very easy to make.

 

 

 

Stacked Nines (45 X 53") despite the 9 patches being a late addition to my RSC14 piecing, and a frantic scramble to catch up with all the colors (didn't start these until September!) this is my favorite quilt. I'm tempted to keep it!

 

i have a special give-away planned with all these quilts (to my children!) the next time we're all together. with one son in the Navy and about to be deployed, another son (and his wife) stationed across the country, I don't even know when that will be! but that should give me plenty of time to get them all finished. i do plan on quilting them myself- i bought some Kona White and a roll of Warm and Natural. (all 50% off at  Joann's!)

 

i can't wait for RSC15 to start- i already have some ideas of what I'd like to do. i still have SO MANY scraps! the pile never seems to get any smaller!

 

lots more quilts and inspiration over at angela's blog: so scrappy. 

getting started on RSC22!

i thought i'd really switch things up this year for RSC22, and start working with some triangles! woohoo! even though my "base block" is my old standby, the trusty 3" square, i have a triangle die for my Studio2 cutter, and with the addition of lots of scrappy whites for the triangles, i plan on making a colorful throw size quilt this year.

each of these HSTs will finish at 2½" in the quilt ("designed" on EQ5) using some tips on magic numbers for quilting and quilt blocks from Rachel and Katie, I'll be making 3, 6 or 9 HSTs in the monthly color. 

this is my 9th (!!!) year sewing along with RSC, and while i still have MANY 3" squares to choose from in my drawer, they're certainly dwindling down in both numbers and variety. although i added some more red HSTs last night, you can see on the right side of my design wall that I've a good start on this new project. 

also: I'm working at laying out an everyday tablecloth from my RSC18 project, eclectic AND bohemian 9 patches. only 4 more rows to put up, and i can take this down and sew it together. 

and: after a 2-year hiatus, I'm back to sewing crumb blocks. as you can see, all the jars are overflowing. (and the cream/white jar is not even on the shelf!) last night i finished up and trimmed the red crumbs (they'll finish at 6" in a quilt)- there were a lot! I'll definitely have to keep my eyes out for some clever/interesting design ideas on how to use the crumb blocks in an interesting quilt/layout. 

it's hard to tell without a reference for scale, but the above and below 2 pics are of rectangles and squares that are smaller than my usual crumb blocks. they measure 9½" X 4½" and 4½" square. i have a bunch more of these sizes pieced in other colors, left over from RSC15 (?). i never did anything with them, but will continue to build the collection of these for RSC22. 

my initial, and continuing idea, is to do something along the design lines of Crazy Mom's June QAL. i finished one of these quilts last summer; it's a favorite of mine, and is a great (bright and cool) summer quilt for my bed. I'll keep pondering this idea as i make more blocks each month for RSC22.

43 red crumb blocks made a huge dent in that overflowing scrap jar. there are stills some seed reds in there; they can breed and multiply until next year. (ha!) 

although i made an effort to sort out my different reds by value and saturation, i wasn't nearly as particular as I've been about it in years past. i decided that it's not really necessary to be quite that particular...

and: if you're looking for clever OR interesting quilts, (and beautiful!) be sure to visit Angela's blog on Saturday mornings! inspiration abounds over there... 

also linking to Oh, Scrap on SUnday. 

click here to read all about our birthday adventures and pear placemats!