Blue with Sunshine is finished!

Another quilt from my clean-out-this-stash project is finished. I added a few yellow strips to this blue jelly roll race quilt. My strips are not all width-of-fabric but I really don't think they need to be. It finished at 56" X 63".

The batting is Dream Cotton. I quilted it with my walking foot and a wavy stitch. 

The back is a light blue. I think you can see the quilting in this photo. The Signature thread is blue variegated.

Yesterday I finished with the blue fabric in my clean-out-this-stash  project. I have either used them or they are cut into 2 1/2" strips (lots!), cut into squares, or put into the string basket. There is a very small pile of usable small pieces. Just so you know, I still have LOTS of blues (and every other color) that I'm not cleaning out.

Since today is Halloween, I decided to work on the oranges. I finished with them this afternoon! 

I'll keep using the strips in quilts - I'm just trying to get the colors under control. I still have a ways to go but I'm making progress and enjoying the whole process.

At the moment, I have 2 quilts pinned and ready to be quilted. Thirteen tops are finished and need to be sandwiched and pinned. I think there are 6 quilts that are cut and need to be sewn. I'm not sure how many finished quilts are in my donation pile.

The new BLOCK magazine arrived today. I think I'll make one of the quilts with some of my 2 1/2" strips. Maybe I can get that kitted one day soon. 

I think Trick-or-Treat is about to begin so I'd better get ready for all of our little ghosts and goblins.

Prairie Star Fall Retreat

It was another great retreat at Prairie Star Lodge. This one was hosted by Cassie of Lucky 2B Quilting. There were old friends - Cassie, Polly, Mary, Marilyn, and there were new friends - Betsy, Robin and Shawn. The eight of us had a great time and even watched the Chicago Cubs playing in the World Series.

This time I'm just showing projects. Some of the pictures aren't great - I was more interested in sewing and visiting!

3-D windmill quilt

3 1/2" blocks!

Strip quilt with scattered squares

3 pigs with a scalloped edge

Gingerbread girl with darling hair

Flower quilt with hour glass corner stones

Blocks made with curved ruler

Variety of table toppers

More 3 1/2" blocks from the 365 Challenge

Table runners

More table runners

Chicken quilt

Flower basket block

12 blocks - a variation of a log cabin block

Auditioning border fabric on part of a puff quit

Batik blocks

More batik blocks

Beginning of a triangle quilt

Beginning of a striking quilt

Flamingo pillowcase

Dinosaur pillowcase

Football blocks

Yo-yos for a quilt ... it's going to take quite a few!

I went with eleven donation quilts cut - all part of my clean-out-this-stash project. I had done a little sewing on a few. I finished all eleven tops! I even had a little time to sew some half square triangles from my peck of triangles.

Boy quilt

Sailboat quilt

Quilt blocks were made by three of our grandsons

Charm quilt

Pink Pepto quilt (It is the color of Pepto Bismo!)

Child Bricks

Red and White quilt

My Stars quilt

Scrappy Trips Around the World

Scrappy Stars quilt

Jungle Quilt

As for my clean-out-this-stash project, I need to spend some time with my piles of fabric. I'm sure those piles will tell me what to make next. I just need to listen ...

Finishes and many WIPs

I finished a quilt last night and washed it today. It is one of the clean-out-this-stash donation quilts. It's really cute but it doesn't look great on the brown carpet. The middle is flannel including the inner dark blue border.

The quilt is 50" by 43" with Dream Cotton batting. I used Aurifil thread for the piecing and the quilting.

The back is brushed cotton. I quilted this in a new-to-me design that I recently learned. It's large loops in a rather controlled design.

I really am serious about my clean-out-this-stash project. I'm going through fabric and pulling out quilts. It's kind of fun! Here are some WIPs (works-in-progress):

blue and yellow jelly roll race quilt waiting for a binding

red lasagna quilt top

red lasagna with sunlight quilt top

red, white, and blue lasagna quilt top

I think I have 13 quilts or more cut and kitted. There definitely will be more!

Here are some peeks at the design wall as I'm figuring out what I want to do.

sailboat quilt

pink pepto quilt

circus quilt

I hope to have a few more tops sewn together soon - I have a 3 1/2 day retreat next week. 

Today I decided to cut a scrappy Trip Around the World quilt. As I was looking for some strips to sew, I pulled out almost enough blocks-in-progress for the quilt. It is now a kit waiting for attention. 

I'm trying to make easy quilts because I'd like to get them done. I am enjoying this whole process though and I AM MAKING PROGRESS! 

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I also finished a summer sweater - I know it's a little late or maybe very early! I made a sweater early in the summer with the same bamboo yarn. After wearing it, I found that the bamboo has a tendency to stretch. This sweater was already started so I decided to finish it. I probably won't wear either sweater vey much but it's there if I want it.

It's hard to get a good picture of a sweater laying flat!

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This past Tuesday, the 18th, was the 50th anniversary of my 18th birthday. We were gone much of the day but I was able to sew while Ray fixed a delicious dinner. One stop during our day was at my favorite quilt shop. I bought batting but NO fabric! 

Blue Jelly Roll Race with Brights

The first blue jelly roll race quilt is done. There are two - I'm not as fond of the other one (no photos yet) but it will get finished. It needs to be sandwiched and quilted. These are both made from the blue stash that I've been clearing out. 

For this finished quilt, I decided to use only strips that read solid so I had to use some of the shorter strips too. I found some 2 1/2" bright colored squares It's amazing what I find in my studio! and decided to put one in between each strip. 

For the back, I used a bright print that I bought in Sault Set Marie, Ontario, Canada last spring.  The binding is left over pieces from other projects. Am I the only one that saves all of my leftovers so I can use them later?

I used Dream Cotton batting and quilted this in straight lines with my walking foot.

This is a donation quilt and I hope someone finds it bright and cherry.

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I've now attacked my red fabric! I have about 12 yards, mostly fat quarters, that I plan to gift to friends. The rest is cut in 2 1/2" strips, 3 1/2" pieces/strips, strings, and 5" squares. I think I've removed about 25 - 27 yards of red fabric. The good news is that I can now close the red fabric drawer! 

Sorting reds while many blue strips remain on design wall.

I've already kitted one quilt using 5" red squares and 2" red squares with white surrounding them. The next idea is for a Lasagna quilt using the 3 1/2" pieces and strips.

Here are the 3 1/2" strips. I was sorting by fabric - there are MANY!

I have started the Lasagna Quilt. This is similar to a Jelly Roll Race but each row is pieced and then the rows are sewn together. I'm thinking that I have plenty of fabric to do more than one.

I have a large drawer where I have decided to keep my 2 1/2 " strips. At last count there were over 300 strips -  someday I plan to use them! I also have all of the strings in a VERY large basket. The next time my grandsons are here and want to sew, I think we'll work on string blocks. 

I do like organization and I feel that I am slowly regaining control of my stash...