Catching Up on RSC July / August / September continues

It has been a lot of catch up on RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) over the last couple of weeks. I have made a lot of blocks and I'm happy to say I'm all caught up (almost*!) on RSC 2025! Sewing table is cleared for squares and fabrics (for RSC), ready for something new (coming soon). 

 *There will be two more blocks from Sherry McConnell's BOM, that's it for this year.

 For not to make it too photo-heavy, I'll make it into two posts. 

 What took the most time, was four blocks for Pat Sloan's BOM '182 Day Solstice Challenge'  I'm happy to say, out of 25 blocks I have only one left to do. Yet to decide on color for that one. When it's done, I can start working on the settings. The blocks vary in size from 12.50 (smallest) to 24.50 inches (biggest). There will be squares and strips as 'fill-in's' between the blocks. I'm excited getting the top done, but that has to wait. It's already past middle October and I have a couple of Christmas quilts to do. 

182 Day Solstice Challenge

Block 19/25 Board Games - Purple

Measures 24.50 x 24.50 inches / 62 cm square

Block 14/25 Honey Bee - Purple

Measures 12.5 x 12.5 inches / 32 cm square

Block 15/25 - Precious Fabric - Light Blue

Measures 20.5 x 20.5 inches / 52 cm square

Block 5/25 - Gramma Anna's Basket - Light blue / Brown

Measures 12.5 x 12.5 inches / 32 cm square

Sherri McConnell's BOM 2025 for October is done

I love how this one turned out in brown

Over to 'Coffee with Dad'

I love these blocks! They are so fun and fast to make. 

7 purple blocks 

8 aqua / turquoise / teal

8 light blue

Hollow 9-patch

Isn't it amazing how many shades of purple there are?

5 purple blocks

2 aqua  / teal blocks

OF COURSE I got carried away with these blocks! 

8 blocks in light blue (centre)

These are going to be used together with 36-patches blocks I've made earlier

This is all for now

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND AND HAPPY QUILTING! 

Linking up with Angela and RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge)

 

Catch-Up on RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) July / August / September 2025

 Hello everyone! I'm back! 

I can't believe I haven't done a blog post since beginning of august! If you read that post, you know my 'Dear Nina' (Bernina 440 QE) was sick and had to go to a spa in South Africa. She has reached the spa and waiting for either good or bad news about what can be done. 

Good news is, I purchased a new Bernina; 770 QE PLUS! Her name is 'Helena'. I got her in August and I very happy! It has a lot of features I most probably never will use. I have yet to explore a lot, at least I know how to do the basics. 

The last week I've been catching up on RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) for July, August and September. Not all blocks are done, the 'plan' (unless it fails!) is to do more blocks this weekend. 

First up is Sherri McConnells BOM 2025

July BOM / RSC color: Purple

August BOM / RSC color: Aqua

I don't have much aqua, I've used a mix of aqua, turquoise and teal

September BOM / RSC color; light/bright blue & green

I got carried away making these blocks

Six purple blocks

Eight aqua/turquoise and teal blocks

More updates on RSC to come.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend! 

Linking up with Angela and the RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) 2025

Purple Finishes

After joining RSC in 2023 - purple was chosen for April that year - and after making the monthly blocks I had chosen, I decided to make a purple & white/cream quilt.

I got a copy of Quiltmaker May/June 2022 and fell in love with 'Bases Loaded' by Becky Rico (Scroll down to the Green/Cream HST quilt). Why not make one in purple, I thought, and so it happened! 

I had to focus getting it right! lol

Using up as many purple fabrics as possible, I made a pieced backing for this one; 12 blocks + pieces of fabric. It wasn't enough though, I purchased a gorgeous floral hibiscus purple for the back, enough for both quilts.

Closeup of the pieced backing

Binding is Aubergine purple 

'Bases Loaded' measures 63 inches (1.60 m) square

Finished May 13, 2024

UFO #22-1 - UFO list 2025

My goal (previous post) was to finish 'No Name Purple' by January 15.

I did it! 

The last stitch on the binding was done January 12. 

UFO #22-2 - UFO list 2025

The centre is a fabric I bought years ago, just because.... it was pretty! lol It has soft shades of pinkish, purple and teal, truly a beautiful fabric. I had in mind to make a baby quilt, but that didn't happen. It has been one of those 'in-and-out-of-the-shelf' umpteen times. 

It was an easy one to quilt. I did FMQ (free-motion-quilting), loopy swirls, on the centre. All the blocks were quilted in straight seams in the seamlines and inside the triangles. Even if the quilting is easy, it took some days. 

Maybe it's easier to see the quilting on this closeup.

Sashing and border is aubergine purple and binding has a variety of purples.

The back is the same floral hibiscus as 'Bases Loaded'. 

'No Name' measures 54 x 61-1/2 inches (1.37 x 1.56 m)

I can't believe I made a quilt using HSTs only! Me, who has always dreaded HSTs!!! 

My feelings for HSTs IS getting better after doing these quilts! (Don't ask me how many HSTs I have after making RSC blocks for two years!!! lol)

 I didn't keep track of how many hours I spent machine quilting these two, but sure it was some! 

 

UFO under the Needle

 As you already may have noticed (if you read my previous post), my UFOs/WIPs list is long as a freight train! How did that happen, btw?? 

The RSC color for April 2023 was purple. I pulled out all purple yardage, about 12-13 yards. After making the monthly blocks, I decided to make a purple & white/cream quilt. By March 2024, all the blocks for the quilt were done + I made a smaller quilt using up more purple yardage. You can see part of the quilts here. I did quilt and finished the biggest purple quilt (yet to take photos), but not the small one. 

It was thread basted and it has been sitting on my sewing table since last year! I know why; I got tired of detail quilting all the HST in different colors. 

Yesterday I counted 1-2-3!!! Here we go, lets quilt it! lol

I did part of the free motion quilting (the centre) last night, the remaining this morning.

I have started quilting the HST, which takes time. My goal is to get it done by January 15. 

This is UFO #22-2 'No Name Purple'. 

Pin in the Quilt - YIKES!

Finally! A UFO is under the needle!

This quilt was a result of the RSC - Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2023.

I had all those purples I wanted to use and ended up making two purple quilts. 

After the tops were done, both were put away. The main reason I wasn't sure how to quilt them. 

2-3 weeks ago I pulled the tops out from their 'hiding places' and got both sandwiched. The biggest one, the one I'm currently quilting, has a partly pieced backing (to use up more purple). It wasn't enough for the backing (no other fabric in my stash suitable), I did purchase a 108" wide backing, just enough for both quilts. 

To get a pieced backing straight can be a real PITA! 

Fortunate I have a big dinner table turned into my sewing table. I tape part of the backing to the table, mark the center and the four sides. I mark the backing center with a long pin, then add the batting and top. Since I always thread baste quilts before quilting, I have figured out long pins are much better (for me) compared to safety pins to hold the three layers together before thread basting. 

I don't have any photos from the preparation for this quilt. However, I did a blog post some years ago, for another quilt. To get an idea how it works for me. 

I'm very careful to remove all the pins after the quilt is thread basted.

I thought I had removed all pins on this one, but to my surprise and horror (!), the pin in the center of the backing was overseen! Yikes! It was between the batting and backing!

I noticed the pin when I started quilting (I start quilting from the center). Thank goodness I discovered it before the quilting was done at that specific area! 

I had to open up some of the thread basting from one end to the center, put my hand between the backing and batting to get that darn pin out! 

(the photo shows the pin after it was removed from inside the layers).

This quilt seems taking F-O-R-E-V-E-R to quilt! 

I decided on straight seams, which I think suits the quilt. It is made of HST (Half-Square-Triangles) in scrappy white / cream and a variety of purples. All the white /cream is quilted.

 I decided to quilt inside each purple HST! My goodness me! Why did I decide on that?! Because I know it'll look good when it's done! 

Variety of purple Masterpiece and King Tut being used for the HST.

(Sneak peek of the backing).

Threads to be buried by hand, because I don't like the look done on the sewing machine. 

My goal was getting it done by April. That didn't happen! New goal date; middle May! 

 

 

RSC Week #12 - No Purple Sewing this Week

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

This is my delicious Easter treat; Choco Balls! 

I don't buy Easter Eggs here, I don't like the taste. If I'd been in Norway, that's another story; the marzipan Easter Eggs are to kill for! 

The week switching between rainy- and sunny days, which meant more yard work (when the weather permitted before noon)! Living in the tropics, yard work / weeding is a never ending task! April is just around the corner, the days & nights are getting cooler and the worst growing season is over (for this time!). Most households employ a yard worker. We don't. Our philosophy is as long as we are fit and can manage, there's no reason why we'll get other people doing the job. At any age, it is important to keep fit and yard work is good exercise! Well, enough of that and over to sewing!

As stated in the title; no purple sewing this week. 

I haven't got the purple thread yet. The Customs is waiting for missing papers from the sender, which seems to take some time. I may not get it until end of next week. That's OK. 

In addition to yard work and other tasks, I'm spending the evenings quilting the green table quilts. My goal is to get them done in time for April 1st, when a new color-of-the-month - RSC - is announced. The straight seams quilting is a bit tedious, but I love the look of the finished quilt.

Update: Table Topper quilted, except the border. 

Oh, I almost forgot to mention the Norwegian Flag table runner; it's finished!

I had some leftover binding and other red scraps from making the table runner, decided to make a few coasters

I talk about yard work, but never post any photos from the garden. 

Cloudy today, the perfect outside photo weather. We don't have a lot of blooming trees/plants, but here are a few. You may recognise bougainvillea and croton. The one top right is called 'Miss Hong Kong' here, not sure about its Latin name. 

 Edibles: guava berries and taro leaves, called brede songe in French/here. Very popular here, served together with curry. 

Taro leaves touffe recipe, click here

Green bananas and its flower

The roots from this plant are edible, not the leaves. Roots are boiled and can be prepared same way as mashed potatoes or just eat it boiled. Locals call this plant 'corn flour', but it doesn't have anything to do with the real corn plants. Most probably it has got that local name because it is possible to make flour from the roots? I don't know. MIL doesn't know another name for it either. 

Do you see those 'antennas'? It's a tiny dragon fruit (pitaya) plant grown from a seed! We got it from our dear South-African friends (they moved back to SA last year). I'm thrilled this little 'baby' made it and is growing! Don't ask me when it will give fruit! lol Well, it does say 1-2 years, so let's see. What I need to do is to transfer the plant to a bigger pot and eventually to a sunny spot in the garden. 

It's Easter Weekend

It's cloudy

Weather forecast: heavy rain and thunderstorms (typical weekend weather! LOL)

Best weather for staying comfy inside and SEW! 

Linking up with Angela and the RSC - Rainbow Scrap Challenge

 

 

RSC Week #12 - Purple UFOs and Green Split-9s

How did it happen it's weekend again?! I hope you all had a good and creative week.

The week started with more rain (as if that was a surprise!), but got better midweek. What's better staying warm and comfy inside playing with fabrics?! Purple and green, that is. 

Not much playing with purple since all the blocks I needed to do are done. If you missed it, click here and here. 

However, I did cut the backing for the two purple UFOs (from last year).

When I made the big quilt, I had enough purple to make a pieced backing, but needed to purchase more for the sides, top and bottom. 

For the smaller quilt, the backing is one piece. 

Both quilts are thread basted and ready to be quilted. I went through all the purple threads I have and 'of course' there's not enough of the color that matches the backing! More is on its way, should get it within two weeks. 

What else have I done this week? 

I sold an XL Norwegian Flag table runner (Etsy Shop) and since I have all the fabrics, I decided to make another one. Thread basted too and ready for quilting. 

I'm working on two scrappy green and white/cream table quilts to a dear friend in Norway. Green is his favorite color and I think these 'split 9' blocks look great in green. Here's the table runner

...and the table topper. I love the scrappy look! The blocks are made using 2" and 2.5" squares, all from my already cut squares. To use up more green; the back and binding will be Moda Marbles from my stash. 

I'm writing this post early Saturday morning. Coffee mug is almost empty, I think that means 'get to it', which means add border to the table runner!

 

Afternoon update: added border to the table runner, went grocery shopping, had lunch. I needed a short nap, woke up two hours later! I guess I needed it. We took advantage of the nice weather (from midweek) and spent three days long overdue yard working. So glad we did, today we have rain showers off and on. Same weather is predicted for tomorrow = sewing day! Happiness!  

Linking up with Angela and the RSC - Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2024 

HAPPY  SCRAPPY QUILTY WEEKEND!