I'm Sew Scrap Excited...

.... engrossed in scraps, I even forgot to take an afternoon nap yesterday!

You may wonder what has happened? Due to Covid-19 and flight interruptions, purchasing fabric from the US (as I usually do) is very limited, and expensive! (Fedex Express Shipping) Therefore, I haven't bought much fabric this year, which is a very good thing! After making some Christmas items, I'm running low on Christmas fabric. Not that I'm running out of Christmas fabric, but you know, those leftovers from other projects that can't be used for anything else than scrap quilts or applique. 

We all love looking for ideas, don't we? My favorite is Pinterest and there are tons of ideas for scrappy quilts. I did not really have in mind to make a scrappy Christmas quilt, but when I saw this pattern, I knew I just have to! I bought the pattern!!! 😊 

 I spent almost all day yesterday going through and cut some fabric scraps. 

I decided to go for scrappy grey as the background for the star. This is not enough, but at least it is a start!

Some of the red and green scraps

VOILA!!!

The first block is born! 

This is also a star pattern I've not made before. It was fun to make. I may not have the same opinion after making 18 + 6 half star blocks! LOL I will alternate green and red in the blocks. First I was thinking I use one color for the star only, but I'm glad I decided against it. I think the quilt will look more cheerful with two colors stars. What do you think? Also, for this block, I didn't have enough of the green for one color block. 

It's early Wednesday morning; time for the first cuppa of the day! Enjoy!

 

APQ's UFO Challenge 2020 - May Finish

HAPPY SEPTEMBER! How come it's September already? That means we are heading towards summer (this side of the globe) AND Christmas! 

Thank you everyone for your comments on my previous post! I intended to make a few more blocks, but that did not happen. Instead I've made some mug rugs, but that is for another post.

As mentioned earlier, I worked on UFO's during the lock-down.

Here's Quiltsy Team and APQ's UFO Challenge 2020; #12 - May challenge (my UFO list #12)

Scrappy Star Batik Lap Quilt, finished May 3, 2020. The photo is not the best; too much light from the window makes the colors look washed out on the left corner.

I enjoyed working with these bright colors

Closeup of the star

Lots of yummy bright colors! 

For the back I have used a light blue batik.

I can't figure out what the problem was while quilting it; lots of skipped stitches that almost drove me nuts! I tried needles from 75/11 (as I usually use) to 90/14, (I always use a new needle), re-threaded several times, checked thread tension, Masterpiece quilting thread, a bucket with swear words! I'm quite sure the devil was sitting on my shoulder laughing his head off! lol Well, in the end I did finish it! 

Today's question; do you have skipped stitches issues while free motion quilting batik quilts on a domestic machine and how do you solve the problem? My sewing machine is Bernina Aurora 440 QE.

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APQ & QUILTSY TEAM UFO CHALLENGE per September 3, 2020.

#1 - Log Cabin #1 (my list #13) April - FINISHED!

#2 - PSQ / Pinwheel Lap Quilt (my list #10) January - FINISHED!

#3 - Scrappy 2" strips lap quilt (my list #15) ?? - FINISHED! photos missing

#4 - Black/White Wall Hanging (my list #7) 

#5 - Deer Log Cabin TT (my list #17) July - FINISHED! photos missing

#6 - Nifty Nurses WH (my list #3) ?? FINISHED! photos missing

#7 - Log Cabin bed quilt (my list #18) March - FINISHED!

#8 - Snowman village WH (my list #9) August - partly finished

#9 - Log Cabin bed quilt #2 (my list #14) February - FINISHED! 

#10 - Snowman Village WH Attic Window (my list #8) September - partly finished

#11 - Scrappy 1" bed quilt (my list #16) June - FINISHED!

#12 - Star batik lap quilt (my list #12) May - FINISHED! 

My UFO for July is finished as well, yet to take photos.

UFO's for August & September are partly finished. I ordered beads from the UK in July. Still haven't got them due to Covid-19, closed borders and no regular flights. 

HAPPY QUILTING!

 

Lock-down sewing: Pineapple scraps

 It's Saturday afternoon already and I haven't done half of what I intended to do today! Some days are like that and I don't think I'm alone?! I've been glued to the sewing machine almost every day this week. Some weeks ago I made a Christmas table runner and four place mats that needed to be quilted. That's done! Yesterday I added binding and have left to do two of the four place mats. But that was not what I was going to write about today. 

Isn't it amazing what can be done without I-net connection? I'm one of those who can't sit idle, I have to do something. I read, I always read a book, but that is limited to after I'm in bed. If you wonder what I'm currently reading? Hillary Jordan; Mudbound. During daytime, I do other things; housework, grocery shopping, yard work etc. Boring routines! Hahaha! 

During the lock-down and no I-net connection I did a lot of sewing. I had (still have) a lot of 1.5" strips that could be used for other blocks than log cabin. I decided to make some scrappy pineapple blocks. I had sew much fun, but all the strips got a bit tedious.

I printed the pattern from EQ7. The block is 11" (sewn into quilt) and it consists of 53 strips (corners included). The strips measure 0.75" (finished). 

Birre-Liten the cat is almost always eager to help! At least he did not try to 'kill' these blocks! 

I have 13 blocks. I'm not sure how many I'm going to make. I may make a couple more for a rectangle wall hanging, or four more for a square one. 

Did you know pineapple quilt blocks is believed to have emerged in the mid-1800's during Lincoln's presidential campaign? A symbol of opulence and hospitality. Read more here. 

HAPPY WEEKEND & HAPPY QUILTING!