Monday Scrap Progress

 I started off by stitching more half square triangles and I'm getting quite a collection of them in the 2" and 2.5" sizes so that will help me to determine which pattern I will choose for my next scrap busting project. In the meantime I have attached 2 more rows to my Bonnie Hunter quilt- Blue Ridge Beauty. Bonnie's is lovely in blues and beige but I am making mine in a scrappy mix of light and dark fabrics and using 2.5" squares as I have more of them than the 2" squares that Bonnie's pattern uses.

 I also made more blocks and only have 3 more left to make and then will add borders.

While I was tidying up more scraps I made up some QAYG blocks as that bin is now overflowing with batting leftovers. I think I need to put another QAYG quilt together as well to use up more of these blocks and they will make a good quilt to donate for Christmas too.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting on my blog.
Hugs, Jan Mac

Weekend Stitching

 Yesterday was our meeting of my applique group which is always a great way to get inspired with my stitching. The Show and Tell was spectacular as usual and the first exhibition of our work will be held in Castlemaine in March next year. I need to get some of my applique WIPs finished so I have something to share. I took photos of the Show and Tell but had forgotten my camera and used my new phone. Unfortunately it isn't on speaking terms with my computer yet so I haven't been able to share any of the photos. I did manage to hand piece another 6 Bow Tie blocks which has been a very good take along stitching project.

Today I worked on tidying up some more scraps and then focused on reverse appliqueing my sunflower blocks to the background. I have one more block to make and it will be a large quilt if I set them on point as I am planning at the moment. They are going together more quickly than I'd anticipated and I want to keep working on them so I can get onto the machine quilting. I am still hand piecing the borders as well and plan to take those with me when we go away at the end of the week for a week or so.
  Hopefully tomorrow I'll have more progress to share.
I hope you have all had a good stitching weekend as well.
Hugs, Jan Mac

Multi-Tasking

 I've been working on lots of different bits and pieces yesterday and today. There were three tops quilted. The second one was a set of donated half square triangle blocks which I had put together some time ago. It's been good to get more donated tops finished and ready to donate to the needy for Christmas. I'm going to be traveling again soon so I am trying to get as many done as possible which I am hoping will help to tidy my cupboards a bit by emptying them. They aren't looking tidy yet but I live in hope! lol

 I also spent time winding bindings and sorting them into their own bin so I know what I have on hand.

 I made a couple of QAYG blocks to use up some of the scraps I have unearthed and I will make some more very soon.

 I have stitched a lot more triangles  together to make more 2.5" and 2" half square triangle blocks for future projects. They are scrappy and just light and dark so they will be suitable for lots of patterns. I use the small containers that mushrooms came in so that I keep the sizes separate.

 I also couldn't resist paper-piecing some of the scraps into what will be a new project. I need to make about 144 of these long triangle pieces so this will be a long term project when I want to use up odd-shaped scraps.

Tonight I plan to either quilt another baby quilt or make more blocks for my other scrappy WIP.
I hope you are enjoying some stitching time as well.
Hugs, Jan Mac

Getting Scrappy Again

 I have been working nights again so I haven't finished any more quilts but I did manage to find time to cut and sort more scraps into containers. I have sorted them into squares, strips and half square triangles in various sizes.

 As you can see the waste basket was filling with bits and pieces too small to use.

 I had a small container of half square triangle pieces about 2.5" along one end so I started chain piecing them into half square triangles, ignoring the colours and just focusing on tone, matching dark and light triangles. Some of them were large enough to trim to 2.5" squares and some I trimmed back to 2" squares.

 I keep them sorted into small containers that have contained food bought from the supermarket. They are a good size to corral the squares and they are also handy to use when trimming threads. If they start to get worn out of shape then I can easily replace them. When they fill I start stitching them into blocks. I keep making them until I have enough variety in the fabrics.

I've always wanted to make an Ocean Waves quilt and think I may use the 2" half square triangles for this pattern when I have enough to start making blocks. I will probably use them as leader/enders and work my way through the scrap bins.
Linda commented on how many quilts I get finished but a lot of the tops I'm currently quilting have been donated tops and I'm just quilting a meandering pattern across the top. I find that working on small pieces at a time, like the half square triangles, gives me a head start when making blocks.
  Hopefully I'll have caught up on sleep and have more to share tomorrow.
Hugs, Jan Mac

Two For Monday

I stayed up sewing until 11.30pm last night and almost finished piecing the blocks for the Broken Dishes quilt. Today I finished piecing the blocks, added borders and quilted the top as well as stitching down the binding. This one will be donated for Christmas as well as the previous quilts. I really wanted to get this WIP finished  before I start on some new projects.

 I also quilted and finished this donated quilt top for a baby.

 I used a pretty fabric from my stash for the backing as I'm trying to use up some of my older fabrics.

Now I'm working on sorting scraps of fabric and batting and I want to get back to working on one of my WIPs tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Jan Mac

Super Sunday Quilting.

 I'm still on a quilting blitz here with another four quilt tops being quilted and bound today. That's 11 in the past 3 days and the pile of donation quilts is growing. I will be traveling again soon and also have more nights to work so I really want to get them done early for Christmas giving.
The first quilt is a lovely modern quilt and I love the fabric with words printed on the fabric.

 This is another donated top and quilted up nicely.

 These last two quilts were also donated and the pile of tops waiting to be quilted is starting to dwindle.

I need a break from quilting so plan to piece more blocks for the Broken Dishes quilt, tonight. I have been playing the TV series, The Gilmore Girls, while I quilt and it makes the time go quickly. I had promised DD2 that I would watch the series but never made the time until now. I don't hear all the dialogue but enough to enjoy the show about life in a small town. And now it's back to the sewing machine and hope to get another top finished soon as I have so many others I want to make.
 Hugs, Jan Mac

An Early Start

 I really wanted to get some more tops quilted today so I started early and finished 4 before the AFL football Grand Final started. I think uncovering more scraps meant I was prompted to get moving on the tops so I can work my way through the scraps. The first quilt is a QAYG made from donated blocks.

 I made this Square in a Square block as I had a stack of uninspiring nine patch blocks I needed to use up. Placing the blue triangles around the nine patches made it look a bit more interesting.

 This is made from Bonnie Hunter's free pattern, String X. The pattern is on Bonnie's blog at Quiltville and it's a great way to use up shorter scraps.

This was another donated top which was easy to quilt up. The colours are much brighter than the photos suggest and hopefully they'll warm some hearts for Christmas.
I plan to get some more done this evening so I may have to focus on cutting up the scraps this time to give my shoulders a break, and quilt some more tomorrow.
 Hugs, Jan Mac