Project Quilting Season 13 Challenge 3= Kitchen Influence

 https://kimlapacek.com/2022/01/13-3-kitchen-influence-challenge-3-of-project-quilting-season-13.html

My oven mitts are getting shabby, so this challenge came at a great time! See that stuffing peeking out of the thumb of my source for the pattern?

Some questionable fabric purchased at least 10 years ago at the now-defunct Hancock's for the base.

Strip piecing directly on the first layer of batting.

Ready for quilting, with a wild paisley for the lining. It's on the heavier side for quilting cotton.

Set up the quilting machine this morning, wavy lines in the opposite direction of the piecing.

I did french seams so they'd be stronger, but didn't manage to catch all of the raw edges when I made the second seam. Still- they'll be used, not displayed!

Not even binding- just turned under the raw edge at the bottom and stitched. 

Sunday Stash - January 30 2022

I didn't finish any projects this week, but I did declutter some things.

Two yards of vintage fabric went to someone in my local buy nothing group. Not fabric, but someone else in that group requested cross stitch supplies, so I'm getting rid of a bunch of hoops.

 I also posted half a yard of poly cotton, but no takers yet - it's in the donation bin if it doesn't get picked up.

Trash is 4.44 oz, so 1.39 yards out that way.

I also bought fabric this week. I had a mental setpoint to buy more PFD fabric when it was on sale, since I like to use it for backgrounds (and am using it now for the dandy stars background). 4 yards at half off!

Also 2 yards of rainbow fabric to border my Service Projects Rainbow Challenge quilt. Two yards of fleece to back that, but I don't think I'll track the fleece, or if I do I'll track it separately. 

Total spending: $39.68

Fabric in this week: 6.0 yards

Fabric in this year: 6.0 yards

Fabric out this week: 3.89 yards 

Fabric out this year: 9.78 yards

Net: 3.78 yards OUT

Sunday Stash- January 23

 It was a good, quiet weekend.

I FINISHED a UFO -Valentine Stripes

It's a mini, 16 x 18. The stripes finish at 0.75 inches, so lots of yardage in the seam allowances, comparatively speaking. Total yardage is 0.55 yards for this one.

The Project Quilting finish took up yardage because of the pillow backing, which is doubled.

Yardage for that is 0.71 yards.

I cleaned as I cut for blocks this week, and tossed quite a bit of fabric- any poly blend scraps are outta here. Two bags, total weight 1.24 lb or 4.33 yards.

Fabric in this week: 0

Fabric in this year: 0

Fabric out this week: 5.59 yards 

Fabric out this year: 5.89

Net: 5.89 yards OUT

Project Quilting Season 13 Challenge 2 - Silhouette

 Link to the Challenge page:  https://kimlapacek.com/2022/01/13-2-in-silhouette-challenge-2-of-project-quilting-season-13.html

Well, my rules went out the window this time, since they didn't fit the challenge that well.

This was my source photo for my silhouettes - the kittens we adopted back in November, Snickers and Starburst.

I decided to use a "sunshine and shadow" pattern for the background.

The silhouette shapes were cut out, and the tail for Snickers moved around a bit to look better. I pieced together a bunch of greys to make "new" fabric for the kittehs. Fused to the background and I think my wonder-under is old- it stuck, but not well.

I blanket stitched around the silhouettes- they were never going to stay down, and it really helped them pop a bit.

Finally, I had some grey ginkgo fabric I bought a while back to make masks, but I decided that a pillow sham would be a better use for it. Done and dusted!

I made it 16 x 16 final size, since I actually had a pillow form in the house that size. Not quilted, but pieced and appliqued.

Total yardage used = 0.71

Sunday Stash - January 16

Posting a day late- not unusual :) 

No finished quilts this week, but plenty of sewing. 

I finished a lot of blocks-- this year's Stash Buster block is Jericho Wells, and I'm also doing last year's block, Dandy Star.

I also got started on the next Project Quilting challenge.

And already an error! I forgot to factor in the backing and binding for the quilt finished last week - so I'm increasing that to 0.3 yards for last week.

And this week, I've started weighing my trimmings and fabric tossed - that adds about 0.3 yards out for this week.

Fabric in: 0

Fabric out: 0.3 yards 

Net: 0.6 yards USED

Linking up to quiltpaintcreate for Sunday Stash.

Sunday Stash January 9

 I didn't track stash last year, and ... I think things kind of got out of hand. So back to it for 2022! Nothing happened the first week, so I don't feel too bad about starting late.

Finished quilts:

1. Rainbow Ninja Stars (PQ Challenge S13#1)

Fabric in: 0

Fabric out: 0.15 yards - finished PQ piece is 11 x 16.

Net: 0.15 yards USED

Project Quilting 13- Challenge 1: Rainbow Ninja Stars

 Link to the Challenge page:  https://kimlapacek.com/2022/01/13-1-all-the-colors-challenge-1-of-project-quilting-season-13.html

It looks as if Season 8 was the first year I did the challenge. It's a GREAT start to the new year.

For the past few years, I've added my own "rules" that I'll adhere to for each of the challenges, as long as it's not contraindicated by one of the PQ Challenge rules. This year's rules are:

1. Dark background

2. Use a traditional block but rename it

3. Miniature blocks/quilts

The first challenge is "Rainbow Ninja Stars" - the Friendship Star block looks like a ninja star to me!

I'm still not sure which orientation I prefer, vertical or horizontal. I'm leaning towards vertical, with the darker stars on the bottom.

Quilting is straight lines outside the stars, in rainbow thread.

Finished size is about 11 x 16; stars finish at 3 inches.

Project Quilting Challenge #6 2021

 The last Project  Quilting challenge for this year is Ab Intra.

For this project, I manifested my inner hippie chick.

Starting with scraps: I'm working on a rainbow challenge for my quilt guild, and used cut-offs from that block.

Using buttons: Went crazy with this :)

Project Quilting Challenge #5 2021

 The theme for the next Project Quilting challenge is You're Crazy.

I used satins and brocades in green and blue and teal shades, and then embroidered the seams - my tiny crazy quilt turned journal cover. I like to use composition books for journals - they're cheap and readily accessible, but not very pretty.

The "wrong" side of the cover.

The lining- using orphan blocks.

The completed cover.

Buttons and a hair tie for a closure.

A ribbon with a button weight for a marker.

The inside of the cover with the composition book inserted.

Project Quilting Challenge #4 2021

 The fourth Project Quilting Challenge is Snail's Trail.

My personal first rule of PQ2021 is to start with orphan blocks. This week's first orphan was part of a stripset that came from who knows  where, and gave me my center four-patch.

The last time I'd tried this  block, I think I was using four colors and it was not a fun process. This was much easier to keep track of, although I did wind up with squares that spiraled in different directions.

Backs were pieced as well, as crumb blocks. A few more orphans found their way into the backs as well.

One of these is now finished and done. The other is a UFO - I'll just add it to the list :) This will make a nice mat for bowls of gumbo. The final touch is a fun button, the second personal rule.

Project Quilting Challenge #3 2021

 The third Project Quilting Challenge is Virtual Vacation.

My usual constraints applied - start with orphan blocks and end with buttons.

These look like sand and sea - we're good to go! Adding lots of sand, a little more sea, sun, and sky, and we have a top.

Wavy line quilting across the entire top- sunset colors for the sky and top of the water, teal for the water, and sand for the sand.

And it's done. One big mother-of-pearl button to represent shells that wash up on the shore and it's done.

Not a *literal* representation, but the colors and feeling of my favorite part of favorite vacation- early morning walks on the beach. This, then, is FloraBama Sunrise. And the wonkiness isn't the photo- the top edge and first couple of inches down is square, but after that I just  trimmed along the edge and if it waved and curved, that's how I bound it. Size is about 12 x 20.

From snowy Gaithersburg, MD, wishing I was in Orange Beach.

Project Quilting Challenge #2 2021

 The second Project  Quilting Challenge is Fussy Cut.

I had two constraints - using orphan blocks and buttons. These were my orphan blocks- tiny offcut half-square triangles from another project. I used the larger ones for this project and tossed the rest.

I used this kitty fabric that's been in my stash for a while for fussy cutting.

This is it- quilted and bound,with the buttons I picked.

The back- same fabric as used for fussy cutting.

I managed to break a needle sewing on the buttons! I don't remember if I've EVER broken a hand-sewing needle before. Bent plenty, yes, but not broken.

Done. Buttons are on the corner so it's actually usable as a mug rug.

First Project Quilting challenge complete

 The first PQ challenge is Illuminating + Ultimate Gray.

This is my quilt:

It's not big, about 9 x 12, but I like it a lot.

New year, New goals

 Welp, last year's blogging was mostly a bust.

Here's to more consistency this year!

Sewing goals: Mostly, sew every day.

Sew a block a day if possible.

Use the stash.

Finish projects.

First new project: The first Project Quilting challenge - https://kimlapacek.com/2021/01/12-1-illuminating-ultimate-gray-challenge-1-of-project-quilting-season-12.html

My personal constraints for the PQ challenge this year are: 1. Use orphan blocks, and 2. Add buttons

The first pieced background is here:

These were the orphan blocks that started it-  I added an additional piece to make them long enough, then sliced in half-ish.

Applique is currently in progress.