August Utility Mats and More

This is the set of five utility mats for August.

One for the cedar chest (16" x  38")

Two for the fireplace hearth (each 13" x 18")

Two for the end tables (16" x 16" each)

I bought this fabric in April 2015

when I stopped at Hancock's of Paducah

after delivering my book manuscript

and all of the book quilts to AQS.

(while originally intended to be a quilt back,

after this length of time I decided it was

more important to USE the fabric instead of 

continuing to wait for the "perfect" quilt top)

From the Cinco de Mayo line 

designed by Greta Lynn for Kanvas.

Quilted with Glide thread in Dijon

using rows of liberated fans.

Bound with Moda's Bella cheddar solid.

July's red-white-blue has been put away

and August's back-to-school has been put out.

(schools here start August 9th)

Center-right of the mantel

with a Curious George lunch box

just out of view.

Center-left of the mantel

with a colorful globe just out of view.

Left end of the hearth.

Right end of the hearth.

One end table's wood bowl.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T on one rocking chair.

Happy Happy Joy Joy (aka HHJJ) on the other rocker.

For the Birds on the back of my recliner

with The Spotted Winkel waiting 

to be put on the back of the couch.

The Eclectic Goose on one side chair 

with Scrappy Kites on the other.

* * *

vacation photo from one week ago

And last but certainly not least . . .

HAPPY FIFTH BIRTHDAY to our

getting-too-grown-up-way-too-fast Little Man!

Quiltdivajulie

-----------------------------------------------

“You are all the colors in one, at full brightness.”

Theodore Finch

RSC Quilts at the Show

Over the weekend,

eight of my quilts were at the annual

Davies Manor Quilt and Fiber Arts Show.

Fruit Loops

hung against the backs of

RESPECT and The Eclectic Goose.

Inside the frame, from left to right,

The Eclectic Goose

RESPECT and

To Have and To Hold

with the left edge of

Umbrellas Unfurled.

Turning to the right,

Umbrellas Unfurled

No Ugly Flowers

(back side of Arrowheads)

and Happy Happy Joy Joy.

Arrowheads hung against the backs

of HHJJ and No Ugly Flowers.

If I hang Arrowheads at home,

I think I'll hang it this way.

(landscape vs. portrait orientation)

In addition to this sign up sheet,

we had information flyers

for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

There were more quilts this year 

and fewer vendors.

The new lights also made

a BIG difference. 

(the older/antique quilts 

were on display at the Manor House

and a couple of the cabins)

* * *

Thank you 

to the dedicated volunteers who 

organize and stage this annual event.

It is so much fun to see what others are doing

and connect with other local quilt makers.

Quiltdivajulie

Mid-Year RSC Check-In Post

Angela asked us to post today about our RSC 2015 progress,

so here is my mid-year update.

I started this year with three long-term projects in mind.

One of them, No Ugly Flowers, is currently away being quilted.

The Stroop Effect (above) and Just Wing It (below) 

are on temporary hiatus.

I want to finish both of them before the end of this year,

but not by working on them one month at a time.

* * *

There have been lots of other smaller projects, too.

To see my photo album for RSC 2015, CLICK HERE

* * *

I also started this year with all of the completed

pieces and parts for six projects from RSC 2014.

Three of them are ready for quilting:

Arrowheads

RESPECT

and

The Eclectic Goose

A fourth - Umbrellas Unfurled - is currently on the design wall

with a flimsy reveal planned for Saturday (if all goes well).

That leaves two more to be turned into quilt tops before year-end:

Happy Happy Joy Joy

and

Fruit Loops

* * *

Have I reminded y'all lately that 

I am really the happiest 

when I'm making scrappy quilts?

* * *

Linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

CLICK HERE to check in on the others.

Quiltdivajulie

Scrappy Saturday - Let the ORANGE Begin

From this rather unassuming pile of scraps . . . 

came this WOF x 46" made-fabric strata

(SO happy to finally have a great way to use those gloriously random 2.5" strips)

AND

this group of smallish scraps

that may or may not end up being used.

* * *

Over the next week, I'll finish stitching the small scraps together

and begin making pieces and parts for my September RSC projects:

Umbrellas Unfurled (wedges)

The Eclectic Goose 

Fruit Loops

Snowballs and Nine Patches

Happy Happy Joy Joy

and

Arrowheads.

But more on that next week!

* * *

Linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Click HERE to see what orange-y things are going on elsewhere!

Quiltdivajulie

Scrappy Saturday -- Red (and yellow)

In honor of this month's color

 RED 

I'm sharing a framed print hangs in my studio.

(I found the print in 2006 but 

I just painted the frame red a few weeks ago -

wish I had done THAT a lot sooner!)

You might need to supersize the photo to read the quote . . . 

The yellow wedges for Umbrellas Unfurled are stitched and cut.

(a month late - but they're DONE)

Several readers have mentioned looking forward to the layout for these wedges.

I plan to wait until the 12th set is finished before I start playing . . .

There are several different layout ideas set aside

but the final choice will depend on the mix of colors.

Here are the pieces and parts for the Fruit Loops project.

(another one where I'm waiting until I have all 12 colors)

These are June's and July's scrappy segments for the Eclectic Goose project.

(This one will be based on the River Trees pattern

from a back issue of The Quilt Life magazine -

although I'm sure I'll switch it up somehow!)

And these are June's and July's quite-traditional 

scrappy snowball and nine patch blocks.

(The final name for this project will somehow reference New Orleans snowballs -

thanks to Angie for the suggestion!)

* * *

Whew!

Another week, and I should be caught up -

at least until August's color is announced . . .

* * *

Linking up with the others over at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Click HERE 

to see lots of red scrappy fun!

Quiltdivajulie

Scrappy Saturday - Catching Up

Houston - Market 2010

Since I'm a month behind --
working with both yellow AND red --

it seemed highly appropriate to share this quilt!

An original free-pieced design created in 2008, 

my Flying Monkeys quilt appeared in
Tonya's 2010 book -- Word Play Quilts.

In the photo, Tonya is holding my quilt

in the 2010 Martingdale booth
at the Houston Quilt Market.

(custom quilted by Chris Ballard)

* * *

I have sewn enough red strips and strings together

to cut the 8 wacky wedges for Umbrellas Unfurled.

I pieced and cut four 8.5" squares.

I'll use these to die cut my red snowballs.

I also have four 8.5" yellow squares for the snowball project.

Here are the scrappy red and yellow center strips

for making two more sets of Happy Happy Joy Joy blocks.

(using the X Marks the Block tutorial)

One seam at a time . . .

* * *

Linking up with the others at 

the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Click here to see what they're up to this week!

Quiltdivajulie