RainbowScraps at Work

I started the year with just one rainbow project. And I’m happy to report that all the blocks are complete; in fact, now that the turquoise ones are done, I have one extra!

It evolved, as they often do, too, aiming to make a gradation in shades of each color. So you can see these three go from light to dark turquoise. I now have 26 blocks, enough for a 50” square quilt with the extra block going on the back. My original plan was to make 30 but I decided this past week that 25 is fine.

Gratitude #76

Since taking the month of July off, it's gotten a lot harder to make myself write a post. I've been sewing a little bit, but not much really and not anything so far I can show. I've still kept track of things I like, and things that make me full of gratitude. If you would like to write your own post, or read more of these uplifting posts, pop over to LeeAnna's blog Not Afraid of Color.

1. I'm grateful for trees. I've been a tree lover pretty much all my life, but a trip to Tofino, Vancouver Island in 1994 took my love to a profound level, one of awe and respect. I read Greenwood by Michael Christie, in July, one of the Canada Reads books, and what a book. Highly recommend. It sent me to the internet again and again, looking up various ancient trees of the Douglas fir variety for one. I found Lonely Doug, which you can read about and see in this brief article and also this short article. Tell me if you don't feel a deep sadness when you see this massive sentinel. And once again synchronicity strikes: a few days after learning and reading about him, this article,  BC big tree hunter documents grandest old-growth tree he's ever seen, showed up on my CBC homepage. It is worth a quick click on that link to view this indescribably humongous Western red cedar somewhere on Flores Island in Clayoquot Sound. The photos are locked.

Point Pelee National Park near me

Fir tree and Sky by Emily Carr in 1935-36

This painting hangs in the  National Gallery of Canada  which we recently visited on our trip to Ottawa.

Tinker Toys in Love of Quilting Magazine

Way back in January I alluded to two of my submitted designs having been accepted for publication. Today is finally the day I can share the first one. Love of Quilting hits the newsstands today! My quilt, Tinker Toys, is on page 62.

Photo courtesy of Golden Peak Media

This baby quilt goes together super-fast. The design has the illusion of being on point but it's just nine blocks with some clever colouring and borders.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge Update

I have three projects ongoing this year, one of which has all the blocks done, and two nearing completion. Here's where they all are at present! Then read on to find out who won a copy of Cheryl's new book, Just Two Charm Packs Quilts.

Project 1

Makes me think of ketchup and mustard! I plan to make four more blocks in aqua (I'm thinking that will be the September colour) for a total of 30, set five by six. This will make a nice-sized throw as they are 10" blocks. This will most likely be a comfort quilt.

I'm Back With Diamond Hashtag and a Giveaway

Hello everyone! I had a lovely month off with plenty of my favourite things: reading, sewing, relaxing in the back yard and in the pool, and generally enjoying the beautiful month of July. You've seen on Instagram some in-progress shots of my 150 Canadian Women quilt, but I also worked on one of Cheryl Brickey's designs in her newest book, Just Two Charm Pack Quilts. Her website is Meadow Mist Designs, and her blog is Meadow Mist Designs where you can follow the hop of fabulous quilts from her book.

Cheryl has a page right here dedicated to this hop with all of the participants listed and links to their quilts. If you ever have lost your quilt mojo, check out a few of the links there, and I guarantee you will find it in a hurry!

Rainbow Neighbourhood - My Quilt

When I finally put my 2017 Rainbow Scrap Challenge house blocks together into the throw, I knew that was my second choice for a quilt layout using my rainbow houses blocks. I knew I wanted to create a happy neighbourhood (Do you hear Fred Rogers? I know I do.) It took some time, but I knew if I let it sit and percolate on the back burner of my brain, it would be good. And it is.

I looked back in my graph book of design ideas and I see several iterations and possibilities of a quilt using the blocks. Exactly how I came up with the one that is the twin, I honestly am not sure, but I do know I didn't want a traditional setting; I wanted the houses to be not in rows, and I wanted neighbourhood elements such as a picket fence (which did not come to pass in the end).

A huge thank you to Island Batik for sending me the navy marble blender yardage for background, and for the 'Broken Glass' line of fabrics as well as several other Basics and Blenders fabrics.

Rainbow Neighbourhood Final Parade

It’s here and I am late to post this! (Smacks self in forehead) I remembered… and then promptly forgot. My own quilt is not completely finished but the linkup for flimsies and finishes that I have on the June 15 post and also here below was originally open until midnight July 1. I may just extend it through the weekend though; what do you think? Canada Day is an auspicious day to end the celebration of the ‘Famous Canadian’ 😉 upon whose birthday this QAL usually ends, but I think he’d be just fine with a wee extension. 

I actually have stuck to the decision to do an all-over design. Well mostly!