Rainbow Scrap Challenge Quilt Finish

I am happy to present my first RSC quilt, now finished and ready for a new home. Every year since 2015 I’ve participated in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge with Angela at So Scrappy. I’ve made one, two or sometimes even three projects with scraps, a few I’ve kept, but most I’ve given away as comfort quilts. This one will be donated somewhere I think. 

Rainbow Scrappy Churn Dash

This quilt, you may recall, is another where I built small slabs with crumbs and then cut them into HSTs or rectangles. 

Simple Satisfying Sewing

Maybe it's because my heart is aching so for the Palestinians, maybe it's because my throat feels utterly constricted with rage, maybe it's because this world seems so wilfully angry and ignorant, but I've been doing just what the title for this post says: sewing simple, quick, easy, satisfying little makes. You saw the collection of makeup bags in the previous post. Well, I made my orange churn dash block for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge colour of the month,

I'm having fun finding appropriate 5" centres in the colour of each month!

Project Quilting 16.6 Harvest Apron

I love starting off the year with the Project Quilting Challenge, and I love the pace: six challenges over the course of 12 weeks. Yet each year I've participated, the final challenge always is bittersweet. Yes, now I can get on with my own agenda, but I'm sad to let the burst of creativity and, to some degree, ha, the intense focus on a project go.

Without further ado, here is project 16.6, 'Button it Up' where we were to incorporate the meaning, literal or figurative, of "button it up"  into our project. I went literal.

All those beautiful florals..and one maple leaf fabric from Northcott for Canada's sesquicentennial 🍁

This is my Harvest apron, a free tutorial by Inflorescence Designs. You can see a button in the centre of the waistband, and a toggle button at the bottom edge. Read on to find out what nifty trick the two perform to transform this apron into a little bowl or basket!

Two Big Bellies

On Instagram I alluded to making two new cushions, both of them bellies. The first is Santa Baby, designed by Kelly Young of My Quilt Infatuation. I've intended to make one since I first saw her post back in 2018! 

You can read Kelly's post here where she gives you a diagram with finished measurements to make your very own pillow.

SAHRR Round 5 “Four”

This round’s directive was given to us by Gail at QuiltingGail. She said the theme this week is ‘4’. We could do whatever we want but it has to have an element of four in it. I decided to make 4-patches, and my first plan was to put them in the four corners. Here is how my quilt ended up:

Read on to find out how it got there.

SAHRR Rounds 1 and 2

Although I had formed an idea of what I would do with Round 1, Signature Block, prompt, I never did get to do it what with spending a lot of time on the Project Quilting challenge that week and with the stress of Xena's torn ACL. So this week I made sure to get that round done as well as Round 2, which threw me a bit I must say. Anja of anjaquilts gave us a pretty much wide open prompt : use just two colours and do whatever you want. Sometimes those wide-open directives can be problematic for people like me who are rule followers. I've always loved challenges where your creativity gets stretched, and both PQ and SAHRR are wonderful activities that do just that.

Here is what I did with Round 1.

It's interesting how my brain works on these prompts in the background of my mind. I honestly do not remember exactly what/where/how I came up with this idea, but one signature block it is, bubble-type fabric in turquoise on either side, with bubbles coming up from the swimming fishies.

Rainbow Connection: RSC 2023 and 2024 Progress

This is my original Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilt of 2023. I had three ongoing projects, and just have one left to get into a flimsy and quilted up for a donation quilt. This one will be donated somewhere too.

The original dark blue blocks were in this post. It is a quilt from Quick & Easy Quilts August/September 2022. Mine is a scrappy version of the Saskatchewan designer's quilt.

Rainbow Scraps 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.

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.

Rainbow Neighbourhood House Block #10 and Pinwheels

Twin quilt makers, this is your final assignment! This week we are making house block #10 and the pinwheels that spin across the quilt.

I have seen a few tops done, or nearly done this past week and I am swooning over how wonderful they are. This post will also discuss the sashing pieces needed to fit both the throw and the twin together. I will also be showing you some other quilts and projects I've done using this wonderful house block pattern. As lots of you have learned, it can be quite addictive!

Project Quilting 14.6 Conquer a Fear

After quilting for some 25 years, there isn't anything in quilting that I fear. Avoid/hesitate? Yes. As in life, there are certain things we love to do, and certain things we ... do not! Over the course of the first couple of days following the release of the challenge, an idea was forming, to symbolize fear in a mini quilt, from the debilitating 'darkness' of feeling fear to the release, the blossoming and lightness that happens when you work through it and have such a sense of accomplishment. I wish I'd had more time. I had another deadline, the SAHRR, and so I devoted the majority of my week to that, since Cuba had 'robbed me' 😉 of a week's work on it. In the end, I pulled this together in a few hours. I do love it, and have used it every day since Sunday!

This is my new favourite mug rug.

PQ 14.4 A Novel Project

The past week's challenge was to make a quilt inspired by a book. Those of you who are regular followers know that I am an avid and a lifelong reader; I was an English as well as French teacher as well for 30 years. So it was too hard to choose one book; like Trish I could ream off 50 favourites, some of those favourites read within the past year, like The Dictionary of Lost Words, or Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, or The Golem and the Jinni finished just three days ago. So I based my project on a series, the Outlander books, though as you'll see, it's really so much more than these beloved books by Diana Gabaldon, every one of which I have, including The Outlandish Companion!

The Calanais Standing Stones are in the Outer Hebrides on the Isle of Lewis. My mini is based on a photograph from Historic Environment Scotland. Calanais Standing Stones is another very informative site with more photos of these magical 5000-year-old stones.

Soar

I think it was when I made the Postcard from Sweden makeup pouch for my niece that I realized I needed to make a quilt for her niece and nephew (my great-niece and great-nephew!). Both quilts percolated throughout this year.

The wind was a factor today, but I think the billowing effect is a-okay with this airy quilt! Keen eyes will notice Xena sunbathing on the deck behind the quilt.

English Garden Hands2Help Quilt

This is one of those quilts that say, 'meh' with the flimsy, and then say, 'Yay!' with the quilting. And yes, all it is is a simple jigsaw-style meander, but wow, it just melds all the floral prints together, and it's like looking at a veritable riot of an English Garden.

Early morning as this was, or darling evening are perfect times for quilt photos

I just know my mum would love this one. Speaking of early morning, have you ever truly contemplated how marvellous dew is? It's really quite the miracle, that every morning plants get a sip of pure water to start their day. This morning it was like a film of little beads of glass coating the grass. Sparkling and fresh. Hopeful. I needed that.

Project Quilting Update

In truth, I had totally forgotten about Kim of Persimon Dreams PQ 13.4 this past week, because of a few things. One was focusing on my Postcard from Sweden next third of the quilt (check). The other was the ongoing Grifter Convoy or kukluxkonvoy that, for the record, had absolutely nothing to do with mandates, but more to do with overthrowing our entire government, far right hatred, and conspiracy theories galore. A third was that figure skating also figured into my sewing time, as I cannot 'watch' TV and sew at the same time; something suffers.

Here, on a much happier, creative note, is my PQ 13.4 challenge, Mining for Diamonds.

That was about as still a photo as I could get in the crazy wind! The sunshine was just so good to show off these beautiful colours.

 

I made this from my still plentiful stash of gorgeous Island Batik fabrics. They are so very generous with their supply of beautiful fabrics for their ambassadors.

94Quilt Finished

I acknowledge that I am living on unceded territory of Anishinaabeg (Source: Canadian Encyclopedia) on the shore of erielhonan, (Iroquoian word meaning 'long tail') now called Lake Erie.

Wow, it's been a while since I posted. I've thought about writing an update post a couple of times, but just never did. I do have a finish, a quilt I worked on from July 1 to October 2, making one double flying geese block a day while I read the 94 Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action. Not only did I read a Call each day, but I also went to the Beyond 94 website that CBC created, and followed most of their further reading, links to articles, TV shows, other sites and organizations, and literature. I watched We Were Children, the CBC documentary, riveting, heartbreaking, a must-watch for every Canadian, no every Turtle Island dweller, so that means Americans and Mexicans, who are also descended from Europeans.

This is the resulting quilt.

94Quilt: Blocks 88 - 94 and the Flimsy

I acknowledge that I am living on unceded territory of Anishinaabeg (Source: Canadian Encyclopedia) on the shore of erielhonan, (Iroquoian word meaning 'long tail') now called Lake Erie.

The post that explains my 94Quilt project is here.  Since July 1 I've been making a flying geese block a day as I read one of the 94 Calls to Action, its accompanying explanations and progress report, and links that go with each one. I made my last geese block on October 2. On October 3 I made the final heart block. The Calls are divided into six major sections, and so at the end of each one, I have made a heart block. Reconciliation has the most Calls within it, though there are several sub-sections. The hearts inadvertently led to me having a nice number of 100 blocks. Some of the blocks are set in the Dutchman's Puzzle setting; others are interrupted by a heart. When I saw this happening, I decided to 'interrupt' the blocks with two columns of geese going in random directions. I wanted lots of movement across the quilt, and a more modern feel to it. All of the hearts are the same fabric (a great one by Benartex, Marbella), and almost all of the reds and oranges are  repeated twice, some three times. The Moda I used for the background is gone but for a couple of small scraps, so that feels good to move yardage off the shelf. 

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is the main website with a wealth of information.

Beyond 94 is the CBC-created site that is an ongoing report card monitoring how we are doing with the calls.

Reconciliation

88. Continued support for the North American Indigenous Games.

Complete. 

• In April 2017 the federal government committed ongoing funding ($18.9 million over five years, and ongoing funding of $5.5 million every four years thereafter) both at the community level and to support the Games.
• Dale Tamara Plett of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation in Ontario, was elected the first Indigenous woman president of the 2020 Games which were to be in Halifax, but have now been rescheduled to 2023.

94Quilt: Blocks 80 - 87

Today is Canada's first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. I waited one day to post my regular Wednesday 94 Quilt post for that reason. I am hopeful, so hopeful, that we have truly begun the journey to understanding our Indigenous hosts, (because this is their land) and repairing the centuries of wrongs we have inflicted upon them. Lots and lots of small steps have been taken, but many many more are needed to get to the stage where they are not the highest percentage of incarcerated men and women, they are not the highest percentage of children in foster care, no longer a major number of humans dealing with addiction, homelessness, mental illness... 

I continue to learn. Making this quilt while I read, reflect upon, and research each Call and its progress has been another step for me on my journey to truth and reconciliation. The truth. The truth is not pretty, and shying away from it, saying you can't handle it, you don't want to talk or read or hear about anymore of it because it's too upsetting is another act of white privilege. So I urge you to do the right thing: #dosomething @decolonizemyself @pam-palmater Any of those accounts or the hashtag will lead you to educating yourself. Education is the key to understanding our sister and brother humans.

I acknowledge that I am living on unceded territory of Anishinaabeg (Source: Canadian Encyclopedia) on the shore of erielhonan, (Iroquoian word meaning 'long tail') now called Lake Erie.

The post that explains my 94Quilt project is here.  Since July 1 I've been making a flying geese block a day as I read one of the 94 Calls to Action, its accompanying explanations and progress report, and links that go with each one.

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is the main website with a wealth of information.

Beyond 94 is the CBC-created site that is an ongoing report card monitoring how we are doing with the calls.

Reconciliation

80. Establish a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a statutory holiday.

Complete.

• I did not plan this to be the first Call nor that our actual Truth and Reconciliation Day would be the day after I normally have been posting these posts. How very fitting. Higher forces at work.
• In August 2018, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the Liberals were going to declare a federal statutory holiday and that the process was undeway.
• A previous private member's bill had been passed in the House in March 2019, but had only passed first reading in the Senate when the 42nd Parliament ended.
• Two dates had been considered: June 21, which is National Indigenous Peoples Day, and September 30, which is Orange Shirt Day. This day of remembrance was started in 2013 by residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad. Ry Moran, director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation said, "It's not just about creating another day off from work or from school. We have to remember and we can even borrow the phrase from Remembrance Day, 'Lest we forget.' If we forget what has happened in the past, just how low we can sink, we are at serious risk of recreating those same issues again in the future.”

94Quilt: Blocks 72 - 79

I acknowledge that I am living on unceded territory of Anishinaabeg (Source: Canadian Encyclopedia) on the shore of erielhonan, (Iroquoian word meaning 'long tail') now called Lake Erie.

The post that explains my 94Quilt project is here.  Since July 1 I've been making a flying geese block a day as I read one of the 94 Calls to Action, its accompanying explanations and progress report, and links that go with each one.

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is the main website with a wealth of information.

Beyond 94 is the CBC-created site that is an ongoing report card monitoring how we are doing with the calls.

Trigger Warning: some of the content in today's post can be disturbing for some readers.

Reconciliation

72. Develop and maintain the National Residential School Student Death Register created by the TRC.

In progress. Projects underway.

• In March 2018, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) received funding to support the implementation of this.
• In the 2019 budget $33.8 million over three years was committed, beginning in 2019, to establish and maintain this, and provide opportunities for commemoration.
• worth noting this was done prior to the discoveries of several mass graves at these 'schools' in 2021.

94 Quilt: Blocks 64 - 71

I acknowledge that I am living on unceded territory of Anishinaabeg (Source: Canadian Encyclopedia) on the shore of erielhonan, (Iroquoian word meaning 'long tail') now called Lake Erie.

The post that explains my 94Quilt project is here.  Since July 1 I've been making a flying geese block a day as I read one of the 94 Calls to Action, its accompanying explanations and progress report, and links that go with each one.

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is the main website with a wealth of information.

Beyond 94 is the CBC-created site that is an ongoing report card monitoring how we are doing with the calls.

Reconciliation

64. Require publicly-funded denominational schools to teach comparative religious studies including Aboriginal spiritual beliefs. 

Not started.

• The original Call wording specifies "spiritual beliefs and practices in collaboration with Aboriginal elders."
• According to Beyond 94, although there are some schools who do teach this, few were compiled with guidance and input from Indigenous elders. 
• You can read specifics for each province's implementation of this Call on Beyond 94. Again, here is yet another example where education is under provincial jurisdiction, so when Singh continually says he will "immediately implement all 94 Calls," he either has 'forgotten' or 'doesn't know' that education is not under federal jurisdiction, so good luck making provinces do this 'immediately'.