Soha and Frogkisser

Me: I avoid cleaning and organizing.  
Paul: Of course, I clean only when it is absolutely essential. 
Me: I am glad you agree. 
Paul: Let sleeping critters lie
Me: Exactly. When I do clean/organize, I get attacked by squirrels.  

At this moment, Paul lost the thread of conversation.

In anticipation of the second shipment of Island Batik Ambassador boxes, I had to clean house, get rid of some scraps and make room for the new supplies. 

In doing so, I came across some star blocks, that date back to 2015, I think. Who knows? It was so long ago. Seven blocks were made. I dropped everything and whipped up two more and completed the flimsy.

Lost and Found

Meet Soha.  Soha is an Arabic name meaning Star of a hidden constellation. These stars were in hiding for long but now they have found their purpose. 

Soha

I received this backing fabric from Julie, when she was destashing.  Love the tightly packed houses. 

Backing

I have been tempted to color some of these houses using fabric pens, but that is a separate post/project!

Color me, please!

Soha finished at about 40" square, and will join other quilts (from my quilt guild) going to the Inova Fair Oaks Hospital's Premie Graduation. These quilts accompany the premie babies when they "graduate" from NICU to go home.  

Stars on a Cloudy Day - Oh Yes :-)

Light-hearted star centers radiate color outwards.  All colors except yellow. Yellow does not show up well against a white background and I wanted each of these stars to pop!

Green & Glowing

Radiant Rainbow Colors

Labelled

I will be sharing with Angela's Linky party.

__________________________________________________________________

I made the next quilt for my former boss' handyman's apprentice's two-year old son, named Leo. I was visiting my former boss, when she mentioned the hardworking men in the front yard.  She also mentioned how Claudio, her trusted handyman of many years had taken the young apprentice under his wing. "He has a two-year old son," she added.

Well, then he needs a quilt. Doesn't he?

Do you remember Meanwhile? Scroll down to the second quilt in that post. Since Meanwhile was such a fun modern take on a scrappy concept, I had saved some flannel strips for making a quickie quilt.

Flannel Strips

Right after I completed Soha, I dived into my bag of flannel strips and started sttiching.

Flannel is stretchy, so precision was too lofty an idea to pursue. I just stitched strips and soon enough there was a flimsy.

Frogs Live Long & Prosper!

For the backing I pieced a transportation themed fabric with yellow borders. No-fuss quilting with squiggles and binding with some newsprint fabric left over from Aurora. 

Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Bound

It finished at about 44" by 52" and I have named it Frogkisser. Because I may have kissed (or lovingly caressed) the cute frogs.  No, I don't mind being a Frogkisser because it is a magical ability to turn random scraps into cozy and snuggle-worthy quilts :-D

I kiss Frogs :-)

Frogkisser

Love it!!!

Have Quilt, Will Travel

When Frogkisser was gifted to Leo's dad, he beamed with delight and I was just glad that some scraps found their purpose.  I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.

For Leo

Here are my two Dreami (Drop everything and make it) projects.  Will be sharing on Sandra's blog when she posts the next Dreami Linky Party.

I have two more fun quilts ready for prime time and I am dying to show them to you but must wait till July 28 for my turn on the "Covering the World - One Quilt at a Time" event co-sponsored by Accuquilt and Island Batik.

Island Batik March Challenge - Scrapbuster

The March 2021 Island Batik Challenge is to make a Scrapbuster Quilt.  

Being a new ambassador I do not have a lot of Island Batik fabrics.

Me: How do I make a scrapbuster without scraps?
Paul: You have no scraps?
Me: How do I make an Island Batik scrapbuster quilt without Island Batik scraps?
Paul: Did you not get a big box of fabric?
Me: Well, yes, I did. However, some of that fabric has been used in previous projects and some is earmarked for later projects. Whatever is left is a bit limiting.
Paul: So what did you do?

Me: I had to think outside the proverbial box. 

Paul: And what did that entail?

Me: I begged, borrowed and bartered.

Paul: Not steal? I am relieved.

I have a FINISH!!!

Meet "Beg, Borrow and Barter" - My response to the Island Batik Scrapbuster Challenge.  I bartered with Claudia, borrowed from Bernie and begged Emily to build the perfect scrappy stash of varied Island Batik fabrics to make this quilt.

Beauty in my Bed :-D

I had a specific pattern in mind but the size would depend upon the amount of scraps I could gather.

Scraps

Brightness

Flimsy

Thanks to my generous friends, I had enough to make a large quilt.  I used Hobbs Cotton Batting. It quilts beautifully.

I used Schmetz Microtex Needle 70/12 for piecing and Schmetz Needle 90/14 for quilting and binding.

"Beg, Borrow and Barter" finished at 72" by 84".  

In the Breeze :-)

It is so bright that the fire hydrant pales in comparison :-p

I love Island Batik

Island Batik has such rich and saturated colors - they are a joy to work with.  I am in love with this bright and spicy finish. The binding is Yolk.

Speaking of binding, it is amazing how much my binding has improved after 150+ quilts :-D

Binding Detail

Scrappy Yumminess

Ready to Snuggle

A joyful celebration!

Color = Happiness :-)

One last look!

Once a quilt is completed, it is time to tidy up. Put away the fabric scraps. Put away the batting bits. Find the errant pins under the sewing machine. Sweep the floor. Vacuum the carpet (or ask Paul to do it) etc. You know - the usual...unless there is a squirrel lurking in there somewhere.  

Chasing Squirrels

Oh Design Wall - what would I do without you?

As I was putting away the scraps, I noticed some odd shaped triangles of a very pretty fabric. What if?

And I forgot about cleaning and started playing. 

What else was I supposed to do when it was bitterly cold and frozen outside?

Playing with Scraps

I had already completed my challenge quilt so there was no need to make another.  But but but that bright fabric was so tantalizing to just set aside. So here we are...

Zany Triangles

These triangles are zany, Paul proclaimed.  I rest my case.

"Zany Triangles" finished at 39" by 42".  

So much fun!!!

As much as I love "Beg, Borrow & Barter" I am tickled by "Zany Triangles" because it was just so much fun to play with random scraps and a totally unexpected finish!!!  It is my Dreami (drop everything and make it) for March 2021.

Quilting Detail

I quilted gently waving lines using my walking foot. It took me just one afternoon to complete the quilting and I am loving the texture. 

Texture :-D

Paul: So you did not have enough scraps and you made two scrappy quilts?

Me: I am magical...

Paul (huge eye roll): Uh Huh

Me: It is the magic of the scraps...they multiplied :-D

Oh but wait there is more.  Even the scraps have leftovers, which I dutifully turned into a boxed bottom zippered pouch.

Zippered Pouch

Neon Zipper, Purple Tab

Bursting with Color!!!

Disclosure: The fabrics and needles used in making this project were generously supplied by the following companies:

Paul: It is cold outside.  
Me: OK, I will stay indoors and play with fabric.
Paul: It is very windy outside. 
Me: I know. I will stay home and sew.
Paul: It is rainy outside. 
Me: I should stay home and quilt.
Paul: Babe, it is a beautiful day outside.  
Me: Oh perfect, you can help me with quilt pictures.

Paul: BRAT!!!

What is the weather like in your neck of the woods?  I'd love to hear.  I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties and Sandra's Dreami. See full list on the sidebar. 

Oxygen

It started with Bernie.  She held a contest and a giveaway. I did not win. Emily did. 
But then Emily forfeited her prize so it came to me. A charm pack of Moda Wovens.

A charm pack of seemingly plain (black, white and gray) fabrics did not match anything in my stash. I should've just set it aside to be addressed at a later date because January was hugely busy month for me. There was the IB Unboxing Video and post (nerve-racking), making of placemats (first IB project) and the challenge of being the first in the IB Create for a Cause Blog Hop.

"Set it aside" or "Pass it Along"would be the logical approach. And therefore, in my completely illogical quilty way,  I chose to chase this squirrel. I dropped everything to make this quilt. 

A New Finish

I am blaming it on Bernie and Emily. With friends like these who needs enemies :-D I love you both.

There is not much you can do with a single charm pack. However a free pattern by Elizabeth Hartmann is perfect. I know because I have used it to make Finger Lakes.

Started here

I started with wide strips of yellow and started inserting slashed and whole squares. But gosh - it looked so bland. Aren't these the Pantone colors of the year - Ultimate Gray and Illuminating?

What was ultimately illuminating to me was this - I was suffocated. Goodness, this quilt needed color like I needed to breathe.

A touch of color

I inserted a few narrow strips of solid green and solid purple.  Although it is still a far cry from my overly cheerful style, these strips of color provided the respite my eyes craved.  Of course, addition of these strips skewed the pattern but nothing I could not handle. 

Solid Green Slivers

Spicy Backing

I chose a spicy backing to make up for the rather bland front :-) A yellow binding seems to fit.

Labelled

If this yellow-gray quilt is a metaphor for our Covid-suffocated lives, the strips of green and purple are symbolic of my quilty friends. Their connections provide the oxygen and the virtual hugs I need to get past these trying times.  

Sunkissed

Yellow Binding

This Dreami quilt finished at 33.5" by 41". It is named Oxygen and is dedicated to Bernie and Emily.  I will be linking with Sandra's Dreami Linky.

Colorful Backing

And a few more pictures...

Oxygen 33.5" by 41"

Walking Foot Quilting

Green & Purple = Happiness

I can breathe...

A Breezy Day

But wait there is more. A few charm squares were still left over. Time for some scrappy improvisational piecing. A few solids (colorful please) were added to the mix.

Using up all the scraps

After all the Moda Wovens were used up there were some solids left over. Oh my, this was the classic cookies and milk dilemma.

Zippers and Lining

I am loving these :-)

Contrasting Zipper Pulls

Finished three Zipper pouches

Color = Joy

Three fine finishes!!!

____________________________________________________________________

Here are my completed Sister's Choice Blocks in Yellow for the February 2021 RSC. Will be linking with Angela's RSC Linky. 

Smiling Flower

Focus Panda

Speaking of RSC, I am basting the second quilt (Leela was first) from last year's RSC, using the Picket Star Quilt Block.

Basting

I am in love :-)

_____________________________________________________________

The two winners from the Create for a Cause Bloghop Giveaway are Comments #25 (Patti) and #58 (Susie H).  Emails have been sent to the winners. If I do not hear from you in a week, you will forfeit your prize and I will pick someone else. 

If you did not win, there is still a chance to win the grand prize by Island Batik. 

I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar. As usual, I 'd love to hear about you. Did you already get vaccinated? Are you holding your breath for the vaccine? What is your oxygen in these suffocating times?