Back Home Again

I've said it before, I'll say it again--it is GREAT to be back home.  In celebration, I even finished this quilt.  Okay, it isn't any of the MANY quilts I'm supposedly working on, and it's only 36 in. or so square, but a finish is a finish.

I was inspired by one of the Tiny Tuesday blocks from the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  The block is called Nine Patch and Rails, and you can find a link to the tiny block HERE, at Life on the Hill blog, by Libby.

My blocks are not tiny at all!  They're 9 inches square.  I used lots of novelty prints from my 3.5 in. strip box.  (Check out the monkeys here, and the smiling tacos in the second photo!)

Here's the back, a cute and snuggly flannel.

Close up time!  Aren't these lady bugs fun?
I haven't had a finish for a while, so I am making a big deal out of this little quilt.

But this stack really is a big deal!  Members of my local quilt group, Ties That Bind, made all these little quilts for Jack's Basket.  My quilt is joining the pile.
Earlier this year, as part of the Hands 2 Help Comfort Challenge, (put on by Sarah at her blog Confessions of a Fabric Addict), I made some quilts for Jack's Basket, and showed them at my local group.  Other quilters wanted to help too, so we started making and collecting more quilts.
You may already have heard of Jack's Basket, a wonderful 501 c 3 charity.  The donated quilts go in baskets that are given to families upon the birth of a child with Down's Syndrome.  It's a way of welcoming the babies and connecting the parents with resources and other parents who are also raising kids with Downs.   Find out more about Jack's Basket HERE.
I'm filling up a big box with these little quilts.  If we have more donated after that, I'll fill up another box.

More stuff done!  In spite of having a very busy week, I got my 3 light blue crumb blocks pieced for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

I think I like this one best.  Dinosaurs, caterpillars, bubbles, and more.

I really love making the crumb centers for these blocks.  For the longest time, I've just been throwing crumb-sized pieces in a basket, and sorting through them when I needed a certain color.

But not anymore!  You are looking at my new improved crumb box.  Each color of "crumbs" is sorted into its own zip bag, so I can easily pull them out and get to work.  I have found that I like making crumbs in one color, rather than a mix.
This is progress for me.  For the longest time I really just couldn't do crumbs at all, they were just too random for me.  Using the same color for any one square seems to dial down the randomness, and makes me feel better.  I envy all of you who can just go for it.  I'm still working on it.

Here's what else I'm working on--pickle relish!  This was a small batch, and I'm not kidding.  Only 2 and a half pints.  Since I still have all the ingredients, I'm going to have another go at it this weekend.  I like having it on hand.  A couple of tablespoons really perk up a tuna salad, chicken salad, or potato salad.

Aren't these awesome socks?  Don't tell my granddaughter, she's getting these as part of her birthday gifts.  The ones on the left have sparkly hearts!

May your heart sparkle this week, with whatever gives you joy.
Thanks for reading,
Sylvia@Treadlestitches

Linking up with
Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Angela at So Scrappy
Finished or Not Friday's New Home at Alycia Quilts
Cynthia at Oh Scrap