Bits and Pieces

Welcome to the blog!  Do you have one of these?  This is my "bits" basket, a place for scraps too small to go in my strip drawers or boxes of cut squares.

These are some of the bits I pulled out to make aqua blocks, for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge color of the month.  I make them like slab blocks or crumb blocks.  (The cute monsters scrap didn't make the cut.  Sorry, monsters, just not enough aqua.)

I already had two projects going for the RSC, but this just sort of happened, as things do, so I'm rolling with it.  I will need to go back and make a few more blocks in the colors for January, February, and March.  Not a problem, there are lots of bits and pieces.

I didn't realize until I took this picture, but this block features a lion's butt, complete with tail.  Just a little secret to find in the eventual finished quilt.

Flowers may not be blooming outside yet, but the orchid in the windowsill is going crazy.  Little Buddy and I have been enjoying watching the buds open.  He thinks they should hurry up.

The color reminds me of the fabrics in this little quilt I finished this week for Jack's Basket, as part of the Hands 2 Help Comfort Quilt Challenge.
It's a Trip Around the World quilt, made in pink and green.  The squares are charm square size, 5 in. x 5 in.  I used up some of my 5 in. squares and strips, which I was saving just for this purpose. 
The charity requests quilts made 36 in. square, which has been kind of a fun challenge for me.

I always think of these quilt patterns sort of like recipes.
Here's the recipe for this one.

Trip Around the World Baby Quilt
finished size:  36 in. x 36 in.
All squares are cut 5 in. x 5 in.
When I make this pattern, I lay the squares out as I go, and then sew them into rows.  As you can see from the photo, the colors go in rounds.
Round one: the center.  1 square
Round 2: 4 squares.  (I used a lighter fabric to contrast with the surrounding squares.)
Round 3:  8 squares
Round 4:  12 squares
Round 5:  12 squares
Round 6:  8 squares
Round 7:  the corners.  4 squares.  I cut mine from the same cupcake fabric I used for the center.

This is a total of 49 squares, set 7 x 7.  These squares finish at 4.5 in.
7 x 4.5=31.5 in. square
To make the quilt finish at 36 in. square, we need to add borders cut at 2.75 in. (two and three-quarters).  After sewing, they will measure 2.25 in.
Here's the math on the total.
31.5 + 2.25 +2.25=36  (or, 8 x 4.5=36)

Can you see the cute cupcake fabric in the center?  I only had a few squares of this, bought second hand on a sale table.

Simple quilting goes very fast on these little quilts, and then they're ready to mail off.  I hope this one will be cheerful and sweet for a new baby.
More Jack's Basket quilts are in the works!  I'm going to fill up a box before I send them.

At long, long last, the redwork quilt is finished!  I had the hand quilting done as my February OMG, and just this week finished hand sewing down the binding.  I don't know why I just never wanted to pick it up and put in those last stitches, but I finally got up the gumption and did it.  I'm keeping this one.  It's sort of a "new" antique, made from old blocks.

My life tends to be really busy.  Little bits and pieces of sewing time make me happy, and make everything run more smoothly.

This week, I'm wishing you joy in all you do.
Cheers,
Sylvia@Treadlestitches

Linking up with:
Angela at Soscrappy
Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Myra at Busy Hands Quilts
Cynthia at Oh Scrap
Hands 2 Help Check In 

Tropical Wisconsin

We had an 80 plus degree day this week!  I declare summer officially started!  And to celebrate, I pieced bright colors and awesome parrot fabric into a little quilt for charity.

Fifteen of the blocks in the quilt are "crumb" blocks or "slab" blocks, made from small pieces of scraps sewn together.  (Both Mr. Biddy the cat and I managed to get a foot in this shot.  So talented.)

Here's what they looked like on the design wall.

It was fun to gather these pieces at the machine, and just sew.  Treadling with this lovely Singer 66 is so relaxing.

The alternate blocks are this amazing parrot fabric.  Isn't it scrumptious?

Here's some info from the selvedge.

Simple quilting finishes the little quilt.  The backing is a paw prints print.  The border reminds me of the clear shallow water in Mexico where we went on vacation many years ago.
But wait--more parrots!

I'm experimenting with a design I saw on the internet for a bird block.  What if these birds were parrots?  What if the wings and beaks were 3-D?

My first try.  Not too wild about the color placement, but okay.

Maybe this is better?  The whole wing is green, the body blue, etc.  Seems like a lot of white background.  I'll keep thinking about it.  Any ideas?  I'm always glad to know what other quilters would do.
In keeping with the wild life theme, look who visited our back yard on Wednesday:

It's a turtle!  My grandson and dog saw it out the window before I did.  It was about the size of a small cat.  Grandson and I went outside to see it (we left the dog inside, barking her head off), but we didn't go very close to it.  There is a pond near the end of the street, and I think it must have been heading that way.

Last week I was sick, so no blog.  I'm grateful to be feeling better this week and getting back to the things I love.
Speaking of which, now that I'm done writing this blog, I can go read what everybody else has written.  Hurray!
Have a wonderful week.
Cheers for reading,
Sylvia@Treadlestitches

Link ups with Crazy Mom Quilts, Busy Hands Quilts, and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.