First Finish of 2025!

I have a finish! Yesterday I put the last stitch in on the binding of the Marble Mystery quilt! Today I braved the cold weather to get some outside photos of the quilt. 

This QAL was hosted by Cheryl @meadowmistdesigns

Cheryl hosts a QAL every year and I have participated in many. I love Cheryl's patterns and the way the QAL is written. It gives plenty of time to complete each step along the way! The Marble Mystery QAL began back in July 2024 and the last clue was released in January. All completed quilts and quilt tops will be on parade on March 10th.

The top and bottom border was added to make the quilt rectangular rather than square.  It is all machine pieced and machine quilted - both straight-line and FMQ.

I built the color theme around the multi-colored print that I was gifted several years ago. The pink, green and yellow prints were smaller pieces in my stash.  Only the Kona Violet was purchased for this quilt. 

The backing is a larger yellow print that I had in my stash!

The finished size is approx 65" x 76"

Here is my quilt maker photo! 

I'm linking up to the Marble Mystery linking party here. 

First Finish of 2022

 I finished my 2nd RSC quilt from 2021 ~ Wonky Shoo Fly! It turned out even better than I expected! A few nights ago, I finally sat down to bind the quilt and finish up with hand stitching. 

The last stitch went in last night, then it made its way to the washer and dryer. Here it is in all its crinkly goodness!

Today I took some time out in the snow for a photo shoot of Wonky Shoo Fly!

Wonky Shoo Fly was made following along with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge throughout 2021! I added one additional color, peach, so that I had 11 colors.

Angela, from So Scrappy and the host of RSC, posted a tutorial on the wonky shoo fly block. I choose to do it as one of my blocks for 2021. 

The block size is 6" and I made 10 blocks each month. 

To make the finished quilt a bit larger, I made 6" strips 

of wonky piano keys to match the adjacent color block. 

I also added another border of the scrappy cream color I 

used in the top. I am very pleased on how it turned out. 

All the scraps in the top are from my scrap bins. The backing is a new purchase.

The binding is also from my stash - navy and cream check. 

(You can see it better in the first picture)

This quilt finished size is approx. 67" x 72"

And now it is 2022, a new year and new a RSC. January's color is red! I choose this block, Hang Ten, a free pattern on Happy Quilting. 

As I was making this block (it is 15"), I realized that I would get 8 bonus HST that I could use for another block. With a few additional squares, I made these 2 blocks. Easy Peasy!

Each block is 4"  x 8"

I also made this block that I found on flickr years ago. 

I have lots of gray scraps, so I'm doing the background in gray! This block is 11".

I'm linking to Scrap Happy Saturday, Finished or Not Friday @ Alycia Quilts, and Friday Foto Fun

As the new year begins, the old year ends! Not sorry to say goodbye to 2021 but I did complete a year of monthly calendar journals! Here is my December calendar!

Have fun, stay warm and safe!

First Finish of 2021!

 I'm excited to show you my first finish of 2021! This quilt was made over the coarse of 2020 as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge over at SoScrappy. I'm naming it Color My World. I'm linking to So Scrappy.

With the exception of the border fabric, everything was used from my scrap bins or my stash!

This quilt finishes at 47" x 64"

Each month one color column was made and after 10 months, I put them together. I wanted to add a border to make the quilt a bit larger. I found the border fabric at Joann's. I love how the triangles and colors plays with the top! 

I didn't get a chance to work on this quilt until after Christmas when I finally was able to sandwich and quilt it. I straight-lined quilted on a diagonal across the columns and FMQ a triangular dot to dot pattern from Angela Walters in the border.  

My grandson's snowman, Uno, appreciated the cozy warmth of this quilt!

I'm linking to Link Party Patchwork & Quilts #33 @quiltingpatch.

Edit: I'm linking to Favorite Finish @Meadow Mist Designs.

Once again, I am joining Angela @SoScrappy on the Rainbow Scrap Challenge for 2021. January's color is pink. Angela also recently shared a few tutorials for blocks. I decided that one of my RSC blocks will be the Wonky Shoo Fly block based on Angela's tutorial. I will be using low volume fabrics from my stash for the background. Generally, I make only one block each month but this year I plan on making several of each color. 

I'm also considering, making a Circle of Friends block.

I usually don't make a plan for the year as I prefer to quilt as I am inspired but I can tell you that I do have a few plans for this year! I will be joining Nicholas Ball on another quilt along starting Monday, January 4th! I also signed up for his class on January 19th. I loved making the improv triangle quilt with him last year and I own his book, Inspiring Improv Quilting! Can't wait to get started!

I also signed up for a recorded lecture by Victoria Findlay Wolfe on January 5th. I love her style and her creativity. I went to a lecture by her at my LQS many years ago (before she won at QuiltCon in 2013) and I was in awe of her! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take her class. I do own several of her books. This lecture is about how she made a coat out of one of her quilts. I love this idea! 

I will continue with the Moorwood Mystery Quilt at Meadow Mist Designs and Cheryl just announced that there will be another Mystery Quilt starting in July! 

 I really like how Cheryl runs the QAL. Won't you consider joining?

I have another quilt in progress but I can't mention too much about it as it is a gift. 

And finally, I plan on doing a bit of hand piecing tumbler blocks. I bought some 2 1/2" paper tumbler templates years ago and I think it is time to slowly start another hand pieced quilt. 

Hope everyone has had a great start to 2021!