Crumb quilt FMQ (almost) done

A busy weekend and I was determined to get a few hours of sewing done. I figured that I could finish up the FMQ on my crumb quilt in less than 2 hours. So, when I snuck upstairs on Sunday afternoon I was ready to go.

All went well until I had to wind up a new bobbin and I realised that my thread was running a bit low - would I make it? I only had about 2 square feet to finish. It was touch and go...and...I ran out. With only a 4"x4" section unquilted I was out of pink veriagated thread. What to do? My solution - leave it.

I've trimmed the edges and I'm ready for the binding. I'll be glad to finish this one; I have many other projects waiting in queue.

I'm linking up to Amy's One Thing, One Week Challenge. Check it out.

Crumb flimsy

I think I have finished my crumb top - I am debating if it is big enough. Current size is about 42"x56". I have so many other things to work on and I feel like they have been hijacked by these crumbs. And, my scrap pile seems bigger than ever. I really don't know what happened! I decided to put some mostly black (with cream and white) fabrics as scrappy sashings to extend the size and to calm the overall effect. I felt like there was so much pattern and color without the sashings.

Jo has shown lettering and more blocks on a border, but I think I might just leave it as it is. Any suggestions?

Crumby progress

I've finished 44 crumb blocks (42 shown below). I can't decide if this is enough or if I want to make it a bit bigger. I'm wondering if 48 or 56 might be the right number.

This week we are making log cabin blocks. I was playing with the idea of warm/cool colors and also light/dark. I like the way they came out and am imagining a whole quilt of these...

Last week's blocks were all about triangles. I made a few more after my last post and found a few random blocks that I don't think made it online. Here are all of the ones I've put together recently. I will definitely make more log cabins too before Jo posts the next set of instructions

WIP

What I've been up to:

• I've spent a bit of time this past week working on my Block Lotto Blocks (more here).


• Crumbs are coming along. I've made a few more since I posted a picture of all of them last week. This week is all about triangles.
  
  
  


• Cut more squares for my green half-square triangles. It's become something I pick up when I feel like doing something mindless.


• Challenge cushion: I've made good progress and have put in a zipper and quilted the side panels. I just need to sew it all together and create an inner for it. My goal is to do that this weekend. (Sorry no pictures yet.)

I've had an exhausting week and there's more to come. I find myself sewing at night as a way to de-clutter my head from the day's stresses. Hubby came up to bed the other night to find me cutting up crumbs and said I was a "sewing machine".

It's the end of term tomorrow and the beginning of a 2-week holiday for DD. She and DH are off to the mountain to ski while I stay home and work. But it does mean I should have time for some sewing too. Watch this space...

It's Wednesday

I've been very busy and cranking out crumb blocks like nobody's business. More on those later.

WIP update:

• Challenge pillow: have machine quilted the front and the back. I've been dragging my feet on doing the side pieces but it is my goal for the weekend. See it here.


• Green half-square triangles: cut and pieced enough squares for 10 more blocks (yes, that's 720 triangles). Repetitive, yes, but am looking forward to the results.


• Crumb along: I started a crumb quilt and am following along with Jo. So far we've done flying geese, hearts, stars, and 4 and 9-patches. So far I have 30 6" blocks. More below...

Here are all of my crumb blocks so far. I just love making them - no thinking, just grabbing whatever takes my fancy.

I struggled with my hearts at first, but they are growing on me and getting better. This week's 4 or 9-patches are not as fun as the stars, but I managed to put together some - only a few little 9-patches, but there will be more to come.

Here's a taste of some new ones.

I also spent some time on October's Block Lotto sneak preview. I'm not allowed to share anything about them until the first of the month. The colors (blue, cream, and a touch of brown) were selected by vote so that's not a surprise to anyone. What could they be this month? I realised that I have lots of soft chalky blues which is one of my favourite colors - so much so that besides beige and brown it's the only other color I have in my living room and family room.

Coincidentally, my mom sent me some fabric this week - it's blue and cream and brown. Completely unrelated to the Block Lotto colors, but definitely because of my home decor. Apparently, she bought them a while ago (maybe to make something for me?) Now they are mine so I had to go shopping and find some others to work with. I'll post them when I start to work on that project - but must finish a few things before then.

Addicted to crumbs

I spent most of my day playing with my crumb blocks. I love the spontenaity and couldn't wait to get back to them after dinner last night. Here's most of the blocks that I have finished (3 didn't fit in the photo).

As fun and free as these blocks are, I admit that some of them are not very appealing. I like to 'plan' the blocks a little bit so that I don't end up with a muddle of prints. I also found that I can't pick up any old triangle and square - there are some proportions that work and some that don't.

This star is a favorite one. The colors work together but it's still scrappy.

This tiny star is also a favorite. I don't think I can go much smaller.

My heart attepts were not great - I will have to try a few more. Here's the best of them.

Overall, lots of fun. Can't wait to put together a few more.

First crumb blocks

Woke up at 6am this morning and decided to work on my crumb blocks for the Crumb Along. Had a late night at work last night and am away for the weekend so this was my only chance. This is what I managed to piece together in about 1-1/2 hours.

I admit that my pile of scraps is not extensive and most are bigger than your usual crumbs; however, it does give me a bit more flexibility. Jo's blocks all have reds as a key color to tie all of the blocks together. I seem to have a lot of black and pink scraps so I will be sure to include a little of each in every block to help tie them together. DH has a few dark gray shirts lefteover from his now-defunct corporate life - they will make good sashings.

These flying geese were made from corners I cut off of August's Block Lotto blocks.

I also have many 1-1/2 inch wide pieces from my one-patch quilt's unfortunate sashing adventures! These should help tie the blocks in together too.

I am really looking forward to some super-scrappy crumb blocks. I promise to keep all of my crumbs from now on!

Crumb along

I'm joining in with Jo's Country Junction and the Crumb Along. I don't have a lot of crumbs, but I'll give it a go and see where it leads. As if I didn't have enough to do...