One Monthly Goal - A First Time

....... hosted by Patty at Elm Street Quilts.

**Select ONE of your creative goals for the month that uses fabric, thread and / or yarn.  This could be to make a few blocks, cutting fabric for a project, sewing on a binding, or finish a quilt top.  Any goal that involves a step in the process of making with thread, fabric or yarn is a valid goal.**

I saw this link up while I was catching up on some blog reading back in October, and thought it would be a good way for me to stay motivated and accountable, while enjoying the sense of community and support to work consistently on my "making", whether that be quilting, sewing or knitting, without all the rush and panic of last minute finishes, or UFOs being consigned to bottom drawers or blanket boxes and forgotten about.

I decided I'd join in November, as I had some wonky stars I made in 2015 as my Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks for that year, that I was keen to turn into a quilt.  Well, the blocks weren't where they were supposed to be, and having looked through every storage bin and cupboard with no sign of them, and with Christmas sewing to do, I decided to leave it until the new year.  Funny how things just turn up......while packing away blankets not needed for my Christmas visitors, and tidying the blanket box, there were the wonky stars, tucked away at the bottom!

So here they are -  9 wonky rainbow stars and a wonky house! I think I decided before the end of 2015 I'd put them together for a housewarming gift for my friend A.......hence the house.  Obviously that didn't happen, so now they'll become a quilt for her 50th birthday.  I thought about taking the house out and making another rainbow block, but honestly can't be bothered making another star block, and I like the house....and A will too.

A's cat and dog pieced into the windows.

I'm going to put this quilt together with the QAYG method, so my goal for this month is to get all the blocks quilted. I could probably get a lot more done on it, but as A's birthday's not till the end of March, and I have other goals for the month, taking it slowly will work fine.

Linking up with Elm Street Quilts January OMG

till next time............

Jumping back in

..... to play ScrapHappy Scrappiness.

Kate and Gun  host this day on the 15th of each month so we can share any scrappy projects we've made.

Winter sky

In 2014 I joined  Andrea at So Scrappy for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, and each month made wonky star blocks with the colour of the month.  I think I got sidetracked a bit last year when I joined again, and made other rainbow blocks, as well as the odd wonky star.  It really got put on the back burner this year, what with moving and renovating, so I decided it was time to dig it out and finish it.

It was my friend Anne who prompted me.....she's been staying here for a bit, while she's been looking for a rental property.....reasonably priced houses that are clean and in good condition are pretty rare here, and everyone wants them.....and each time she saw the folded up stars sitting in my sewing room, she'd stroke them and mutter about "lovely stars".  So I thought what better home for them than as a housewarming gift for her, and to give her something to cheer her up.

Watching

I thought I had only one more to make, so decided instead of a star, I'd make a house block...a wonky house of course!  And a good use of scraps.  So here it is, personalised for Anne with her cat and dog peering from the windows.  I still need to do some finishing, a bit of embellishing and maybe some embroidered words, and it needs a border to bring it to the same size as the stars.

Wonky House

Here's the house set out with the stars, not a good pic and not the final layout, but you get the idea. I realised though that I still need one more star block.....maybe a teal, plenty of those scraps!.....so that's on the agenda for today.  These blocks are 15 " square, so not a lot needed for a good size lap quilt.

Go visit Kate and check out her scrappiness for this month, and while you're there, there's also a list of quilters who join in with their own projects.

Until next time......

Scrappy March

Joining Angela at  superscrappy  and all the other RSC players again for the rainbow scrap challenge.  

Our colour for March is yellow and this is the last Scrappy Weekend for the month.

I made a wonky star right at the beginning of the month, but then my camera declined to work, so this is the first chance I've had to post some yellow.  I also made 4 yellow string blocks.   And as there's still a few days until the end of the month, I might get a chance to use up some more scraps.

Wonky star and string blocks

3 stars so far

I decided the yellow strings needed company, so made some pink and blue as well.

These aren't joined yet, I might want to make some in-between shades ...... blue-green, yellow-orange etc.....to link them together later when the challenge is finished.

Pop over to Angela's blog to see more yellow scrap projects.

It's been unseasonably hot and humid here, no cooling off yet for autumn, and too hot to do much in the garden or the sewing room, but I did pick a colander full of volunteer cherry tomatoes.

I cooked these up early one morning while it was still cool, and made some jars of tomato sauce, and then added eggplants, okra and zucchini to the remainder for a delicious ratatouille....all popped into the freezer for later.

And how's this for the cutest rainbow girl............the louvres in my kitchen have bevelled edges, and if the sun's in the right spot, they throw pretty rainbows through the house. Mirrhi just happened to be napping in the right spot.

'til next time ......