What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

It seems there is no booth available for me at the flea market, at least not for a while. I decided to list what I have made on Etsy. I reopened my shop, Quiltinprogress, just like the blog. So far I have only listed some of the zip pouches, but more pouches and more items will be coming soon.

I have plans to make zipper pulls with beads and charms, coasters and coaster sets, and even tote bags. I will have them priced with free first-class shipping, with the option to pay for Priority to receive your goods faster.

I decided to explain how I’m coping without a rotary cutter and mat. Yes, it’s like the days when I first started quilting. I don’t always want to measure, and luckily with the pouches I’m making I really don’t have to.

For this cat pouch I eyeballed the size of the cat fabric I wanted, then cut to the size I felt looked good. I centered the fabric by finding and marking the center of the batting/backing and the cat fabric, then pinning in place.

The blue accents to the side were just cut ...

In this WIP Wednesday episode Vanessa is answering presubmitted questions about:

– how to cut a lot of the same fabric pieces out without messing up
– how to mark your rulers so you know where to measure and cut
– how to work around different zipper feet
– zipper foot seam allowances

We also now carry Sew Hungry Hippie’s Soft Vinyl! We sell this buttery soft fabric in 10+ color ways and have sold out several times already. So, if you see something you like, order it while you can here: https://craftygemini.com/product-category/fabric/

This soft vinyl is heavier than ...

 I have decided to retire these projects to the ufo closet. They deserve a vacation, and, to meet up with their old friends. Both of the quilts were last year's rainbow scrap challenge. I sewed them into useable blocks, to the point that decisions are needed for assembly. Now, they will have to wait until their turn as part of my 5 quilt focus. It could be years or decades LOL

All my zipper blocks are in sets of  2.  I wondered how to evenly distribute the colors and make it random. I had made the blocks using the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. Each month, I took the color of the month scrap bag, and, cut out the block, and sewed them.

I decided to sew them into twosies. I took all the pinks and sewed each one to R-O-Y-G-B-I-V. Then I took red and did the same, and so on. I am sure in the end there will still be ugly combos and fabrics too close to each ...

This is it for the week. I had parts cut for more cross and crown blocks, that I have been working on this year as part of the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I spent a few minutes at the sewing machine, and made these two blocks.

Peppermint Chocolate Delight  - super yummy and easy with no baking, so it doesn't take oven space.

Ingredients

I was able to finish all the zipper blocks I need for a good size quilt. I had enough brown to make the last of them for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I thought I would put the blocks in a plastic container and send it to the UFO closet, but, I decided to use them as leader/enders by sewing twosies. We will see how this goes. I used a lot of scraps, but, of course, I still have more scraps than I can ever use. It's a good thing, we have another rainbow scrap challenge ...

I have a few more cross and crown blocks to make to finish my goal for a quilt. I will still make them in 2023 for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I did make a few black blocks for November. And, hopefully will do brown in December.

At the end of the month, I want to look at my progress for PHD 22. I am thankful I have finished so many ufos this year. My problem, each year, is finishing any new projects I start for the year. There is a slight chance I may finish 2 more ...

I worked on the quilt blossom time through the year in 2022 making the blossoms by color from the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I needed 140 and I have finished 140. This project is retiring to the ufo closet, hopefully, for a short vacation before finishing.

 

I need 23 more zippers. There is a chance that with brown next month and odd colors in december, I can have the zipper blocks all made by the end of the month. And, then, these blocks ...

Once, I started finishing my zipper blocks instead of doing them with the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy, I just kept sewing most of the forgotten ones. I do enjoy making them, once, I start. It is a fun surprise each time I finish one to see how they look. It was a nice break after working on the top of rhododendron mystery.

I made a few blossom time blocks as part of my rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I finished the center of rhododendron quiltville mystery. 

I made zipper blocks. I put frolic quiltville mystery quilt on the longarm as part of my one monthly goal.

I have been ironing scraps from a gifted bag.

I am adding some green to my zipper blocks for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I cut a few and then when I started piecing, I decided to match the centers with all the previous cut zippers. I had a fun morning sewing them into strips and sub cutting the twosies for the centers. This year, I have about 60 cut, and, I think I want to cut some more next year during the rsc challenge.

and a few dotty bow ties

I am trying to sew some of the zipper blocks that I cut earlier in the year for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I was digging around in the blues. I cut the lime greens for the month of October, too.

I am barely finishing these hole in the barn blocks for the month of August and the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy.

I think I have nearly all of them that I need for the quilt.

I have a few zipper blocks ready to go. I just don't have many orange scraps. I like orange in quilts, but it isn't an often used color.

still canning from the garden

This is the last Saturday for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I spent the week finishing what I needed in purple for my rainbow projects. And, I am ready for the new color.

I had a few blue waffle stamp blocks

purple zipper

hunters star

star and crown

I ...

When it is time to sort the projects and clean up after myself, I find bits and pieces that I can not resist sewing together. I evidently missed a purple zipper for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy.

zipper and easy breezy

but no, I tore the name off the package when I planted them.

It's time to clean up around my sewing machine. I just can't pile anything else there. Since I am trying to be deliberate about it. I am sorting, and ... being distracted by little projects that are not done yet. I found these zipper parts that just needed the outside sewn to the centers.

I started the green blocks for star and crown a little late this month for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I only have 4 of them done, but, the other 4 are cut and ready to go. I need to dig out some background scraps. I am running low on those fabrics.

I did 2 zipper blocks as leader/enders. I need to cut some solids. Finding scraps in print fabric isn't hard, but solids are not something I use very often. I have been through the 2 inch drawers and have pulled as many as I ...