January 2020 Monthly Color Challenge

Diann at Little Penguin Quilts always has the neatest projects going on, and when I saw that she had joined the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge, I just had to check it out. The challenge involves a block in a different color each month, which will make good use of my scrap bins, and the color inspirations are from birds, so what's not to like?

Here is the list of each monthly color and its bird counterpart:
January yellow: Goldfinch
February teal: Indigo Bunting
March orange: Oriole
April purple: Honey Creeper
May green: Budgerigar
June blue: Blue Bird
July rust: American Robin
August pink: Flamingo
September cinnamon: Cinnamon Teal
October olive: Ruby-crowned Kinglet
November buff: Buff-breasted Sandpiper
December red: Cardinal

The challenge is sponsored by Jen at Patterns by Jen, and she provides a monthly pattern that is free only during that month. The January block is a simple one that goes together quickly with strip piecing, unless you elect to go "scrappy", and it finishes at 12-1/2 inches. I say the pattern was simple, but as you see in my first attempt above, I still managed to place a 4-patch in the wrong direction!

My "yellow" is a dark gold that was hard to capture in a photo

This post is linked to the January linkup on Jen's blog, and you can see other yellow goodies by clicking on the logo above.

Going Green With Strings

As I mentioned in my last post, this month's RSC color is light and bright green. When I visited Cynthia's blog the other day to link up with her Oh Scrap!, I saw that she had made green string blocks. In true squirrel fashion, I thought "string blocks!" and got my green scraps back out to play. Notice I said "play". In my last post I mentioned that I don't really enjoy "playing" with scraps. Well that has changed. String blocks are just fun. Another quilt in the works - just what I need (not!).

I saw a string block on Instagram with a wider strip that forms the center, so I experimented with that. I think I like any kind of string block! Both blocks are made with four 6-1/2 inch blocks sewn together for a 12-1/2 inch block.

One of the fun things about using scraps is seeing favorite fabrics I've used. This one is called Doglandia Unleashed, and I used it in my granddaughter's green quilt I made last year. The fabric is peppered with fun dog phrases such as "Fetch" and "get the ball" and "get the stick".

I'm pleased with the reduction in my green scrap bin, although it wasn't very big before.

I'm joining Angela's ScrapHappy Saturday and Cynthia's Oh Scrap! Go have a look at all the scrappy goodness!

January RSC 2020

This week I've joined the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2020 with Angela at So Scrappy. January's color is "light and bright green", and green is my most sparse scrap bin! Why? I have a lot of fat quarters in many hues of green, but I usually only like green at Christmas. I really should use it more!

Although I save and use scraps, I don't enjoy "playing with scraps", but I really want to challenge myself to use more scraps instead of always reaching for yardage. After two days of struggling with what I found in my green scrap bin, I finally realized that I don't have to stick to "greens only" (where did I get that idea?) and invaded other bins for scraps with touches of green. Then I was able to put together a block using a pattern by Melissa Corry called Scraptastic Stars. The blocks finish at 12-1/2 inches, so by October I should have enough to finish up for a nice sized quilt.

In 2016 I enthusiastically joined RSC 2016. I made a log cabin block from this tutorial on Cynthia's Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework blog, and that was the last scrap block I made that year! To make myself more accountable this year, I'm going to cut 2-1/2 inch strips for scrappy binding as I go, so I will have what I need to finish this quilt. I'm thinking about using this tutorial to make sashing that forms secondary stars as cornerstones.

Although it is Wednesday, I am linking to Angela's ScrapHappy Saturday and Cynthia's Oh Scrap on Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework.

My 2020 Dreams

As I sit here in my sewing room on this first day of 2020, I remember that last January I set myself a lengthy list of goals. I'm happy to report that I did achieve some of those goals plus a few unplanned goals as the year went on. You may view a thumbnail list of my "2019 "Makes" just under the blog header (or click here).

For now, instead of setting goals, joining quilt-alongs, sew-alongs, and posting monthly and quarterly goal-setting, I've chosen to list my projects in the right-side column of this blog. I have quilts to finish and quilts to start, along with cross stich, embroidery, and crochet projects; plus I'll be starting seed indoors in a few days for my spring garden . . . I'm excited about it all!

This one just needs quilting!

A no-pattern-yet Christmas quilt started

Cross stitch project

My current projects are an unfinished Christmas quilt I started "just for fun", and Lori Holt's Vintage Christmas Cross Stitch Sampler. I have a quilt that has been sandwiched and ready to quilt for months, and I'd really like to get that done this month.

May you have a happy and healthy 2020!