Back to the Colour Challenge February is PINK

Last year Jen of Patterns by Jen (here) offered a monthly colour challenge. Each month had a designated colour and by visiting her blog you were given freely a 12" block and a 6" block designed for that month and colour.

The plan has changed a little for this year. Only a 12" block is being offered monthly and instead of a repeating group of 6 or 7 bloggers she has opened up the blogging to a wide variety of bloggers. She has also identified a flower that represents the colour for the month. This month's flower is Carnation.

I was doing well last year until I got sick and am hoping I am well enough now to start catching up. but first I will show you my February 2019 PINK block.

Once I had picked out my fabrics this block took less than an hour to assemble. So with a month to do the task you should be good to go. I hope you will join Jen for this monthly challenge. Stop by her blog (here) any time this month to get your copy of this free pattern. and don't forget that towards the end of the month there is a olink up party with a draw prize.  Piecefully, Joanne

Make certain to stop by the other designated bloggers for this month to see how they put together a pink carnation.

Melody - Two Maker Chicks

Sarah - The Quilted Diary

Catherine - Ali and CC

Oh Scrap! One of my favourite activities

I love playing with scraps. The rewards are endless and so are the scraps. I have been collecting some red, white and black with a tiny bit of grey scraps lately. they were small so I cut them into small bricks (1 1/2" x 2 1/2") and after I finished some must do sewing I started a new Simple Bricks top.

The little blocks currently stand at 4 1/2" square. This is a small grouping to show how I put them together. I like to pair them first and them put four together. Once I have that together I lay those out as blocks. It just makes fewer pieces to handle and when you join the pairs together it gives you an opportunity to try to ensure you do not have two pieces the same beside each other. Of course with any multi piece quilt top this isn't always possible but using these steps helps.

In the evenings I have been reading an Advance Readers Copy of a book that is being published in June. The title is The Verdun Affair. It is set in two time periods and two main geographic areas. The story begins just after World War One in Italy and continues in 1950 in Los Angeles. I am generally not a big fan of war stories but like The Alice Network this story presents something different. the author has included a list of many of the books he used as reference material for those wishing to explore this era further.

And the secret sewing continues but it is secret so no talk or photos. I am heading out later this week for a few days of sewing with some friends. It is always nice to spend time with like minded individuals.

Piecefully, Joanne

Linking up with Cynthia, for Oh, Scrap! at QuiltingisMoreFunThanHousework (here)
And further Linking up with Lorna at SewFreshQuilts (here)

A new idea for a scrap block, thank you stash bandit quilting

Once again playing in my scraps. this block is going to multiply into my Hands 2 Help charity quilt for 2017. I saw the original block on Diane Harris' Facebook page. She also has a new page called Stash Bandit quilting. Diane is a former/retired editor from Quiltmaker magazine. I "met" her when I started testing for the 100 blocks magazine. Looking after that publication was part of her job description. She has more ideas for the windmill block than I could possibly imagine. She had one similar to this shown yesterday and the minute I saw it I knew this one was for me. I have a container with blue/green/purple bricks that are 1 1/2" x 2 1/2", I shorted through the container and pulled out some very light bricks. I needed 4 per block. The rest of the block is scrappy and I was ready to roll.
I have been doing a lot of pattern testing over the last couple of months and most of that is secret sewing. I have also discovered Instagram and it is so good for my just do this now and it is done mentality. I need to sit down and write more. Piecefully, Joanne
Linking up with Cynthia at Oh Scrap! (here)

Double Blue for brother Bill

This little quilt, or should I say quiltlet is for my brother Bill to hang on the door at the facility he lives in now. I used some scraps from the blue quilt I made for him and some other bits of blue that I had in my scrap bag. Hopefully when it get hung on his door it will help him recognize his door from amongst the many choices. The border and backing are Canadian hockey fabric that too is something he would know. Piecefully, Joanne

Tuesday with members of the Grey Bruce Home Economics Association

I was able to spend Tuesday with other members of the Grey Bruce Home Economics Association. We made 132 blocks of the Anita's Arrowhead pattern. The pattern can be found in Quiltmaker November/December 2010 or in Anita Grossman Solomon's book Rotary Cutting Revolution. We each brought blue and off white/beige squares to work with and spent the day sewing. We took a break for a delicious pot luck lunch and again for a pot luck supper. Two of the members took the blocks home to assemble the top and a third member who does long arm quilting will quilt it for us. Eventually the quilt with find a home at the Habitat for Humanity build scheduled for Hanover, ON. It was a terrific but tiring day. Joanne