May 2026

Week One:  

Well, how is it May already?!  I really wanted to post more frequently but that hasn't happened...yet.  I'm an optimist so we'll see.  I've been a bit overwhelmed with life lately, not as much time sewing as I'm accustomed to.  

Here are the projects on my May list, only one new project I hope to try, the rest are carry overs from April and earlier.  

1.  Lupine and Laughter, Bonnie Hunter mystery from Nov 2025:  stitch binding down on back. 

2.  16" string blocks with a 30's fabrics.  13 of 30 blocks made.  It doesn't matter how long this takes.  The goal is to use up as much of my 30's stash as possible (it's in one drawer).  Is it possible to empty the drawer??  If 30 blocks doesn't make a big dent I could keep going and make a second twin size quilt.  

3.  Also shown in the photo above is are my Offset columns, an idea I got from Cheryl Arkison.  The colors are rectangles cut 1.5" x 2.5". The lights are 2.5" squares.  I need hundreds of units to make about 45 columns for a queen size quilt.   It's my leader/ender project.  The other projects in this photo are a flannel quilt I'll get back to soon (the top is done except for borders) and blocks for lupine and laughter (now almost finished-see above.)

4.  Disappearing Hour Glass:  needs borders, quilting and binding.  I think I can get that done this month.  

5.  Succulent Garden:  started at retreat in April this year I have almost all the blocks done then I will add filler pieces and then assemble.  I may want to make a couple of extra blocks to replace the darker ones.  I'm not sure how much I'll get to work on it this month, we'll see.  It looks so dark in this photo but it's really not.  

6.  Bowl Covers.  I'd like to try the tutorial from Nikki at Pin, Cut, Sew to make a couple of bowl covers for a quick easy project.  They are reversible.  

Those are the projects on my list this month.  I also want to make a couple of videos for my YouTube Channel:  Everyday Sewist.  Come visit me there!  We might be traveling a bit too.  Good thing it's a long month.  I will dig into my ORANGE stash and scraps and see what I can come up with.  I don't have a plan for a block to make every month so I'm cutting up scraps for Offset (above) and for a future Potato Chip quilt (2.5" x 4.5" rectangles).  I could make some more blocks for my Colorwash quilt (a Terry Rowland tutorial) or make some more tiny houses.  I sure like seeing what everyone is making each month over at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!   

 Rainbow Scrap Challenge

Stephanie

 

 Scrappy Saturday and a Snowstorm

We are supposed to be getting a bunch of snow overnight tonight.  It has just started and it looks like powdered sugar coming down.  

I'm participating in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this year.  I've finished one Blue project so far this month.  I'm working on a second one and there's a third one I'd like to start!  😂 This is what everybody does, right?  I'm inspired to work with my scraps this year.  If I don't start using them they will be donated at the end of the year.  

I started this one on New Year's Day and finished it last night.  The pattern is Neptune by Villa Rosa Designs.  It uses 2.5" strips which I cut from my stash. 

Front

Pieced Back

I wanted to start a slow stitching project to so I chose to make another Kawandi style quilt.  This one will be a little bigger than the first one I made last year.  I will make each round the color of the month.  Since you work from the outside to the inside blue will take the longest.  I'm not sure if I will get all these stitched down by the end of the month but that's ok.  Each month will be quicker and quicker so I'll catch up.  This one really is from my scrap bin.  I pulled a bunch of scraps to start with and piled them up in the middle as I worked my around pinning the pieces in place.  Since I have so much left I'm thinking about starting another quilt project called ZipIt.  

Month One-Blue

Thanks for letting me join in on this scrappy adventure!  

 

          Stephanie

 

New Monthly Challenge! Kinda like playing B-I-N-G-O!

 Ok, so I guess you could make or download a BINGO board if that would be more your style but I'm a rather free spirit when it comes to choosing my projects.  I've found I don't do well pulling numbers or slips of paper from a jar.   

Here's the scoop-  As I was walking about in my sewing room the other day I spied a fabric bundle I have had for a very long time,  I saw a tub of flannels waiting their turn and a tub of strings and a book I just got and a drawer of tiny blocks and an entire tub of pre-cuts! Oh my!! Do you get the picture?  So many ideas for quilts not yet made.  WHEN was I going to make them?  Then it occurred to me...I need a different kind of challenge.  I need to allow myself the time to make some of the projects I've dreamed about and bought the stuff for!  New sewalongs are always soooo enticing aren't they?  I enjoy them, I really do! But, every time I start one of those it makes a project I've bought for wait a bit longer.  

So, here's my plan.  Please join in if it sounds like it would be fun and work for you!  1.  Each month or so for the next 15 months (until December 2025)  I am going to pull something out a tub or a drawer or off the shelf and use it.  It may be big or small, started or not, but I will enjoy (finally) using that bit of stash.  2.  I can work on it for as long as I want.  If it's not done in a month I'll decide what I want to do at that point.  I usually have a couple of projects going on all the time anyway so it can go from first place to second or third place in my work flow.  3.  HERE'S THE IMPORTANT PART!  Here is my list to guide me as to what part of my stash I'll be using:  (in no particular order)

1. Make a project with Flannels

2. Make a Seasonal project with FALL fabrics-this all started because I wanted to make pumpkins and make them NOW, not in January or April. 

3. Make a Seasonal project with HALLOWEEN fabric-I've got my fabric pulled for that one.

4. Make a Seasonal project with CHRISTMAS fabrics-that's next!

5. Make a project with STRINGS-I have one in progress

6. Make a project with NOVELTY fabrics-I have a huge tub to work from

7. Make a project with TINY BLOCKS (yes, I have a tiny drawer with over a 100 tiny blocks in it) but you could choose ORPHAN BLOCKS if you have those.  

8. Make a project with SECOND SATURDAY kits-if you know you know

9. Make a project with a PANEL-there's a Christmas one and a snowman one...

10. Make a project with PRE-CUT (I was so happy to make a project on National Jelly Roll Day September 21!  Did you join in that day?) I'm just finishing the binding on a layer cake project!

11. Choose a KIT

12.  Make a project from a BOOK-I know which one I want to do at the moment-it's a table runner for Christmas.

13.  Make the PATTERN-gotta love those Villa Rosa patterns.  I can scoop them up by the handful, now I need to make one or more of them.

14. Use that big cut of YARDAGE

15. Use a COLLECTION i.e. from a designer or from an era or style.  I have a drawer of Asian style fabric I've never used

16.  Use the PRECIOUS fabric...because 10 years from now you've moved on and don't care anymore.  Use it now while you still love it!

17.  Use fabric or a pattern or a notion you bought ages ago and you still want to make it.

18.  Use the fabric or pattern or notion you bought less than a year ago and haven't gotten to it yet.  

19.  Make the quilt for the person or cause you've wanted to but haven't yet.

Okay!  That's my list!  What can you add to it?  I'm sure if you look around your sewing area there is something that's been waiting for you. It's not just me, right? I'm not the only buying faster than they can sew, right?  Notice that these are categories, not specific projects or UFO's or WIP's although they could be.  And, if you are a knitter or crocheter or cross-stitcher these categories may still apply so you can play along too. I know one project in each category won't make a dent in my stash but I think it will be satisfying anyway.  

Look at the list, we start October 1, 2024.  We have 3 months left this year to work on a project or two.  Make your own rules and share them because that will give us all more ideas to be creative with this challenge.  If you get on a roll we want to hear about your progress too!  

We need a name and a hashtag so what should it be?  

One of my current projects is called Jelly Roll Jumble.  It's getting loaded on the longarm this weekend! 

Here's my Pumpkin Hollow table runner just finished last week.  It was so fun to make.  It started my thinking about this challenge and how I don't do this often enough-work "in season".  

It's almost the end of September so I should be back soon with a wrap up of the month.  

Take a look around and see what's calling out to you!  Post in the comments.