I’ve been trying to clean and organize the sewing room but not in the typical “clean and organize” manner. I’m trying to clean up projects that are lying about by finishing them…not stuffing them away into a cabinet.
You all know I’ve been working on Frolic leftovers.  I started working with them at the end of September.
It’s been a neverending project. I got burned out a bit but am not back in the swing.
So far I have this quilt…
Then this baby-sized one…
I’m working on the borders for this one…
…and now I’ve moved on to… the pink and blue blocks with the neutral background. I took time, sat down with EQ, and came up with this design. Oh my, I’m in love. This is the quilt with lines.
Here it is with no lines. I’m really excited about this one and part of what is more exciting is…I get to do some string piecing!! YAHOO. I love string piecing.
This is going to end up being a big quilt. I have 64 blocks to use up and I want to use every single one so I don’t have leftovers.
I played with the design a little more…Â I think I like this better.
So…plan to see some string piecing happening around here. I always do my string piecing on my old vintage Singer. It’s a 15-91 and I just love her.
My problem now is that I’m so excited to start this but I need to finish the green quilt. Such problems.
I also worked on my Remaiders quilt. You might remember that I have all of the blocks done and planned on working on it as a leader and ender…well, that didn’t happen.
In an effort to clean the sewing room, I decided to just start sewing on them. I do that. I’m really not the best at leaders and enders. YES, I always have something in my machine but working on two different projects at the same time on the same machine, it’s my thing. I typically plan my project so that another step of the project is my leader and ender…so, here I go. This is trying really hard to become a quilt top!!
These started as bonus triangles from this quilt. It’s a free pattern on the blog that you can find HERE.
The quilt I’m making with the leftovers is Remainders and is from the book No Scrap Left Behind by Amanda Jean Nyberg.  Find the book HERE.
I had to dig around and find more coordinating bonus triangles and make a few more as there weren’t many teals and I liked the teal mixed in with the pinks and browns. I extended the pinks to add reds. I am excited to see it all finished.
It’s totally not my typical quilt but I think it’s perfect for someone who decorates more minimalist. Looking at the quilt, you can see that there isn’t a border on the left or on the bottom. I think I’ll be adding one. We’ll see. I think the quilt would look best with one. I picked this pattern with the hope of using up some of my bonus triangles. I have a k-jillion of them here.
Any other ideas for using half-square triangles?? Please send them my way. I have 2″ size and 1 1/2″ size that all need to be used up.
I’m making 2021 my year to use things in the quilting room up. I want to make lots of quilts that used my strip bins and lots of quilts that use orphan blocks, half-square bonus triangles, and any other leftover pieces. To do that likely going to have to step out of my box and make other quilts like the Remainders quilt that might not be my usual style…but still fun to make.
So I have three quilts going. Yes, I started the string pieces. I couldn’t resist. You’ll have to stop back next week and see if one of these becomes a finished top…
Which would you work on:
Finish the border on the green leftovers quilt
Work on the string pieced sashing for the star blocks
Put the Remainders top together
or
should I set that all aside and machine quilt some of the tops I have here
Curious minds want to know…what project would you pick??
I probably won’t get a lot done this week as it’s my week of testing and driving back and forth to Rochester every day…but I still love having projects to think about.
Me personally? I’d work on the string pieced sashing for the star blocks. I usually have three projects going at a time, kinda weird I know but it’s how I like to roll, ha.
I would work on a new quilt and finish a ufo, do both the new quilt is exciting to start and it’s a relief to finish
I think I would finish the border on the leftover quilt, but that’s just me.
Thinking of you this week, Jo; safe driving and I hope the tests bring the results you’re hoping for.
You have made some wonderful quilts with those Frolic leftovers. Love Version 3 of your quilt which needs all that string piecing. I would finish the green quilt and carry on with the string piecing. Good luck for your tests this week and keep safe with all that driving.
Honestly I’d never ask for advice on what to do next because if it wasn’t the project I really wanted to do, I’d just procrastinate even more. If you’re limiting yourself to finishing up these projects, my suggestion is to put them all in sight and work on whichever one inspires you that particular day.
That’s how I work too, Joy!! Just sew whatever I feel like that particular day. I find that I cannot work to someone else’s suggestions, I have to “feel” my inspiration for that day. I get lots more done just working on what I want to work on.
Hi Joy! I don’t know you, but your name caught my eye as I have the same! Funny thing! I would do the same!
Sorry but I can only work on one project at a time. Many years ago, I had too many UFOs accumulated and made a personal rule to sew one top and get it to the flimsy stage with binding cut. Then I could start another. I love all your projects.
I even had to give away bags of scraps since those were always the ones I worked on instead of getting out some newly purchased project. But I created a new quilter in the process and now my neighbor looks forward to making quilts.
That’s how I work too. One at a time, although I always have a leader/ender project on the side. When the leader/ender gets to a certain point, it becomes the main project, and I start a new leader/ender.
String piecing because you love it plus it would be easy/fun sewing for you in between the testing and traveling. Sending more prayers to you this week. Take care.
I agree with you with the testing and everything do what you love the string piecing and circle back to the other projects as the the mood hits you. You will get everything do in your own way and time. May God hold you in the palm of his hand letting you know he is with you always and bless you. Many prayers for you.
I’m amazed at all your beautiful quilts in some kind of progress. Me? I work on one at a time. Whatever works, right? Love following the progress on all of them.
How is the new medicine working out to help with the skin problems you’ve been having with the oral meds? Always thinking and praying for you.
Love and prayers
I think if we’re you I’d do the string pieces at least part of the time. If you work on that one a while you could then switch up and work on one of the others. I guess the green is next closest to being finished so I’d try to get that to a flimsy.
Will be thinking about you as you travel back and forth. Hope the weather cooperates with your driving.
I would probably want to put the border on the green quilt, then do quilting on a couple of the tops and maybe sneak a few string piecing in amongst that. Isn’t it fun that you are the one to decide what you do. My prayers continue to be with you – especially more this week.
I have multiples going on at once as well! Currently working on Rhododendron Trail by Bonnie. I kind of decided yesterday that I wasn’t going to push to finish it in any time frame. Maybe take all year. I finally sewed the binding onto Grassy Creek and hand sewing it. Will soon finish that and put it on my bed. A retreat is on schedule this month so that will be on board. I also bought a bin of 3″ squares at an estate sale. I have half a quilt made with those squares and want to finish soon. It will be the perfect size for LWR. I need to get to the LQS to sign up for long arm quilting. I have a Platinum 16 sit down but can’t do big quilts. Frolic is pinned and ready to quilt but it isn’t calling my name. Others as well.
For you, sew on that last border, find a backing and put it in the frame. Maybe make a goal to quilt at least one quilt each month, or twice a month. Depends on how many you have to quilt.
You are making lots of progress in a lot of things. So proud of you Jo!
If it were me, I think I’d just skip the border quilt the leftovers quilt as is. Have it be done. It’s a tough call between that and just working on what gives you joy. On another note, your Remainders project gave me the inspiration to make a runner out of some leftover HST from a quilt that I did. Can’t work on it lately because we adopted an old beagle and she’s got pneumonia. I spend my time with her while I can.
I’m in love with your blue and green quilt. Does it have a pattern? I need a new project. Joe, I love all that you do.
Best of luck with your testing and wishing you safe travels back and forth, Jo! As far as projects go, I think I would be tempted to put Remainders into a top. I really want to see how it looks in “your” colors, as it’s sure to be SEW different from Amanda Jean’s!
I know this only works with one size of HSTs but I really like your layout here: https://i0.wp.com/www.joscountryjunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/As-received-072-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1
As for which project, I’m crazy and would on all 3 simultaneously. :-)
Put the borders on the green quilt, then it’s done! Next would be to finish Remainders but please don’t add borders to it, I think that would spoil the look.
Eenie Meenie Minie Mo
Jo, I would have to finish the green quilt before anything. It’s the nearest ready to be quilted. If I have more than a couple quilts going at one time, I don’t feel like I have accomplished anything, kind OCD. I have a Tulip quilt about half done, working on one using Bonnie ans Camille’s new fabric line for the quilt warehouse I work part time in plus Bonnie Hunter’s mystery. And don’t feel like I am getting it done even if I spend all day at the machine. Plus a couple other projects not started yet. I get over whelmed with to many. I just don’t see how you manage. Plus I have to straighten my small sewing area after each time. If you finish one you can start another without guilt on not adding a UFO.
I would choose 2 so the mood can match.
1. Finish whichever project is closest to completed flimsy
2. Load a flimsy on the LA so you can walk up and do a pass anytime you feel like it.
Best of luck and good wishes for safe travels and your medical care this week.
I hope you have good weather for all the trips back and forth to Rochester this week, thinking of you.
As far as projects go I would work on the one that gives you the most joy. I never noticed that the one quilt did not have a border on two sides, how interesting to leave it looking unbalanced. I would add the 2 edges and make it look balanced.
I hope you have good weather for your trips for testing. If it was me, I would finish the green one and have a flimsy. That would give me a sense of accomplishment, then move on to the string piecing that you could do a little at a time between trips to the hospital. Always in my prayers.
That’s a tough call! I think I would set up the 15 for string piecing and your other primary sewing machine to put the rows together for the Remainder quilt using the border pieces of the green quilt as leaders and enders. That way you can work on any one of them when you feel like it! The string piecing is totally stress free and that is something you may want to do on your days of going back and forth and the other two quilts will require a little more focused attention. Safe travels on all your driving!
Hi Jo
I would continue with the string pieces in between piecing the boarder pieces for the green quilt. Also if you want a new scrappy pattern to work with. Try Bonnie Hunters free pattern called Bricks and Stepping Stones. I have been having fun with it. It calls for four patches and bricks in a variety of fabrics. So far I have made the quilt with scraps as written. Then I did it with civil war repros with small 9 patches instead of the four patches. I have 2 more of these quilts cut out and plan to do one in bright scraps. But I was thinking you could replace the four patches with four half square triangles. Anyway I love seeing what you are working on and safe travels back and forth to Rochester.
Hi Crystal. I’ve made Bonnie’s Bricks and Stepping Stones. What a fun quilt! You can see mine by following this link. https://www.joscountryjunction.com/quilt-finish-bricks-and-stepping-stones/
For you (since you asked) please finish the green one…I love it.
For me, it’s see whatever is due for guild, then whatever project I’m tripping over in my sewing room. There’s always a lot to choose from. Lol.
I vote for the string sash piecing! Love that quilt – will you be sharing the pattern someday?? Hope all goes well wit your testing and trips this week – hopefully the weather will cooperate!
What a beautiful group of quilts you are working on. I would pick the one with the least work to finish,
Every day I would work on a different project. For example – Monday is string piecing day. Tuesdays are for ……. It always makes me feel like I’m getting so much done.
Praying for you. Will be so glad when you get home. Love your blog, just lov e it and your special family. I have three sons but I wish I had a girl for Carl. He’s a good guy.