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All of the spool blocks are restitched, and, I am ready to officially begin the assembly of the quilt. This is an exciting part of quilting. Making an on point quilt one row at a time, is very satisfying....until the center haha. There is seam matching every three inches.

I am just making bits and bobbles while I work on my spools quilt.

9 patch on point - top monkey wrench - bottom

lil beauty baskets - top 4 patches for strip tease - bottom

2 weeks ago, I opened the spoolin around leader/ ender ufo from 2013. I discovered that some of the blocks were not pieced right.

first, I took the halves apart, so, I could just switch the direction of the spools, but, then, I realized, that the individual spools needed work too. I took them all apart down to individual spools again. I made these 10 years ago, and, my skills were not as good as they are now. I knew I could do better, and, I did.

I ...

I cut and sewed a little bit of yellow this week for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I made 9 patches for diffusion which is done in fall colors. I might add a few brown later this year, and, then, count, and recalculate what I need.

diffusion - quilted twins

spoolin around was the second quiltville leader/ ender challenge in 2013. I was excited when I opened the ufo box, to see I had all the spool blocks (648) in blocks of 4, ready to assemble. But, oh wait, many of them were put together wrong. It matters if the blocks are all arranged the same LOL. I can't move on with this project unless, I take them all apart. I am having fun revisiting all these scraps from a few years ago. I did put together a few of the short rows with the correct blocks. I think ...

Yellow is officially my favorite color. I find it a difficult color to like in fabric. Pops of it are fun in any scrappy quilt, but, finding a consistent dependable yellow seems difficult. I will keep trying. I made hollow nine blocks and fish school blocks for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy.

hollow nine

I started the red month of the rainbow scrap challenge, by cutting and making fish school blocks. I have over 200 for the Bonnie Hunter quilt called kismet. I really like making them. Making these, I find interesting 2 1/2 inch squares that are alone and unwanted in my 2 1/2 inch square box. poor babies. I have a place yo use them.

 Dotty bow ties is done. My first finish for the year is the first quiltville leader/ ender challenge from 2011 - 2012. This year, when the new leader/ender was announced, I decided, rather than start a new project/quilt, I would go back, and actually finish the ones I have already started. I have started each new challenge over the years, but have finished two.

72 x 72

12 yards of fabric

I used as leftover dotty fabric for the binding

If I ...

 I only have 2 more rows of dotty bow ties to add to the quilt. I am almost there. hooray

I did a little Christmas sewing, and, I have three rows together of dotty bow ties. I have a few more sashings made for adding more rows.

Dotty bow ties has been sewn into foursies. There are 8 in each row, so I am getting closer. I plan on adding sashings between rows.

I have been working on an old ufo, leader and ender challenge. It has every color in it. I started making little bow tie blocks for the 2012 quiltville leader/ender challenge. It has been on vacation a long time. All the blocks of 4 have been made, and I sashed each one on the side.

I am linking to:

rsc21 super saturday
oh scrap
wednesday wait loss

I spent a few evenings at the treadle making string units. I was trying to make ahead, the units for the fish school blocks, I have been making for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I cut fish school blocks for the leader/ ender challenge 2021 and made  quite a few, but, didn't keep up for the year. So, this year I cut for RSC. And, about that time, Bonnie Hunter shared her pattern kismet of her finished fish school. I decided, I wasn't far enough along, that I couldn't switch to kismet for finishing my ...

I'm seeing dots. These are almost addictive...if there weren't so many. I like the secondary pattern, but, still think I will add another sashing when I join blocks. I make a few of these almost every morning. This was my choice for Bonnie Hunter's first leader/ender challenge. All I did was make the little bow tie blocks. Now, it is time to make a quilt top.

bow tie blocks are 3 1/2 inches

so fun

I did a head count of the fish blocks for the year and I have 190 which is about half of what I need. I have the colors ready to cut from this years rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I think I will set this aside until next year and start making blocks. I bought the pattern kismet from quiltville of her fish quilt, and, will use that as my pattern for the top.

oops I have a fish swimming in the wrong direction - silly fish

Bow tie blocks were the 2011 quiltville mystery leader/ ender challenge, and Bonnie's first. She did hers with cheddar fabric, I believe. I wanted something a little brighter. At the time, I had a bunch of scraps that were polka dots, and so, it began.  With the 2022 announcement, I realized I didn't have a great finishing success record. I think 2 out of 12. But, I started all of them. I decided to try finishing one this year instead of starting a new one...... so far. It was an easy choice, start with number one. Remembering my ...

As I am cleaning around my sewing machine, I have found scraps and more scraps from projects and messes. I cut as I go. I have an odd assortment of fabrics this way. I cut 2 1/2, 2, 1 1/2 in strips and squares. I cut bricks this time in to 2 1/2 x 4 1/2 and 2 x 3 1/2.

Now, I can change my mindset to think about the new Quiltville leader ender challenge called triple treat. and use more of my 1 1/2 inch scraps. I have been working with them ...

Just a little fun with triangles. I had a pile on the sewing table and rather than put them in "the bucket", I just made a few beauty baskets. And yes, I dug some more out of the bucket and made a bigger mess. But, I was a happy girl.

I have a little more done on boho heart.

section 2 top

I  am linking to:

midweek makers  

wednesday wait loss

oh scrap ...

I have 5 quilts I am actively progressing on, but, every now and then, I slip in a few blocks for fun. I have been concentrating on my hunter's star blocks as leader/ enders. Each block takes 3 passes.

So, I have neglected my official leader / ender project -fish school/go fish. I have missed them. I did just a few so that they would not feel too abandoned.

go fish leader/ender challenge

easy breezy

I ...

 March is here already, and, so far, it is coming in like a lamb which means it will leave like lion. I have a one monthly goal for March. I have the top ready for shine, and, I want to quilt it and bind it this month. I started this pattern in January 2020 as part of the rainbow scrap challenge. After I started, I was smitten.  It is a free pattern offered on moda bake shop. It will be nice to get it finished.