November's Goal

November's One Monthly Goal (OMG) is to complete this Neighbor house block. 

I did have another block as a previous OMG, I actually did complete however went on vacation and forgot to post the finished block, so hopefully I'll complete this one and post them both by the end of the month.

Check out Stories from the Quilt Room's November One Monthly Goal page to see what others are hoping to complete this month.

Simple goal, simple post.

Well done is better than well said ~ Benjamin Franklin

Trick or Treat

 Oh my, it's the end of October already. I've been quilting and sewing and playing with fabric, just haven't posted any pictures.  Well now's the time.

I made a trick or treat bag for my youngest grandson.

He really liked Grandpa's Skull quilt that we have on our bed for October, so instead of buying more fabric, I used bits left over from the skull quilt.

The pattern is called Vinyl Mesh Market Bag and it's designed by Lisa Spalding at Cut Loose Press.  If you live in or near Calgary you can pick it up at Out of Hand Quilting, along with the vinyl mesh.

Happy Halloween to all.  Eat, drink. and be scary!

Purple for September

Soscrappy's September colour for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge is purple.  My first purple endeavor for this month is ten Mile a Minute blocks. 

I do have another little purple project on the go, let's see if I can get it done by the end of the month and hopefully have one more purple post next week.

I enjoy taking part in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, as it helps me to keep using and playing with my scraps.  Take a minute to visit Soscrappy to see what others have been working on in the colour purple.

The color purple traditionally symbolizes royalty, luxury, and power, alongside wisdom, creativity, and spirituality.

Yellow for August

Our colour for August and the Rainbow Scrap Challenge is yellow, such a bright and cheery colour.  I was surprised to find that I didn't have many yellow scraps in my little yellow fabric scrap box, and when I look on the shelf, there is not much in the stash either.  It might be time to pick up some yellow treasures.

My first, and maybe only, scrap project was to make my 10 'Mile a Minute' blocks.

 My plan is to make a Rainbow Mile a Minute quilt, one that I have made before and sold, however someone came into the quilt shop, that I teach and work at - Out of Hand Quilting and Fabrics - and was wearing, in my opinion, one of the nicest looking quilted jackets that I have ever seen, made with a rainbow of mile a minute blocks.  Now I'm tempted to change the plan. 

Here is a look at my yellow scraps at the end of this week, just a little pathetic.

Check out this weeks Rainbow Scrap Challenge to see what others are doing with their yellow fabric scraps.

Some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot, others transform a yellow spot into the sun. ~ Pablo Picasso

August Goal

 My goal - One Monthly Goal - for August is to make this Neighbor No. 1 quilt block.

It's a substantial block that will measure 16 inches square when finished.

A group of four of my quilting friends usually  get together a couple of times a year to quilt for a weekend.

Carolyn, Mary-Ann, Edith and Alison

At our last retreat weekend Mary-Ann gave us each a Home Town block pattern and challenged us each to make our block and then trade patterns with each other until we have four complete blocks.  We'll be getting together again in November and I have yet to make my first block.

Anne Marie's One Monthly Goal is a good motivator for me, so this month I plan to complete my first of four blocks.  With any luck you will see my completed block at the end of August.

Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors. ~ Benjamin Franklin

Last week of Aqua

 It's the last Saturday of Aqua and the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  I didn't have a fabric box for my Aqua scraps yet, so it's what I focused on this week.

Started this little project last Sunday during my Finishing School class at Out of Hand Quilting and Fabrics, and completed it a couple of days later.  The pattern is from the book Sunday Morning Quilts by Amanda Jean Nyberg and Cheryl Arkison.  Here is a look at the inside with a few aqua scraps that are left.

There will be more aqua scraps soon, as I'm already working on another quilt with aqua in it.  Here is a close-up of the aqua and gold carp lining fabric.

I've enjoyed playing with this refreshing colour, there were more aqua projects that I could have worked on this month, but somehow ran out of time. I'm looking forward to seeing what Angela from Soscrappy picks for next months Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Aqua is a cool blue-green hue linked to water, calm, and clarity. 

Some Aqua blocks

Having fun sewing through my aqua scraps to make few aqua Mile a Minute blocks to share for this months Rainbow Scrap Challenge. 

In real life I think they are a bit brighter, there must have been cloud cover when I took this photo. I also thought that I had ten blocks, I'll have to go and recount, as I'm trying to make ten each month, looks like I dropped the ball a couple of times here. 

Hoping to get a little more Aqua piecing in before the end of the month.

I'm joining with many others at Angela's Rainbow Scrap Challenge at her Soscrappy blog. 

The crystalline aqua and turquoise waters instantly lift our spirits. ~ John Ruskin 

High Five OMG complete

 I'm happy to say I competed my One Monthly Goal (OMG) for June, which was to quilt and bind my High Five quilt.  One Monthly Goal is hosted by Anne-Marie of Stories from the Sewing Room, click on the link and take a minute to check out what she and others are doing.

The High Five pattern can be found in the book Sunday Morning Quilts by Amanda Jean Nyberg and Cheryl Arkison.

A close-up of the quilting and some of the blocks.

I found this lovely fabric for the back in the Sale bin at a local quilt shop.

To make it long enough I had to add a strip in the middle, with an extra block in the middle.

 The binding fabric is from my stash, and think it goes well with both the front and the back of the quilt.

The rainbow variegated thread looked especially pretty in this black and white block.

A wonderful day sitting the sun in a butterfly garden at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity while sewing the binding on, which makes me think I'd like to spend more time doing handwork outside surrounded by nature, it was glorious.

This quilt will join others on my 'Shop' blog page.

QUILT DETAILS

 High Five Quilt 2026

The finished quilts measures 81 inches by 81 inches

Finished June 2026

I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees. ~ Henry David Thoreau

June One Monthly Goal

My One Monthly Goal (OMG) for June is to quilt and bind this High Five quilt.  This scrappy quilt is from the book Sunday Morning Quilts by Amanda Jean Nyberg and Cheryl Arkison.  

I found this great fabric for the back in the sale bin, it seems like they were made for each other.

I'm enjoying taking part in Stories from the Sewing Room's One Monthly Goal, it is helping to keep me motivated to complete my unfinished projects.

Come by at the end of the month to see if I've accomplished my goal.

A goal is a dream with a deadline. ~ Napoleon Hill

Green Mile a Minute quilt

 I'm happy to have completed my green Mile a Minute quilt for May, to participate in Sorties from the Sewing Room's One Monthly Goal.

I started this quilt at the beginning of the year while teaching the Mile a Minute technique to a local (Calgary) quilt guild.  

Close up of a couple of the blocks.

I dug into my stash and found I had a lot of green fabric, which made it an easy choice for the sashing, corner stones, borders and backing, and making this look like a green quilt.  

Pieced binding

Once the quilting was complete I decided to piece the trimmings from the backing fabric to make my binding,

Pieced back of the quilt - "Back Art"

Actually the blocks have so many colours in them that you can use any colour for sashing and borders.  In class we experimented with this and placed the blocks on any different colour background, giving an entirely different look and feel.

I love this block, as it used up all the little bits.  I will be teaching another Mile a Minute later this month at Out of Hand Quilting and Fabric, and I have a Mile a Minute tutorial on my blog, starting here.

QUILT DETAILS

 Green Mile a Minute Quilt 2026

The finished quilts measures 68 inches by 83 inches

Started January 2026

Finished May 2026

Perfect is the enemy of done ~ Catherine Carrigan

Orange Jewelry Pouches

 Playing with the colour orange this week to participate in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, click on over to see what others have accomplished in orange.  Maybe get inspired and join us. 

Looking through my orange stash I found a some pieces large enough to make a couple of travel jewelry pouches in orange.  A fat quarter will work.  

And here's a look inside.  They have six little compartments for earrings or other little things, and then a couple of ribbons to tie down bangles or necklaces.  

At the last Christmas market I participated in I was asked if I had any travel jewelry pouches, so I decided it would be one of my projects for this year.  What better way to get them done than by making a couple every month in the colours of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Life is Like an Orange — sometimes tough on the outside, but sweet, refreshing, and full of surprises on the inside. You have to peel through the layers of challenges, fears, and doubts to reach the good parts.

May's Goal

 I do have a small pile of quilts that need to be quilted.  The quilt tops are done and most of them have backs as well.  My One Monthly Goal (OMG) for May is to quilt and bind this green Mile a Minute quilt.

 I pieced most of this quilt in January while I taught a Mile a Minute class. It's the sashing, cornerstones and border that give this quilt it's green look, as the blocks are a mix of all colours.

Click on over to the link for this months One Monthly Goal page to see what others have picked for their goals and consider joining us, I find it to be a good motivator.

Check in on me at the end of the month to see how I've done, and where I'll post more details and pictures of this quilt.

You won't get it done if you don't get started.

And then there were twelve

 The Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) colour for the month of May is orange.  I've started this month with my 6 1/2 inch Mile a Minute blocks.

My plan is to make ten of these little blocks each month for the RSC, somehow this month I made 12.  At the end of the year I plan on making a Rainbow Mile a Minute quilt.

Take a minute to check out what others are doing for the RSC and consider joining us in piecing and quilting through the colours of the rainbow.

Orange - symbolizing creativity, passion, and vitality.

Woven Finished

 Happy to say that I have completed my One Monthly Goal for April, which was to quilt and bind my Woven quilt.  I found the pattern for Woven in the book Scraps, Inc. compiled by Susanne Woods.  The Woven pattern is the creation of Kati Spencer, who suggests choosing a colour palette. It was a good exercise for me.

It was also fun to pull strips from my strip stash.  I like to trim the bits of fabric that are left when cutting fabric for quilts, into usable sizes, anything from 3/4 inch to three inches to be used in future projects.  These come in so handy when I'm working on my scrappy quilts, and was an excellent starting point for this quilt.

This quilt has watery colours and fabrics, and I'm happy that Nemo landed right in the middle of it.

Quilted with a Bora Bora pantograph (wavey quilt pattern).

I was happy to find backing fabric that had all the colours of the front of the quilt.

Finding Nemo 'Woven' has been added to my 'Shop' page.

QUILT DETAILS

 Finding Nemo 'Woven' Quilt 2026

The finished quilts measures 71 inches by 71 inches

Finished:  April 2026

As soon as I finish one thing, there's always something else on the horizon I want to do. I don't have any intention of retiring from anything. ~ Maria Gibbs

Pink Jewelry Travel Pouch

 It's the last Saturday of the colour pink for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, and I have a couple of Pink Jewelry travel pouches to share.

I take part in a Christmas Market every year and for the last couple of years I've been asked if I might consider a Jewelry travel pouch, so I have decided to give them a try.  

Many years ago a friend gave me one as a Christmas gift and it is so appreciated and well used, so I checked out a few videos and taking the best tips from each came up with my version.  

Here is a peek inside, there are six little compartments in there and a couple of ribbons to tie loose things down.

I hope to make a few in the different colours of the rainbow.

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”  

confusius

Pink Mile a Minute baby quilt

During the 2025 Rainbow Scrap Challenge I made 20 pink Mile a Minute blocks with the intention of making a baby quilt, and have since completed it. I'm using this cute little quilt to participate in this months Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Every fabric up to the border came out of my pink scraps and stash.  A trip to the quilt store and I found a cute heart print for the border.

And a lovely soft pink for the back of this little quilt.  Quilted with hearts, this baby quilt will be added to my 'Shop Baby' tab.

QUILT DETAILS

Pink Baby Rainbow Mile a Minute 2026

The finished quilt measures 37 inches by 44 inches.

Started: January 2025.

Finished: January 2026.

There are places in your heart that you didn't know existed until you loved a child.

Pink scrap box

As I didn't have a scrap box for my pink scraps, I decided to make one this week to participate in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

I'm happy with this fabric that I found for the lining of the box, a fat quarter from my stash.

A few pink scraps start the collection, and there will be more, as I have some other pink projects that I'm playing with.

Now it sits on the shelf with other colourful scrap boxes.

The idea and pattern come from the book Sunday Morning Quilts by Amanda Jean Nyberg and Cheryl Arkison.

Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last, you create what you will. ~ George Bernard Shaw

Playing with Pink

Pink is the April colour for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC).  To start my playing I've made a few six and a half inch (unfinished) Mile a Minute blocks.

I don't have a pink scrap box yet, so would like to make one before the end of the month.  I do have a couple of other projects on the go and plan on posting more pictures in the upcoming Saturdays, to continue to take part in the RSC. 

Pink isn't just a color, it's an attitude too. ~ Miley Cyrus