First Black, then Blue

Last week saw the end of the black blocks and this week saw the start of the blue blocks.

Aren't they lovely?

Just because I can't resist, there they are all trimmed up and ready to become a quilt top.

Well, not quite.  There are a few (okay, again 18) white blocks to add to the pile.  They were made PB (pre-blog) so no pictures to share.

Here are all of the blocks I'll be using in the quilt.  Based on the colours you see here, any guesses on what I'm creating?

Again, while making the blue blocks a few enders and leaders came along for the ride.  I got a little tired of last week's HSTs (half-square triangles) so I moved onto the other scrappy ender and leader project.  This one - according to one friend - is totally me.  (I happen to agree and have been spending *way* too much time petting the pretty fabrics)

This has been linked up at Sew Fresh Quilts - Let's Bee Social. 

Finally a Block

Or Two...

The fabric cuttings from last week became a few (okay 18) black blocks this week.   Once they're trimmed they'll measure 9.5" x 9.5" (ish) but right now they're still a little ragged

And just because I love looking at a stack of blocks waiting to become a wonderful quilt...

 I've been making the blocks individually as I'm trying to not repeat a fabric within a block.  This method gives me plenty of enders and leaders.  These are the blocks that came a long for the ride.

What are your thoughts on enders and leaders?  I personally love them; I do a lot of chain piecing when I make tops and it feels like I'm getting another quilt for free.  A friend of mine has tried to embrace them a few times and she just can't.  She finds herself getting distracted by them and doesn't like all of the cutting you need to do upfront to have the piles of pieces you need ready to go.  Where do you stand?

2016 Quilting Resolutions

Yvonne of Quilting Jet Girl is hosting a link-up for our 2016 Quilting Goals and I couldn't resist joining in.

1. End the year with 10 fewer UFOs than I started it with.
   Lots of these half finished projects are holding me back from tackling new projects.  My sewing space would have so much more functional room if they weren't hanging around and they nag when I work on something new.  I'm tired of it.  In 2015 many of the UFOs went out the door to better homes and now I'm left with the ones that I still want to make.  However, I'd like to make them while I still want to make them.  Getting rid of some of the UFOs and fabrics (I also purged the fabric stash) made me sad, it was disheartening to remember how excited I was when I started the projects and to see how much I just did not like them now.  I'd like to spend my time on projects while I sill love them.
   
2. Start a blog.
   Yes, got an early start on this one. :)  I just couldn't hold off and wait for a date on the calendar.
   
3. Join in the blog fun.
   I started the blog to participate in the blog world; it just looks so fun.  So, I'd like to join in on some of the link-ups and quilt-alongs.  However, I'm hoping to hold off from joining in swaps (see item #1)

If you're a goal/resolution setter, join in at Quilting Jet Girl.

First Post

I've been quite enjoying following all sorts of quilting blogs and decided that there is no time like the present to join in on all the fun.

This week has been full of cutting, cutting, and more cutting.  

Sewing nerd alert - I love seeing the garbage pails full of trimmings.  Please tell me that I'm not the only one!

All of those trimmings were a result of creating this....

And these....

All of the black fabrics are for a quilt that I'm working on while the assorted pile is the result of going through the scrap bin and cutting everything up.  I have two ideas for scrappy quilts and decided to go for both of them; I'll be working on them as ender & leaders.  Looking at this picture, I think I'm set for a while with the ender & leaders but, oh darn, I might just need to make more scraps.

What do you do with your scraps?