It's all just black and white.......

I cannot believe the difference in temperature. Last week we were sweltering in the heat. This week, I'm freezing to death and even wore my big puffy down vest to the dog park and I wasn't overheated by any means. Crazy weather!

But cold weather means we're more motivated (hopefully) to get some quilting done!

Oh shoot - I don't have time to tell you about the guild meetings from last week, I'll aim for that tomorrow. But the outcome of one of those meetings is this story about the black and white fabrics.

In June, a challenge was issued to the guild members of the West End Modern Quilt Guild. Make something from black and white fabrics and add one color. I wasn't at that meeting and I confess that I don't often read the updates from the meetings. I aim to change that this year. The deadline was the meeting last week, but it has been extended for another month.

A few people had brought their challenges in for show n tell and they were very interesting. I truly think that a challenge is the best way to grow as a quilter/fiber artist - whatever you want to call us. From a design and think outside the box perspective - it's great to do these "free" things to see what you can come up with. I mean - you could always use a pattern if you're stuck, but follow the color guidelines.

Never one to take the easy route, I came home all fired up and pulled out the scrap box with the black on white and white on black scraps.

Black on white, and white on a black scrap box

I know - it's pretty specific to have a box with only these colored scraps in it. I have a lot of white on black, black on white scraps as I use this type of fabric a fair amount and so it gets its own scrap box and it's that easy to have my color palette at the READY!!!  Those scrap boxes are awesome. I only wish that we were dealing with a different color. The lid on this one was NOT popping off and some of the others - well, there's a few problems.

I started by sorting them into two different piles. White on black and black on white. That was easy. 

The scrap box is sorted

Then I found a whole pile of these rectangles that have been cut to 1 ½" by 2 ½". They were the leftovers from another project that used blacks and whites. Obviously I got slap happy with the cutting of the white on blacks.  There were a LOT of them in the scrap box.

Rectangles from another project

 And I found three pieces of BLACK.  Why? Because they were filed in the wrong box. They are now in the black box. Well, the box with the black scraps! You knew what I meant.

Black - in the wrong box

Then I decided that there were too many of these rectangles sitting there and I found some black on white rectangles as well. So I ended up cutting more! This will make a great ender and leader project. I'm torn between making the same blocks that it was originally cut for? Or create something new? I could even use these for the black/white challenge as there is a center square of another color to be added. We'll just have to wait and see what happens. But these rectangles are all safely stored by the sewing machine ready for the next ender/leader project. 

Rectangles ready for the ender/leader process

 I didn't sort through all the white on black, but I set aside these two piles to get started on my challenge. I know, to most, it looks like a pile of NOTHING. But I have a plan. Now to get some time to work on the plan. I have four weeks!

My piles for the challenge quilt

And this is what is left over. Depending on the size of project I get from those scraps, I may need to add more and there is more!


The absolute weirdest thing just happened. Had to go to the washroom. I know - you didn't need to know that. BUT there was no TP (well not much) and none in the cupboard so I had to run upstairs to the closet to get some more. Guess what I found sitting right there in plain sight?  ONE OF THE BLOCKS that I had made with the white on black and black on white rectangles. It was an extra one and it was sitting right there! I guess that was a sign - I'm making more of those blocks. No time for a picture this morning but I have it right here by the computer to take a picture for tomorrow. I swear - that was very weird but I'm following my gut on this one - it was meant to be and sometimes, the answers to our questions just appear out of nowhere!

Anyway - this is what I have left in the scrap box. I'm going to need to cut more of this up to make my ender/leader project. Perhaps this time, I'll count!

What's left in the scrap box - for the moment

I did some cutting for the next magazine quilt. Both the front and back are pieced, so it's like making two quilts. Thankfully, none of these projects are ever too crazy so it shouldn't take long to finish it up. I have a week and a half to get it done. Loads of time!

But I also have blog posts to work on and I may need to buy some fabric for that. I've got to start digging to see what I have. I've something VERY specific in mind and still working on my UFOs. It's all good - no deviating here.

I did sit down with my lists and my deadlines and got this coming week more or less organized. Just got to remember to NOT overschedule my time. That's hard! And while I did say I wasn't going to do any paperwork on the weekend, there was one piece that needed to be done. I had forgotten the date but the person it was owed to reminded me. Fortunately, it was just reviewing an existing document and making a couple of tiny changes. That was easy and one more task is off my plate.

Can you imagine what I'm going to say when I read this when I'm sitting in the nursing home? I'm going to think I was a crazy person! I'll be wondering who this person was.

I also managed to get a customer quilt on and off the machine yesterday. It was a big one and the result of a class that I taught several years ago. I love the fabric. Kansas Troubles.

Customer quilt - DONE

I loaded the back to the next quilt on the long arm. It's one of my quilts - a big flannel one with Fireside fleece for the back. I had to join two pieces together which I hate doing, but no choice. I also hate loading the Fireside fleece onto the long arm - just because it's a bit fiddlier than cotton. And I have to load it with the selvages perpendicular to the bars so that means - I had to pin this 124-inch wide piece of fleece to the top and bottom. Not a fun job - but it's done!  That quilt will be done tomorrow.

Today is Monday and it's SEWING DAY!!!

Shoot - I don't have much to say for Motivational Monday. Except to say that things are still moving along. Got to take stock of those UFO lists and see what I can get done, but I'm going to be working on something from the list today so all is good. It's all about keeping that focus. Sort of like - keep your eye on the prize! The prize is having projects done and I'm good with that!

On that note, I'm out of here.

It's going to be a long day and I need to get myself moving.

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!