Saturday, May 1, 2021

Color chains

 Hi everyone! The wind is about to blow me off my chair today. How about you? Holy cow, the wind is really strong out there. On the upside, the temperature got over 80 degrees one day this week, but then it fell back to a more normal temperature. I can feel the summer coming on already, can't you?

Today I am showing off my new RSC project. I know what you're thinking-- do you really *need* a new project, Mari? Well, yes, yes I do! I have sooo many scraps. Sometimes they make me tense because they seem like a mountain to climb, so I needed another project to use up a few more of them. I landed on this one because it's easy, it's fast, it uses a good size scrap, and I think it will look great all put together. Here is the block I chose:

Some of you may recognize this as a variation on a block from the Squared Away sewalong that Angela and I did in 2018. (Was it really that long ago? Wow.)  I love almost all the blocks in that sampler, and I've been meaning to make some quilts using them, so here's my opportunity. 

 

These blocks are very easy to make, so it didn't take long for me to catch up on the colors. I even managed to make one red one yesterday after work:

 

 

I've decided to call this the Color Chain project, and I plan to make three blocks each month for a total of 30 blocks, which will give me a lot of flexibility with the layout at the end. These are 10-inch blocks, so any way that I set them the final quilt will end up a decent size. 

 So there we are, a new project! Yesterday when I went outside to take pictures, I startled these three, who just stood there and looked at me accusingly. 

I went back inside pretty fast, though, because the blocks blew all over everywhere and I couldn't get any decent pictures. I'll bet they think they chased me off! I don't know why we have so many deer around this year. We have seen so many, but they usually hang out a few miles away, where it's much more wooded. I wonder what has chased them this way?

Anyway, I hope you all are having a lovely weekend and making lots of stitching progress. Enjoy!

17 comments:

scraphappy said...

What beautiful deer! New projects are so much fun. This one should be a quick finish.

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

I love chain blocks like that - such a great idea for a new scrappy project! Lucky you to have deer in the backyard, they must have found something good to munch on! Hope that wind dies down for you.

maggie fellow said...

I'm looking for a chaing block - yours are so pretty

Sara said...

These will make a beautiful quilt. And what a good idea!! I finished 2 RSC quilt tops this month so I'm also starting a new block. And I need to go back to some other RSC blocks I've stalled out on. My scraps look like a mountain too lately in spite of all the sewing I've been doing.

The Joyful Quilter said...

I really like your Color Chain project, Mari! We had those stiff breezes yesterday and the day before. It felt like the end of March instead of the end of April!!

Ivani said...

I remember that block from 2018, easy and pretty one, Mari. Your scrap quilt will be beautiful, I also love the chain look. OWO those three deers are so cute and so close. Nature is wonderful.

sue s said...

I looked up the sampler from 2018 and that looked like fun! Your chains will be bright and sunny. We now have deer that eat from our feeders each night if I don't bring the feeders in. They, too have wandered south of their former woods and into our neighborhood. We have our own "herd" of 5!

Quiltdivajulie said...

Deer always make me smile - I know they can be a pest in neighborhoods, but they're just so pretty.

The Cozy Quilter said...

Your chain quilt is a great way to bust some scraps! We have deer in our neighbourhood but they have never been in our backyard because of the fence.

ButterZ said...

I hope they don’t cause you any grief. Those blocks will be a great quilt when you are done.

MissPat said...

I guess I'm the only one who doesn't think the deer are cute. One possible explanation for their migration is that they are overpopulated and have over-browsed the denser woods and are seeking new vegetation. OTOH your chain blocks are cute and will make a colorful quilt.
Pat

piecefulwendy said...

Those deer are on to you, they know you're a quilter, so they come by often to see what you are working on. "She makes the coolest things with scraps of fabric!" they say to each other :-) Seriously, your blocks look great. It's fun to have those quick blocks to stitch up, and even better to decrease the scrap stash!

JanineMarie said...

Well, look at you having a May RSC block done already! These are all so happy looking—perfect project to kick off your summer. Those deer. I think it must be fascinating to have them come visiting. I wonder if there are some tender plants that won’t be accessible for them later that they are coming for. We took a walk in the woods today, and the trillium are out here about two weeks ahead of schedule. I know the deer love them, which can be a problem. But happy nature-watching!

Cathy said...

I love all your color chain blocks. I loved doing that Squared Away Sampler with you and Angela, and many of those blocks have become my favorites too. Like you, I would love to sew more of them into quilts!

gayle said...

Oh, you can never have too many RSC projects! This one is a fun addition!
We have a lot of deer lurking on the property. They always look at me like I am the trespasser...

Preeti said...

But of course you need another project. You must capture all that beauty of the scraps. This will make such a lovely, cuddly project!!!

QuiltGranma said...

The big 8 year old dog we were given last year has kept the deer out of our neck of the high and dry. Perhaps they got chased across country all the way to You?