Saturday, November 16, 2019

Rainbows Beyond Borders


Two of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilts were finished this week. They were both made from uneven rail fence blocks. The blocks are made using three strips 2.5"x8.5" in the monthly RSC color, and two strips 1.5"x8.5" in the next closest color on the color wheel. For instance, red blocks were made with skinny strips of either orange or purple. These blocks stitched up fast and used up a lot of my stash of scrappy strings!


This first one is laid out in rainbow order with scrappy black strips offsetting the blocks in each column. This makes the blocks kind of wiggle across the rows. I sized the black so that there was no seam matching on the color blocks. Why make it harder than it needs to be?


The backing is pieced together from some fun dog-themed prints. The white background fabric is flannel. 


The quilting is a sort of really large meander that looks a little like a topological map. The binding is rainbow trees on a black background.


The second piece is made from the same blocks on point and surrounded by white setting triangles. I really like the look of on-point quilts, but they are a PITA to make. Because I don't have a design wall and lay everything out on our bed, once the blocks are arranged they need to be completely sewn together before bedtime. Otherwise it's too hard to keep track of how all those diagonal rows go together.


My online guild, Sunshine, received a call from Quilts Beyond Borders to contribute quilts for the Navajo people. The quilts will be distributed in December, so I hustled to finish these two in November. The recipients will be mostly teens and adults, so the quilts needed to be a bigger than my usual QBB donations. In order to get this one the right size, I added a fun green border with a vegetable theme. The red tomatoes, purple eggplants and other veggies picked up various rainbow colors. I didn't have quite enough to extend that fabric into the binding, but found a brown and green dinosaur print that matched quite well, You have to really look closely to see the dinos, and I hope that makes someone smile.


I was in the mood for some fancier quilting with this one, so I did a dot-to-dot four lobed design in each block. It was fun to find matching threads in all the colors. And the texture is super yummy!


The backing on this one is a very cute cat flannel, fattened up with a chunk of green. So one cat quilt and one dog quilt for this go-round.

I think I ended up with only two extras of these RSC blocks, so they are resting quietly in the orphan block box for now. Meanwhile, lots of string scraps were busted with these two quilts, and they have been mailed off to find their forever homes!

Linking up to Angela's ScrapHappy roundup. Click through to see more Rainbow Scrap Challenge fun!

26 comments:

  1. Louise, those blocks are such a great idea! I'm going to have to put them on my list. I really like how different they look in the different settings! Someone is going get lots of comfort and warmth from those quilts.

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  2. I agree with Diann! Your rail fence blocks are great! Adding to my list of possibilities also!

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  3. Your different rail blocks are a bit hit here too! I agree about those blocks on point...even with a design wall they are PITA :0

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  4. Great blocks, making two quilts excellent quilts. Love the two different settings you chose. These will be well loved.

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  5. Lovely! Scrappy rainbow blocks are so fun!

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  6. Same blocks, different settings, BOTH of which produced OUTSTANDING quilts for a good cause!! Excellent use of your RC blocks, Louise.

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  7. Nice finishes! I really couldn't tell those were made from the same blocks, which to me is the mark of really good design. I know these will make the recipients really happy!

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  8. As usual, great finishes, Louise! Way to use up those scraps! Looks like you’re having lovely weather too.

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  9. Wow! I love how different quilt blocks can look just by changing the setting.

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  10. I love the way your blocks are predominant color with an accent color!

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  11. Great scrap users, only a quilter would know that, they look so colourful and lovely patterns.

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  12. Two more very pretty scrap quilts that will give warmth, bring comfort, and show someone you care. I especially liked your FMQing on that traditional layout! Honestly, I wouldn’t have thought to do that. It’s perfect!

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  13. Love both of those and your settings. I am curious as to how you store your stash. Surely everything isn't on the boat. Do you have a place on land somewhere for your stash? Or do you keep it minimal?

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  14. Great idea to make your rail fence blocks stand out a bit more with varied size strips. They look great in both settings.

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  15. I saw your post and thought, oh yay - I get to see what Louise has been up to! I wasn't disappointed, your two quilts are so bright and cheerful. I'm sure they will make the recipients smile. I understand the struggle with small space quilting and the on-point issue. I have a method I use that works fairly well. You've been busy while you've been cruising!

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  16. I love both of those quilts & didn't realize that the blocks were the same on each one until you let us know that. It's amazing how a change in the positioning will change up a look. Maybe you could take a picture of your layout on the bed (your design wall) & that way if you didn't get it finished by bedtime you could refer back to your picture. I love your pieced backs & still want to know how you get the backs pieces so straight & in line. I think I may have asked this before and if so, please forgive me. :) Your quilts will be loved by the Navajo people. Thanks for your generosity!

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  17. Both quilts are real winners. It’s such an easy block to make but looks so very different with each one. My preference is for the black, but both of them especially the on point are good in their own way.

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  18. The title alone made me smile! Then I saw the quilts! They are adorable & fun!!! Great donation gifts!

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  19. Two great finishes. I like how you mixed the color strips within each block. It really helps blend them into the other blocks.

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  20. I'd say not having a design wall, and having to place your blocks on the bed, is great incentive to get your quilts finished! They are lovely, and how nice to send them along as a special donation.

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  21. I use our bed now more than ever with no available floor space for laying out a quilt backing, batting sandwich. I chuckled at the having to get the rows together before bedtime...that's a deadline I like! Two gorgeous quilts, great idea and I may have to do this next year for my RSC project because my strings are busting out all over, well out of their lidded boxes. I have that cat fabric! Got a remnant I think, which became the backing for one of Bella's perch beds. Mine is cotton though not flannel. Flannel backings are terrific, and so good to hear of more quilty goodness leaving your boat and heading to people in need.

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  22. Oh both of these quilts are just beautiful, so full of colour! I love how you've set on point with the second one. What a worthy cause to support, the quilts will be much loved.

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  23. That was a great way to play with RSC2019. Both quilts are so happy and are sure to bring joy to the recipient.

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  24. It's always fun to see how the same block can look so different when set on point. Congrats on two beautiful finishes.

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