Monday, June 19, 2017

Sapphire Stars


Hey everybody!
It's time to start thinking about our upcoming mystery, "Sapphire Stars!"
How do you like that, there, logo?????  Pretty nifty, eh?  I love it!  It is courtesy of my good friend,

Alycia of 
Thank GOD for techie friends!!!!!!

So, you have scraps?

You want to make scrap quilts?

You want to make scrap quilts easier?

The key to this in my opinion is......

ORGANIZATION!

I believe most quilters view their craft as an art.
Therefore, we are artists.

Most artists that paint work from a pallet similar to this.
Their medium, the paint, is divided by color.
Now, I realize a painter usually mixes colors to make new colors.....
but, they have to start from somewhere?
That "somewhere" is usually a tube or container of paint.
The artist's pallet serves as their resource for their medium.


Stay with me here.......

We quilters are artists that work with colors also....
our fabrics, stashes, and scraps are our medium.

How many of you separate your scraps and stash by colors?

This is an actual photo of some of my scraps.
They are entirely separated by color.
These are my color bins.  Separated like paint containers.
Red is red to me whether is it is bright arrest me red, or brick red.
Purple is purple whether it is lavender or plum.
Make sense?

I separate all colors like this.
Each color has it's own container.

I know there are several quilters that also separate their scraps by size.
I am one of them.

I separate by crumbs, strings, and chunks.
Each color has it's own bin of each and they are full of 
all different types of fabrics, but, they are all the same color in each
individual bin.
I will go farther in depth on these in a future post for 
"Sapphire Stars."

I do have 2 other separate categories of fabric,
those being Civil War Reproductions and Batiks.
These are divided by color family as well.
I personally like working with these fabrics separately,
however, when the piece or scrap of one of these types of 
fabrics has been used repeatedly, or goes down in size,
they do become a part of the color bins.

Sorting scraps is 
I do not view it as a task that I hate doing.
I view it as a trip to the quilt shop.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE receiving a bag or box of scraps
that I can sort out by color family.
It truly aids me in my quilting by having order to my scraps.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO............
try to start sorting your scraps by color family.
You will more than likely be surprised by what you find
you have!

Many quilters I have helped will say they don't have any
of a certain color.  But, upon going through their scraps by
color family, they find they do have some of that color.

And.......if you don't like sorting your scraps.........
ask your friends and family to help?
Kids LOVE doing this sort of thing!
Here is my nephew Curtis helping me sort some scraps.

I would love to see some of your before and after shots if you
choose to start separating your scraps?
Please send them to me and let me know if I can share them
here on the blog?
e-mail photos to:
photokevin@centurytel.net

I PROMISE you, it will make you feel so accomplished
and ready for your next scrap project.....
which may be.........


There's another image from Alycia!

"Sapphire Stars" will measure approximately
70" x 90"
upon completion.

Alright........how about some colors of fabric and yardage amounts?

DISCLAIMER!!!!!!

These are APPROXIMATE yardage amounts!
I will give you an amount that will exceed what is 
actually used, just to be on the safe side.
Again, this is my first go around with hosting a scrap mystery
so let's just have some fun with our scraps here.
I will be offering various piecing options.....
however, if you choose to use the same fabric
for the various colors, I have a feeling
your quilt will turn out somewhat flat in color.
Just my opinion.

Here is the color pallet I will be using:

Bright, brilliant, royal blues!
Approximately 1- 1 1/4 yards






Light to medium blues!
Think baby blues in all different shades of it.
Approximately 1/2 - 7/8 yards






Navy Blue!
Approximately 2.5 - 2 7/8 yards








Yellows......ALL SHADES
Approximately 1.5 - 1 7/8 yards









Reds...........ALL SHADES
Approximately 1 3/8 - 1 1/2 yards











Light Neutrals
Approximately 2 - 2 1/4 yards









1 constant medium gray
Approximately 3/4 yards





Ok, allow me to clear something up you may be wondering about......

We will be using 3 different shades of blue for this mystery.
Navy, royal, an baby blues.
I chose 3 random fabrics in these shades to show you the thing you need to be 
concerned with is contrast between these 3 colors of blue I am using.

With this being said, you may want to change this color scheme up a bit?
I ENCOURAGE you to do this!
You may want your quilt to be
Garnet Stars.......Amber Stars...........Emerald Stars.........and so on.......
I would LOVE to see your versions of this mystery.
Please keep in mind, 3 contrasting colors of 1 color, and don't repeat it
for the other colors in the quilt.

We will also be using the tri-recs tools.
I will be offering easy to follow steps on how to use
these tools.




In other news.........





Last week was a really exciting week for me..........

I was able to meet up with THE Bonnie Hunter!!!!!!
She had lectures and workshops all week in Southern California,
and I happened to have a layover in Long Beach, California.
A few texts after I landed, and there she was with her
friend Debi!  It was a pleasure meeting Debi, and I thank her
so much for coordinating our evening visit!
WE! HAD! A! BLAST!
Visiting, talking quilts, and eating ice cream.....how could it not be perfect!
Thanks for the visit Bonnie and Debi!




And............




I was able to be with my Dad and family for Father's Day.
I can't thank my Dad enough for all he does for me
not to mention our family.  I hope to be as good a man
as he is one day!







AND.................

Look what God blessed me with on Father's Day?!?!?!
Meet LILLY MAE!
It truly was God's doing that Lilly came into my life.
She certainly is NO replacement for Gracie Lu......
Gracie Lu could never be replaced.
Lilly Mae has already started making herself right at home.
I can't wait to share her with you all!
She is a Brown Boston Terrier.
She was born on Easter, thus, her name.
She is my little Easter Lilly.
On a side note......My Great Aunt Mae,
who taught me so much about quilting,
was named Lilly Mae.......coincidence?
Hmmmmmmm........LOLOLOL

Thanks for all of the encouragement!
Keep on Quilting!
Kevin the Quilter









39 comments:

  1. For someone who says he's not a techie, you sure do take the cake! All the little add-ons!! VERY impressive.
    And, to the point, your mystery is sounding fabulous! Of course, I never saw a blue quilt I didn't LOVE!
    I'm so jealous that you got to hang out with my friend, Bonnie, in Long Beach. UGH... Lucky you!!! Loved the picture.

    And the new precious doggie is just adorable!! Enjoy!!

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  2. I sort by color no matter what size I am sorting into my system. I have a LOT of blues that fit all 3 hues. Yellows and reds - hey, going on a shopping trip next week so will find a variety of FQs to fill the void. Love the new member of the family - how adorable!!

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  3. I love the name and the color palette of your mystery, Kevin. I'll be curious to see it develop.
    Enjoyed reading about your meet-up with Bonnie on her blog. I finally get to take a couple of classes from her next month, if all goes as planned.
    What a great photo of you and your Dad.
    Lilly Mae looks absolutely precious!

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  4. I don't keep scraps. Ever. If a piece is large-ish, it gets folded into the fabric, if it's tiny it gets tossed in the rash. Life is too short. But I do sort by color &/ or style.

    Your new fur baby is adorable! I ve never seen a brown Boston before, just beautiful.

    lizzy at gone to the beach

    lizzzz.d@gmail.com

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  5. I too separate by color, and have my Batik's separate (3 bins, each weighing about 25 pounds), as well as my 1800's (5 of those bins!), plus some segregation for landscape fabrics (we were "building houses" for a while for Habitat for Humanity recipients... into quilts for them for their new house) then a bin of cat fabrics, so I just have to go there for making cat quilts... lots of family love cats! Oh, and one bin just for large florals, I made at lest 3 quilts with those... can make lots more! The strings are all together in a bin, plan on making some string quilts soon!

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  6. I guess I know what I'll be doing my next day off, sorting scraps! I might send a picture of the overflowing laundry basket of scraps to be sorted once I dig it out from under the project boxes for the two UFO's I'm trying to finish before I start Sapphire Stars! Miss Lilly Mae is just precious, so happy for you.

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  7. whoops think I will have to dig into my stash for some fabric I am sure I will not have the range of any one colour in the quantity needed for the blue. Scraps all sorted into their new baskets but still have the tiny ones to do.
    Lilly Mae is sure to melt your heart, though not a dog lover she looks irrestible

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  8. Since my scraps are all at home, I'll have to save all the clues and make this quilt when I get home!! Absolutely LOVE your new baby!!! Lily Mae is adorable!! Cannot resist those big eyes!!!!!

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  9. Can't wait for the start. So glad you got to meet up with Bonnie-I know you know that she is fabulous. And your new Lily Mae is so cute---Enjoy, Enjoy

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  10. Oh my, Lilly Mae is just precious. I bet she will be ruling the household in no time lol.
    I sort my fabric by colour not necessarily size, unless its a string then it gets tossed into a tub of either light or dark. Cant wait to dive into my blues, my biggest colour by far. Happy Fathers day to you and your sweet Dad ❤

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  11. Thank you for putting yourself out there to gift us with a scrap quilt recipe I'm sure we will all love. I am also thankful that you have been so blessed by your new little bundle of wiggles and joy!

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  12. LIllie Mae is so cute!!!! Looking forward to the mystery! Can you give the size of the smallest scrap that can be used in the quilt? I only sort by color and if we have the approximate size that would help a lot! Thanks!

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  13. Awww your new baby is precious. Hoping on joining in on Saphire stars but not sure my sure my schedule will allow it.

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  14. Congrats! on the new baby. Thanks for providing color clues for the upcoming mystery! My scraps are already sorted by color and have been for years and years. You gave good advice for those who might be new to the scrap quilting thing. Having scraps sorted makes them SEW much easier to work with!!

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  15. What a sweet face on Lily Mae, there is always room in a dog lover's heart for another sweetheart. Looking forward to seeing your mystery unfold. Do you have a time frame?

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  16. Since I seldom use scraps (the exception has been this year, when I've used TONS of scraps) I don't have a 'system'. I do have a cabinet, where smaller pieces go in plastic buckets, that I have to pull out. If I still have yardage of the fabric, then I tuck the scraps in with the yardage, and use it when I can. I saw your pic on Bonnies blog last week. What a cutie Lilly Mae is! New memories with a new puppy!

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  17. Oh boy oh boy.... Going to play in my scraps now!! and the baby ----oh.... so sweet!!!!

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  18. Can't wait to start this mystery,love sorting fabric and when people give me fabric I can't to look at all the the quilts i can make with,btw love you new fur baby.

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  19. thanks for the tip. i have always sorted the big stuff by color, but not the scraps. i will be sorting the scrapes this week. sounds like fun to me too.love your new family member she is so cute. we can not replace dogs just fill in the empty spots of our hearts with joy.sharing love makes everyone happier. so glad you were blessed with lilly mae, enjoy

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  20. Lily Mae is adorable! What could have been a more perfect Father's Day gift?!

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  21. Well, I am late to this party. ^^^^
    So sweet you have a new baby. She is so sweet. she is looking up at you and even giving you a sweet face of love. Father's Day is the best, and I love this photo of you with your dad.
    and I also love the one with your friends.
    I have so many scraps....

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  22. First of all, I love the new (old) look. Very handsome. Love the photo with your adorable Dad. And, I think Gracie Lou would highly approve of Miss Lilly Mae. I hope Sophia feels the same way. She is absolutely adorable. I've never seen a brown Boston Terrier. I'm looking forward to the first (or second after the fabrics I guess) clue in the mystery! We're off. And, I'm happy you got to see Bonnie for a bit. What a treat for both of you.

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  23. I love watching the adventures of Gracie Lou! She is so tiny!!
    I used to have my nephew help me sort scraps too! I think he was about 5 though. He is 21 now and I think he has better things to do! LOL

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  24. Oh your new baby is soooo sweet! Enjoy the puppy training LOL!
    You are living the life... new puppy, new mystery, AND a visit with Miss Bonnie!!

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  25. Welcome Lilly Mae! Looking forward to the mystery quilt start. I have totes & totes of scrap fabric. Perfect timing for some color organization.

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  26. You are so organized. I do sort by color and by size. How fun you got to meet Bonnie Hunter. Looking forward to watching Lillie Mae grow up. Safe travels.

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  27. Oh My!!! Lilly Mae is lovely! Congrats! And can't wait to see the Mystery unfold.

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  28. Lily Mae is adorable! May you have many happy years sharing life together. I love my dogs unconditionally and understand the bond.

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  29. Your new puppy is adorable! I'm sure she will be well taken care of. Will she have her own little quilt too?

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  30. Visiting your blog from Quilter Kathy's blog. Sounds like an interesting mystery quilt....Love the blue and yellow combo...can't wait to see how the grey and red fit in! How fun to meet up with Miss Bonnie...that is a bucket list item for me ..maybe some day! Being from Canada I know I will have to travel to check that off my list! Puppies are so cute...Lilly Mae is no exception!

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  31. What fun colors for a mystery...luv your fur baby!

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