ProjectQUILTING - PQ 16.5 - Follow Your Arrow

FOLLOW YOUR ARROW

Welcome to The Joyful Quilter!!  And... Welcome to the wonderful world of Project QUILTING hosted by Kim Lapacek @ Persimon Dreams!!  This is my 6th year of participation in the Challenge.  Trish Frankland @ QuiltChicken is the creator of the crazy challenges that participants will face during the next 5 weeks.

Sassy @ Farm Quilter got me started at the beginning of Season 11 by inviting her readers to join in the fun.  I accepted her invitation and the rest is history.  As I have for the past two years, I will be dragging along my friend LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color again this season, as she enjoys having a reason to stretch her creative wings.  Would YOU like to join me in this creative journey, too?  

FAIR WARNING:  It's a wild ride, but oh SEW rewarding!

Challenges are given and start to finish you have ONE WEEK to complete your project.  PQ 16.5 can be found at THIS LINK:

Step One...

I ponder the possibilities.   There are a number of directions I could go with this.

Step Two...

Read the instructions to see what is required of the fifth challenge.  Here's what Trish had to say:

16.5 Follow Your Arrow

This week’s challenge invites you to explore arrows.

As a motif or shape in quilting, arrows were there from Day One.

Chevrons can be a very modern, streamlined arrow shape.

You can find lots of patterns for arrowhead-and-feathered-shaft Robin Hood style arrows.

She went on to say the following:

 

... And of course tons of very traditional blocks create dramatic arrow shapes across your quilt

Your “arrow” can be simple and literal or deep and introspective (well, only as deep as a one-week deadline allows!).

Step Three...

Search for any arrow shaped items in my studio to see if they will sway my direction one way or another.

What are you thinking, Joyful???

My first thought went to my stencil stash, as I know I have an arrow shaped stencil, but I also recall a skirt that I made for a friend a number of years ago.  I'm fairly certain there must be a scrap of that in my Light GRAY Quilted Scrap Basket.  There are also some fun ways to piece arrow shapes.

Step Four...

Head up to the studio to decide on my supplies:

Spoiler Alert!  The arrow fabric was nowhere to be found so the next stop was my yellow scrap basket.  Whatever I make will most likely incorporate at least one scrap of YELLOW fabric.  After all, that's the March Color of the Month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge:

Tutorial for these baskets can be found HERE.

Step Five...

Review the rules:

Rule One: Your completed project must include an arrow shape.

You have one week to meet the challenge. Every challenge piece must be a FINISHED project seen through from INCEPTION to COMPLETION during the challenge timeline – that is, started on or after March 2nd, 2025, and linked up by noon Central Time March 9th, 2025.

Each piece must stand alone as DONE to count.

Your project does not need to be a traditional quilt, but must meet at least one of these requirements: include patchwork, include appliqué, have 3 layers stitched together by hand or machine.

Incomplete or unfinished does not qualify. Every challenge piece must be a FINISHED project seen through from INCEPTION to COMPLETION during the challenge timeline.

Step Six... Get to work!!!

I'm on the project fast track this week, so by Sunday night, I'd already chosen the scraps I would be using for my blocks and searched out a number of Arrow blocks to use.

Here I am testing out my favorite of the arrow blocks on Monday evening:

Here is a bit of my construction process...

(Scroll down to the bottom of the post NOW, if you don't care to see a blow by blow of the making of my quilt.)

I got to work on my design after deciding on blocks in two sizes:

More blocks followed the next morning:

When I got home from work on Tuesday afternoon, my quilt top came together:

On Wednesday afternoon, the quilt was layered...

And quilting had begun:

The center portion was basically done by the time I needed to go make dinner:

Thursday morning found me finishing the borders and after my Weekly Quilt Group meeting, I finished quilting the center...

With the binding made, applied and stitched down, I'm am pleased to present my completed my completed entry for PQ 16.5:

There is usually a reason that I participate in these challenges...

... And this time, it was thanks to Laura @ Sew Very Easy on YouTube.  She shared a fun arrow pattern called Always Chasing Rainbows from Benartex.  Of course, my project looks nothing like the pattern AND there is also the fact that I shrunk the block size (TWICE!!) without ever seeing the actual pattern!  Thank you, ProjectQUILTING, for giving me new ways to stretch my creativity with every challenge prompt!

10" x 12"

There you have it...

Process, product, and the REAL reason for accepting this Challenge.

Follow THIS LINK to the Season 16 overview.  Check back on the Challenge release days (or sign-up to be notified automatically) and there may be one that YOU just can't resist.

It's a SHORT turnaround time!

Depending on the size and complexity of your project, that doesn't HAVE to be insurmountable.  With a little creativity and a few evenings, you really CAN do this!  My project was begun the same day the prompt was announced and was finished with about 2.5 DAYS to spare!  My post was ready for release shortly thereafter and this time I'm releasing my post early, as I don't know how I will feel Sunday morning since I'm having surgery tomorrow (Friday).  Off to join Kim's Link Party now so that I don't have to worry about being awake to join on Sunday like I normally would.

Until next time...

Challenge accepted!!!

Remember:  If I can do this, YOU can do it, too!

(Plus, there's a spot to post your completed Project QUILTING inspired projects AFTER the deadline for any of the challenges.)

The 100 Day Project 2025 - #100Days100ThingsDecluttered - Week 1

Welcome to the 2025 edition of #100Days100ThingsDecluttered, a new mini-series here at The Joyful Quilter!!  I started The 100 Day Project last week.  I'm excited that I've committed to it, again.  It's particularly popular on Instagram.  I was hesitant to participate before last year.  I'll be releasing weekly updates on Tidy Up Tuesday for those of you who might be interested in seeing what goes out the door.

What did you say your project was, again, Joyful???

I signed up with a different idea in mind than most.  You can read about it HERE.  That link will tell you all about my project.

The gist of my focus...

Decluttering my home and studio in an effort to free up space for MORE creativity.

Here's my progress for Week One:

I can’t imagine that I will do as well as I did last year, getting 5 times as many things out of the house as I had hoped, but I’ll do the best I can.

I got rid of the following items:

1 pr earrings
1 waffle iron
1 blender
12 coat hangers
2 cardboard boxes
1 medical boot
1 pencil
1 notions bag

Total: 20/100

Can you believe I forgot to get a photo for Week One???  I'll try not to make that mistake again, but it was a tough week in Joyful QuilterLand.

Thank you to those of you who encouraged me in my decluttering efforts as I kicked off this challenge!  I appreciate your kind comments and your willingness to cheer me along.  Sara @ My Sewing Room had this to say:

I sure need to jump back into the challenge.  We live in a big house with too much stuff.  So I probably WILL join in.  Good luck to BOTH of us!

Sara

She participated alongside me last year and was pleased with her progress.  I'm glad that Sara might serve as my accountability partner again this year.

 

@dothe100dayproject

#The100DayProject

#DoThe100DayProject

#100Days100Things_TheDeclutterEdition

#100Days100ThingsDecluttered

#filltheboxjoy

Come back next week to see what goes in the box during the next 7 days.  You can also follow me on Instagram @thejoyfulquilter, if you are there more often than in BlogLand.

Until next time...

Do the 100 Day Project!!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC25 - Week 9

WARNING:  PHOTO HEAVY POST!!!

Welcome to Week 9 of the 2025 Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  This week I have 3 deadline projects in BLUE to keep me busy.  Will I finish them all?  That remains to be seen.

Read on to find out what got finished and what didn't...

SUNDAY - ProjectQUILTING - 16.4 - Birthstone

I'm going to meet Britt at McKay's Bookstore in Mebane to exchange items after lunch.  I'll be bringing home this UFO, it's going to look a bit different than when I dropped it off...

But first, I spent some time with my Get Messy art friends at our Weekly Morning Art Zoom.  This morning found me working on a layered background in my Junk Journal January.  There are still a handful of pages to complete, but nothing photo-worthy today.

After dinner, I made the mistake of working late into the evening on my BLUE Donation quilt.  Things were fine...  Until they weren't:

MONDAY - The 100 Day Project 2025

Day Off Work

I switched with my coworker, so now I'll be off on Thursday this week.  I had grand plans for when I got home, but I went to bed with a 101.4 fever instead of completing any of the tasks on my project list.

TUESDAY - Day Off

Hoping for the best for today's quilting tasks.  What happened???  I was SEW busy!

In construction news, the next three foundations were poured today in the neighborhood next door.  They worked on pouring two at a time and made a muddy mess on the road:

WEDNESDAY - Wonderful Wednesday

Day Off 

In construction news, the "build kits" were delivered for the newly poured foundations:

Another day, another chance to knock a few BLUE projects of my To Do list.  I sewed until it was time for my Weekly Zoom with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color:

Not long after we finished our conversation, I headed off to Urgent Care per my surgeon's request.  DH had made me promise to call.  As it turned out, the surgeon wanted to make sure that the random fevers I've been having weren't from one of several ailments currently running rampant in our area.  Negative!  My fevers have no apparent cause (except, according to the Doc at Urgent Care, my gallbladder may be starting to become infected.)  She really hoped that the surgeon might fit me in sooner and asked me to call first thing tomorrow morning.

THURSDAY - Work Day Off

It was a busy day which began with spending some time with my (Weekly) Quilt Group:

When I got home, I was greeted by the following scene out the studio window.  That's right!  Our new next door neighbors have moved in:

I was a little late to Curiosity Collective, but did a bit of color mixing and some swatching in my Hangout Journal with Caylee's Body of Art class from 2023:

And...

Before the Artist Date was over, my phone rang.  I had a conversation with the Surgeon's nurse.  There would be no further evaluation, no antibiotics, and no moving the surgery any closer to this week.  I was told that if a fever was accompanied by severe pain and nausea that I should go to the nearest ER.  Fingers crossed that my poor gallbladder can hang in there for one more week so that I don't have to have emergency surgery!

A quick lunch was followed by Scrap Club with approximately 20 members in attendance...

An early dinner was consumed before heading off to my Monthly Evening Quilt Bee:

FRIDAY - TABLE SCRAPS Challenge

Work, but fortunately for me, Knit Group was canceled for today.  I went in late, so I headed up to the studio.  Since the next door neighbors moved in yesterday, the photo below shows the view out the studio window this morning:

There was time for a little bit of sewing before work.  I made these blocks for Many Hands Many Hearts hosted by Cynthia @ Quilting is more fun than Housework:

I made a quick stop at the grocery store on the way home.  Once everything was put away, I went up to sew this pair of blocks for Kat @ Kat and Cat Quilts for Covered in Love:

After dinner, I headed up to my Weekly Evening Art Zoom where I completed the NEWSPAPER prompt for Junk Journal January:

SATURDAY - It's LINK PARTY day for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!  I hope you will join me in visiting Angela @ So Scrappy to see what the RSC Quilters have been up to this week.  (A portion of ) The Scrappy Strips QAL with Kristen @ Scrap Fabric Love is what kept me busy:

I was late to this week's party because today was a busy day...

Which started with a breakfast knitting meeting with Tracy...

Followed by a late morning Zoom with Knittingsuek:

After a quick lunch, I was off to the Opening of the Season of Consistency at Get Messy...

Where I created the following page in my Hangout Journal:

Afterward, Britt and I met on Zoom to do some art and figure out a quilting plan for March:

It was a very, VERY busy week.  Thank you to those of you who read through to the end of this post!  Some weeks are like this one.  I appreciate you taking the time to follow along.

Until next time...

Get SCRAPPY!!

February 2025 - TABLE SCRAPS Challenge - Link Party

Welcome to the FEBRUARY 2025 edition of the TABLE SCRAPS Challenge here at the Joyful Quilter!!  I'll start with a little backstory, in case you are new here.  (Apologies to my regular readers since you already know all about it.) I'm a scrap quilter who had been setting up individual challenges for several years in conjunction with Angela's (RSC) Rainbow Scrap Challenge @ So Scrappy.  Participants from around the corner, across the country and around the world have been having SEW much fun and we all have MORE scraps to use, so I am pleased to offer the...

In 2025, we have a broad range of quilted items that are appropriate for linking to the Challenge.  Baskets and bins, along with pillows and pin cushions, are all qualifying projects.  Not just the toppers, runners, and mug rugs.  Basically, ANY quilted item qualifies.  The main premise is that you USE the (new or old) SCRAPS from your cutting table (or your friend's cutting table - since that's where the majority of my scraps come from!)

There will be a prompt each month to help get your creative juices flowing.  While you are NOT required to use it in your project, the guiding word will be revealed at the end of each month's LINK PARTY post.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the following month's focus.  It, along with the RSC Color of the Month (as soon as Angela releases it - around the 1st of the month.) will also be added to the 2025 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge page at the top of the blog.

The theme for January was:

NEON or ANYTHING BRIGHT

Well, it's ProjectQUILTING season...

That means that I didn't have a moment to think about my project until this week, which was an "off week".  No PQ project was due, but I had a couple other projects that I hoped to finish before the end of the month.

That meant that I would needed to do two things...

I needed to figure something out FAST and do something fairly SMALL.

First, I searched through my BLUE Quilted Scrap Basket...

But I really only needed a Dark BLUE and selected a few scraps leftover from the Scrappy Strips QAL with Kristen @scrapfabriclove:

Ultimately, I decided on another addition to my Words and Phrases Series...

This meant the next step would be drawing out the letters...

That was done on double-sided fusible, taken to the window to draw in reverse on the other side:

Cutting was followed by...

Applying the letters to my background, but you'll need to ignore those extra squares since they didn't make it into the final design:

A scrap of backing and batting was soon followed by layering the quilt sandwich...

And stitching the letters down with NEON orange thread:

My next step in the process is writing out a sample of my phrase and doing a test run of quilting...

Which is quickly followed by the real deal:

Once the threads were trimmed and the binding was prepared, I set to finishing the quilt...

My normal front porch swing photo didn't turn out great, so here is a better shot for you on the living room floor...

This is my completed February 2025 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge quilt in its new home, displayed on the gallery wire in my studio:

The phrase says "Never let anyone dim your sparkle."  Thanks for searching it out for me, Britt!  I think it felt just right for the 8" x 10" quilt:

What's next, Joyful???

Tomorrow the new month begins.  Angela announced the Color of the Month for March on her Rainbow Scrap Challenge post that went live on Monday.  She had chosen:

YELLOW

March's theme is:

SONG LYRICS/SONG TITLE/POETRY

NOTE:  Thank you, for the suggestion for our March theme, LeeAnna!  I expanded the theme to poetry, in case music isn't your thing.  I'm excited to see what participants are inspired to create!  While I look forward to seeing what you might make using the prompt, you are NOT required to use the suggested theme!!  The main goal is using up some of your scraps.  I have to say, I have NO IDEA what I'm going to do yet!

And now...

It's time for YOU to link up your NEON / ANYTHING BRIGHT and/or BLUE project in the LINK PARTY below.  All entries MUST be submitted by Wednesday, March 5th @ 11:59PM (EST).

USE those table scraps!!!

#tablescrapschallenge2025

Joining Cynthia

for

Oh Scrap!