Orange, Confetti, Etc.

Well, this is getting predictable. But that's the way it goes when working on several projects a little at a time. I have four orange blocks for Rainbow Scrap Challenge/52 weeks of Scrappy Triangles this month, but I have fabric picked out for one more orange block if I decide to make it since there are a few more days left this month. It depends on how much I like the color for October. I do like the brightness that the orange blocks bring to my scrappy bunch. 

 I have a lot of oranges in my scraps and drawers. Many of them are more rusty, but I left them out because I wanted the blocks to be vibrant. Here they are mixed in with the rest of the year's blocks.

Oh, wow! I did it again. Flipped a block around, and didn't see it until just now. Can you find it? When it comes time to sew this baby together, I'm going to have to be really careful. That's the second time I've goofed up laying out blocks. Oh, and I had a bit of a glitch linking up my turquoise blocks to last month's RSC party, so if you didn't see them and want to, you can click here.

My Confetti quilt (Rachel Hauser's pattern) is going well. I've completed two sets of blocks now for a total of 24 blocks. This layout is more organized than the final will be. I just laid out what I've made so far pretty much in order. But even that way, it does look quite random. I'm so pleased. I expect that I'll make at least two more sets and then see how much background fabric I have left to decide how many more blocks to make. Such fun!

 Here's a close-up of this month's batch:

I jammed all this sewing into a few days earlier this month. Usually I stick to a weekly block with the triangles. But we had a vacation planned. The first in about 2 years!! I took a whole bunch of square scraps along for a little more hand sewing on what will likely be a car quilt some day. I didn't think I'd get much done, but these go so fast. 37 blocks!

I made some on the deck of our vacation apartment overlooking the pretty little lake and others in the evening while relaxing after a day of hiking or bike riding. 

It turns out I've been channeling Rose from Something Rose Made in my plan for this quilt. She sent me a photo of a quilt she hand sewed on trips a few years ago. Pretty much the same thing!! She also gave me some tips on how she made hers. Isn't the quilting community fabulous?!

I now have 58 four-patch blocks altogether. The interesting thing is that I have discovered that my scrap situation is not as bountiful as it seems if I want to cut pieces of a certain size. I have pretty much exhausted the number of 2-1/2 inch squares I can cut, so I started cutting squares from other bigger chunks of old fabric in my drawers. I think for most people, they would still be considered scraps--mostly pieces 1/8 yard or less. I'm okay with this because these are still pieces I'm trying to pare down so I can build a newer stash of fabric.

One more quilty-related photo from our vacation. This is a barn quilt, except that it's not on a barn. It's in the parking lot of the historical museum of Arcadia, Michigan, the tiny town we stayed in during our vacation. I really like how it combines more than one design.

Most of our time on vacation was spent outside hiking, biking and sunset watching at the beach. So for the first time in a long time, I have some non-quilty photos to share. I might not know where to stop. So if you just came for the quilt photos, you may stop here. Otherwise, enjoy! We sure did. And now I have a whole lot of color and design inspiration for future quilts.

We took a hike on a 3/4-mile-long boardwalk across a marsh preserve.

 I have a zillion photos of this driftwood in every kind of light. 

Our heron friend. Not shown: our deer and fox friends.

The garden by our apartment

There were some beginning touches of color.

Why did the chicken cross the trail?
And where did she come from in the middle of nowhere?

Perfect timing on our walk home after sunset. See the deer?
There were five of them.

Sunsets were spectacular this week.
Last days of summer and first days of autumn.

Results of a little weather the night before
on the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail.
We had to go around or over three of these. 

This part of the trail was devastated by a huge storm six years ago.
It used to be a forest. It's good to see trees springing up again
and covering all the downed trunks.

Can't take a trip to Glen Haven in Sleeping Bear
without a photo of the
the old canning company building.

Tried to find a new angle this year.

Empire Bluff hike

Goodbye summer; hello autumn

I have a feeling more photos will find their way into the blog over time. Such a lovely week, and I know I'll want to revisit it to remember. I hope you are enjoying the beginning of autumn or spring wherever you are.

I'm linking up with Angela at So Scrappy for Scrap Happy Saturday (yeah, I know I'm late) and with Cynthia at Quilting is more fun than Housework for Oh Scrap.

(Just a reminder: I'm not affiliated with any company, so when I mention products, services, or stores I'm just documenting what I used or liked.)