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RSC2024 Jan to Feb

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SOSCRAPPY

I started another RSC2024 project. How does this happen when I made a resolution to not go overboard?? Ah well. These are Patchwork Hearts by Quilty Love. I made the January green, then went ahead & made the February red. So this project is done for the month!

In January 2023 I posted that I had made all 448 of these string pieced 2.5″ x 4.5″ blocks for Bonnie Hunter’s Cherry Crunch. Then I planned to set them aside until the red month & put the corners on. Unfortunately, red occurred during the time we were moving & I was not doing my projects.

So this week I got right on these as soon as red was announced. It pinged in my brain that I wanted to get this top done! I’ve been putting on the corners, then sewing pairs, then pairs into blocks. I’m almost done with the blocks I need for a lap size quilt, then will have leftovers to make a donation baby quilt. So hopefully I can get these rows sewed & the borders made this month.

So….on to more red in February!!! Happy sewing, y’all!

RSC2024 January greens & other stuff

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SOSCRAPPY

It’s been months since I posted here. I’ve been getting used to our new home, doing more physical therapy, having more tests, finding more things for the doctors to treat. So I’ve just been sewing what I wanted & not worrying about pushing myself. One thing I have been doing is keeping up with the charity block drives by Cynthia Brunz. These Offset Log Cabins are the drive for Dec 2023-Feb 2024 so I got them done at the beginning of January & made more greens than blue & purple, since January is green!

Covered in Love announced they were also doing a Jan-March block drive after a hiatus, so I made two for them. These Elizabeth Hartman blocks were fun but took quite a long time & I was anxious to get started on some of my own stuff, so stopped after 2. Also they are large.

Part of what I did the last of 2023 was to finish up some unfinished RSC2022 projects, but there are still some languishing so I pulled them out to analyze what needs to be done to finish up. I need purple & orange blocks for those two quilts, so when those months come up, I’ll work hard on getting those extra blocks done & hopefully finishing up Catching Rainbows & Sliding Scale.

This year’s new projects include these wonky Lori Holt paper pieced hearts. I’ve been hoarding this Tula Pink low volume layer cake that I got on an MSQC Daily Deal a long time ago because I love the fabric. So I’ve been waiting for the “perfect” project to use it on, but have decided it will be darling for this & since I want to use up what I have, what am I waiting for? The colored fabric is another Daily Deal I’ve been holding on to, so these layer cakes are being used. While technically not scraps, they are stash, so I’m going for it. Also, these are super cute!

My other new projects are scrap projects using 2.5″ squares. I’m making Two-Step from Lissa Alexander’s book “Scrap School”; some split 9-patches; & some rail fence blocks I saw on instagram a long time ago. These may drift into next year if I need more blocks to make whole quilts.

In non-RSC sewing, I finished “Jamestown Landing” from “String Fling” by Bonnie Hunter. It’s definitely a scrap quilt & will go to the quilter sometime. It’s in the queue. My son & daughter-in-law gave me the book for my birthday in July so I couldn’t resist starting on it then & it took a while to make all the blocks, because Bonnie=lots of piecing.

I finished “Christmas Joy” mid-January. It’s made from all the leftovers from the tree skirts I made both my boys as wedding presents in 2019. I’ve had that bag of strips hanging around waiting for a pattern I liked, & when I saw Fast Track by A Bright Corner in my patterns, I realized it was perfect. So I power-sewed in early December, got it quilted, & bound after the Christmas rush. Since I finished another Christmas quilt for me in time for this Christmas, I’ll have two new quilts to toss around Christmas 2024!

I gave my DIL all the fabric for a Hocus Pocus quilt by The Pattern Basket because she loves mine. When I saw this version by Jessica Dayon using the Shades of Autumn fabric, I ran right out & bought everything I needed for the quilt. She got it in September & I’m just now starting on it. But all these cut pieces have now become pumpkins with leaves & stems.

And finally, the Bonnie Hunter winter mystery: Indigo Way. I’ve always wanted to do one of her mysteries & every year I save the clues, but have yet to make one. This year I decided to just do it. I cut out the first clue & have been L&E sewing them. I finally got them all trimmed & pressed this week, so part one is done. I’ve cut & started L&E sewing part two, so maybe this will be done by the summer. Ha ha!

2024 My Reader’s Block challenges

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I’ve joined this challenge for 11 years in an attempt to read down my owned books. This year I’ve decided to lower my goal here, but add in the sister challenge to utilize my library & thus not give in to the temptation to add to the mountain of books on my shelves. This feels like a win-win! So my goal for Mount TBR this year is Mt. Blanc: 24 books.

This challenge is only for books I do not own. They may be borrowed from the library, a friend, found on a free e-book site, or anywhere else that allows me to temporarily “checkout” the book.
My goal is Mount Crumpit: Read 24 books from my Virtual TBR/Wish List/Library.

2023 Reading Statistics

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11 non-fiction
27 new-to-me authors
109 series books
21 re-reads
61 audio-books
7 of 7 challenges completed
91 of 102 Newbery winners

2022: 171 books; 55,585 pages; 15 non-fiction; 34 new-to-me authors; 115 series books; 28 re-reads; 76 audio-books; 9 of 10 challenges completed; 86 of 100 Newbery winners
2021: 194 books; 64,530 pages; 8 non-fiction; 36 new-to-me authors; 126 series books; 40 re-reads; 110 audio-books; 9 of 9 challenges completed; 83 of 99 Newbery winners
2020: 218 books; 76,990 pages; 31 non-fiction; 51 new-to-me authors; 115 series; 27 re-reads; 104 audio-books; 10 of 10 challenges completed; 82 of 98 Newbery winners
2019: 161 books; 55,269 pages; 15 non-fiction; 44 new-to-me authors; 105 series; 26 re-reads; 78 audio-books; 8 of 8 challenges completed; 81 of 97 Newbery winners
2018: 122 books: 41,700 pages; 10 non-fiction; 25 new-to-me authors; 56 series; 23 re-reads; 52 audio-books; 9 of 9 challenges completed; 77 of 96 Newbery winners
2017: 162 books; 49,126 pages; 14 non-fiction; 32 new-to-me authors; 94 series; 22 re-reads; 78 audio-books; 14 of 14 challenges completed; 75 of 95 Newbery winners
2016: 162 books; 50,718 pages; 14 non-fiction; 33 new-to-me authors; 49 series; 30 re-reads; 68 audio-books; 16 of 17 challenges completed; 73 of 94 Newbery winners
2015: 141 books; 50,971 pages; 11 non-fiction; 29 new-to-me authors; 45 series; 37 re-reads; 56 audio-books; 10 of 10 challenges completed; 71 of 93 Newbery winners
2014: 139 books; 43,972 pages; 7 non-fiction; 36 new-to-me authors; 26 series; 20 re-reads; 37 audio-books; 10 of 10 challenges completed; 70 of 92 Newbery; books set in 25 of 50 states
2013: 150 books; 47,936 pages; 7 non-fiction; 29 new-to-me authors; 25 series; 32 re-reads; 49 audio-books; 6 of 6 challenges completed; 64 of 91 Newbery; books set in 25 of 50 states
2012: 196 books; 56,851 pages; 11 non-fiction; 55 new-to-me novelists; 95 series; 25 re-reads; 25 audio-books; 6 of 6 challenges completed; 64 of 90 Newbery
2011: 132 books; 39,641 pages; 15 non-fiction; 42 new-to-me novelists; 54 series; 12 re-reads; 33 audio-books; 0 of 0 challenges completed; 59 of 89 Newbery
2010: 152 books; 46,899 pages; 3 non-fiction; 37 new-to-me novelists; 25 series; 19 re-reads; 28 audio-books; 5 of 5 challenges completed; 50 of 88 Newbery
2009: 73 books; 23,576 pages; 3 non-fiction; 31 new-to-me novelists; 36 series; 5 re-reads; 48 of 87 Newbery
2008: 79 books; 32,031 pages; 8 non-fiction; 15 new-to-me novelists; 31 series; 19 re-reads; 42 of 86 Newbery
2007: 44 books; 17,069 pages; 3 non-fiction; 8 new-to-me novelists; 15 series; 13 re-reads; 38 of 85 Newbery

2024 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge

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I’ve done this challenge off & on over the years & decided 2024 is the year to do it again & maybe get some neglected books off my shelves.

JAN- “Red Carpet Reads” Read a book that has won an award or been nominated for one.
FEB- “Dynamic Duos” Read a book with a couple of characters that make the perfect pair- whether in business, friendship, or in love.
MAR- “Thrill Me” Read a thriller- Psychological thriller; Action thriller; Crime thriller; etc.
APR- “Who’s In Charge Here?” Read a book where the character’s involvement in Royalty, Government, a Kingdom, or any ruling body plays a role.
MAY- “Face Off” Read a book with a face on the cover. Bonus points if you take a #bookface photo!
JUN- “Comedy Club” Read a book that’s guaranteed to make you laugh.
JUL- “Creature Feature” Read a book with an animal in the story- real or mythical.
AUG- “Seasons, Elements, Weather” Read a book where the season, weather, climate, or elements play a roll in the plot.
SEP- “Story of Survival” Read a book where the character stays strong and survives something.
OCT- “Wicked Good Reads” An ode to Girlxoxo’s annual WGR event. Ghosts, Witches, Vampires, Creeptastic or Magical books.
NOV- “An Oldie But A Goodie” Read a Historical Fiction book or a book published before 2000.
DEC- “Cover Love” Read a book with a cover you love!